13 Aug The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz – Book Review

I came across The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz in my usual morning routine, casually browsing the New York Times before work, coffee in hand. The premise caught my eye immediately—writers stuck in an isolated, possibly haunted mansion for a retreat, with a dark twist. As someone who’s always been fascinated by the idea of writers’ retreats (minus the haunting, of course), I was intrigued. Plus, the promise of a psychological thriller wrapped around the creative process? It’s like Bartz was ticking all my boxes.

What’s it about?

So, imagine you’re a struggling writer, desperate for your big break. Then out of the blue, you get invited to an exclusive writing retreat at the estate of one of the most reclusive and legendary authors of your time. It sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, for Alex, the main character, it quickly becomes a nightmarish reality.

Alex is battling writer’s block and general life frustrations when she gets the invite to this mysterious retreat hosted by the enigmatic Roza Vallo. Once she arrives at the secluded mansion, she meets four other aspiring female writers, all of them hoping this retreat will be their golden ticket to literary fame. But Roza’s demands are intense—they must each complete an entire novel in the span of the retreat. The pressure mounts, and as the days go by, strange and unsettling events begin to unravel. The line between reality and fiction blurs, and the women realize that something sinister is at play. The retreat turns from a chance at literary salvation to a desperate fight for survival.

What This Chick Thinks

Honestly, The Writing Retreat had me hooked from the start. Julia Bartz knows how to build tension in a way that makes your skin crawl. The idea of combining the creative pressure of writing with psychological horror is brilliant, and Bartz pulls it off with a kind of ease that’s unsettling in itself.

One of the things I loved most was how Bartz played with the concept of a writer’s mind being both a sanctuary and a prison. The characters were all distinct, with their own demons and motivations, but Alex’s journey felt the most relatable. Her desperation, her insecurities—they’re all too real for anyone who’s ever stared at a blank page and wondered if they have anything worth saying.

But beyond the relatable writerly struggles, the book shines as a psychological thriller. The mansion itself feels like a character, with its ominous atmosphere and secrets lurking in every corner. The isolation and the increasing paranoia among the women had me on edge, and the twists—oh, the twists! They were just the right amount of unexpected without feeling out of left field.

That said, there were moments where the pacing felt a bit uneven. Some parts dragged slightly, especially in the middle, where the psychological tension could’ve been a bit tighter. But honestly, those are minor quibbles in what was otherwise a fantastic read.

Final thoughts

I’d give The Writing Retreat a solid 9/10. Julia Bartz has crafted a novel that’s not just a chilling thriller but also a deep dive into the creative process and the fears that haunt every writer. It’s dark, it’s twisted, and it’s absolutely captivating. If you love books that mess with your mind and keep you guessing until the very end, this one’s for you.

Try it if you like:

1. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – Both books delve into psychological thrills with a central mystery that keeps you hooked until the last page.
2. The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward – If you enjoy dark, mind-bending stories with unreliable narrators and eerie settings, this will be right up your alley.
3. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – For those who love a good haunted house story with a side of psychological horror, Mexican Gothic offers a similar atmospheric tension.