Krysten Ritter--who starred in the Netflix series Jessica Jones--devises a deliciously devious con in the invigorating Retreat, which follows a woman who believes she's found paradise by assuming the identity of a megawealthy woman.
Con artist Liz Dawson has reached her limit with posing as an art consultant in Chicago to gain entry to luxurious homes. A chance meeting with a philanthropist at a gala event leads to a job overseeing an art installation at the new mansion belonging to Isabelle Beresford and her venture capitalist husband, Oliver, in upscale Punta Mita, Mexico. The timing is perfect, since Liz's hotel is about to kick her out for unpaid bills, a romance has become overbearing, and the Chicago winter is oppressive. When she uses the community membership card left for her by the Beresfords and a staffer calls her "Señora Beresford," Liz seizes the opportunity to slip into a new identity and enjoy an opulent lifestyle. The ruse is simple: Liz resembles Isabelle in the few photographs she's able to find. No one in her new community, neither residents nor employees, has ever met Isabelle. And Isabelle and Oliver are off the grid in Bali. Liz's plan to leave once her job is finished stretches into months as she gets closer to her wealthy neighbors, whom she plans to defraud. But the Beresfords' continued absence causes problems when Oliver's business partners become concerned.
Using steady pacing and humor to show how easily Liz fools others, Ritter (Bonfire) leads Retreat on a merry chase as Liz's love for scams and her new lifestyle forces her deeper into deception. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer