January 7-10, 2027

Midnight in the Garden

A Reading Retreat - Savannah, GA

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Three nights in the Garden of Good and Evil

A slow, book-filled escape built around John Berendt's Savannah classic — hosted inside a fully reserved inn, one block from Forsyth Park.

Dates: January 7–10, 2027 (Thursday–Sunday)
Where: Forsyth Park Inn, Savannah, Georgia
Focus Book: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Hosted By: The Bookshelf on Church & Verdancy Retreats

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The Focus Book: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

By John Berendt

Part true-crime account, part portrait of a city that refuses to be ordinary, Berendt's book turned Savannah's eccentric residents, old-money houses, and after-dark rituals into one of the most beloved works of Southern nonfiction ever written.

We'll discuss it together in the place it happened — walking past the actual squares and houses, letting the setting fill in what the page only hints at. You don't need to finish it before you arrive; you just need to bring it.

You will receive a copy of the book from The Bookshelf on Church upon registration. While it isn’t required reading for the weekend, we will spend time discussing the book as a group. We encourage you to start the book before arriving as a way to increase anticipation for the trip and because you are unlikely to have time to read the entire work before we discuss it together.

  • "I didn't have to think about a single logistic. They took care of every detail, down to the dinner reservations. All I did was read and show up."

     — Retreat Guest, 2026

  • "It was the first time in years I let my brain fully shut off. No planning, no decisions — just a book, a porch, and people who wanted to talk about it."

     — Retreat Guest, 2026

  • "I came back and immediately asked when the next one was. Being present for a full weekend is harder than it sounds — this made it easy."

     — Retreat Guest, 2026

Reserve Your Room

One inn. One book. Three nights that are entirely yours.

Rooms are limited to the inn's full capacity and are held for retreat guests only. Reserve early — this one fills the way a good bookshop does: quietly, and then all at once.

Dates: January 7–10, 2027 (Thursday–Sunday)
Where:Forsyth Park Inn, Savannah, Georgia
Hosted By:The Bookshelf on Church & Verdancy Retreats

Sales begin on August 6 for the Beyond the Bookshelf Fan Club and August 13 for everyone.

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Who’s Behind This?

© 2026 Bookshelf on Church × Verdancy Retreats — Savannah, Georgia

The Bookstore: Bookshelf on Church


An independent bookstore that picks the book, hosts the in-store visit, and sends every guest home with something new to read. This retreat exists because they wanted a way to read a book together, not just sell it.

The Planners: Verdancy Retreats


 A retreat planning studio founded and run by two women who, not coincidentally, are also lifelong readers. They handle the inn, the meals, the transportation, and every detail in between, so the only thing you have to plan is which chapter to read next.