Member Reviews
Cate Quinn does a fantastic job taking the experience she had in rehab herself and turning it into a diabolical read. It also features short chapters (LOVE short chapters) which keep the story engaging and constantly moving. With all the patients being treated for some kind of addiction, it was hard to know what was true. The staff at the facility weren’t much better. So many secrets, so many lies. So much fun to read.
4 stars.
I am beyond excited and can't wait to host my bookclub on my YouTube channel coming up. I think this book was eerie and had such a "vibe" that I haven't read from before. I wish the audiobook would be available on release day in the US but of course that's out of my control. I think for anyone looking for thrillers that have sisters dynamics or like the hospital/institution trope, this would be a perfect option for them to pick up
I loved The Clinic by Kate Quinn. The setting in the Pacific Northwest was amazing. remote and foggy, cut off from civilization. When Meg first arrives at the clinic to find out what happened to her sister, she is blown away by the luxurious accommodations, of course, she's in denial about her addiction and manages to sneak in some oxy and continues to self-medicate for the first few days. After getting to know the other clients and starting some therapy herself she decides to dump the oxy and solve her sister's murder with a clear head. Meg learns detox is no joke and is surprised by the support she receives from the other guests. Twists and turns in this emotional rollercoaster of a medical thrill ride will keep you page-turning and binge-reading til way past your bedtime. Thank you Kate for your candor and willingness to share this story with the world. I think your story can and will change lives! I would give it 100 stars!
Happy Pub Day to Cate Quinn and Sourcebooks Landmark! Start the year off with a fast paced psychological thriller. Be ready for complex, heavy topics such as addiction, trauma, and mental health. This dual POV follows strong female characters and is set in a hauntingly beautiful rural PNC luxury rehab center. Short chapters kept me engaged and made it a quick read.
I felt the book started a little slow and ended a bit conveniently. I wish the main characters were written slightly more like able, especially Meg.
Thank you for the ARC and happy reading all!
The Clinic by Cate Quinn is a whirlwind adventure in the art of twists, turns, and plot twists.
An isolated rehab clinic. A dead country singer. And an addict of a sister who is hellbent on finding the truth. When Haley dies the same night she leaves her sister Meg a distressing voicemail, Meg vows to find the truth of what happened in rehab. But the Clinic is not your run of the mill facility - its a high end, rehabilitation getaway where only the rich and famous can be admitted. And once there, treatment is not what it seems.
This book was riveting. The portrayal of addiction, based off the authors own personal life experience, was not only incredible story telling but one of the best written addiction stories I have read in awhile. The entire cast of characters in rehab embodied different aspects of the disease, humanized them.
The plot twists were incredible - from about 50% in the plot just ramped up, and I read the last 25% in half an hour. I literally did not predict a single thing! And when I finished the book my mind was racing in the best ways - without spoiling anything, I cannot wait for you all to.read this book so we can discuss. I will be adding Cate Quinn to my auto buy list - and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.
I really liked this read! It’s a psychological thriller that checks many boxes for me: a unique setting (a substance use luxury rehab clinic on the remote US Pacific Northwest coast); an atypical female main character (a functioning but struggling alcoholic/drug addict); a twisty plot that is told in the first person from two perspectives; and short, easy to read chapters.
The setting is very atmospheric and the plot moves along well with some good tension built in. I know some readers found the first half a bit slow but that was not the case for me. I really liked the female main character, the issues woven in around mental health and addiction and found the rehab/addiction setting for a thriller different and intriguing. There were lots of good twists and turns. A very enjoyable read. Make sure to read the very personal Author’s Note.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
You gotta love Washington. It’s a great place to set thrillers. This time Cate Quinn has used the upper northwest portion of the state as the setting for an isolated ultra posh rehab center where a female celebrity has suddenly passed away from an apparent overdose. You might want to tell that to her estranged younger sister, though, because Meg’s convinced her sister wouldn’t have injected herself with heroin and she’s determined to enter the same rehab center herself to find out what really happened.
This isn’t exactly novel (ha) territory when it comes to thriller plotlines, but I really liked what Quinn did with it. I think the fulcrum of this book was the characters. Nobody in this book is a good person and that makes this book work. There’s something about people who haven’t always made the best judgment calls in life but somehow make the best judgment calls they can at the most pivotal times that always speaks to me as a very imperfect person. I’ve made a ton of imperfect calls in my life and I hope I have it in me to make the right calls when it counts.
