Woof. Ok. I have felt very torn on this review and, further than that, posting this review. First of all, I just feel so much guilt posting negative reviews. Secondly, this is a book about addiction and rehab, and I read that the author herself wrote this after coming out of rehab.

As someone who herself is a sober writer, I never want to put down someone who had said they were nervous that they couldn’t write a book sober. I also felt that way before getting sober or dealing with my mental health. Who I am without being fucked up? Thankfully this has proven to not be true. I’ve written way more than I ever did before getting sober.

However, before I knew that, it read to me like it was written by someone who has no experience with addiction or recover. I’m sorry but that is what I thought!!! What really ground my gears was its treatment of mental health. The addicts kept saying they’re pieces of shit (obviously!!) because they are addicts. I get that many addicts feel this way, but come on. Also someone with OCD and intrusive thoughts poisons her family with bleach?? Don’t totally love the idea that people with OCD or mental illness will act on their worst thoughts………. Makes me think of how the bipolar girl in Midsommar killed her parents and herself (I’ll never forget this). Also they kept diagnosing people based on brain scans? I looked on Google (so I basically have an MFA in Psychology now), and this can be helpful in diagnostics but is far from being conclusive…

ANYWAY, apart from that there was just far too much suspension of disbelief. It was so far beyond reality, and I won’t say anymore to avoid spoiling if you still choose to pick this one up based on my glowing review LOL. The writing was also less than stellar. The characters were not quite distinct enough for me to keep them straight in my head. The guilt for going in on this book as hard as I am is killing me a little!!! So, I’m sorry.

I am having a really tough time rating this book. The first 75% of it was phenomenal. I was all in! I could not put it down or stop thinking about it. The final 25% is what killed it for me. It felt like I was reading an entirely different book. It felt rushed, and I had a hard time believing any of it. So now I am left struggling with my rating...

The setting was phenomenal. An old governor's house and jail that is combined with all the modern amenities you can dream of. Right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It is atmospheric and moody. Perfect for this type of read. The characters are all recovering addicts that are there to try to forage a new path in their lives. They can be a bit rough, rude, abusive, and dealing with a ton of demons. Meg is a straight shooter, someone who sticks to themselves. She discovers her sister Haley has died at The Clinic from the news. She knows to find out the truth she needs to go and investigate what happened. The biggest obstacle that stands in her way is Meg's own addictions to alcohol and opioids. Will she be able to stay clear headed to uncover the truth?

I tore through this book. The short chapters spurring me on. The mystery brushing at my fingertips.
The Clinic itself is set up as a confusing maze which adds to the stress and tension that hangs in the air. Thank you to Cate Quinn and Sourcebook Landmark for this crazy trip.

I received an advanced copy of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Landmark via NetGalley.

Meg, working in a Los Angeles casino, deals with cheaters and battles her own reliance on painkillers, a stark contrast to her sister Haley's Hollywood stardom. When rumors emerge of Haley's death in a remote rehab center, supposedly a result of suicide, Meg refuses to accept this narrative. Determined to unravel the truth, she takes an unconventional approach—checking into the same facility to investigate her sister's demise from within.

Fighting her own demons while navigating the facility's secrets proves to be a challenging task, isolating her from support and anyone who could aid her quest for the truth.

The premise of this book promised an intriguing mystery set within a rehab facility, yet I found myself struggling to fully engage with the storyline. While the idea of a sister investigating her sibling's suspicious death undercover had potential, the narrative became somewhat unsettling with its portrayal of unconventional treatments and a small group of celebrity patients.

The book lacked the atmospheric depth that usually characterizes gothic novels, despite hints at a darker, mysterious ambiance. What should have been a gripping thriller centered on Haley's mysterious demise turned into a tale of a sister's quest for answers within the same facility.

The characters, unfortunately, lacked relatability, making it challenging to invest in their fates, which is crucial for a compelling thriller. Although the story did have its twists, they didn't quite elevate it into the page-turner I had anticipated.

While the book held promise, its execution left me wanting more. It didn't deliver the suspense or captivation I had hoped for, and the overall experience didn't quite match the intrigue promised by its summary.

Thank you NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Cate Quinn for the advanced copy of The Clinic in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable read made all the better by the quick, alternating POV chapters. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming but it did leave a little something to be desired for me.

I thought the female MC, Meg, was incredibly well-written. Once I read the author’s comments at the end of the book I totally understood why. Kudos to Quinn for being so open and vulnerable with her readers.

The Clinic will be on US bookshelves January 23!

Thank you for sending me an ebook! This book was so interesting and had me hooked pretty early on. I loved the scenery and the thrilling parts of this book!

