By Tessa @TessaTalksBooks Posted on

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger | #BookReview #DomesticThriller #PsychologicalThriller #thrillers

Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller byNew York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.

What could be more restful than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s generous brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It’ll be three couples on this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R.

But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare. 

A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep.

How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

What’s it about (in a nutshell):

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger is a psychological thriller about a retreat that turned deadly for six friends and family members who are keeping many secrets.

Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):

This is my second Lisa Unger book – the first being Confessions on the 7:45 in 2020. And from my experience with that tale, I expect lots of twists and turns and shocking revelations. I feel reasonably confident that I won’t be disappointed.

Actual Reading Experience:

The entertainment value of this thriller is off the charts. It’s messy but also shocking, and I love surprises! I could never have predicted where this story was going to go…EVER! I don’t think that dark, but I love an author who does!

I loved the family themes, too. I think they can easily be overlooked with all that is going on, but they are there, and they are worth mentioning. The overriding theme is not a unique one, but it is one that I love when I find it – that of a family is not just blood; it’s the people that are there for you in times of joy and in times of need or sorrow. Genetics aren’t the sum of who you are – what you do with what you are given defines you.

Characters:

Character development took a back seat to the plot. Still, it’s those secrets that prevent character development that also fuel the pace. So basically, I felt like the story traded character development for pace, and I was okay with that.

Some characters were worthy of my love and admiration. A definite standout is Henry, who I had no idea how he fit into the story until near the end, but I was so touched by all that he went through that I didn’t care that he was an outlier.

Hannah is also a character I could get behind. She loves her husband and child immensely and would do anything for her family, including her brother. She makes mistakes but owns up to them, and I had to respect that. She is the perfect choice for narrating the majority of the story. However, her insecurities annoyed me a little bit at the beginning.

Narration & Pacing:

The narration is done through multiple POVs, with most of the chapters told by Hannah. All are in the first-person narration, which is excellent for keeping the suspense high and the secrets hidden. I kept all the characters straight, but some are more confusing than others because of their placement and the lack of knowing their relationship to the story’s central theme.

Events picked up around halfway, but I felt the pace stayed high from beginning to end. It went from high to hold-on-to-your-hats speed, which I love, love, love!

Setting:

I loved the setting. How many of us have looked at a gorgeous rental property and contemplated renting it for some time away. And the more secluded, the better when you want to get away from it all. So, this gorgeous cabin in the Georgia woods twenty miles from any town would be the place to catch the eye and make each of us act. But we all know bad things lurk in the woods – scary things that leave us vulnerable and dangerous things that put our lives in peril. I can’t think of a more perfect setting for this book. I just can’t.

Read if you like:

  • Great use of setting
  • Multiple POVs
  • Family themes
  • Loads of secrets and shocking twists and turns
  • A fast-paced from beginning to end
  • Highly entertaining

Overall Rating: (4.42)

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Originality10
Writing Quality10
Pace8
Character Development10
‘Couldn’t Put It Down’-ness8
Use of Setting10
All scores, except the overall rating, are on a scale of 1-10. The overall rating is converted to the standard 5-point system.

21 Replies to “Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger | #BookReview #DomesticThriller #PsychologicalThriller #thrillers”

  4. WendyW says:

    So many things to go wrong in this book! I said I’d like to stay in a secluded cabin, but not this one!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Tessa says:

      Oh, there definitely is. It’s such a wild concept that the author went with but also timely.

      Like

  10. Carla says:

    I love how Lisa Unger gets the heart racing with her books. I have both the audiobook and ebook for this one and was a bit worried, now I am really excited to get to it. Great review, Tessa.

    Liked by 1 person

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