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Half hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel.
I wanted to read this book ever since reading the description. An old tuberculosis sanatorium, converted to a luxury hotel, set in the bleak of winter during an avalanche that keeps the guests from leaving the hotel. This was an atmospheric, claustrophobic, creepy locked room mystery/thriller. Also, I couldn’t help but hum Metallica’s song in my head every time I picked it up:
“Welcome to where time stands still
No one leaves and no one will
Moon is full, never seems to change
Just labelled mentally deranged”
…how fitting for this novel.
I personally really enjoyed this book and was surprised when I came to Goodreads after finishing it to see mostly negative reviews. I can understand where they are coming from, Elin isn’t a very strong character and seems to forget how to be a police officer after suffering some trauma, and her personal struggles do tend to overshadow some of the plot. But I was okay with her story, and her PTSD affecting her judgments, especially since going into this book I expected it to be part of a series (since it says Detective Elin Warner #1 on Goodreads). I loved the setting and think it added to the chilling (pun intended) atmospheric feel. And the dark, mysterious and sinister history of the hotel had me hooked (I’m a sucker for those type of things). The ending did come as a shock and seemed a little out of left field, but again, I was okay with it.
The Sanatorium is in no means a perfect novel, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed it.\
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