Meg is an addict who works in a casino. She suddenly hears the news that her estranged sister, Haley, has taken her life at a rehab facility. Meg knows that her sister would never kill herself so she enters the facility to search for her sister's killer. As Meg takes part in therapy, she begins to relive the most traumatic part of her life and comes to see that not everything is as it seems.

This was a good thriller with a lot of fantastic points throughout. One of the problems is that it is too long. While the chapters are James Patterson short, there was no need for 115 of them. Multiple chapters could have been combined to make the book less daunting and still tell the story. The middle of the book lagged some but the ending made it worth it.

This is my first novel by Cate Quinn, so thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC.

I’ll open by saying that this book had a lot of potential. The premise was interesting - Meg goes undercover into this wealthy, luxury rehab clinic to try to figure out what happened behind her sister’s seemingly questionable death.
The scene was set well - I was easily able to visualize the clinic and it felt like I was there (and if it were a spa, not rehab, I’d be in). But the characters. They were all terrible. Meg was awful at being undercover, like actually the worst. The doctor, the psychologist and the clinic manager were insufferable. The other characters were all over the map. And one might say that’s because of their addictions and their struggles, but to me it just felt like inconsistent writing.

And then, the twist, and the ending. I didn’t see it coming. And normally, I appreciate that. But this twist felt wildly implausible, and I actually went “oh, don’t like that” out loud. Just as I was accepting that this didn’t end in a way I appreciated, the actual end happened. And, unfortunately, I had to say “oh, don’t like that” again, when another twist arose.

Overall, it was wasn’t bad. Like I said, the premise and the scene made it interesting enough to stay on board till the end, but the end felt a little too out there for my taste.

Meg’s sister is dead. Yet Meg can’t quite come to terms with Haley’s death. Especially since she was in a facility trying to deal with her addiction. The way in which she dies just seems off. Since Meg is an expert at playing a different character and going undercover, she thinks that she might be the perfect person to uncover what really happened to her sister. Yet to go undercover she is going to have to face her own battle with addiction. Can Meg figure out what is going on at this crazy clinic, or will her own addictions get in her way?
Readers will get swept up from page one with this fast-paced story. Meg’s story is perfectly balanced with Cara’s. Both perspectives build the perfect story allowing readers an inside view of what really is going on at the clinic. There are twists and turns that are extremely unexpected and keep the reader engaged throughout. This will be quite a fun winter read and is perfect to snuggle up with while drinking your favorite hot beverage. I can’t wait to recommend it soon.
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Landmark, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

I believe this was the first book I've ever read where the first-person writing style switches between characters. It took me a bit to adapt to the changing perspective, but it added a dimension and depth to the characters that third-person writing just can't fill.

The pursuit of the truth behind the death of Meg's sister leads her to a rehab clinic set on the shores of the Oregon Coast, and to an array of high-profile celebrity patients who all have some connection to her sister, and her death. Finding the answer to how her sister died, and why, takes Meg on a dangerous path, leading to understanding her own past and her own sobriety.

Once you're in, you'll be hooked until the last plot twist unveils the sordid truth, and the power of a sister's love.

Full review to come closer to pub date or after I reread this book - yeah it was that fun!

Thanks to NetGalley for the early advanced reader copy.

The Clinic is a twisty read that had me enthralled from the beginning. I enjoyed the plot which follows Meg, a woman who checks herself into a rehab clinic after her sister mysteriously dies. Meg has some addictions and past trauma of her own and she must come to terms with her past, to solve her sister’’s death. We get the viewpoint from Meg and then the clinic manager, but Meg’s POV was the most interesting as she deals with the treatments in the rehab clinic and starts to look back at her childhood. The ending was exciting and left me satisfied.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[arc review]
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Clinic releases January 23, 2024

- addiction + withdrawal
- rehab clinic
- pnw setting
- dual pov
- short chapters
- unreliable narrator
- repressed memories

Meg’s sister Haley has just recently died while in rehab. Her death was ruled as a drug overdose/apparent suicide, but Meg is convinced that Haley was murdered.
As a professional poker player also struggling with addiction to oxy and alcohol, Meg decides to go undercover at this remote rehab clinic, determined to find answers after being left a cryptic voicemail.

From the inside of the clinic, the manager Cara starts questioning the treatment plans and ethicality.

This theme of exploring the correlation between childhood trauma and addiction was really interesting to me and the narrative felt realistic since the author drew from her own experiences with addiction and going to rehab.

Quinn’s thriller goes in an interesting direction that I wasn’t able to foresee. If anything, I’d probably rate this higher if the other patients were fleshed out a bit more, or if there were more red herrings.

