The couples retreat by Mercedes Mercier

The setting of South Australia’s beautiful Kangaroo Island drew me into The Couples Retreat and the twisty plot kept me reading. Three wealthy couples are staying at the luxurious Reef House for a weekend of gourmet food and drink. The men have all been to university together but deep rivalries appear as alcohol and drugs flow freely. Two of the women are close friends but Alison is an outlier, very critical of the group. When one of the men is murdered all are suspected of his grisly death. Unable to leave the island because of a storm, the five survivors are fearful that the killer is one of them. Rookie cop Emily Quinn, drawn to the island to get away from an obsessive boyfriend, becomes involved in the investigation, and secrets are gradually uncovered.

Told in the voices of Emily and Alison, the reader gets a very clear picture of what it is like to be a young policewoman on Kangaroo Island and what it is like to be part of a rich group, able to afford a luxury mansion and excessive amounts of food and drink. Emily’s intelligence and perseverance shine through as she begins to unravel the group’s background, while struggling with the coercive behaviour of her ex-boyfriend. The plot is tightly written, the characters are richly drawn and the tension kept me glued to the page – and best of all, I was surprised by who the murderer was, even though it all made sense in the end.

I look forward to seeing Emily Quinn starring in another book, and readers who enjoyed The couples retreat might like to read Black lies by Mercier.

Themes: Murder, Kangaroo Island (S.A.), Drugs, Alcohol, Coercive control, Police.

Pat Pledger