“I loved this chilling, tightly plotted, feminist, seriously effed-up thriller.and not just because my brilliant sister wrote it! Can't wait for everyone else to fall in love with this wicked debut.” -Andrea Bartz, NYT bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick WE WERE NEVER HERE With the clock running out, she must discover the truth-or suffer the same fate.Ī claustrophobic and propulsive thriller exploring the dark side of female relationships and fame, The Writing Retreat is the unputdownable debut novel from a compelling new talent.

But when one of the writers vanishes during a snowstorm, Alex realizes that something very sinister is afoot. Determined to win this seemingly impossible contest, Alex buckles down and tries to ignore the strange happenings at the estate, including Roza’s erratic behavior, Wren’s cruel mind games, and the alleged haunting of the mansion itself. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn’t dampen her excitement.īut when the attendees arrive, Roza drops a bombshell-they must all complete an entire novel from scratch during the next month, and the author of the best one will receive a life-changing seven-figure publishing deal. The Plot meets Please Join Us in this psychological suspense debut about a young author at an exclusive writer’s retreat that descends into a nightmare.Īlex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. “Darkly satirical and action-packed.An absolutely splendid debut!” -Wendy Walker, nationally bestselling author of Don’t Look for Me “Sex, suspense, and the supernatural fuel this propulsive debut.” - People

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz