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.

What a nice surprise! This book is excellent. From the opening you’re drawn into the story and it keeps that pacing as it draws you further in and you seek answers. I liked that I didn’t know if it was supernatural or simply a mystery. Not quite knowing really makes the story. The way the author looked at and spoke about addiction felt true and sympathetic. The characters were distinct and I did not guess the twists. Excellent story and I loo forward to reading more from this author.

When Meg is told that her sister committed suicide while in a rehabilitation center, Meg knows it can't be true and admits herself to the facility to find out the truth! When Meg arrives, she is met with the who's who of Hollywood and staff who obviously have things to hide including Meg!

The deeper Meg digs, the more she finds out about her own past and more danger she puts herself in!!

The Clinic is good storyline with some twists, turns and surprises throughout! Where the book lost me was in the excessive description of The Clinic and the unbelievability of the characters! It was a decent read overall but didn't pull me in and at times was a struggle to get through.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I never wanted to put this book down, and would think about it when I wasn't able to read it. I have been encouraging all of the thriller readers in my life to pick it up. Watching Meg navigate all of the twists and turns of her investigation into her sister's death while withdrawing from oxy and more or less participating in therapy was very compelling. Quinn treats Meg's issues, as well as the issues of her fellow rehab residents, with sensitivity and care. The author's note at the end mentioning her own struggles with addiction clarifies her compassion for her characters. The exclusive world of the clinic, with its luxurious trappings and cutting-edge technology, provided an immersive sense of place for the story. I loved Quinn's Black Widows and was excited to revisit her writing. I look forward to what she writes next.

✨ 🅣🅗🅔 🅒🅛🅘🅝🅘🅒 ✨

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I’m thinking The Clinic checks off all the 3-star rating thriller characteristics: easy to read, fast paced, unreliable characters, murder mystery, interesting enough setting, and a twist that you may or may not figure out.

🍃

Couple things I didn’t care for:

1) several things don’t add up or maybe are overlooked with hope the reader ignores them. Kind of like, this isn’t realistic at all, but just go with it for the heck of it.

2) twist was not mind blowing

🍃

I can see this being a fun read while traveling. It’s entertaining enough to pull you in and get you from point A to B but not heavy or disturbing enough to rattle you during your trip.

🍃

There you have it. The Clinic by Cate Quinn. Published 1/23/24.

Meg has some challenges with using substances and works as a professional poker player. With the death of her sister, Meg turns her focus (and obsession) with who killed her. She decides to commit herself to the facility and find out exactly what happened….
I didn’t expect the plot twist and also always enjoy an unreliable narrator.

When a celebrity dies inside a luxury rehab facility, her sister thinks it’s murder and checks herself into the clinic to investigate.

Although it was a luxury facility, the clinic setting was eerie and the author made me want to never step foot in there. The first twist was predictable but the second was unexpected. I just wish there was a little more to the creepy childhood story.

Read this if you’re looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller with short chapters (always a plus in my books). As always, check the content warnings - this one has a bunch!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this Advance Reader Copy. All opinions are my own.

The Clinic is set in an exclusive resort, offering cutting edge program to fight addiction by a psychiatrist from Switzerland. It set in an Idyllic location, cut off from the world, complete with rolling fog. A place that seems too good to be true and the perfect place for a locked room mystery.

Told from a dual point of view, we have two very different characters investigating the death of singer Hayley. Her sister Megan, who had one of the most interesting jobs I think I’ve come across in a novel, in the role of an unreliable narrator and to counteract her- clinic manager Cara, a no nonsense manager with a secret past. To round this out we have a host of famous patients and staff members, all with their own secrets. Once the secrets came out, they came pouring out and then all three twists and turns started and I was kept guessing right up until the end.

I loved the short, sharp chapters and the different take on treating addiction and trial. It was interesting to see the authors note at the end where we find out she’s had her own rehab experience (hopefully with a lot less drama than this one!). This is my first novel by Cate and I’m keen to go back to read her earlier ones now.

Great read!! Many twist and turns ! I really enjoyed the characters !! Definitely a binge read. I do believe the plot could have thickened a bit but all in all I did enjoy the book. No spoilers here

This was a great thriller! I loved the twists towards the end of the book! T he only thing was I felt some of it could probably be trimmed off the book. It felt very long for a thriller. I still enjoyed the book though. I would read another book by this author!

"Sometimes it's the hands you don't play that win the game."

Twisted and dark with an ending I never saw coming!

Meg's famous, well-loved sister is in rehab. But it's the news that her sister died there that rattles Meg. Haley has always been her strong, independent older sister. There is no way she would have taken her own life. Meg is determined to get into the rehab center and figure out what is going on.

But the rehab center is for the elite. Located on a damp, dark Oregon coast - secluded and heavily locked down to keep famous stars' dirty secrets from the press. Meg uses her job to get her into the center and, as soon as she gets there, she gets down to investigating what happened to her sister.

This book is so good! There are over 100 chapters because chapters are very short. You get a few perspectives but they had unique voices so easy to tell apart. Rehab is hard - and almost everyone is working through trauma and it has a way of clouding their thinking. It was so hard to know who to trust.

The tension was good, the pacing was perfect. The jumbled, short chapters kept me flipping thinking "just one more. Okay, just ONE more." I love when I don't see the ending coming. This was such a fun read.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I couldn't stop turning the pages!!! It kept me guessing and then I thought I figured it out, but nope. Really excited to check out other works from this author

Psychological thriller that had a strong start but I struggled finishing this book as it progressed.

Many of us have been affected by addiction whether it’s ourselves or watching a friend/family suffer through it. I was drawn to this book because of the premise. The beginning helps strong but it just fizzled out for me. It became predictable and slow.

I enjoy the idea and if you are a slow burn reader then this book would be for you!

The Clinic is a book I thought I would enjoy. A police procedural, an isolated and luxurious rehab clinic, various celebrities struggling with their demons as they go through detox, and the mysterious death of one of the patients. What’s not to like? For one thing, the length of the book. It seemed like forever to reach the final page and I think it could have been condensed a bit in order to maintain a better pace. It would have certainly helped me maintain my interest.

The story is told from the points of view of two women – Cara, the administrator of the clinic, and Meg, who is posing as a patient (and she should be) while she investigates her sister’s death. The characters were, for the most part, somewhat unappealing. I liked Officer Meyers the most. The others? Not so much.

I think the biggest problem I had with The Clinic is that it felt choppy. One minute it’s all about rehab, drug addiction and its effects, and the next minute the investigation into the mysterious death comes back into play. I wish I would have enjoyed this book more. In the end I was just glad I had finished it. It’s a valiant first effort for Ms Quinn so I will give The Clinic three stars. NetGalley provided an advance copy.

Overall, I liked this one until the very end. The characters are interesting and keep you wondering who could be responsible for Hayley's death. Is it the shady head of the clinic? The psychologist? Another patient at the rehab? And who is the man with the playing card eyes? What trauma are Hayley and Meg running from? Ultimately, unfortunately, the ending played out in a way that I didn't find plausible and it detracted from my previous enjoyment of the series. There were too many logical leaps required to believe the ending and I just couldn't get there.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.