The Wilds

The Sanatorium took you to the Alps and chilled you to the bone. Now, The Wilds will take you deep into the woods . . . and out there, it's easy to get lost.

'The most addictive book I've read in a long time . . . This book really gets you thinking' Reader Review

'A book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, with its blend of psychological depth and thrilling suspense' Reader Review

'Amazing. Made me love reading again' **** Reader Review

After the dark events that scarred her childhood, Kier Templer escaped her hometown and twin to live her life on the road. They've never lost contact until, on a trip to a Portuguese national park, Kier vanishes without a trace.

Detective Elin Warner arrives in the same park ready to immerse herself in its vast wilderness - only to hear about Kier's disappearance, and discover a disturbing map she left behind. The few strangers at the isolated camp close ranks against her questions, and the park's wild beauty starts to turn sinister.

Elin must untangle the clues to find out what really happened to Kier. But when you follow a trail, you have to be careful to watch your back...

'An atmospheric chiller with shocking twists' SHARI LAPENA

'Grips from page one with its serpentine plot and mood of real menace' LOUISE CANDLISH

'Everything we crave in thriller writing. This is a one-sitting read' JEFFERY DEAVER

'A complex story with skilful twists, leading us to a breathless conclusion' LUCY CLARKE

'Intelligent, twisty, stylish and incredibly suspenseful' WILL DEAN

'An addictive, atmospheric mystery in a spectacular setting' T.M. LOGAN

'A stunning, sweeping suspense which leaves you reeling' JANE CORRY

'Will leave your jaw on the floor' MATTHEW BLAKE

'I was gripped and moved. A cracker of a thriller' EVE CHASE

'Whiplash-inducing twists. Utterly gripping' JOHN MARRS

'An engrossing, surprising wilderness thriller' MARK EDWARDS

THE SANATORIUM was a No.1 Sunday Times paperback bestseller 08.01.22.

PRAISE FOR THE WILDS -- -
An atmospheric chiller with shocking twists -- SHARI LAPENA
Grips from page one with its serpentine plot, powerful sense of place and mood of real menace. The Wilds is Sarah Pearse's best yet -- LOUISE CANDLISH
An absolute winner! The Wilds gives us everything we crave in thriller writing: a rollercoaster of a plot, a strong and thoroughly appealing protagonist and an addictive literary voice painting rich portrayals of the characters and the ominous locale. This is a one-sitting read; plan your day accordingly -- JEFFERY DEAVER
A deeply compelling, tightly plotted, and transportive read. A master of suspense, Pearse weaves a complex story with skilful twists, leading us to a breathless conclusion. A must-read for 2024 -- LUCY CLARKE
An addictive, atmospheric mystery in an absolutely spectacular setting: if you enjoyed The Sanatorium you're going to love this -- T.M. LOGAN
Her usual beguiling combo of immersive plot and smart dialogue . . . But it's the powerful sense of place which really sets this apart . . . The plotting, which is exceptional, grapples with themes of coercive control and the legacy of childhood trauma. But it's the way Pearse approaches the enduring power that some landscapes have over our emotions which is the standout success of this book DAILY MAIL
The Wilds is a superb Elin Warner thriller. Intelligent, twisty, stylish and incredibly suspenseful. Had a genuine feel of Hitchcockian tension and dread - brilliant on gaslighting, trauma and coercive control - even in a beautiful Portuguese setting. Riveting -- WILL DEAN
Another exceptional read from Pearse SUN
A stunning, sweeping suspense which leaves you reeling -- JANE CORRY
The Wilds is the perfect thriller for your summer holiday. With delicious atmospherics, compulsively readable characters and secrets that will leave your jaw on the floor, Sarah Pearse has surpassed her own dazzling standards and written her best book yet. A must-read for all thriller fans -- MATTHEW BLAKE
A slow burn across two timelines, this covers hefty themes in an atmospheric mystery HEAT
A wilderness thriller with a chilling depiction of emotional abuse at its core, it's engrossing, surprising and beautifully written -- MARK EDWARDS
Transporting, beautifully written, the story shifting with each satisfying dark twist, I was both gripped and moved by The Wilds. A cracker of a thriller, I just loved it -- EVE CHASE
A fabulous thriller that has a lot to say about controlling relationships and whether to trust first impressions. I was completely immersed in the setting of a Portuguese National Park - loved it! -- NIKKI SMITH
The Wilds has an incredible sense of place. I could smell the pine needles and feel the mist on my face. An eerie and atmospheric destination thriller with some mind-bending twists! -- ALLIE REYNOLDS
The Wilds is visceral, evocative and crackles with tension. It's a totally engrossing, immersive and thought-provoking read, and a brilliant conclusion to a trilogy that marries edge-of-the-seat thrillers with deeply transporting writing -- EMYLIA HALL
With whiplash-inducing twists and an intricately plotted story, Sarah Pearse writes with such inimitable style and confidence, it's hard to believe this is only her third novel. Utterly gripping -- JOHN MARRS
Sarah Pearse always delivers a riveting read! The Wilds is a page-turning, unpredictable, and brilliantly plotted thriller that had me double-checking my locks -- ASHLEY ELSTON
It's Sarah Pearse's best book yet (a very high bar). Smart, shocking and scary, the twists had me turning pages at breakneck speed. The Wilds is everything you want a thriller to be - a cracking plot, perfectly told. I miss Elin already -- NIKKI MAY
Layered, richly drawn, and utterly compelling. Sarah Pearse masterfully turns the screws of suspense, deftly twisting and subverting expectations until nothing and no one is what it seems. A must read! -- LISA UNGER
The Wilds is classic Sarah Pearse: a big, complicated, suspenseful mystery, infused with a technicolor range of emotion. Heartbreaking and cathartic -- FLYNN BERRY
Eerily atmospheric with gripping twists PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH
PRAISE FOR SARAH PEARSE -- -
Spine-tingling, with twists you'll never see coming. A must-read -- RICHARD OSMAN
I absolutely loved The Sanatorium - it gave me all the wintry thrills and chills -- LUCY FOLEY
An eerie, atmospheric novel that had me completely on the edge of my seat -- REESE WITHERSPOON
Creepy, deeply claustrophobic, twists and turns galore, this book is a towering example of a masterful hand at work -- DAVID BALDACCI
So atmospheric and hold-your-breath tense with cleverly executed twists and a finale that gave me the chills -- CLAIRE DOUGLAS
Recalls Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller -- AJ FINN
A chillingly vivid thriller in a fantastic setting -- T.M. LOGAN
A world-class thriller writer. Superb -- STEVE CAVANAGH
Menacing, creepy . . . echoes of Hitchcock and du Maurier DAILY MAIL
Full of foreboding and high-stakes tension . . . Shocking and chilling -- NITA PROSE
Guaranteed to give you goosebumps WOMAN & HOME
Will have you looking over your shoulder as you read . . . wonderfully chilling -- ASHLEY AUDRAIN
Ramps up the creepiness at every turn OBSERVER

Sarah Pearse lives by the sea in South Devon with her husband and two daughters. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick and worked in Brand PR for a variety of household brands. After moving to Switzerland in her twenties, she spent every spare moment exploring the mountains in the Swiss Alpine town of Crans Montana, the dramatic setting that inspired her debut novel, The Sanatorium, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and became an instant New York Times bestseller and a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller. The Retreat was also a Sunday Times bestseller and No.1 Kindle bestseller. The Wilds is her third novel.

You can find Sarah on Twitter @SarahVPearse and Instagram / TikTok @sarahpearseauthor

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