“The dark, atmospheric, feminist offspring of Squid Game, The Hunting Party and Misery

A book deal to die for.

Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled.

Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach.

But then the women begin to die.

Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

This unhinged, propulsive, claustrophobic closed-door thriller will pull you in and spit you out…”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz. The Writing Retreat was published by Magpie Books on 2nd March 2023 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow in October.

Alex is an unpublished writer desperate for her big break. When the opportunity to attend a writing retreat hosted by her favourite author arises, Alex jumps at it. But competition is fierce and she isn’t successful in securing one of the four elusive spaces. An agented author friend hears on the grapevine that one of the four original retreat guests is no longer able to attend, so she pulls a few strings (or her agent does!) and before long Alex is packing her bags ready to spend February with Roza Vallo at Blackbriar Estate. It’s a dream come true! But there’s a catch. Alex won’t be the only last minute addition to the guest list. Her ex-best friend and roommate, the highly influential Wren, will also be attending. With a seven-figure publishing deal on the table and the chance to be associated with Roza Vallo, Alex knows this is the opportunity of a lifetime and she’s not going to let Wren ruin it for her. But it soon becomes clear that something at Blackbriar Estate isn’t quite right. Roza’s methods are unorthodox, the staff are cold and distant, and the mounting snowstorm and lack of communication from the outside world are making the women nervous. Alex must write a masterpiece in 28 days, otherwise she may not leave Blackbriar alive…

The Writing Retreat is a well-written debut novel featuring intriguing, unlikable characters, a dash of the supernatural and an immersive, somewhat unexpected storyline. In other words, it was all a bit bonkers! I decided to read this book because it was everywhere earlier in the year and my FOMO kicked up a gear. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I picked it up. The idea of a female horror author running a writing retreat for women really appealed (all under 30 though, I guess Vallo was looking for new blood to nurture rather than older, more congealed, dry, crusty blood 😂), it’s a book about books and writing so that’s always a big tick from me and I have to say, I love the cover artwork. It’s probably a good thing that I wasn’t sure what to expect as I went in with a fairly open mind, so ended up just going with the flow and enjoying the strange turn of events, no matter how bizarre and unrealistic they seemed. Yes, it’s dark and sinister but it was also a good fun read, and I would certainly read more by this author in the future.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Writing Retreat makes for compelling reading and unfolds at a good pace. The tension builds as the realisation of what lies ahead dawns on the five women. Allegiances are made, feelings are hurt. The secret of what tore the friendship between Alex and Wren apart is kept hidden from the reader for the first part of the book. It’s only later we discover the actual reason and subsequent events that have muddied what was once a strong bond. The secret the two share, whilst unexpected, it wasn’t all that shocking and I struggled to see why Wren in particular was making such an incredible fuss about distancing herself from Alex. I couldn’t help but feel she was being a little childish. There is plenty of drama to go around though with each of the five women, plus Roza and her two members of staff (also both female) bringing the story to life. There’s a wonderful feeling of impending doom and dread throughout the book which had me on the edge of my seat as I approached the final denouement. And I confess, I didn’t see any of the twists coming at all. The final thing I want to mention before signing off is that there is a fair amount of graphic sexual content in this book. I thought it erred a little towards too much. But all in all, a very readable debut thriller. The characters were well written, the creepy setting of Blackbriar Estate in a snowstorm added to the tension and the plot was intriguing, even if a little bonkers at times. Recommended.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz was published in the UK by Magpie Books on 2nd March 2023 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Julia Bartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and practicing therapist. Her fiction writing has appeared in The South Dakota Review, InDigest Magazine, and more. The Writing Retreat is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaBartz and Instagram at @JuliaBartz.