When strange things start to happen, feels that not everyone is telling the truth about what’s really going on.
I found this story slow at the beginning but once things started to happen I enjoyed it.

This is a good mystery. The beginning is very tense and claustrophobic. The isolated setting adds to the intrigue. It is fast paced and enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is advertised as a gripping thriller, with a group of people in an isolated building in a desert. I thought it started well with the idea of a treatment centre for wealthy people with addiction problems. As the book progressed I thought it became less credible: participation was mandatory but attendees seemed to drop in and out of meetings and therapies without censure, and some of the ideas of treatment (hiking in the wilderness, administering drugs) were completely unbelievable. I read to the end and believe the underlying plot was good, I just didn't think the pathway to it was particularly entertaining.

This is soo atmospheric with a electric cast of characters. I screamed out loud at my kindle several times while reading. It gave me the heebee jeebees!

A great book. Loved the characters and was intrigued about what has happened on the island. Very cinematic.

The Sanctuary by Emma Haughton.
Zoey doesn't remember anything about last night. But she knows something went badly wrong. For she is no longer in New York. She's woken up in the desert, in a white building she doesn't recognise, and she's alone. When she discovers she's been admitted to The Sanctuary, a discreet, mysterious, isolated refuge from normal life, to avoid jail, she is stunned. She knows she has secrets, troubles, but she thought she had everything under control. But as she spends more time with other residents, she begins to open up about what she's running from. Until she realises that not everyone in The Sanctuary has her best interests at heart, and someone might even be a killer . . .
Really good read. I did enjoy this book. Twisty and gripping. I did like zoe. 4*.

Fast paced locked-room thriller! Everyone at the retreat has a past and it was great fun working out each person's backstory.

Several twists and turns in this psychological thriller.

Zoey had spent a boozy night in New York with her friends, but when she woke up with a pounding headache, she found herself in a sandy desert environment in Mexico. What is going on?

She discovers that she is now a resident in The Sanctuary. Who is paying for her to attend, as everyone else is from a moneyed background and the course is for ten weeks?

Initially, Zoey wants to escape, but after a while, she discovers that she may benefit from staying at The Sanctuary. Gradually she gets to know the other characters, who all have their psychological problems.

The trouble is an extraordinary series of events occur. Who can Zoey trust? All the residents have secrets galore.

I enjoyed “The Sanctuary” and the complexities of everyone’s lives. The plot kept me turning the pages until the finale. So, I would say that it’s a slow burner, becoming more dramatic as the ending progressed.

Galadriel.

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

When Zoey wakes up after a night out she has no idea where she is. Alone, in a big building in the middle of the desert she's freaking out. She soon discovers she's been admitted to a rehab facility called 'The Sanctuary' to escape jail time and her admission has been paid by an anonymous donor. She is adamant she's got control over her life and that she needs to leave but as she spends more time with the other residents and therapists she realises she's got a lot of secrets buried beneath the surface. Soon though she realises that not everyone has their best interests at heart. Will they all manage to make it out alive?

This starts off very slow and only begins to get exciting about 40% of the way through and honestly I didn't know if I wanted to push through with this but I did. The characters are not very likeable and with the plot taking so long to get going the first 40% was a long haul. Once I'd pushed through though the last half was great full of action and mystery keeping me gripped and I didn't want to put it down so much so I read it in one night.

You have to put believability aside in order to enjoy this as so much did not make any sense to me at all.

Well-written and gripping, but the premise fell apart. The second half of the book needed to be beefed up to better explore the hidden reasons behind the murders.

I found this book engaging and entertaining. Imagine waking up up in an unknown place, with no clue how you ended up there. Must say, the idea of a retreat is appealing to me personally currently, but in the context of the book it set the tone of a thrilling read, and you can't wait to see how the retreat changes our main character.

A slow burner with most the action being at the end of the book. Never the less a good read with interesting characters and relationships.

Grippingly unpredictable. Be prepared to put your life on hold! Taut and tense from the first page to the closing paragraphs……loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC.
Emma has again written a brilliant book with a great storyline, great characters, and I just loved it.

Haughton is a genius. I have been gripped from the very first chapter and what a chapter that was. I have been completely sucked in from the beginning.

Haughton has definitely created a gem, this is unique to any other book in the genre and is one that you can’t put down. Zoey has made this an unforgettable journey. It’s one that really does keep you guessing from the get go.

This is laced with tension and suspense from the get go. I have failed on numerous occasions to work out where this was going. The author really portrays the emotions of Zoey as she discovers where she is.

This is a book that captured my attention and held me captive until the very last page. Haughton has nailed the Sanctuary setting with the eery, creepy but suspicious vibes. The book has an array of characters.. all bringing their own element to the book.

I can’t imagine how Zoey must’ve felt not knowing how she got to the sanctuary. The confusion, events unveiling have made for a spectacular read.

Emma Haughton is a must read author. This is a book I highly recommend.

It took me a little while to finally get into this book. It’s a well used plot format with a group of people in an isolated location, each with problems and secrets. I’d say it’s a slow burner and when it starts to really get tense, it’s an enjoyable read.

My thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read nd review the book.

This book had all the ingredients for a perfect thriller for me but sadly it didn't turn out that way. I struggled with the pure number of characters and their mood swings (which made me get the characters muddled up often in my head). I also found the 1st half so slow and had to force myself to keep going.
I did guess one part of the mystery but still not sure after finishing, how many were involved in which individual crime.
Zoey, our main characters potential love interest had unpredictable mood swings which I don't think were explained and then finally the person who paid for Zoey to go to the retreat seemed the most farfetched out of everything.
To sum it up, it was all just a little odd despite the amazing setting which I absolutely loved and Zoey who I was really rooting for.
#TheSanctuary #NetGalley

I was a little disappointed with this book, as I thought I’d enjoy it more than I did. My biggest problem was that I felt like it kept jumping all over the place and I struggled to root myself in the story. I also couldn’t get behind any of the characters and didn’t like them very much, so was hard to get myself to care what happened to them. A strong premise, but unfortunately wasn’t executed well. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author, for a chance to read and review this book.

I hadn't read one of this author's books before and thoroughly enjoyed this one.

The story begins with our protagonist, Zoey, waking up in a strange room in an unfamiliar place, having no memory of how she got there. Discovering she is in some kind of Sanctuary, reluctantly she begins meeting the diverse range of characters there. She discovers someone is not who they seem and appear to be willing to kill to protect their secrets...

I got sucked into the story immediately. The stark, isolated setting in the desert felt very real. The characters were a real mix, but were realistically portrayed. Each one seemed to have a convincing motive for the murders, so I found myself suspecting everyone at some point!

Zoey's initial fear and apprehension and then determination to find out the truth was palpable. I didn't guess whodunit either, which is always a bonus for me.

Definitely one I'd recommend. I'll be looking out for Emma's future releases.

Thanks to author Emma Houghton, publishers Hodder & Stoughton & Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I finished this book overnight - I found it slow to start but once absorbed I could not put it down. I was, however, a little disappointed with the last section.

The novel revolves around The Sanctuary - a retreat in the Mexican desert to treat individuals with addictions. Zoey - a lost 32 year old - wakes up in the Sanctuary after a night out which ended in violence. You gradually learn her backstory and those of the other guests before the first murder.

Gradually it becomes apparent that all is not well at the Sanctuary and that someone is on a murder spree.

Zoey attempts to find out what is going on aided by Finn - one of the other guests.

A decent thriller - an interesting premise.