A beautiful con artist insinuates herself into a wealthy socialite鈥檚 life . . . with deadly consequences, in this serpentine thriller about identity and obsession, from actress, director and bestselling author Krysten Ritter.
听Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She鈥檚 clever, smooth, and confident鈥攓ualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.
Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast鈥攁ttributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can鈥檛 resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.
But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can鈥檛 help effortlessly slipping into the socialite鈥檚 identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?
As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling鈥攁nd deceptive鈥攚orld of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life鈥攂ut the con that ends it.
KRYSTEN RITTER is well known for her starring roles in the award winning Netflix original series, Marvel's Jessica Jones, and cult favorite, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, as well as her pivotal role on AMC鈥檚 Breaking Bad. Krysten鈥檚 work on film includes Big Eyes, Listen Up Philip, Life Happens, Confessions of a Shopaholic and She鈥檚 Out of My League. She is the founder of Silent Machine, a production company which aims to highlight complex female protagonists. Ritter and her dog Mikey split their time between New York and Los Angeles.
Check out the GIVEAWAY currently up on my Instagram page at @suspenseisthrillingme! TWO lucky people will win a copy of Retreat!
Both a quick, easy read and a dark, intoxicating tale of deceit, Krysten Ritter had me in the palm of her hand with her newest novel, Retreat. With a well-written con-artist protagonist and layers upon layers of secrets and lies, this twisty psychological thriller took me on quite the unforgettable ride. After all, thanks to one truly epic game of cat-and-mouse and plenty of rich people behaving badly in an exotic locale, there wasn鈥檛 a moment of downtime from beginning to end. Besides, who doesn鈥檛 love a bad girl who just might get away with it all?
Speaking of the characters, their souls ran the gamut from morally gray to as black as could be. Despite the various unlikeable personas, I nevertheless found them all uniquely compelling in spite of their over-the-top feel. Alongside a plot that felt original notwithstanding its rather predictable ending, I was sucked in by the slow build-up to the deliciously unhinged climax and conclusion. With a script-flipping twist that was delivered via dual POVs, I was sucked in from the very first word even though I鈥檇 figured it out long before the first perfectly timed reveal.
The only pieces to this unputdownable narrative that weren鈥檛 exactly a home run were the open-ended conclusion and how I guessed all of the twists. Looking at them both a little closer, I鈥檝e covered the latter already and the former could鈥檝e been my own personal problem. You see, I鈥檓 a stickler for having everything wrapped up with a nice, pretty, little bow before I hit the last word. Nonetheless, Ritter pulled off quite the win with a tale so addictive that it had me finishing it in one single sitting鈥攁lthough in hindsight it might be best for suspense/thriller newbies.
All said and done, I was duly impressed by this new escapist read. Perfect for the beach or even just an evening at home, Liz/Isabelle delivered a riveting popcorn thriller in under 300 pages. With a fast pace, suspenseful plot, and oodles of clues amidst the foreboding, I just couldn鈥檛 get enough of these chess-like games. Yeah鈥攕o I foresaw quite a bit. That still didn鈥檛 detract from the characters I loved to hate or the intrigue that grew with each page. So if you鈥檙e a fan of Liv Constantine or the con-artist trope, order this book now. After all, it absolutely sizzled in every sense of the word. Rating of 4 stars.
SYNOPSIS
Liz Dawson weaves through a crowd with the ease of a tropical breeze, moving seamlessly through elite circles, sparking instant connections and making every new acquaintance feel like an intimate friend. She鈥檚 clever, smooth, and confident鈥攓ualities that make her a brilliant serial con artist.
Isabelle Beresford is strikingly beautiful, obscenely wealthy, and the new owner of Casa Esmerelda, a fabulous villa on the Mexican coast鈥攁ttributes that make her the perfect mark. When she offers Liz a job handling the installation of a piece of art in her otherwise vacant home, Liz can鈥檛 resist the allure of a beach retreat. She longs for a reset, a chance to finally shed the grip of her addiction to the conning game.
But when Liz, with her lush dark hair and intense green eyes, is mistaken for Isabelle herself, Liz can鈥檛 help effortlessly slipping into the socialite鈥檚 identity. The transition is so easeful, it almost feels like fate. But just who is Isabelle Beresford really, and why does she seem to have abandoned this stunning life of hers?
