The Sanatorium

by Sarah Pearse

I don’t read many books in this genre, and I have to say that I’m glad that I read this book. There have only been a handful of books in this genre that I have not been able to work out the ending and this s one of them. The story had me gripped. It was so atmospheric, it almost reminded me of the film “The Shining” with Jack Nicholson by Stephen King. However to me this book was far better. I felt as though I was there with them trapped at the top of a mountain.With others and wondering who the killer is and who will be their next victim.

Elin Warner and her boyfriend Will have been invited to an isolated hotel in the Swiss Alps to celebrate her estranged brother Isaac’s engagement to an old family friend Laure. Who works at the remote hotel.

When Elin and Will arrive at the remote hotel Le Sommet. She feels uneasy about how remote they really are especially with a bad storm on the horizon, and how exposed they are to the elements. But she’s not sure if her feeling of unease are down to the hotels sinister passed as a sanatorium or about meeting her brother again.

Elin didn’t feel any better about the hotel when she entered it. As the architect (who went missing under mysterious circumstances) had tried to keep clinical look and feel of the hotels past. Along with exhibits dotted around the place as gruesome reminders. One of the exhibits is a strange kind of gas mask that was used to help TB sufferers.

While Elin is there she hopes that she’ll gat a chance to address some of the issues behind their younger brothers death. As things have never been the same between Elin and Isaac ever since. Along with these issues Elin is on an extended break from work as a detective after a case she was working on didn’t end well.

When Laure, Isaac’s fiancée goes missing Elin automatically goes into her detective role by interviewing Isaac, her work colleagues and the owners of the hotel. All the while the storm outside rages meaning that they have to start evacuating the hotel.

Just as Elin and Will are about to be evacuated Isaac askes her to stay, she agrees. When a body of a woman is found at the bottom of the hot outdoor pool. Isaac jumps in thinking its Laure, but it turns out to be a female member of staff.

They contact the local police, but there has been an avalanche meaning that there wont be any help coming and that they are truly on their own. Will Elin find out who the murderer is before another body turns up and will she find out what has happened to Laure?

Pages: 368, Publication Date: 18 February 2021, My Rating: