Book cover of The Sanatorium

Book description

REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK | A New York Times bestseller!

"An eerie, atmospheric novel that had me completely on the edge of my seat." -Reese Witherspoon

"This spine-tingling, atmospheric thriller has it all... and twists you'll never see coming." -Richard Osman, New York Times bestselling author of The Thursday Murder…

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Why read it?

5 authors picked The Sanatorium as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This thriller is set in a remote former TB Sanatorium reached by a funicular, so I was immediately able to envisage it.

A locked-room mystery, the snowstorm added to the layers of fear and creepy vibes. Whilst the characters didn’t particularly grip me, the snowy setting gave me goosebumps.

I love suspense, and this is a scary book that grabbed me early and never let me go.

Set in an old sanitorium refurbished as a minimalist hotel in the Swiss Alps, the book is creepy, fast-paced, and atmospheric. I read feverishly to find out if Elin, the fragile detective, would come out okay.  

Everyone loves a page-turner.

The Sanatorium had me on the edge of my seat. The suspense builds. The story expands. The plot thickens.

While it’s challenging to write non-fiction suspensefully, it is possible to write in a way that holds the reader. That is my goal, although I don’t deal with double-crossing agents, harsh winter conditions, and unwieldy architectural structures.

That said, Pearse integrates an historical element into her Sanatorium. She structures her story around the place; the location of the hotel dramatically influences how the action unfolds.

It’s a page-turner, with short chapters and exciting experiences throughout.

If you love The Sanatorium...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

We’re back in the Alps—this time in Switzerland—and a storm’s a-brewin’. The Sanitorium follows an uptight detective hoping for some much-needed time away from work. But, lo and behold, the mountainside hotel of Le Sommet is anything but relaxing. I loved the cold and creepy isolation this book offers, and much of the mystery in the book centers on the hotel’s previous existence as a sanitorium for women with tuberculosis. Aside from the landscape, the way Pearse subtly criticizes the historical mistreatment of women in this book is what really hooked me.

This book is a great mystery, the kind with jump scares and chills! The female detective not only tries to solve a crime happening at a hotel, but she must resolve a family tragedy that still haunts her. It’s a story of healing, horror, and facing your fears with a suspenseful ending. I wanted to read it in one evening, but it was very chilling to read!

If you love The Sanatorium...

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

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