As Liz insinuates herself deeper into the dazzling鈥攁nd deceptive鈥攚orld of the Punta Mita resort community, she draws closer to the dangers surrounding the real Isabelle. Dangers that may have already ensnared Liz, too. This might not be the con of her life鈥攂ut the con that ends it.
Thank you to Krysten Ritter, Lindsay Jamieson, and Harper Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: March 25, 2025
Content warning: con artistry, infidelity, violence, stalking, drowning
Oh this book was so much fun to read! I do love a good con story and Retreat is just one big twist and turn after another. A gorgeous setting in Mexico with the rich and beautiful added that extra charm to the story.
Despite what she was doing, I really liked the character of Liz. Yes she was doing some pretty awful things but I could help but want her to get away with it all. The people she was conning were not exactly very likeable after all. I didn鈥檛 see any of it coming, although thinking back now I should have!! This job in Mexico is the con of a lifetime and she needs all her tricks and games for it.
If you loved Krysten鈥檚 first book Bonfire, then you have to grab Retreat. It is a quick and easy read, very entertaining but quite dark and twisted.
Thanks so much to Little, Brown Book Group UK for my advanced copy to read from NetGalley. Publishes on March 25th.
Krysten Ritter鈥檚 upcoming thriller, RETREAT, has been on my TBR for awhile now! I didn鈥檛 have a chance to read Ritter鈥檚 debut Bonfire, but I heard it was great, so I knew that I would prioritize. This one. RETREAT is the perfect cocktail for fans of Liv Constantine and Rachel Koller Croft!
Liz Dawson moves effortlessly through elite circles, charming everyone she meets鈥攁 skill that makes her a brilliant con artist. When she鈥檚 hired by the glamorous, mysterious Isabelle Beresford to manage an art installation at her Mexican villa, Liz sees a chance for a fresh start. But when Liz is mistaken for Isabelle, she slips into the role with ease, only to discover that the real danger may lie in the life she鈥檚 stolen.
I had a total blast with this book, yet I did know exactly how it would play out. It didn鈥檛 steer me away at all because Ritter鈥檚 writing was compelling, and at times cheeky, which I absolutely loved. Liz is very fun to love to hate, but you can鈥檛 help but root for her at the same time. Although I did know what was going to play out, the very end took me for a complete shock. I will definitely read more from Krysten Ritter if she chooses to write in the thriller space in the future.
Man, I wanted this one to end SO much better than it did! Retreat was atmospheric and glitzy, and really did a fine job of portraying wealthy people behaving badly, which is always a treat! I really enjoyed our protagonist, Liz, because she wasn't exactly a great person, nor was she altogether bad. She was complicated and human and I found that endearing. Realistically, anyone with a turbulent childhood such as hers wouldn't come out of it unscathed, and she definitely did not! Why not get ahead in life the only way you know how - Liz is a con man, or con woman, and she's very good at what she does. The question is, will it eventually come back to bite her and be her undoing?
I really enjoyed this popcorn thriller and easily could have read this all in one or two sittings however I took my time with it and soaked it up slowly. Although there were twists galore, I predicted how this one would unravel, for the most part, but I still really enjoyed my reading experience throughout and this was undoubtedly heading towards a five-star rating UNTIL the ending, which left me more annoyed than satisfied. Recently, I've noticed more and more thrillers having ambiguous endings and I'm not a fan - I need certainty, and this book gave me anything but that! I mean, what exactly was that? Some may really enjoy that aspect of the ending, but it dropped this one down just a smidge for me.
Overall, this was a solidly above-average read that really showcased Ritter's talent鈥擨'll definitely be keeping an eye out for anything she writes next
#ad many thanks to @harperbooks for my copy of this book and @netgalley for the ebook.
"Everyone thought they knew you, when really no one knew you at all," (p. 3). ((To be checked against finished copy)
All the stars. I loved every second of this book. The anticipation that everything could go so wrong, at any moment, was palpable! You will feel this one! So buckle up!
Liz is a con woman - it's how she survives. But just as the heat starts closing in and she's thinking about settling into a a more permanent life, the perfect opportunity lands in her lap. A referral from another "client" sends her to a mansion in an exclusive resort/luxury living for six days. The job? Hang some art, make some quick cash, and disappear again. The owners are out of town, and she'll have the place to herself. Easy.
