The Vicious Circle

For fans of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty, a twisty, escapist suspense about a mysterious retreat centre harbouring violent secrets.

“Masterfully plotted and superbly twisty, The Vicious Circle is a read-in-one-sitting thriller.... This novel will send you spiralling into a deadly vortex of greed, lust, and lies.” —Rose Carlyle, author of #1 international bestseller The Girl in the Mirror

A perfect paradise or a perfect nightmare

On a river deep in the Mexican jungle stands the colossal villa Xanadu, a wellness centre that's home to an ardent spiritual group devoted to self-help guru Paul Bentzen and his enigmatic wife Kali. But when Paul mysteriously dies, his entire estate—including Xanadu—is left not to Kali, but to his estranged niece Sveta.

Shocked and confused, Sveta travels from New York City to Mexico to pay her respects. At first, Xanadu seems like a secluded paradise with its tumbling gardens, beautiful people, and transcendent vibe. But soon the mystical façade wears thin, revealing a group of brainwashed members drunk on promises of an impossible utopia, guided by a disturbing belief system and a charismatic, dangerously capable leader.

As the sinister forces surrounding Sveta become apparent, she realises, too late, she can't escape. Frantic and terrified, she discovers her only chance of survival is to put her confidence in the very person she trusts the least.