A Quiet Retreat by Kiersten Modglin

It all begins with a simple invitation.

For five authors, it’s meant to be the start of a restful week, filled with free food, drinks, and like-minded company. But shortly after their arrival, things take an unsettling turn.

Broken property, missing items, and strange noises are just some of the odd occurrences that have each member questioning their companions. As suspicions mount, the authors are pitted against each other.

Whom can they trust in a house full of strangers?

With tensions rising, the writers find themselves in the middle of their own mystery. Death, terror, and despair are common elements in their books, but at Black Hills Manor, the murders being plotted are their own...

Publisher: Dreamscape Media | Narrator: Carly Robins | Length: 5 hours 50 minutes | Genre: Psychological Thriller | Source: Purchase | Rating: 3

When five mystery writers accept a mysterious invitation to spend a week at a writers retreat in the secluded Black Hills of South Dakota, they expect a week of writing and relaxation. What they didn’t expect was appliances breaking, personal items going missing, and the feeling of being watched. Are they wrapped up in their own mysteries or are they in danger from a real threat and, if so, is it one of them or someone else and how far are they willing to go?

 liked the premise of this one: five mystery writers trapped in a secluded manor while strange, possibly dangerous, things are happening around them but I don’t think it reached its full potential.

The story weaves through two perspectives and two timeframes. Blakely, present day, is one of the mystery writers at the retreat and something traumatic has happened in her past. She’s not sure why she’s been invited on this retreat but she’s wanting to use the time to work on finishing her latest mystery. The five writers are at various stages in their careers and the events happening around them are causing tension and unlikely friendships. Lessa’s from ‘before’ and we don’t know much about her other than she comes from a wealthy family but has fallen in with a guy that her family doesn’t approve of.

I’m normally a fan of dual timelines but I don’t know if it was the best thing for this book as it felt off kilter. Lessa’s storyline was overly detailed where I feel like the present day storyline could have been more fleshed out. The characters could have been introduced a bit more and the relationships could have been developed on the page rather than something that was just touched up in a sentence or two at the end.

This was my first time reading Kiersten Modglin and I’ve heard that this book wasn’t her best so I’m curious to see what her other books are like.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it wasn’t the best book, but it was a decent read. While the flow of the plot is uneven, and I did find my focus drifting during Lessa’s POV, this was a nice change from the heavier thrillers and suspense books I’ve been reading.