But this life is just a little too perfect for Liz to walk away from.
When she's mistaken for Isabelle Beresford, her near-identical double, Liz does what she does best: she slips into the role. Meet the new Isabelle Beresford.
Only Isabelle's life is far more complicated than Liz ever bargained for. And just as she's getting comfortable in her new identity, the son of her last mark comes knocking - demanding his mother's money back. He's here to hunt Liz down, and his timing couldn't be worse. Things are about to get real.
I loved this book! I can never resist a good con game, and watching a character pretend to be someone they're not while trying not to get caught is always a blast. And when that someone happens to be a filthy rich woman with a beachfront mansion? Even better.
With nonstop action, this one will get your heart racing, make you laugh out loud, and have you cheering for Liz to pull it off. The twists just kept coming and I could not put this book down. Seriously, all the praises from me.
I loved it so much that I immediately ordered the author's previous book. Also, I had no idea the author is a famous actress that l've seen on TV, which made the whole book even more interesting.
But most importantly, this book shattered my expectations and delivered everything I crave in a twisted, mindf*** of a story. Highly recommend
first of all - i wish the cowriter's name was bigger on the cover (and featured on the book's page; as of the writing of this review, it is not.) i don't like when a celeb author is given precedence like this and lindsay jamieson's name is so small that i didn't even register it when i picked up the book initially. this kind of colors my opinion of the book overall, but it's not like my opinion was very high in the first place, but i do feel like deducting half a star for it, so this is a 2.5, rounded down.
in regards to the book: it's fairly competently written (not sure how much of it is actually ritter), but it's boring. the girl-on-girl misogyny is so cliche and annoying and really ruins the vibe, which i did like at first: what a fun premise, and a well-executed setup. it's just that when we actually start digging into it that nothing really feels like it's happening for so long, and it's hard to believe liz is so incredibly stupid. she's a protagonist that really suffers from that disorder where writers need to dumb down their main character in order for the plot to work, and i hate it. she's introduced as someone so cunning so i don't understand how it takes her so long to work out how Wrong everything is, especially from the moment it gets even worse when the "love interest" is brought into the story and she the 'romance' just drags the story down, and takes up entirely too much page time that could be dedicated to the actual thriller aspects, but instead,
and one last thing:
it's almost impressive how quickly the potential fell apart, but part of me wonders if maybe this is just a way to get this story seen so that it can be adapted, since the description of the lead fits ritter physically so well, and if that's the case... i don't know dude, just write a screenplay next time?? this might have been better as a film. not great, but maybe a little more entertaining
I loved this juicy audiobook, which was beautifully delivered and acted by the author, who is also a well-known actress. The book follows Liz, a con artist, in her chance to jump from small cons to the big time when she is asked to move into a socialite's home - and she suddenly realizes she bears more than a passing resemblance to the woman as she is mistaken for her around town. Little by little, Liz slips into her double's new glamorous life, but what has become of the woman whose identity she has taken? Will she be discovered? Oh, and it doesn't help when Liz stumbles upon two bodies of unfortunate souls who seem to have been killed in a brutal way.
I found this book super fun and addictive, and the narration of the audio book was *chef's kiss*. Ritter is a talented writer and actress. Some have said the conclusion of the book was foreseeable; and that might be true, but it sure was fun getting there, and it had a delicious payoff.
Five stars from me, and as a side note, I'd love to hear more audiobooks narrated by this author!
Liz Dawson is a skilled con artist who takes on a job at a luxurious villa owned by Isabelle Beresford. Liz ends up impersonating Isabelle and getting entangled in dangerous secrets surrounding her real identity. As Liz dives deeper into the persona of Isabelle, she risks her life in a complex web of deception and danger.
Wow! This book is incredibly clever and expertly written. From the moment I started reading, I was completely hooked and couldn't put it down. The main character is skilled yet slightly naive, which may seem like a weakness at first. However, the ending is so unpredictable and intriguing that it completely flips the script. Expect the unexpected!
I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the way the characters were developed throughout the story. While I did manage to guess one of the twists, it still led to a satisfying conclusion. The ending leaves room for a potential sequel, which has me eagerly anticipating more.
