Hello and welcome to our podcast. Today, we’ll be discussing Julia Bartz’s debut novel, “The Writing Retreat”. It’s a suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller that takes us on a journey to Blackbriar Estate in the Adirondacks.
Our protagonist, Alex, is an aspiring writer and associate editor in a publishing company who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s invited to attend a month-long writing retreat at the home of famous horror author Roza Vallo. The retreat has a strict schedule with the expectation that each participant writes a full-length novel by the end of the month, with the winner receiving a lucrative publishing deal. Sounds like a dream come true, right? But things aren’t always what they seem.
The retreat is full of tension, as Alex discovers that her former best friend, Wren, is also attending. But with her determination to succeed, she is unwilling to let Wren’s presence ruin this experience for her.
Roza has her own unique way of running the retreat, and with the isolated location and eerie occurrences in the house, Alex realizes that this retreat is not going to be a cakewalk. What follows is a thrilling ride full of secrets, lies, manipulation, and hidden agendas, as the group oscillates between sticking together and suspicion directed toward each other and their enigmatic facilitator and mentor, Roza.
The novel is written from Alex’s point of view, with excerpts from her book interspersed throughout the story. With its atmospheric setting and Gothic vibes, complicated characters, consistent pacing, and intricate plot, “The Writing Retreat” is a dark and suspenseful psychological thriller with bold feminist overtones.
Although the plot may not be entirely unpredictable, the twists and turns are enough to keep the reader hooked. If you’re a fan of over-the-top suspenseful tales, then this is definitely the book for you.
Overall, “The Writing Retreat” is an impressive debut novel, and we look forward to reading more from this talented new author in the future. Thanks for listening to our podcast. We hope you enjoyed our discussion of “The Writing Retreat” by Julia Bartz.
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