The Marriage Retreat: A totally unputdownable psychological thriller with a shocking twist
Laura Elliot
441 pages
Bookouture
published August 17, 2023
About the book
My husband saved other people’s marriages.
But his secrets will destroy ours…
I stand in the mortuary and take a deep breath before identifying the body of the man I’ve been married to for twenty-six years. Victor and I built Serenity Falls, a successful couples’ retreat, together. Honesty and trust were the bedrocks of our marriage, and we helped other couples repair their relationships too.
Now my whole world has been turned upside down and I don’t know what to think. A woman lies in a coma, in a stark, white hospital room. She was by Victor’s side when he died. The police have been unable to identify her and I’m forced to confront the painful reality that my own husband was hiding something. My grief is laced with anger. How could he lie to me?
But as I begin to uncover the secrets of my husband’s past, I discover the shocking truth about the woman with no name and no memory. And to protect my family, I have to make a choice.
A choice that will turn me into a liar, just like Victor.
And will end in murder…
My review
This one is a little bit of a slow burn, but picks up some as it progresses. It’s a little bit twisty and based on an interesting premise. I didn’t really like any of the characters, especially the main character, but I was interested in where this it was going. It’s based on secrets, lies and trust, which is what any good domestic thriller is about, am I right? This one is more of a psychological thriller than a pulse pounding thriller.
If you are a fan of slow burn psychological thrillers with unlikable characters, you should check this one out.
About the author
Laura Elliot lives in Malahide, a picturesque, coastal village in Dublin, Ireland. She enjoys writing psychological thrillers and, to date, she has written nine novels: The Thorn Girl, The Wife Before Me, Guilty, Sleep Sister, The Betrayal, Fragile Lies, Stolen Child ( also titled On Your Doorstep) The Prodigal Sister (also titled The Lost Sister) The Silent House and her most recent novel, After The Wedding.
In the UK she is published by Bookouture, Sphere and Avon – and by Grand Central Publishing in the US. Her novels have also been widely translated.
AKA June Considine, she has written twelve books for children and young adults. In her earlier career, she worked as a journalist and magazine editor.
For more details check http://lauraelliotauthor.com/
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