The Winter Retreat
I arrived at Whispering Pines to earn Christmas money, not to get trapped by a blizzard with my ex’s new girlfriend. As the snow deepens, tensions among the wealthy guests turn deadly. First one body is found, then another. With no way out and panic rising, the finger is pointed at the staff—specifically me. Now, the only goal is to survive.
- Aneka - Single mother, 32
- George - Aneka’s ex-husband
- Hallie, 16 and Barnaby, 8 - Aneka and George’s children
- Ruby - Aneka’s friend
- Katina - George’s girlfriend, Whispering Pines guest
- Sienna - Owner of Whispering Pines
- Vince - Reflexology practitioner at Whispering Pines
- Nova - Vince’s mother, chef at Whispering Pines
- Carley - Masseuse at Whispering Pines
- Tracy - Vince’s girlfriend, Whispering Pines guest
- Alexander - Reiki master, Sienna’s husband
- Madison - Whispering Pines guest
- Olive - Brittany’s mother, Whispering Pines guest
- Brittany - Olive’s daughter, Whispering Pines guest
- Aneka gets a call from Vince saying Ruby referred her for a weekend job at a wellness retreat called Whispering Pines.
- Aneka quickly finds herself being alienated by some of the guests and staff.
- The WiFi goes out and the storm outside prevents anyone from leaving.
- Alexander propositions Aneka, and when she turns him down, he locks her out of the lodge. She’s forced to pull the emergency alarm and wake the entire lodge to get back inside.
- Then: A mother is out with her four-year-old daughter when the girl is hit and killed by a car, and the driver flees the scene.
- Katina tells Aneka she is pregnant with George’s baby.
- Tracy, Alexander and then Katina get very ill.
- Then: Six days later, the mother sees a damaged car that matches the one that killed her daughter.
- Olive goes to check on Tracy and finds her dead.
- Some of the guests begin to speculate that Aneka poisoned their food.
- Then: The woman responsible for the hit and run is found not fit to stand trial.
- Alexander becomes jaundiced, so Sienna heads out into the snow to find help, but he dies shortly after she leaves.
- Olive notices the WiFi wires were cut, and Aneka is able to fix them.
- They call 999 and police arrive quickly.
- Sienna is still missing.
- Then: The mother writes a suicide note, asking that someone make the woman who killed her daughter pay.
- Aneka is held and questioned by police for the murders, but they end up releasing her.
- Aneka returns home to Hallie and Barnaby.
- Then: The father of the deceased little girl, Vince, is told that the woman who killed his daughter is being discharged and moving to another part of the country. He vows to find her and make her pay.
- Now: Vince shows up at Aneka’s house and attacks her. He tells her that Aneka’s mother killed his daughter in a hit-and-run 30 years ago.
- Vince lured Aneka to Whispering Pines so he could kill her with poisonous mushrooms so her mother could feel the pain of losing a daughter, as he did.
- They struggle and Vince accidently stabs himself.
- Hallie calls 911 and Vince is arrested.
- Epilogue: 48 hours later. Sienna tells Aneka how she got lost in the storm and found a boarded-up farm house to shelter in.
- Aneka is even more determined to work hard to give her children a better life.
The Winter Retreat is a well-written thriller that defies the typical "desperate survival" tropes of the genre. While the premise centers on being snowed in, the characters aren't overly concerned with the elements, keeping the focus on the interpersonal drama between Aneka and the guests and staff at Whispering Pines. It is a slow burn, with the murders holding off until the 65% mark, but this setup pays off by making the final third of the book feel incredibly fast-paced.
Aneka is a standout protagonist; her struggles as a single mother feel grounded and make her easy to sympathize with. The subtle hints kept me guessing and I was very pleased by the final reveal.
If you are looking for a character-driven story that shifts into high gear for the finale rather than a gritty survival tale, this is a great pick.
- Tracy - Dead - Fed poisonous mushrooms by Vince
- Alexander - Dead - Fed poisonous mushrooms by Vince
- Aneka - Alive - Realizes what true wealth is and considers reaching out to her mother now that she knows the truth
- Vince - Alive - Arrested for two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder
- Sienna - Alive - Offers Aneka financial support
- Katina - Alive - Fighting for her and her baby's life in hospital
- George - Alive - Determined to be a better father to Hallie, Barnaby and his future child
- Infidelity
- Pregnancy
- Death
- Vomit
Publisher: Autonomy Press
ISBN: 9781068544378
Publication Date: November 20, 2025
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