It's such a fun, twisty thriller. I really like the thought that went into this book and research from the author. The characters kept you guessing, even if you think you've figured out part of there will still be surprises. I recommend this book to thriller readers.

I enjoyed this story. Would have appreciated a bit more backstory to the protagonist, but had a fair amount of intrigue and surprise. The chapters were numerous and super short from perspectives rotating through characters, which made the read a bit choppy, but as long as I kept up with who was featured in the chapter I was good. Most interestingly is the bonus material you getafter the read - a story about the author’s experience in rehab.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I enjoyed the deep craziness that this book delved into for mental health, addiction and trauma recovery. I wasn’t expecting that ending but it works. And of course, it’s always amazing what having lots of money will buy people. Unfortunately, the publisher needed to check again for the tons of grammar errors in this ARC.

this book did not disappoint. What a fun story, entertaining from start to finish. Thank you for my copy in exchange for a review.

**SPOILER**
4 stars for this wonderfully written Cate Quinn novel.

The Clinic is the story of Meg. She works at an LA casino catching cheaters of the game. Meg is great at her job, one tough cookie and addicted to popping pills. After getting wind that her sister, famous actress Haley Banks, has died in the rehab clinic she was attending Meg spirals. They claim the death as a suicide but Meg refuses to believe this. To uncover the truth, Meg checks herself into the facility and the outcome I did not see coming!

The story unfolds with two POV's...Meg and Cara, the rehab's office manager.

Meg is entirely likable. From beginning to end I was rooting for her. I wanted her to fight her addiction and get her happily ever after.

Cara on the other hand drove me a little bit crazy and wasn't as likable. I don't even know what it was about her but I found her mousy, annoying and struggled connecting with her.

The chapters were short and suspenseful. The patients at the facility, all (washed up famous people), fighting their demons were so interesting. The battle of each (including Meg) dealing with addiction, sobriety and mental health were seriously captivating. So much felt realistic. At times I caught my heart racing with each turning page at what was going to happen next.

There were so many twists and turns I just didn't expect. But also at times (in the beginning) it dragged a little for me. I had a tough time getting into it, but once I did, it took off and I couldn't put it down. The ending of the book was really out there, however. While I did love the excitement and whirlwind of events, I thought the ending coming undone-which I started to piece together (that Hayley was indeed still alive), but never saw the weird scientific part of changing identities. That was OUT THERE FOR ME.

I also kept questioning a few things. I never did understand if the rest of the patients were also in on this or just Hayley. I assumed no one else knew give Hayley was the Dr.'s test. The ending came together to fast for me and felt rushed with some explanations missing.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read that I'd recommend! I did also very much love reading the author's acknowledgments and hearing about her own story of rehab and fighting addiction. So brave and vulnerable to tell her truths.

Thank you so much to Netgally and Sourcebooks Landmark for this copy in return of my honest, unbiased review!

The Clinic is a fast paced, hard to put down psychological thriller with an eerie PNW coastline setting. The story is told from two perspectives. Meg has placed herself in this rehab clinic with hopes of solving the mystery of her pop singer sisters death & Cara the manager of The Clinic.

The pace with the alternating POVs and the short chapter held my interest throughout. I did feel at times the story felt inconsistent/jumbled. My mind was racing with theories and conclusions and I felt like the ending had a bit too much going on and we’re quickly told but not delved in.

The book has content surrounding mental health and addiction. I really appreciated the authors note and her sharing her own story. This was my first book by Quinn and I’m curious to check out more.

This fast-paced, multiple POV kept me guessing every step of the way. A little outlandish but it felt like a modern Agatha Christie-type mystery. Would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy.

Meg is a ballsy, undercover security agent for a casino rooting out criminals and loan sharks. She's also addicted to alcohol and pills. When her singer sister, Haley, suddenly commits suicide at a posh drug rehab clinic on the Oregon coast, Meg is sure it's murder and checks herself in. But not without a secretly stashed cell phone and supply of oxy. She clashes with the staff and the other patients determined to find who killed Haley. The setting and visuals would make this an excellent movie. If the Clinic was a spa instead of a rehab everyone would love to spend time there (pool that winds through various areas like a scent cave, sound cave, etc)...minus all the criminal activity of course! The main thing that nags me is that a facility like this would need support staff (cooks, janitors, nurses, etc) and while there's vague mention of nurses and really no need to talk about them throughout the story, when it comes to the climax at the back of your mind you're thinking, "surely there are other people there?" Keeping it vague as not to spoil, at the end regarding Cara and research, that felt ingenuine as she's a trained as a hotel manager.