Is the book kind of out there, in terms of reality? Maybe. I did have to suspend my disbelief some. I don’t doubt at all that some luxury rehab spots are just as absurd as the one in this book in terms of amenities. I had a harder time dealing with the police/law aspect of this book in terms of believability. I know we’re supposed to just chalk it up to the isolation of the locale, but I don’t truly think anywhere in that section of Washington is as isolated as described in the novel anymore and I don’t think the law could be skirted in the manner it was in this book.
In the end, it was a really solid read and a lot of fun. I enjoyed it.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Amateur Sleuth/Murder Thriller/Psychological Fiction/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Thriller
On the coast of Oregon, a woman dies in a rehab center for celebrities. Haley was a famous actress needing rehabilitation for her addiction. There is talk of suicide, but her sister Meg knows better. She is also addicted to pain killers and alcohol after a shoulder injury. She works in a casino in L.A. and decides to investigate her sister's death. She enters the rehabilitation center for her addiction so she can find out what happened. Meg tells it from her POV and quite the unreliable narrator. No one can help her once she enters the facility.
It has a creepy premise. The cover says a lot about its eeriness. This has an unimaginable twist and several POVs that add to the suspense. I love a book that plays the reader into thinking one thing is happening and bounces around. The psychologist in the clinic, Max, appears to really care for his patients, but the Dr Lutz is an evil sort which goes along with the premise. Then the clinic manager, Cara, tells it from her POV also. The setting is as much of character than any human, which makes the suspense even more.
I enjoyed it and have looked forward to reading it. I was not disappointed and loved a good mystery.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. My only fault with the book was taking too long to get me there, but once I was in I was vested to finish.
Fairly predictable mystery, but it was still a good read that I enjoyed. I only thought it was predictable because I solved the mystery before the characters did.
The premise of this book promised the reader a thriller that would keep the pages turning to find out what really happened to Meg's sister Haley in the rehab clinic. That definitely happened as the twists kept everyone guessing right up to the very end. Since all patients were fighting an addiction - who would or could you believe as you try to learn the truth? Meg is a professional poker player, so she felt that would help her figure people out - but her own addiction and treatments send her spiraling into an abyss where she doesn't know what is real and what is not. The characters in the storyline, and there were many, were difficult to like or feel compassionate towards. Even Meg, although her troubled past gives her character a little more depth, is far from the most likeable person. An entertaining thriller this book certainly is, and I would recommend it to others who like this genre. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks, Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheClinic
"Every part of my body turns to ice. Haley’s handwriting. Or a good imitation of it. I read, the letters swimming. “Leave now, Meggy. Before it’s too late. Love Haley.”"
Meg and Haley are sisters with a complicated relationship. Haley is a famous actress and Meg is addicted to drugs and works at a casino. Haley dies mysteriously at a rehab facility in the Pacific Northwest, promoting Meg to check herself in as a patient to find out what happened.
This is really well plotted and the short chapters helped make it feel really fast paced. At the part of this story is the complicated and strained relationship between the two sisters. This is a great psychological thriller.
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this book. Slow start for me - took a bit to get into - but I ended up finding this title captivating and unlike many other thrillers I've read before.
3.5 Stars
I was intrigued by this book because of the synopsis, I liked that a girl was a rehab and died and her sister is going to solve her murder. This read was a bit slower than I thought it was going to be and it had a lot of characters to keep track of. I did enjoy it but the ending was a bit strange. I didn’t guess it but it didn’t seem mind blowing either.
I think I would recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending my an ARC copy to review.
“The Clinic” has all the makings of a great and exciting novel, but fell short of my expectations. I enjoyed the dual POV narration, but with very little interaction between the two characters it often felt like two separate stories that just happened to take place in the same setting. The exploration of grief, repressed memories, and mental health was good, but didn’t quite go deep enough for me. Some of the plot points and “twists” felt predictable, though there was at least one surprise (even if it felt a little silly). The story felt long overall, but the short chapters kept the pace moving. All in all, there’s something there and it’s enjoyable enough, I just wanted more than I got.
