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Imprint: Magpie

The Writing Retreat: A New York Times bestseller

Julia Bartz

‘A five-star read that’s intelligent, accomplished and exciting. I dare you to put it down.’ Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal

The dark, atmospheric, feminist offspring of Squid GameThe Hunting Party and Misery

A book deal to die for.

Five attendees are selected for a month-long writing retreat at the remote estate of Roza Vallo, the controversial high priestess of feminist horror. Alex, a struggling writer, is thrilled.

Upon arrival, they discover they must complete an entire novel from scratch, and the best one will receive a seven-figure publishing deal. Alex’s long-extinguished dream now seems within reach.

But then the women begin to die.

Trapped, terrified yet still desperately writing, it is clear there is more than a publishing deal at stake at Blackbriar Estate. Alex must confront her own demons – and finish her novel – to save herself.

This unhinged, propulsive, claustrophobic closed-door thriller will pull you in and spit you out…

  • Publication date: October 26, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780861546657
  • RRP: £9.99
  • Pages: 320
  • Publication date: March 2, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780861544431
  • RRP: £16.99
  • Pages: 320
  • Publication date: February 21, 2023
  • ISBN: 9780861544448
  • RRP: £6.99
  • Pages: 384

Julia Bartz

Julia Bartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and practicing therapist. She is the author of the popular Psychology Today blog ‘My Pleasure: The New Science of Sex, Dating, and Self-Care’ and previously ran the Brooklyn literary blog ‘BookStalker’. Her fiction has been published in the South Dakota Review, FictionDaily and InDigest Magazine and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. The Writing Retreat is her first novel. 

Author page

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