A little delayed on writing this review. Thank you NetGalley and sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

This book caught my interest from the get go. The title, the cover and the synopsis. It got the psych nurse in me interested! It was a little slow at first, but I enjoyed the slow burn and imagery the author provided. The setting she described made it really easy to imagine what the characters are seeing and view the world. I also appreciated the character development and multiple povs. And when the twists came, they were dark and perfectly disturbing. All In all, this was a great read!


I also appreciate the authors disclosure about their own battle with sobriety, makes me respect the heck out of her! Looking forward to another read by this author!

The Clinic

Meg’s estranged pop star sister, Haley died in rehab of a heroine overdose. Haley made one last phone call to Meg, so she suspects foul play. Meg herself is addicted to alcohol and oxycodone so checks herself into The Clinic investigate.

This atmosphere novel set in a remote rehab clinic in the Pacific Northwest was suspenseful, gripping, and creepy. I loved the setting and was sucked in right from the beginning and didn’t want to put this book down. I adored Meg’s gritty personality, and her character development was done so well. The entire cast of celebrity patients, doctors, and administrators worked perfectly, and I thought all of them were a suspect at one point or another.

This was my first Cate Quinn novel, and I was blown away how she was able to write the struggles of addiction so tactfully while bringing suspense to the story. There were so many twists and turns and wow moments in this book which I loved. A big one was once Meg figures things out, but that’s where the author lost me. The ending was so over the top for me that I really needed to suspend belief. Could these things happen in real life? Maybe. I didn’t look into it, but I’d rather read something a little more plausible. That’s my opinion though so don’t let me sway you.

This book was on the way to being 5 stars, but the ending did make me drop a star. That doesn’t mean I won’t read more novels by Quinn. The short chapters and dual POVs made this a quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Clinic by Cate Quinn tells the story of a woman who enters a drug rehab undercover to find out how her famous country singer sister died there. Meg is the main character, and she is very flawed, but likable. She’s been working in a casino trying to catch people counting cards or cheating in herself is addicted to alcohol and pain pills. When she gets into the rehab where her famous sister Haley died mysteriously all bets are off. Everyone is a suspect, including the eccentric, Swedish doctor who started the rehab clinic.
The other point of view in the story is Cara. She is the clinic manager and may have some secrets of her own. The chapters alternate between Meg and Cara’s experiences at the clinic. There’s a whole cast of people at the rehab who could have possibly killed Haley. Or did she kill herself?. There is a lot of suspense in this book and more than a few scenes where I was fearful for Meg or Cara’s life. I don’t think many people will be able to figure out the secrets behind the clinic on their own. I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher of this book for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The cover alone drew me to this book and when I started it I was definitely hooked. This story was definitely propulsive and the short chapters made it hard to stop reading. I really enjoyed the dual POVs between Meg and Cara and felt like it really added to the whole story. This book was filled with twists and turns and so many red herrings with the chapters ending on little cliff hangers each time. This book is 400+ pages and 115 chapters and it didn’t need to be. It could’ve definitely been wrapped up sooner without losing the story and I wish it would’ve been.

Overall, I enjoyed this quick paced, twisty thriller and enjoyed the mental health and addiction aspect it brought to the story.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
"The Clinic" is a locked room mystery taking place at an exclusive rehab facility, with two perspectives. Cara is the manager of the clinic, and Meg is a patient who just lost her sister to suicide.

The author explores difficult and intense issues such as addiction and its link to childhood trauma. Her personal experience in rehab inspired the book and her unique journey to sobriety adds genuineness to this story.

The book is filled with unexpected twists and untrustworthy characters. The level of intensity raises as we approach the chilling and dubious ending. Wow—it is some crazy shit!

Be sure to listen to the author’s note. And to Ms. Quinn - Congratulations for all you’re hard work!!

Thanks to the author and publisher for this ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and are left voluntarily.

