Ordinary People, an anti-MAGA cabal of lefties, has already pulled off a string of small-scale disruptions, and the word from the CIA is that they plan to take down the power in the Twin Cities, where Letty grew up. Letty Davenport seeks to infiltrate a group of freelance hackers in order to thwart their next project-or maybe to help it along. Bartz hits all the gothic highlights, but, far from feeling stale, they work. Or is there a much more sinister (and human) plot behind this writing retreat? Despite Alex’s somewhat whiny nature, the book's pacing-a slow roll of dread and horror, especially in the first half-is exceptional. When one of the other writers disappears, Alex can’t help but wonder whether occult history is repeating itself. For Alex, the sense of disquiet grows as her research deepens with Roza’s urging, she has decided to write a novel about the original inhabitants of the house, a wealthy tycoon and his waitress-turned-medium wife who were both found dead after the wife apparently channeled a demoness named Lamia. Despite the trappings of luxury-food and wine and an unparalleled library-there’s no ignoring the fact that the writers are trapped there’s no Wi-Fi or cell service to be found. Each writer must craft a proposal for a full-length novel, then crank out 3,000 words a day to be critiqued. From the very first night at Blackbriar, though, it’s clear that this is no warm and fuzzy workshop, and Roza is no gentle mentor. Then, a call from the blue: A writer friend has finagled her a space at an elite writers retreat at the estate of the mysterious, glamorous novelist Roza Vallo. Having just turned 30, Alex has to face up to some hard truths: She hates her job she’s been miserable since breaking up with her best friend and she’s mired in writer’s block, which makes it pretty hard to be discovered and published. Five writers, four weeks, and a $1 million book deal for the lucky winner.

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz