Villa Pacifica — Kapka Kassabova

A visceral, gripping story for all those who loved Alex Garland's The Beach

As Ute and her husband Jerry travel to a remote area on the west coast of South America, they decide to visit a recently established eco retreat called Villa Pacifica. The resort, run by a group of eccentric expatriates, offers a luxuriant refuge -- in the middle of an arid and poverty-stricken region -- to an exotic menagerie of large cats, monkeys, giant turtles, and birds of paradise, which have been rescued from traffickers. When a huge storm descends on the coast, travelers and locals are left to fend for themselves. The hothouse world that teems below the surface of Villa Pacifica rises to engulf everyone. Madness begins to take hold, and everyonr starts questioning their own sanity. Brilliantly written, hauntingly atmospheric, this novel will leave a lasting impression in the minds of its readers.