The sanatorium: Great premise, poor execution

I picked this first novel by Sarah Pearse up at my library thinking the premise was right up my alley. The sanatorium of the title is an old tuberculosis facility in the Swiss Alps that has been converted into a posh hotel. There's a blizzard, the staff and guests are cut off, and murders ensue. Sounds like the perfect backdrop for a tense, creepy thriller, right?

The sanatorium | Published January 2020 | Read February 2022

Disappointingly, I found the book almost unreadable. I'm surprised I even stuck with it to the end. I seriously wonder how the book made it past an editor. The writing style the author employed with short, often grammatically incomplete sentences is so jarring. Is the author trying to be clever? Doesn't work for me. That writing style is very off-putting.

The author also needs a lesson on how to construct an intricate and clever story. There are a lot of obvious and clichéd moments and the story makes little sense. It's actually quite lame. The lead character doesn't possess any of the qualities needed to be an investigator nor is she quirky-but-clever as a lot of other book detectives are written to be. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, actually. The big reveal at the end is lacklustre. The whole book is kind of ridiculous and possibly the worst book I have read in a long time.

Other readers have had a similar thoughts to me on the novel, judging by reviews I have read. That said, Reese Witherspoon recommended it for her Book Club. Why, Reese, why?

Needless to say, I won't be seeking out future works by this author.

Rating: ⭐