Deadlines

Summary

On a remote island cloaked in mist and memory, a handpicked group of writers arrives for an exclusive retreat—no internet, no distractions, just time to write… and reflect. But the silence doesn’t soothe everyone. Some have come to escape their pasts. Others are hiding secrets they hope will never be unearthed. And not all of them are here to write.

At the center is Elena Langford, a thoughtful indie mystery author facing a creative standstill. Hoping to reignite her passion, she instead finds herself drawn into a subtle unease that clings to Stillwater Lodge like fog over pine. The days grow shorter. The nights, stranger. When the retreat’s caretaker disappears without a trace, uncertainty turns to dread—and the group’s fragile sense of trust begins to fracture.

Told with gothic undertones, psychological nuance, and philosophical insight, Deadlines is more than a whodunit—it’s a meditation on art, obsession, and the stories we tell to survive ourselves. Every character is both author and subject, each narrative echoing the wounds they hoped to leave behind. And as the storm rolls in and the island cuts itself off from the world, the question isn’t just who to fear…

…it’s who they’re becoming.