#TheClinic #CateQuinn #SourcebooksLandmark #upcomingthriller #newrelease #justfinished #ARC #thriller #honestreview #bookreviewer #thrillerbookloverspromotions #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #bookworms #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer

[Would have been 5 stars if not for all the f-words.]
(Also, in case you need this reminder: Cate Quinn is not Kate Quinn)


“‘Please. Call me. I need to tell you something about when we were kids. I need to tell you before it’s too late.”

That’s the last voicemail Meg has from her sister, Haley, before she sees on the news that Haley committed suicide at a luxury rehab clinic.

But Haley died of heroin injection and Meg knows Haley would never do that. Something is amiss and she is willing to commit herself to the same rehab clinic to find the answers. She doesn’t need a cover because she has her own addiction (to oxycodone) that she needs to kick anyway if she’s going to keep her job taking down the loan sharks at casinos.

A shark among sharks, Meg’s priority is to find out what happened to Haley, but her own trauma and addictions might keep her from getting anywhere helpful.

“You’re not going to like this, Meg. But to solve your sister’s murder, you might need to solve yourself.”



That’s the set-up of this very good thriller and if it wasn’t for all the f-words I would say this would be a definite must-read.

The book gives a bit of a Shutter Island vibe in its setting and characters.

“Someplace in the Pacific Northwest with plenty of rain and cold so they can all feel good and miserable, paying megabucks for the privilege while some shaman channels their auras or something.”

(Okay, a bit different era, but you get the idea)

Meg enters rehab with a bunch of addicts who are willing to lie, steal, and cheat for their addiction. Add to that withdrawal symptoms like hallucinations and the side effects of the treatment methods they undergo, and we’ve got some hard to read, unpredictable and untrustworthy characters.

And Meg isn’t necessarily in her right mind either. To stay in the clinic and investigate she has to take part in the treatment herself— which means unlocking the trauma of her own childhood that Haley alluded to in her call.

Her only confidant is Harry who is waiting for her ‘on the outside,’ wanting her to get better, but also worrying about her safety— trapped in a remote clinic with a killer.

“That’s the problem with you, Meg. You’re not afraid of anything. And you should be.”



I love the setting because the unreliability and eeriness adds to the mystery and makes you second guess what you think you know. Even though I figured out bits and pieces early on, there were some good surprises waiting for me at the end!

It’s one of those books that when you finish you want to re-read to see what you missed.



The book begins with the scene right before Haley’s death: “Haley knew no drug could help her now. This would be the room she would die in.”

Then we alternate between chapters told from Meg’s POV and Cara’s— the newish manager of the clinic.

We also have the director/owner of the clinic who I picture as a cross between the dad on The Prodigal Son TV show and Daniel Hartman on Suits with the voice of Daniel Hartman because I don’t know what a Swiss accent sounds like. He’s got that smooth but sketchy demeanor that is intelligent and slick but you just always feel like they have ulterior motives and that they’re tricking you somehow.

Sure, the characters aren’t super loveable, but I didn’t find Meg and Cara annoying at least. Plus Meg is going through a lot so you give her behavior and attitude a little grace because of her mental state. Of course she’s not going to be cheery and super friendly.

I’m not sure we fully got to know Cara well. Some of her past was hinted at but we don’t really get into it; and even though we’re in her head she still feels like she’s held at arms length from us readers.



The treatment they receive at the clinic is ‘cutting edge’ which can also be read: fictional (well mostly… you can google it). So it’s a bit out there but it didn’t distract me from the story, I think it enhanced it. I don’t need books to be medically realistic all the time and in this case it was integral to the whole plot so it made sense to me that Quinn wrote things the way she did.


I read this book on the kindle app which means I was not very aware of the page amount as I read. Some reviewers have commented that it’s too long of a read, but when I looked on Goodreads and saw it was 448 pages, I will say it didn’t feel that long to me when I read it! The short chapters really helped.



I thought it was really cool that the author, Cate Quinn, shares in the author’s note and in this article about her own experience with her alcohol addiction and attending rehab where the idea of this book emerged.

She was afraid that she wouldn’t be able to write a book without alcohol. This was her first book sober which is a feat and a very good one at that! It adds authenticity to the rehab experience she depicts and the physical and emotional feelings of withdrawal she felt to some degree herself as well as the trauma that induced her addiction to begin with.

