The Wilds
On sale
3rd July 2025
Price: £9.99
Genre
THE SANATORIUM MADE YOUR BLOOD RUN COLD. NOW, GO DEEP INTO THE WOODS WITH THE WILDS . . .
In Portugal’s national park, dark forests close in from all sides and only a few campers brave the loneliness. It’s easy to get lost out here, but when solo traveller Kier Templer goes missing, there are signs she was in danger before she even left her home in Devon.
Detective Elin Warner is supposed to be off duty, until she discovers a troubling clue Kier left behind and becomes determined to track her down. But when the campsite closes ranks against Elin’s questions, the isolation starts to turn sinister . . .
A stunning, atmospheric thriller which makes you question what to fear most – the wilds, the strangers living in it . . . or the person closest to you?
In Portugal’s national park, dark forests close in from all sides and only a few campers brave the loneliness. It’s easy to get lost out here, but when solo traveller Kier Templer goes missing, there are signs she was in danger before she even left her home in Devon.
Detective Elin Warner is supposed to be off duty, until she discovers a troubling clue Kier left behind and becomes determined to track her down. But when the campsite closes ranks against Elin’s questions, the isolation starts to turn sinister . . .
A stunning, atmospheric thriller which makes you question what to fear most – the wilds, the strangers living in it . . . or the person closest to you?
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Reviews
Another exceptional read from Pearse
A stunning, sweeping suspense which leaves you reeling
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
An atmospheric chiller with shocking twists
Spine-tingling, with twists you'll never see coming. A must-read
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
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
PRAISE FOR THE WILDS
I absolutely loved The Sanatorium - it gave me all the wintry thrills and chills
A world-class thriller writer. Superb
An eerie, atmospheric novel that had me completely on the edge of my seat
Guaranteed to give you goosebumps
Full of foreboding and high-stakes tension . . . Shocking and chilling
The Wilds is classic Sarah Pearse: a big, complicated, suspenseful mystery, infused with a technicolor range of emotion. Heartbreaking and cathartic
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
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
Ramps up the creepiness at every turn
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
Will have you looking over your shoulder as you read . . . wonderfully chilling
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
Eerily atmospheric with gripping twists
Creepy, deeply claustrophobic, twists and turns galore, this book is a towering example of a masterful hand at work
A slow burn across two timelines, this covers hefty themes in an atmospheric mystery
So atmospheric and hold-your-breath tense with cleverly executed twists and a finale that gave me the chills
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
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
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!
An addictive, atmospheric mystery in an absolutely spectacular setting: if you enjoyed The Sanatorium you're going to love this
A chillingly vivid thriller in a fantastic setting
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!
Menacing, creepy . . . echoes of Hitchcock and du Maurier
A wilderness thriller with a chilling depiction of emotional abuse at its core, it's engrossing, surprising and beautifully written
PRAISE FOR SARAH PEARSE
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
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
Recalls Agatha Christie at her darkest. A fresh, daring, irresistible thriller
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!
A dark and twisty mystery with an excellent sense of place: a talented writer getting better with every book