This one kept me guessing right up until the end. A little bit of horror, a little bit of suspense. The debut novel from Ande Pliego is gripping. Never know what is going to come next.

A group of authors has been invited to a writer’s retreat on a private island. The island is owned by the reclusive author known as JR Alastor. No one really knows who this person is, but Alastor is a successful, published mystery writer. Alastor has invited a specific group of authors to share his private retreat for one week. There will be mystery dinners every night. A lot of games afoot.

Mila is Alastor’s assistant. She has been responsible for rehabbing the entire estate and island to her boss’s specifics. Alastor even insisted on the two staff members - the cook and housekeeper. Mila has been responsible for planning the daily games, but she is also unaware of any secret plans that Alastor has. She’s also never met JR Alastor.

When the ferry arrives with the invitees, Mila is there to greet them. Each person has their own room, with the exception of the one married couple in the group. They are informed about the dinner plans and left to their own devices until then. Come dinnertime, they are treated to game number one. Later that evening, one of the authors goes missing.

The next day that author is found dead in the island’s cemetery. And the plot thickens.

Really amazing novel. It is a bit long, but it needs to be to cover the amount of information with this group. It’s also a bit graphic and horrific, but not unduly. The novel is a horror/mystery novel after all. I loved it. I enjoyed the wild ride. Each new section made me wonder, is it this person? I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.