NOVELS
The Retreat Trilogy
In between TV and comedy gigs, Neil writes fiction that blends humour, heart, and human complexity. His work explores how we see each other — and ourselves — with a particular passion for reshaping how disabled people are portrayed on the page. The Retreat Trilogy brings together his love of character-driven drama, dark comedy, and unsettling twists.
FAKE OR BREAK
Book One:
When Zara arrives at The Retreat expecting to be a guest, she’s mistaken for the new group facilitator and says nothing. Forced to improvise her way through the week, she guides others through workshops she barely understands. But while she teeters on the edge of collapse, something strange happens: the group begins to change. They trust her. They trust each other. And by the time the truth comes out, it might not matter.
Fake or Break is a darkly funny comedy-drama set on a Mediterranean island retreat. On the surface, everything looks calm and serene… but as masks slip and truths shatter, the only question is: Who breaks first?
A sharp, unsettling story of deception, exposure, and the desperate search for connection. Perfect for readers who love the sharp wit of Nine Perfect Strangers, the intrigue of The White Lotus, and the raw honesty of Fleishman Is in Trouble.
DEATH AND REBIRTH
Book Two:
Three years later, the retreat looks like a success. But appearances can be deadly.
Zara has transformed the once-chaotic retreat into a thriving business. Bookings are full, the brand gleams with professional polish, and she has become the charismatic face of healing on a sun-drenched Mediterranean island. On the surface, everything is perfect.
But when a new group of guests arrives, their carefully curated week is thrown off balance by an uninvited outsider carrying secrets that no one is ready for. Confessions spark conflict, old wounds resurface, and the games of intimacy and trust take on darker, more dangerous edges.
By the end of their stay, one of them has vanished beneath the waves during a ritual at sea. Was it an accident, a choice — or something much worse?
Darkly funny, unsettling, and deeply human, Death and Rebirth is the gripping second instalment of The Retreat Trilogy, where every mask slips, every truth cuts deep, and no one leaves untouched. A must-read for readers drawn to the tension and wit of Nine Perfect Strangers and the emotional depth of Fleishman Is in Trouble.
GIVE AND TAKE
Book Three:
This is the final chapter and the moment everything converges.
On a sun-drenched island where people come to heal, The Retreat is no longer just an experiment. It’s a reckoning. Two groups arrive.
Four couples step into a week-long relationship workshop, hoping to reconnect, repair, or part ways with kindness and clarity. They’re led by Frank, a returning facilitator with warmth, insight, and a secret he’s not yet ready to reveal.
At the same time, six solo participants gather for Zara’s unique programme, blending improv, performance and emotional truth-telling. Some are first-timers. Others are familiar faces, returning to go deeper. Zara is now a seasoned guide, but this week will test her like never before.
As group processes intensify, relationships stretch to breaking point. One couple shatters. Another finds something new. Frank begins to falter under the weight of what he’s holding. And in the background, Daniel’s long-laid plan finally surfaces, forcing Zara to confront everything the retreat was really built on.
Filled with raw honesty, surprising tenderness, and moments of devastating beauty, Give and Take is a story about showing up when it matters most. About love. The kind that breaks you open, holds you accountable, and asks you to begin again.
Available to buy on Amazon