“I entered rehab broken, using alcohol as my armour. When I left, I wasn’t alone and afraid any more. I had taken my first steps towards asking other people for help when I needed it.” (Cate Quinn)

I think it will probably be hard for some people to read if they have/had their own addiction journey, but at the same time, maybe it will inspire readers with addictions to acknowledge that they have one and that there is help and hope to overcome it!



I would definitely recommend this book, but again, there are over 100 f-words so that makes it hard to recommend to some. Maybe some day the kindle app will develop a feature to give the option to censor swear words for those of us who care about that!


[Content Advisory: 112 f-words, 24 s-words; trigger warnings for drug addiction and rehab; no sex scenes but Meg keeps seeing a lady in lingerie]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

Meg enters the rehab where her sister was just found dead to figure out who killed her sister. Only one problem, she’s also an addict. Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks, and Cate Quinn for my ARC copy of The Clinic, in exchange for my honest review. This book had a great plot and I really appreciated the short chapters and dual POV. It took me a little while to get through and there were a few times that Meg felt really unreliable but still worth the read. I appreciate Cate Quinn’s personal story and what led her to write this book.

THE CLINIC
Cate Quinn, author
Psychological Thriller

Stuck in rehab investigating her sister’s mysterious death, Meg is getting a bit more than she asked for. While coming to grips with her own addiction to pain pills, she’s trying to find a possible murderer. She may be in over her head.

This book is a hidden gems you come across once in a while where an author really seems to understand how people in these situations might feel. Having been touched by addiction in my own life, it really spoke to me. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

This started out really strong and interesting but at around 25% I felt like I hit a brick wall. The pacing was way too slow for me for a thriller and I found myself struggling to want to pick the book back up again.

Unfortunately it did not hold my attention and I ended up DNF around 35%

With a chilling atmosphere, locked-room vibes, and plenty of twists, "The Clinic" was one of those books I just couldn’t put down! While a bit slow to start, the pace picked up quickly once our main MC, Meg, entered a remote rehab clinic for the elite to solve what she’s certain was her sister’s murder.

The book is told in alternating perspectives, switching between Meg and Cara, the woman in charge of running day-to-day operations at the clinic. While this second POV provided insight into the medical practices and police involvement, I wish we’d spent more time with Meg. And while I liked the short chapters, each ended on what felt like a mini cliffhanger. This, along with the constant POV shifts, was distracting at times.

The mystery itself was very intriguing and introduced a full cast of shifty characters, who felt very real and kept me guessing right up until the end. Meg specifically experiences a lot of growth since she’s also an addict. Her actions, however, required me to suspend WAY too much disbelief. I just couldn’t get over some of the things she got away with in what’s described as a state-of-the-art facility.

I did appreciate the detailed setting and insights into rehabilitation. A quick recommendation: be sure to read the author’s note at the end! Cate Quinn put a lot of her own experiences into this book and I’m grateful to her for trusting us with aspects of her personal journey.

While “The Clinic” wasn’t a total win, it was very engaging and got a few “Wait…WHAT??” moments out of me. I’d definitely recommend it to thriller readers who enjoy a dark atmosphere, multiple POVs, and unreliable characters.

The Clinic was a really good thriller. A lot of twist and turns and unexpected moments. It kept me guessing right up until the very end. Creating a thriller set within a rehab facility really lends itself to the genre. There is the unreliability of almost everyone involved as well as the potential for manipulation from those who aren't going through the program. While not an entirely new thought process it was really well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

"A thriller set in a remote rehab clinic on the Pacific Northwest coast, in which the death of a woman inside prompts her sister to enter the clinic as a patient in order to find the truth." How could I NOT want to read this book?!