Overall, this book is a suspenseful, entertaining, and brilliantly crafted read. If you're a fan of female con artists who keep you on your toes, then this book is must-read. It's the perfect choice for a quick and enjoyable weekend evening escape.
Thank you, Harper for a digital ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Well I f*cking loved this book. Liz is a good con artist--manipulative, charming, persuasive--but she needs a break. When wealthy socialite Isabelle offers her a job at her holiday villa in Mexico, she accepts. No cons planned, just a little retreat and break. When someone mistakes Liz for Isabelle, plans change, and Liz can't help but to go along with it. As the con goes on, Liz gets deeper and deeper and starts to wonder if maybe she bit off more than she can chew. Maybe Isabelle was escaping her life for a reason. This was such a fun reading experience! It's easy to digest and follow, but was dark and addicting at the same time. Liz is a well-written protagonist, who while obviously morally grey, you kind of like her and admire her anyway for what she is able to pull off. There are plenty of twists along the way to keep you guessing and there is never a dull moment! I devoured this book because听I could not put it down. And the luxury of the wealthy and absurdity of it all is intoxicating and fun. It's fast-paced, suspenseful, addicting--all leading up to a completely unhinged听climax! People say they expected it--I did not. I really needed something like this when I picked it up. I loved it! I also think it would make a great movie, or possibly show. Someone should pick this up!
You guys!!! This was sooo much fun! It was juicy, sexy, suspenseful and became so unhinged. I loved it! I was thoroughly entertained the entire time. Con stories mixed with obsession are my new jam. The setting of Punta Mita was so wonderfully depicted it transported me right to the beach. You cant help but root for Liz and did I mention the ending鈥�..! Literally jaw dropping. I hope we get another story weaved from this one because HOLY CUCKOO BANANAS! I will most definitely be looking for more Ritter in the future! This got me right out of a slump!
RETREAT is definitely for the fans of sun-soaked, mistaken identity thrillers where all it takes is a couple of lies to steal someone's life... or have it stolen from you. The thriller is a departure from its more grisly, gritty predecessor, BONFIRE. Expect to see the naughty lifestyles of the rich and famous, twists you can't see coming, and an ending that will leave you desperate to find friends who've also read it so you can discuss. Definitely a fun option for the spring!
Thanks to Harper Books for my gifted copy! RETREAT is out now!
A skilled con artist poses as an art dealer and slips into the glamorous world of a wealthy beachside community, hoping for a fresh start. But when she鈥檚 mistaken for a missing socialite, she finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and obsession. What begins as a simple con quickly spirals into something far more dangerous鈥攚here assuming the wrong identity could cost her everything.
I love con artist mysteries they're so fun! If this was a TV show, I know I would absolutely love it. It felt like a mix of white lotus, the imposters and desperate housewives. I also listed on audio (obsessed with Krysten Ritters voice) I was picturing her playing the role. Susan made me sick to my stomach, her character is the world's worst.
Liz's decisions will have you yelling at the book, I wish there was a little more thrill thrown in to make the tension even more palpable.
3 猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍 stars!! Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC. This story follows Liz, who is a con artist who's always been good at reinventing herself. When she lands a job working for a wealthy woman named Isabelle at a stunning villa in Mexico, it feels like the perfect escape. But when people start confusing her for Isabelle, Liz decides to benefit from the mix-up.
As she settles into this new role, things get complicated fast. Secrets start to surface, and it鈥檚 clear there鈥檚 more to Isabelle鈥檚 story than Liz bargained for. What starts off as a fresh start turns into something far more dangerous. This story had some twists and is a quick read.
This was a fast, bingeable thriller. Took me a solid 50-70 pages to get into it but then I was hooked.
Figured out some pieces of it but not all of it. The premise is about a female con artist who is escaping for a week but soon takes the opportunity to impersonate a rich person and live a life of luxury in Mexico.
Retreat drops Liz Dawson us into the sandy beaches of Punta Mita, where she hopes to lay low. Liz isn鈥檛 exactly someone you鈥檇 want to be friends with. She鈥檚 self-centered, manipulative, and sees people as tools for her schemes. But credit where it鈥檚 due- she鈥檚 got loads of personality, and honestly, that鈥檚 what makes the story fun.
