She Treads Softly: The Writers' Retreat

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Writers' Retreat

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant
7/22/25; 294 pages
Storm Publishing

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant is a recommended thriller, for the right reader, which follows a group of unlikable characters.

Liv (Olivia) Montgomery is invited on an exclusive, week-long writing retreat at the Nyx resort in the Catskills. She knows the site as the former site of an infamous Nexus cult. Just before she leaves, she learns her former boyfriend was murdered and her former fiends are being questioned along with her current boyfriend, but she goes anyway. Once there, all the mean girls from her past along with her boyfriend also arrive. There are other random guests.

The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, past and present, and show the past and the current lives of the characters. This whole novel is entertaining with a sinister undercurrent, but it also has a pulpy, mean girls vibe. As more and more twists and surprise reveals occur, a huge dose of disbelief must be set aside. I was not able to muster that much acceptance of the events past the first several twists. Then the plot turns became a bit ridiculous, entertaining, but ludicrous.

It is fast moving, and grabbed my attention at the start. As the familiar plot continued, however, it quickly became clear that there are no trustworthy or likable characters, and everyone seemingly has endless wealth. It had a new adult feel too, as if written for a younger audience than me. The ending was preposterous.

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant might be appreciated by new adult readers who appreciate a pulpy thriller with endless twists. Thanks to Storm Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.