What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Retreat
Sarah Pearse · Book
If you loved The Retreat, start with Moonflower Murders (Anthony Horowitz, 2024) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Retreat across media.
If you loved the way The Retreat turned idyllic, isolated getaways into claustrophobic settings for dark, hidden secrets, these titles will captivate you.
Films on the same thread
The Woman in Cabin 10
Simon Stone · Film · 2025
Explores: Conspiracy, Mistaken Identity, Isolation.
Like the isolated island in The Retreat, this story traps you in a remote setting where a single witness must fight to uncover the truth against overwhelming skepticism.
The Housemaid
Paul Feig · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Gaslighting, Identity Theft.
The Retreat uses a wellness getaway to mask danger, and this story similarly pivots from a professional environment into a treacherous game of secrets and hidden agendas.
The Ghost Writer
Roman Polanski · Film · 2010
Explores: Political Intrigue, Ghostwriting, Hidden Secrets.
Much like the setting of The Retreat, this film traps its protagonist on a remote island where a mysterious death forces a confrontation with buried, dangerous secrets.
Swimming Pool
François Ozon · Film · 2003
Explores: Writer's Block, Creative Process, Identity Crisis.
If the secluded, high-stakes atmosphere of The Retreat hooked you, you will appreciate how this story uses a quiet summer getaway to spiral into unexpected, complex criminal intrigue.
Series on the same thread
Death in Paradise
Robert Thorogood · Series · 2011
Explores: Fish Out of Water, Culture Clash, Small Town Secrets.
Fans of The Retreat will recognize the tension between a beautiful, idyllic location and the dark, violent reality that emerges when a murder disrupts the peaceful scenery.
The White Lotus
Mike White · Series · 2021
Explores: Privilege, Class Conflict, Wealth Inequality.
While The Retreat focuses on a lethal wellness center, this series explores the same unsettling friction between privileged, picture-perfect travel and the dark, hidden complexity beneath the surface.
Shetland
Ann Cleaves · Series · 2013
Explores: Small Town Secrets, Isolation, Community.
The Retreat relies on the claustrophobia of its coastal setting, a feeling mirrored here as investigators navigate the tight-knit, isolated community of a remote island to find answers.
Moonflower Murders
Anthony Horowitz · Series · 2024
Explores: Secrets and Lies, Murder Investigation, Missing Person.
The Retreat excels at connecting past secrets to present crimes, a theme central to this mystery where a past tragedy at a hotel haunts the present investigation.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Wood From The Trees
Podcast
Explores: mindfulness, well-being, introspection.
If you were drawn to the wellness culture themes in The Retreat, this podcast offers a deeper exploration of the mindfulness and introspection that often mask underlying personal tensions.
The Deck Investigates
Audiochuck · Podcast
Explores: Missing Persons, Unsolved Mysteries, Small Town Secrets.
The Retreat thrives on the tension of a small, isolated community concealing a dark past, a structural similarity you will find in this deep dive into cold cases.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Retreat the first book in the series?
No, The Retreat is the second book in the Detective Elin Warner series. It follows the events of the first novel, though the story focuses on a new investigation at an island wellness retreat off the English coast.
What is the premise of The Retreat?
The Retreat centers on a mysterious death occurring at a wellness retreat located on an island off the coast of England. Detective Elin Warner leads the investigation as she attempts to uncover the truth behind the woman found dead at the facility.
Can I read The Retreat as a standalone novel?
While The Retreat is part of the Detective Elin Warner series, it functions as a distinct mystery set at an island retreat. You can follow the investigation into the woman's death as a self-contained story within the series framework.
Who is the protagonist in The Retreat?
The protagonist of The Retreat is Detective Elin Warner. She is the central character of the series and is tasked with solving the case of the woman discovered dead at the exclusive wellness retreat located on an island off the English coast.