When Liz takes a job at a posh Mexican villa, she plans to behave for once. But then she鈥檚 mistaken for her employer, Isabelle, and instead of clearing things up, she plays someone else. What starts as a fun, stolen identity adventure quickly spirals into murder, secrets, and Liz soon realizes she might have conned her way into something she can鈥檛 handle.
Now, the twists are pretty predictable but I liked the setting and the atmosphere. And Liz herself. Sure, she鈥檚 a terrible person, but her snarky, no-filter narration keeps things interesting.
I really enjoyed this one and it was an easy quick read. This was a con artist story with lots of twists and turns! I also enjoyed the ending and think it wrapped up the book nicely.
3.5 rounding down. It鈥檚 not that this is a bad book, it鈥檚 just uninspired. We have seen this plot a million times and the twist is so glaringly obvious from the start that it becomes boring. I also don鈥檛 enjoy reveals that basically say 鈥渙h well they did it because they鈥檙e a psychopath!鈥� Instead of taking time to develop a real motive. There鈥檚 a bit too much of that going on here.
Liz is a conwoman who has landed the best gig - helping the wealthy Isabelle install an art piece in her vacation home in Mexico. However when she gets mistaken for Isabelle, she can鈥檛 help but slide into that role and take advantage of that lifestyle. She soon learns that Isabelle鈥檚 life may not be the perfect picture she had imagined.
Woah. Everything about this novel was incredible and I had not a clue where the plot was leading. Satisfied everything inside of me from start to finish.
I truly never know how to review/rate thrillers, so we're going primarily for the "fun" factor on this one.
AND IT IS SUCH A STINKIN' ROMP!
In Retreat, our protagonist gets by as a con artist but is now considering trying to boost her "legitimate" side hustles, that is until she finds the perfect opportunity to slip into another woman's life. The story has most thriller tropes you can think of - faked identity, extreme wealth, rich blondes who may be onto her, drug cartels, paid henchmen, shady art dealings, estranged family members, marital lies, and honestly probably more? The "twist" has just enough breadcrumbs throughout the story that I felt pleased with myself for getting most of it and frustrated with myself for not seeing the other element that honestly should not have surprised me. I wouldn't say it's the most shocking, but the entire story is a wild, fast-paced ride.
I found the first part of the book a little challenging to get into due to some of the cheesiness often found in the genre combined with a few areas I thought could use stronger editing. And yet, about a third of the way through I was absolutely hooked and read the rest in one sitting. I would say this works particularly well for fans of First Lie Wins.
So, one thing about me is I LOVE a story about a con artist. This one, for example, I REALLY LOVED. I thought I correctly guessed the twist early on in the book, but not only was I so incorrect, but I didn鈥檛 even catch on to the small hints peppered throughout as to what the REAL twist was.
Liz Hastings, in current form, swindles her way into a lavish Mexican villa for millionaires Oliver and Isabelle under the guise of putting up a painting for Isabelle. Isabelle, from her friend Abigail, reaches out to Liz with a proposition to hang the painting and spend the week at the villa, all on her dime. Liz couldn鈥檛 say no and begins to make herself at home in the villa and in the small estate with Isabelle鈥檚 other millionaire friends. The longer she spends there, though, the more she feels that something is out of place and that she鈥檚 being watched, but she can鈥檛 quite put her finger on it. People start acting strange toward her and visitors from Isabelle鈥檚 past are creeping up. What mess could Isabelle have gotten herself into?
I devoured this book like a pillsbury funfetti cupcake. This was my first book by this author, who I didn鈥檛 realize played Jessica Jones, and I plan on reading her other works because I鈥檓 so in love with this book!
Unfortunately, this did nothing for me. The long and short, you follow an unlikeable con artist out for herself who mingles with the gaudy rich gossip lifestyle in the world of art. Not entertaining to me.
Retreat by Krysten Ritter. Thanks to @harperbooks for the gifted Arc 猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍
Liz Dawson survives by cons and she鈥檚 good at it. Her next mark takes her to a villa in Mexico but when she is mistaken for the mark herself who is no where to be seen, she fits right into the life.
This is a speedy little thriller that would be perfect for a weekend read. It has twists and turns and a look into the wealthy elite. The setting was fun and gave it a White Lotus vibe.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 see behind the mask. You hadn鈥檛 even thought to look.鈥