In Krysten Ritter’s sophomore novel “Retreat,” we’re introduced to the chameleon-like Liz Dawson – a master con artist who slips between identities with startling ease. When she accepts a seemingly simple job at a Mexican coastal villa owned by the wealthy Isabelle Beresford, Liz sees it as an opportunity for both profit and a much-needed reset from her life of deceit. What begins as a routine con spirals into something far more sinister as Liz discovers eerie similarities between herself and her mark, eventually stepping fully into Isabelle’s life with unforeseen consequences.
Like her 2017 debut “Bonfire,” Krysten Ritter’s “Retreat” demonstrates her knack for creating complex, morally ambiguous female protagonists whose internal darkness matches the external threats closing in around them. However, “Retreat” ventures into significantly more twisted psychological territory, delivering a tale of obsession, identity, and murderous impulse that will leave readers questioning which character is truly the predator and which is the prey.
A Serpentine Plot That Coils Ever Tighter
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its masterful narrative structure. Told primarily through Liz’s perspective, we’re treated to an unreliable narrator whose growing paranoia mirrors our own uncertainty about what’s really happening at Casa Esmerelda. The first half establishes Liz as a sympathetic though flawed protagonist, allowing readers to settle into what appears to be a familiar con-artist-tries-to-go-straight storyline.
Then comes the brilliant midpoint twist that flips the entire narrative on its head, followed by a series of increasingly disturbing revelations that recontextualize everything we thought we knew. By the third act, Ritter delivers a shocking perspective shift that forces readers to reexamine all previous events through an entirely new lens. The final chapters hurtle toward a conclusion both inevitable and unexpected, culminating in an ambiguous epilogue that will surely spark debate among readers.
What impresses most is how Ritter manages to maintain narrative coherence despite the labyrinthine plot twists. The careful placement of clues throughout the early chapters rewards attentive readers without telegraphing the major developments. This is psychological thriller craftsmanship at its finest—complex without being convoluted, surprising without feeling arbitrary.
Characters Reflected and Refracted
The psychological depth of “Retreat” by Krysten Ritter hinges on the disturbing parallels between its two central characters:
- Liz Dawson: Initially presented as our protagonist, Liz embodies the archetype of the charming con artist seeking redemption. Her backstory—abandoned by her mother, raised by a disapproving father, collegiate humiliation—provides a compelling foundation for her life of deception. Yet beneath her calculated exterior lies genuine loneliness and a yearning for connection that makes her vulnerability to manipulation all the more tragic.
- Isabelle Beresford/Susan Warner: The novel’s most fascinating creation, this character operates as both victim and predator, her fractured psyche creating ripple effects of destruction. Ritter’s gradual unveiling of her true nature represents some of the book’s most chilling scenes.
The supporting cast functions effectively as mirrors reflecting different aspects of the central identity struggle:
- Braden Beresford: The estranged brother-in-law whose unexpected arrival complicates Liz’s deception and provides a romantic subplot that’s both tender and doomed
- Oliver Beresford: The deceased husband whose financial schemes create an ominous backdrop to the central psychological battle
- Tilly/Susan: The false friend whose true motives remain hidden in plain sight
- The wealthy Punta Mita social circle: Shallow but observant witnesses to the impersonation, creating constant tension as Liz navigates their scrutiny
Atmosphere of Mounting Dread
Ritter expertly contrasts the paradise setting of Punta Mita with the psychological hell unfolding within its pristine walls. The novel’s sensory details are particularly effective – the tropical heat intensifying alongside the escalating danger, the ocean’s beauty juxtaposed with its deadly power, the luxurious trappings of Casa Esmerelda concealing sinister secrets.
Especially noteworthy is Ritter’s use of mirrors and reflections as both literal plot devices and thematic elements. From the opening line—”In the mirror, you study your face”—the climactic bathroom confrontation amid shattering glass, reflective surfaces serve as potent symbols of fractured identity and self-deception.
Stylistic Flourishes That Cut Like Glass
Ritter’s prose is deceptively straightforward but punctuated with moments of startling imagery. The dialogue crackles with tension, particularly in the novel’s final confrontations. Ritter demonstrates a keen ear for how people speak when they’re hiding their true intentions, creating exchanges layered with subtext and menace.
Perhaps most impressive is Ritter’s handling of the second-person passages that bookend the novel. This notoriously difficult perspective works brilliantly here, creating an unsettling intimacy that forces readers to identify with the twisted psychology at the heart of the story.
Minor Stumbles Along the Way
Despite its considerable strengths, “Retreat” by Krysten Ritter isn’t without flaws:
- Pacing issues in the middle section – After the initial setup, the narrative occasionally stalls as Liz settles into Punta Mita life, with some repetitive social scenes that could have been streamlined
- Underdeveloped subplot concerning the Reeds – The Chicago-based financial con that opens the novel feels somewhat disconnected from the main psychological drama, with its resolution coming too easily
- Limited exploration of trauma’s psychological impact – While Ritter gestures toward how childhood trauma shaped both central characters, these elements sometimes feel more like plot devices than fully realized psychological portraits
- Some convenient coincidences – Several plot developments rely on unlikely timing and circumstance, particularly regarding character arrivals and discoveries
A Worthy Addition to the Psychological Thriller Genre
For readers familiar with Krysten Ritter’s debut “Bonfire,” “Retreat” represents a significant artistic evolution, moving from small-town environmental conspiracy to something more psychologically complex and morally ambiguous. Fans of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl,” or Caroline Kepnes’s “You” will find much to appreciate in Ritter’s nuanced exploration of identity theft as both literal crime and psychological metaphor.
“Retreat” distinguishes itself from standard psychological thrillers through its sophisticated treatment of its central theme: the terrifying malleability of identity in a world where appearance often matters more than substance. Unlike many entries in the genre that rely primarily on shocking twists, Ritter’s novel offers genuine psychological insight into how people construct personas to protect themselves, only to become trapped in their own fabrications.
Final Verdict: A Beach Read with Deadly Undertow
“Retreat” by Krysten Ritter delivers exactly what the best psychological thrillers should: a page-turning plot that never sacrifices psychological depth for mere shock value. Ritter has crafted a novel that works on multiple levels – as a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game, as a meditation on identity in the Instagram age, and as a chilling portrait of obsession’s destructive power.
The novel’s greatest achievement may be its refusal to offer easy moral distinctions. By the final page, readers will likely find themselves unsettled by their own shifting sympathies, forced to confront uncomfortable questions about authenticity, deception, and the lengths to which people will go to become someone new.
For a second novel, “Retreat” demonstrates remarkable confidence and craft. Krysten Ritter has established herself as a thriller writer whose psychological acuity matches her storytelling skills, creating a reading experience that lingers long after the final page. Though not without minor flaws, this sophomore effort confirms Ritter’s literary talents extend well beyond her already-established acting career.
- Perfect for: Fans of psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, readers who enjoy morally ambiguous female protagonists, and anyone fascinated by the dark side of identity and reinvention.
- Content warning: Violence, murder, psychological manipulation, references to childhood trauma, and strong language.