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.

Loved this novel!!!! Started off fantastic and ended the same way! Can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you NetGalley for sharing this with me!!!

Would recommend for fans of…
🌩️ A Cure for Wellness
🌩️ The Sanitorium
🌩️ American Horror Story

I want to start by acknowledging that after reading the author’s note, this is clearly a book with a lot of personal meaning and I respect how the author used this story to reflect on her own battle with addiction. That being said, this was one of the more uneven thrillers I’ve read in recent memory.

The Clinic follows Meg as she tries to infiltrate an expensive and isolated rehab facility to find out what happened to her sister. Once she’s inside, even more strange things begin to happen.

The book is set up to intentionally disorient the reader to create that feeling of “wait…is this true????” throughout the book, and the author succeeds in that effort. The book is tense and kept me engaged with the story as I tried to figure out who the culprit was.

But unfortunately the book never really “wowed” me. It was too long with some unnecessary filler (IMO all of the Cara POV chapters could have been cut). A lot of the characters and their motivations came off as very cartoonish and almost caricature-like. And the end…oof. I love a left field twist but this was a little much even for me.

I’m not upset that I read this…it was entertaining and was a great way to unwind after work. It was just missing that wow factor.

The Clinic is out now. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A relatively easy read with a medium pace and an author who doesn't shy away from laying the faults of her characters out in the open. I always enjoy a whodunnit mystery, but I can't say this one kept me on the edge of my seat. Cate Quinn is able to write each character in a way that has you seriously questioning if they are the guilty party, but the overall reveal was a tad underwhelming. It went from an addict trying to figure out what happened to her sister inside the rehabilitation clinic, to a Nancy Drew-esque creeping through hidden doors and scaling walls. The big twist was creative, but sadly it didn't feel original.

This book sounded so promising, but it was so over the top I couldn't get into it. Meg is such an unlikable character who doesn't give a shit about anyone else, to the point she refuses to get help for her addiction to opioids an alcohol. She even goes to a clinic, the same one where her sister has committed suicide (murdered according to Meg) and can't help but smuggle in drugs.

Once in she decides to fully commit and keeps learning more and more secrets about her fellow patients as well as the ones running the facility. The longer she's in the more she's convinced her sister was murdered. And that's when she realizes she's stuck in a place where everyone around her is a suspect.

After a wild goose chase and a super convoluted ending I was so over this one.

OMG this was the wildest ride! And I JUST KNEW her sister wasn't dead! I didn't see all the rest of the nefarious shenanigans that the doc was up to. I knew he was shady AF but not to that degree! I love me a happy ending and kind of got one since Meg was able to kick the pills and booze and find out some home truths about her childhood that weren't nearly as evil/bad as she had made them out to be in her mind. This was my 1st book by Cate Quinn but I am now adding all of her books to my TBR!

#TheClinic
#NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark & Cate Quinn for a digital galley of The Clinic in exchange for an honest review.

The thriller love in me was immediately drawn to the eerie cover and further intrigued by the synopsis, so I was dying to get my hands (eyes) on this one.

When Meg, who leads a less than appealing life, learns of her sister Haley's death (Haley is a famous actress) at a rehab facility, she knows that the reports of suicide just aren't adding up. So, Meg decides to check herself into the facility so that she can investigate & try to find out what really happened to her sister, but she quickly learns that it is not that simple.

I am so sad that I didn't love this book as much as I hoped I would. While I didn't hate it, I didn't love it either. It was just "meh." It started out very strong & I couldn't put it down, but then it fizzled out and became very boring, which I honestly think is a first for me. Usually books start out slow and gradually get better. This one was the complete opposite. The dual POV between Meg & Cara (facility manager) was good - I enjoyed getting two different perspectives. The writing itself was not bad, it was just how the story played out. Thankfully, this book had short chapters, which is probably a lot of the reason why I didn't DNF it. Nothing is worse that a boring book along with chapters that never end. I really enjoyed the setting as well. I just wanted this to be something more than it was.

It was a solid 3-Star read for me.