By Tessa Pulyer Posted on

#PsychologicalThriller #BookReview | The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson

Two friends go on vacation. Only one comes back.

If you loved The Vacation by T.M. Logan, get ready for your new obsession…

Orla and Kate have been best friends forever. Together they’ve faced it all – be it Orla’s struggles as a new mother or Kate’s messy divorce. And whatever else happens in their lives, they can always look forward to their annual weekend away.

This year, they’re off to Lisbon: the perfect flat, the perfect view, the perfect itinerary. And what better way to kick things off in style than with the perfect night out?

But when Orla wakes up the next morning, Kate is gone. Brushed off by the police and with only a fuzzy memory of the night’s events, Orla is her friend’s only hope. As she frantically retraces their steps, Orla makes a series of shattering discoveries that threaten everything she holds dear. Because while Lisbon holds the secret of what happened that night, the truth may lie closer to home…

A twisty holiday read for fans of The Holiday and Date Night.

A little bookish news: The Weekend Away is being made into a Netflix movie and is scheduled to release in January 2022!

Goodreads’ Rating: ☀️☀️☀️☀️

The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson is a great escape read and an excellent chance to take a book vacation to Lisbon, Portugal.

What I Liked

I love the setting. I have been to Lisbon and can confirm a city that makes an excellent backdrop for a psychological thriller based on a girl’s weekend away. The streets are so steep and narrow, it gives me goosebumps just thinking about running through them in the dead of night. And the architecture is beautiful in its old world meets new world way. All along the Iberian Peninsula coast, the Moorish influence is still reflected in the aesthetics and creates much to dream about. I had a wonderful book vacation as I read it, thinking back on my actual time there and exploring the book’s sites that are new to me.


I could not put the book down. Even though the ending did not surprise me, I did enjoy many twists along the way and wanted desperately to find out what happened to Kate. Did she pull a Houdini? She has been known to do so. Or did something more nefarious happen to her? Finding out kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through from beginning to end.

The character development was done so well that I could easily visualize the characters and see them on Lisbon’s streets. Konstandin Zeqiri has a very compelling back story that would translate wonderfully into a book where he is the main character. He is the most developed character in this first-person narrated book, which was told by Orla, who was frantically searching for her best friend, Kate. Orla is not developed as well, but she tells the story so her development can be gleaned by the little innuendos or hints she gives at various points.


What I Wish

I felt let down by the ending, wishing it been more of a surprise. There are just so many options that I could think of that would have been a delicious twist, but none came to fruition. Also, the creepy open-ended conclusion really was not that creepy to me. It provided a slight twinge, but nothing in the novel supported the creepiness, so it failed to ring true or have the desired impact.

To Read or Not to Read

If you are looking for a psychological thriller that you can escape with, The Weekend Away is all that and more.

17 Replies to “#PsychologicalThriller #BookReview | The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson”

  1. Sheri Dye says:

    I’m not sure this one is for me but I love your reviews. Fantastic job!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Tessa says:

      Thank you! It’s a good by the pool type of read. Just for me, I wish the ending had been more twisty.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sheri Dye says:

        I can see that!
        And it’s almost always better with a good twist towards the end! Thank you! 😁

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Mae Clair says:

    Hmm, I’m tempted, but with so many books on my TBR, I’m not sure this one will make it.
    Loved your insightful review!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Mischenko says:

    The setting sounds perfect, but sorry the ending let you down. I have this one added. Excellent review as always! 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Teri Polen says:

    From the description, the first thing that came to mind was The Hangover, lol. I’m guessing this is a different story.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tessa says:

      Lol. You know, there are some similarities just with a more ominous and less slapstick direction.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Carla says:

    Wonderful review Tessa. I am glad that you still enjoyed this one, even though the ending was not up to the rest of the book. It still sounds like one I would enjoy and could read by the pool this summer. I have never been to Portugal, so some armchair travel adds to the attraction for me.

    Liked by 1 person

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