I had such a hard time putting this one down! Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I loved the viewpoints between Meg and Cara. With Meg's viewpoint it was centered more towards the patient side of things with figuring out who murdered her sister, and with Cara it was the behind the scenes viewpoint with doctors and digging into Dr. Lutz's past. There were so many twists I did not see coming, and gave such a great insight on those struggling with addiction and the causes behind it, all while spinning a gripping thriller!
Definitely recommend this one!
This book grabbed my attention in the beginning and then turned into a slow burn for me. At times, I was confused with where the book was going and not in the way of twists changing my opinion but more like the author wasn’t sure about where she was going. The concept seemed original but it just took a while to get there. Overall, i thought it was a decent read.
The Clinic" by Cate Quinn is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of addiction, trauma, and mystery. The story revolves around Meg, a woman working for a casino in Los Angeles, whose life is marred by her struggles with painkiller addiction and alcohol abuse. This addiction stems from a traumatic event that injured her shoulder, leading her into a downward spiral.
The plot thickens when Meg's sister, Haley, a troubled country singer grappling with her own demons, is reported dead in a remote rehab clinic on the Oregon coast. Refusing to believe the reports of Haley's death as a mere incident, Meg takes a bold step. She decides to go undercover, checking herself into the clinic under an alias to unearth the truth behind her sister's death. This decision plunges her into a world far more complex and dangerous than she anticipated.
Meg's journey is not just about uncovering the mystery of Haley's death but also about confronting her own inner demons. The clinic itself emerges as a character in the story, a world of luxury and therapy that caters to the rich and famous, offering a stark contrast to the dark undercurrents running beneath its surface. As Meg delves deeper, she encounters a range of characters, each with their own secrets and agendas, including Cara, the clinic's administrative manager, and Max, the psychologist committed to his patients.
The narrative is marked by its switch between the perspectives of Meg and Cara, providing a comprehensive view of the unfolding events. Themes like childhood trauma, betrayal, mental health, and manipulation are skillfully woven into the story, adding layers of depth and complexity. The clinic, with its secluded and luxurious setting, becomes a pivotal backdrop against which the drama of addiction, paranoia, and the quest for truth plays out.
Overall, "The Clinic" is a suspenseful and emotionally charged novel that skillfully intertwines a tale of personal struggle with a compelling mystery. It's a story that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish, with its rich characterizations, vivid world-building, and a plot filled with twists and turns that lead to a startling revelation.
If you like complex stories, this is for you.
I really wanted to like this novel and did at the beginning but didn't by the end. So I had a hard time rating it. The writing is good but the overall story has so many complicated twists and turns that I lost interest. I give it a 4 for writing and a 3 for storyline. 3.5 overall.
Only for the author: 22% - what it was that ...should be What was it
35% - patients are at already work...should be patients are at work already
37% - have you little hissy fit...should be have your...
58% - think want we're doing...think what we're doing
71% - I move into to the...I move into the
76% - I thought could...I thought I could
78% - go to the spa to something...go to the spa ???
93% - cables. like...cables, like or cables. Like
This book was just okay for me. Maybe I read it at a bad time in my life or I just wasn't in the right headspace. I enjoyed the story itself. The plot was very intriguing and the short chapters made it for a fast read. The twisted clinic was the perfect atmosphere for this book. I absolutely love the cover!
I think this is more of 'it's not the book, it's me.' read for me. I may pick this book up again at a later date and see how I feel about it then. I definitely appreciated the fact that Cate Quinn took her own experience in rehab and turned it into a dark and twisted story about addiction, mental health and phycological issues. I highly recommend checking trigger warnings before picking this one up though.
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the e-arc!
Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Author Cate Quinn for advanced copy for honest review.
Sisters Meg and Haley were going through a rough patch in life. Haley, who is famous, enters a rehab facility in Oregon. She has died while in the facility's care. But how? This can't be true. Meg, who has been injured on the job is now addicted to painkillers and drinking, decides to enter the rehab facility to get help for herself. While on 'the inside' now, Meg will try uncover the truth of what happened to her sister. because the rumors of suicide could not be possible. Then Meg questions her choice, will the same happen to her?
4 Stars, recommend!