This one started out fantastically and I could not put it down. I loved the alternating points of view and the fast pace. However, the extremes that I had to go to in order to suspend disbelief were exhausting. Am I really supposed to believe that Meg could get THAT MUCH oxy (in blister packs) and a cell phone past a strip search? Are we really supposed to believe that she could talk on the cell phone so freely without detection AND that it held a charge that long? And oh my gosh these people were all so dumb and naive. However, it was a fun read that kept me on my toes and kept me guessing until the VERY end - which is incredibly rare for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this great ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Clinic tells the story of Meg Banks and Cara Morse. Meg is an addict admitting herself to the famed Clinic in order to solve her famous singer sister, Haley's, supposed death. Cara is the manager of The Clinic learning more and more about her boss, Dr. Lutz.

This book had me hooked. It is very well-written, with short chapters that are beneficial to the pacing. There were things happening all the time. The characters were people I had never read before, and there were twists I absolutely didn't expect, but the clues were there for you to see. You can tell—even if you didn't read her acknowledgments page—that Cate Quinn put a lot of research and energy into this book. Quinn took from her own time at a rehab facility as a recovering alcoholic as the basis for her story; she talks of the camaraderie that the addicts form with each other, and that is definitely a key component in this book. The friendships between the addict characters are very tender, and they all care a lot about each other's health and wellbeing.

I liked Meg's character a lot, her profession, her vulnerability, her strength, and her grit. She will not die without a fight. I've never read a book in the POV of an alcoholic/drug addict. It was half disturbing and half thrilling to be in the mindset of someone I don't really relate to. I also liked her relationship with Harry.

Cara was basically there to reveal more about the Clinic and Dr. Lutz. I didn't really care much about the romance between her and Max, but it was cute nonetheless.

Would recommend to anyone who likes a good, well-paced mystery thriller.

“To solve your sister’s murder, you might need to solve yourself”

This one messed with my head a little. I think because we are reading partially from an addict’s perspective, and while undergoing some of the treatments, she’s not exactly cognizant of everything going on. We do get right off the bat though that something sinister is afoot at the clinic. For one, Meg’s famous sister is dead, and it’s ruled a suicide. However, it is quickly uncovered that it may actually be murder. Meg is admitted the clinic disguised as a patient, and is determined to find out what happened to her sister by investigating on the inside. By doing this, she finds herself caught up in what may have been the downfall of her sister. Someone killed her, and it’s someone Meg currently sees everyday. Is it the doctor? Therapist? One of her fellow peers?
The answer was really surprising to me. One part of it wasn’t, but the other half of it was. And then we were hit with a double whammy by a last minute plot twist. Wowza!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the early copy!

I had a great time with this! It kept me engaged and entertained while also having some really good discussions surrounding addiction, trauma, abuse, and rehab. I liked that the fact that it was set in a rehab clinic was taken advantage of and that there were some more clinical things happening in here. I was also never overwhelmed by it. There were some really interesting things that happened within this. My only issue with this book is the length. It did not need to be this long, I was 75% in and felt like it should be ending. I would read more from this author in the future and definitely recommend The Clinic!

I have a recovery background, so I am sensitive to stories about it. This one didn’t sit very well with me. I liked the characters and understood them, but didn’t love the way the story went. I don’t want to give anything away, so I can’t say much. I think the setting was great, and would recommend to people who like locked room mysteries.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for my advanced copy of The Clinic.

I love remote thrillers especially ones with a great atmosphere but unfortunately, The Clinic didn't work for me. I couldn't get into the story and was bored. The premise sounded great but the story didn't meet the expectations of the description.

This one wasn't really for me, but I'm still very thankful to Sourcebooks Landmark, Cate Quinn, and Netgalley for granting me advanced digital access before publication day.

The Clinic is a very interesting book with some unforeseen twists and turns plus a bit of creative license when it comes to finishing things off. I liked the character of Meg and her interesting job in the casino and wish more had been done with that. I thought the addiction aspects of the story were enlightening and am glad to have read this book centered on family, childhood trauma and how people react to their histories. Thanks to #netgalley and #sourcebookslandmark for this edition to read and review, all opinions are my own.

I loved the idea of a clinic for a setting, but the story just didn't move along well for me. The characters didn't feel believable for rich, famous people at a clinic. The ending had a twist I didn't see coming which did save the book from a total bust. I hadn't read this author before, but I would try another one by her.