The Winter Retreat: Silence can be deadly
Maria Frankland
Reader Reviews
4.6
5 ratings
Mary S.
Apr 3, 2026
Another fabulous read by the amazing Maria Frankland! This captivating thriller chilled me in more ways than one as I sat buried under a warm blanket on one of the coldest days of the year (so far) and devoured this new book which releases on 12/2/2025. The opening chapter drew me right in and kept me wanting more! My heart fell for the main character Aneka who only wanted to provide some sort of a Christmas for her two kids despite having no money and no one to turn to until an unexpected last minute opportunity to earn some last minute cash is dropped in her lap. Was it a blessing in disguise? There were a host of different characters- some of which I couldn’t stand and some which I enjoyed and that was the point. Maria is always fabulous with character development and it was interesting to watch these characters unfold as the story came to life. The story pacing was good which created suspense and the tension racketed. The twists were fabulous and the ending…wow! I really never saw that one coming! I was convinced it was someone else! Another 5 star read! Thanks to Maria for advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Carina P.
Feb 8, 2026
The Winter Retreat was such an engaging read! The snowbound setting pulled me right in, and the tension between the characters at the "spa retreat" kept me turning pages. It’s atmospheric, suspenseful, and full of those little twists that make you want to keep reading. It reminded me a little of the game Clue which I always enjoy playing!
I truly love Maria Frankland’s writing — she has a way of blending emotional depth with gripping suspense that makes her books impossible to put down. This winter thriller was no exception, and I genuinely enjoyed every moment of it!
I truly love Maria Frankland’s writing — she has a way of blending emotional depth with gripping suspense that makes her books impossible to put down. This winter thriller was no exception, and I genuinely enjoyed every moment of it!
Mandy S.
Feb 8, 2026
Frankland expertly weaves an atmosphere of suffocating tension and unease, drawing readers into a retreat where escape is impossible and trust is a dangerous gamble. With each chapter, the suspense escalates, plunging you deeper into the paranoia and desperation of a woman determined to prove her innocence.
Icy, intense, and impossible to put down, “The Winter Retreat” is the perfect storm of psychological suspense!
Icy, intense, and impossible to put down, “The Winter Retreat” is the perfect storm of psychological suspense!
Cheyenne Joy .
Feb 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Winter Retreat by Maria Frankland
Let me tell you: The Winter Retreat grabbed my emotional support nerves and shook them like a snow globe someone was aggressively trying to break. The desperation in this book didn’t just “hit” — it sprinted through my bloodstream like wet, icy snow that slaps the pavement, refuses to melt, and then looks you dead in the eye as if you created winter.
Maria Frankland serves up that perfect near-Christmas vibe — you know, the one where everything looks cozy and magical until you realize the “retreat” is basically isolation cosplay with a side of psychological warfare. There’s snow, there’s silence, there’s that creeping sense that if you go missing, the only witness will be a decorative pinecone.
And the guests? Oh, stunning. Spoiled little snowflakes with personalities sharp enough to make the hairs on your neck pack their bags and leave your body entirely. The kind of people you’d avoid at a holiday party but apparently have to share oxygen with in a secluded lodge.
Aneka, bless her frozen, overburdened soul, is doing absolute Olympic-level emotional gymnastics to give her kids a better life while bad luck clings to her like mold that’s gotten a little too comfortable. And I was right there with her — lurking in the corner like the world’s least helpful ghost, simultaneously wanting to attend the retreat and also wanting to yank her out of it shouting: “Girl, do you NOT feel that murderer-energy floating around here?!”
And then the revenge… oh yes. Sour, messy, familiar in that way that makes you rethink every time you’ve ever said “I’m fine.” A nice little moral balancing act with teeth.
So yeah: 4 stars. Because this book made me feel everything — dread, hope, paranoia, frostbite-adjacent anxiety — all of it swirling together like emotional slush. Maria pulled me straight into the story and didn’t even offer a warm drink.
The Winter Retreat by Maria Frankland
Let me tell you: The Winter Retreat grabbed my emotional support nerves and shook them like a snow globe someone was aggressively trying to break. The desperation in this book didn’t just “hit” — it sprinted through my bloodstream like wet, icy snow that slaps the pavement, refuses to melt, and then looks you dead in the eye as if you created winter.
Maria Frankland serves up that perfect near-Christmas vibe — you know, the one where everything looks cozy and magical until you realize the “retreat” is basically isolation cosplay with a side of psychological warfare. There’s snow, there’s silence, there’s that creeping sense that if you go missing, the only witness will be a decorative pinecone.
And the guests? Oh, stunning. Spoiled little snowflakes with personalities sharp enough to make the hairs on your neck pack their bags and leave your body entirely. The kind of people you’d avoid at a holiday party but apparently have to share oxygen with in a secluded lodge.
Aneka, bless her frozen, overburdened soul, is doing absolute Olympic-level emotional gymnastics to give her kids a better life while bad luck clings to her like mold that’s gotten a little too comfortable. And I was right there with her — lurking in the corner like the world’s least helpful ghost, simultaneously wanting to attend the retreat and also wanting to yank her out of it shouting: “Girl, do you NOT feel that murderer-energy floating around here?!”
And then the revenge… oh yes. Sour, messy, familiar in that way that makes you rethink every time you’ve ever said “I’m fine.” A nice little moral balancing act with teeth.
So yeah: 4 stars. Because this book made me feel everything — dread, hope, paranoia, frostbite-adjacent anxiety — all of it swirling together like emotional slush. Maria pulled me straight into the story and didn’t even offer a warm drink.
Rachel B.
Feb 8, 2026
suspenseful and twisty!
“The Winter Retreat” by Maria Frankland is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. The isolated setting, the simmering tension between characters, and the steady unraveling of secrets make this a gripping read from start to finish. Frankland delivers suspense, unease, and twists that keep you guessing—all wrapped in a wintery, haunting backdrop. A perfect read for fans of dark, captivating thrillers.
“The Winter Retreat” by Maria Frankland is a chilling, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. The isolated setting, the simmering tension between characters, and the steady unraveling of secrets make this a gripping read from start to finish. Frankland delivers suspense, unease, and twists that keep you guessing—all wrapped in a wintery, haunting backdrop. A perfect read for fans of dark, captivating thrillers.