The Break-Up Retreat

by Camilla Sten

An undercover journalist goes to expose an exclusive psychological wellness clinic where women go to recover from heartbreak, with dire consequences, in this creepy thriller from The Bachelorette Party author Camilla Sten.

Welcome to Himlafall Clinic, where we use revolutionary therapy techniques to heal you from heartbreak. Whether you are going through a devastating breakup, or can’t seem to stop picking the wrong partners, we are here to help you change your life, once and for all…

Isobel Anderssen has heard rumors. Nestled deep in the Swedish woods, there is a clinic. Primarily aimed at helping women who have gone through devastating break-ups, the Himlafall Clinic is meant to heal your mind and help you move on.

Sometimes people are never heard from again.

Armed with a fake story and a contraband phone to record interviews, Isobel is ready to expose Himlafall’s founder and get closure for the families of missing loved ones. But when she gets there, nothing goes to plan. Her contact is missing. The founder, Dr. Martina Hastings, knows how to get under Isobel’s skin in ways she didn’t anticipate. And all the while, the ghosts of the missing haunt her at every turn. It is clear something is going wrong and Himlafall, and Isobel must uncover the truth, before she disappears once and for all.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 9, 2026

About the author

Camilla Sten is a writer, and her publisher made the mistake of letting her set this author page up by herself. She is best known for her internationally bestselling novel "The Lost Village", which has sold to 19 countries, and has written books ranging from YA fantasy to contemporary thrillers.

Camilla lives in Sweden with her American boyfriend and two fluffy, evil cats. She is quite enjoying talking about herself in the third person, and might keep it going after she's submitted this author bio.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed the author’s previous books so I was excited to dive into this one and finished it quickly. Isobel is a journalist going under cover to find out what is really going on at Himlafall, a break up retreat being run by a famous psychologist. She wants to know what happened to a missing patient and why people are going bankrupt over being there. Set in a remote location 5 hours outside of Stockholm, and when the weather goes bad and things start going wrong… it becomes a game of cat and mouse, who will win? A very atmospheric thriller that I couldn’t put down. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with for her next book.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I really did enjoy the haunting and atmospheric setting of this novel, but ultimately it was just too slow and drawn out for me. Some of the parts detailing Dr. Martina's thoughts and interviews should have been edited a bit, I found myself skipping entire passages on my Kindle.

Nothing really sticks out to me as anything "wrong" with this book, it just wasn't for me. I figured out what was happening early on, and although that usually doesn't detract from my enjoyment of a book...combined with the pacing, this just wasn't my favorite.

[Calista Andrechek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Camille Sten and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This wasn’t what I expected from Sten, much more thriller than horror until the ending. Still very enjoyable with some stellar twists and decently quick pacing. I would recommend.