by Julia Bartz
First published 2025
A catatonic woman arrives at Thea's psychiatric unit, and the social worker feels certain she recognizes her. When Thea discovers the patient connects to a traumatic period from her own past, she's determined to help. The woman recovers enough to speak but claims no memory of recent events that caused her breakdown. Then the patient vanishes as suddenly as she appeared. Thea tracks clues to a remote retreat center in New Mexico's desert, where a charismatic couple runs controversial monthly sessions focused on romantic and sexual problems. To find her missing patient, Thea must pose as a participant. The exercises grow more intimate and invasive as the days pass. Thea edges closer to finding the woman and uncovering answers about her own dark history. But the retreat's final session approaches, and Thea realizes she may have walked into a trap that could cost her sanity or her life.
Genres: suspense, mystery, contemporary, psychological-thriller
Vibes: dark, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: New Mexico, Thea's Psychiatric Unit
368 pages · Hardcover · Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Content warnings: mental-illness