Review: THE COUPLES RETREAT, Mercedes Mercier

• 
  this edition published by Penguin Random House Australia 2026
• ISBN 978-1-76135-669-8
  
• 329 pages 

Synopis (publisher)

Six friends. Three Nights. One deadly secret - a twisty, compulsive destination thriller where no one is as perfect as they seem.

There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who remembers who you used to be.

At a secluded beachfront mansion on Kangaroo Island, three wealthy couples gather for a weekend of partying and luxury indulgence. But beneath the glitter and excess, deep rivalries and explosive secrets fester between the old friends.

When they wake to a shocking murder scene, they are gripped first by fear, then by suspicion. With ferry services suspended due to a storm, the survivors and the killer remain trapped on the island together.

Thrust into the biggest case of her fledgling career, rookie police officer Emily Quinn quickly discovers that the locals are mistrustful of outsiders. When her dangerous ex-boyfriend tracks her down, Quinn’s past and present collide in spectacular fashion, threatening not only her new life, but the investigation of the most gruesome crime in the island’s history.

Set in one of Australia’s most beautiful locations, The Couples Retreat is a twisty, compulsive thriller that proves privilege cannot protect you from everything, and no one is as perfect as they seem. 

My Take

Set on an island off the South Coast of South Australia where I live. I have visited several times over the decade and can envisage the fictional location of this thriller. 

Emily Quinn is new to the island, taking a position as a probationary constable in the main town Kingscote to escape her manipulative and controlling boyfriend. She is later horrified to find that he has followed her there.

Quinn notices the group of 6 people who came across to the island on the ferry with her: opinionated, flamboyant, and wealthy. She reports to the police station on arrival and is put to work almost immediately by the morose Senior Sergeant Skinner.

Before long she and Skinner visit the holiday home where these new arrivals have made their mark with loud noise and a complaint from a neighbour.

The whole world changes when some of the residents of the holiday house are murdered.

Well structured and engrossing. 

My rating: 4.5

I've also read

4.6, BLACK LIES

4.6, WHITE NOISE  

Review: WHITE NOISE, Mercedes Mercier

• 
   This edition read as an e-book on my Kindle (AmazonAU)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09MZRBGGS
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins, Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 June 2022
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 353 pages
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1460714652 

Synopsis (AmazonAU) 

Someone knows your secrets. Someone knows your shame. And they won't stay buried for long.

A searing, dark and dangerous thriller from an exciting new voice

When prison psychologist Dr Laura Fleming is assigned charismatic inmate Justin Jones to assess for parole, alarm bells ring. Working with some of the state's most damaged criminals, she knows Jones is too dangerous to release, but he's got everyone fooled . . . She needs proof.

Laura knows all about damage. Her own painful mistakes have destroyed her marriage and she's been refused access to her daughter. Step by agonising step, she's rebuilding her life and her relationships, but it's a hard road. What does she have to do to prove she can be trusted?

Laura's not taking any chances with Jones, and as she races to find evidence before his parole hearing, she digs deep into his life - and is shocked by what she finds.

But as she edges closer to the truth, Laura falls victim to a series of increasingly personal attacks, and secrets from her past threaten to unhinge everything she holds dear - her job, her family . . . even her sanity.

Sometimes redemption is out of reach. But revenge will do just fine.

My Take

 Prison psychologist Dr Laura Fleming is meant to be doing the final sign off on the release on inmate Justin Jones but to her mind he is too anxious to be released by a particular date. Laura cannot be sure that he will not re-offend but she can't put her finger on the exact reason. She is going against the recommendation of the colleague from whom she has received the case, as well as against her boss.

But she is sure there is something... 

An interesting look inside how the prison parole system works, as well as being a satisfyingly complex story.  

My rating: 4.6

I've also read

4.6, BLACK LIES 

Review: BLACK LIES, Mercedes Mercier

• 
  This edition read on my Kindle (Amazon)
  
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNSBKM8H
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2023 

Synopsis (Amazon)

Longlisted for the 2024 Davitt Best Adult Novel Prize

Only a handful of inmates in Westmead Prison have committed crimes so atrocious that they've been locked away for life, and for fifteen years, convicted murderer Tomas Kovak has refused to disclose where he hid the body of his victim, a vulnerable young woman.

When Kovak is diagnosed with terminal cancer, intense pressure is put on Dr Laura Fleming, criminal psychologist, to find the location of Kovak's victim so her grieving family can find some sort of closure.

Laura has to use all of her training, skills and instinct to form a connection with the cold, remorseless killer, a man who has refused any psychological assessment since the day he confessed to the murder.

With every session, Laura becomes more and more convinced that something about Kovak's story doesn't ring true, and as his health rapidly deteriorates, the pressure on Laura ramps up. She becomes increasingly desperate, resorting to unconventional methods to find out what she can from the secretive man.

As she inches closer to the truth, she discovers some people will stop at nothing to keep the past hidden ... and the people Laura cares most about are fair game.

Love can make you do terrible things.

My Take

An unusual setting and plot.  Dr Laura Fleming, criminal psychologist working in an Australian prison with convicted criminals is asked to see if she can get convicted murderer Tomas Kovak to talk to her. For 15 years Kovak has refused to talk but now he has terminal cancer and only weeks to live. 

A well thought out scenario. Laura manages to get Kovak to see her and she wheedles some information from him but then he clams up again. Through another of her clients she finds people who knew Kovaks before the murder but his confession makes even less sense to her.

An excellent read.

My rating: 4.6

About the author

Mercedes Mercier writes 'just-one-more-page' crime with twisting plots and relatable characters. As well as writing books, Mercedes works in the criminal justice system, providing her unique insight into the world of prisons, crime and offenders.
After a brush with death, Mercedes decided to throw herself into life. She lived overseas, became a black belt in Karate, skydived, and volunteered with animals. When she doesn't have her nose in her laptop and her mind in a story, she loves to read, travel, try new restaurants, and listen to podcasts (true crime of course).

Mercedes lives in Adelaide, in a tree-top home surrounded by nature and animals, with her partner and beloved dog.