All of my reviews can be found at https://damppebbles.com/

I read Emma Haughton's debut thriller, The Dark, last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. What's really interesting about The Dark is that it's very much a locked room thriller but the setting is a UN research station in Antartica. The way the author makes the reader feel claustrophobic in such a vast and open setting was done incredibly well. Which is why I jumped at the chance to read Haughton's second thriller, The Sanctuary. Once again the setting really grabbed my attention. This time it's a luxurious, isolated retreat in the heart of the Mexican desert. I was keen to see if the author would be able to evoke the same feelings of claustrophobia and of all hope being lost a second time. And oh boy, Haughton absolutely did!

Zoey wakes up alone, in a strange room and with the worst hangover she's ever experienced. She's dazed and confused, and her memories of the night before are hazy at best. It soon becomes clear that Zoey is in a bit of a fix. She's been admitted to The Sanctuary, an isolated retreat for the rich and famous that likes to dabble in unorthodox treatments. And they're making it impossible for her to leave. Zoey doesn't understand how she has ended up in the middle of the Mexican desert, miles from home and anything resembling civilisation. The people she's stuck with all have addictions - which she doesn't - and they're incredibly wealthy - which she isn't. Which raises the question, who is Zoey's mysterious benefactor? Who are the people she's stranded in the middle of the desert with? And what is really going on at The Sanctuary...?

The Sanctuary is a well-written slow burn mystery which builds over the course of the book to a gripping, thrilling conclusion. The author has once again used a setting that is, in theory, vast but manages to make it feel very claustrophobic. There is no chance of escape from The Sanctuary. If dehydration or heat stroke doesn't kill you, the wildlife probably will! I loved how well the author conveys Zoey's rising hopelessness as her situation slowly dawned on her.

Many of the characters in the book are unlikeable and tend to frustrate and annoy each other, which adds to the overall tension at the retreat. They're also incredibly shallow and prepared to do whatever it takes to keep a tight hold on their secrets. That's the case for both the retreat's affluent guests but the small body of staff present too. Zoey is the only somewhat likeable character in the bunch, but I don't think she'll appeal to everyone. She really does need to take a long hard look at her life as she comes across as quite juvenile a lot of the time, but I kind of liked her. The other characters all play their parts very well and help to move the storyline along. I was able to predict whodunit from fairly early on but that didn't spoil my overall enjoyment of the book at all.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. The Sanctuary is a tense, slow burn psychological mystery with interesting characters and a thrilling conclusion. I found the book entertaining from start to finish and I'm excited to read more thrillers from this author in the future. I LOVED the setting. The author paints a very vivid picture of the inhospitable desert in her reader's minds which I thoroughly enjoyed. The setting was as much a character in the story as Zoey, the other guests and the staff. There's a lot of well-penned intrigue throughout the story. You can't help but wonder what secrets these privileged people are hiding and what's really going on at The Sanctuary. I enjoyed the slow build of the story and the escalating tension as I approached the end of the book. And the denouement was very well done. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Sanctuary and look forward to reading more from the author in the future. Recommended.