This was my first Cate Quinn novel, and I'm kicking myself for not reading her books sooner. The Clinic was a binge! I couldn't put it down. I loved Meg, and her devotion to figuring out what happened to her sister. I saw the "big twist" early, but that didn't take away from the fact that I was fully immersed in this book! I look forward to reading more from this author! Be sure to read everything at the end so you can learn about the inspiration for this book.

This book grabbed my attention right away. I love a good thriller that takes place in a mental health setting. Definitely recommending to all my reader friends.

Meg is an undercover at the high roller section of a casino. Her sister Haley is a huge country music star. Haley goes to rehab and dies, and Meg, an alcoholic and addict herself decides to go investigate by admitting herself to the clinic.

When I first applied for this ARC, it just sounded like a decently interesting read.

I was SO WRONG. It was not "decently interesting" it was RIVETING. From the wild concepts inside the clinic, to that insane penultimate twist, every page was filled with great writing. If this is the beginning of this Author's career, she has a very promising library of bestsellers ahead.

I did receive this book as an ARC, from NetGalley, so there were definitely some typos and structure issues, but it didn't take away from how ABSOLUTELY MINDBLOWING this book was. Will 100% be recommending this to friends when it releases!

I enjoyed this thriller! It was unhinged, it all the good ways. There were good twists that I did not predict. If you enjoy short chapters this is perfect. I flew through this. I would just check trigger warnings before you start. This was a good one, would be sure to recommend. 4/5 stars

Meg finds herself addicted to pills to cope with her job. When her sister dies at a swanky rehab clinic, Meg decides to check in herself to try to find answers. Meg doesn’t believe that her sister would commit suicide and her investigation leads to some interesting answers. But the more she learns, the deeper the secrets seem to be, and Meg isn’t sure how far she will be able to dig to find answers.

I really enjoyed this book so much. This was one of my most anticipated reads of January, and I am so happy to say that it lived up to my internal hype. For me, the biggest distinguishment between a four and a five-star book is how memorable a book is for me. I’m still thinking about this one, and I think I will be for a while. What really took this over the top for me was the author’s note at the end. I think that it really highlighted and elevated what I had read to a new level. The writing was wonderful and well done, and there was so much heart that came through the pages. Because most of the characters were being treated for addiction, it was hard to know what was true, it was fun! There were so many secrets and everyone, even the staff, were hiding something. The plot twist on this one was a lot of fun; I didn’t see it coming at all! I love it when a book can surprise me, and that was the case here.

If you are looking for a wonderfully atmospheric mystery book, then check this one out.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmarks, @bookmarked and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with the inaccuracies portrayed in the clinic. As a nurse, I couldn’t get past it.

If you take away that part of it, I think it was an interesting story. I did like her writing style and I think she has a lot of potential. I would absolutely read more of her books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

For a long book it was a fast read and I finished it in 2 sittings. Short chapters, alternating points of view and unreliable characters made it a binge worthy story for me.

When Meg hears that her famous, estranged sister has died by suicide in rehab she is highly sceptical. She knows her sister better than anyone and she would not take her own life. Struggling from addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol herself, she checks into The Clinic to find out what really happened to her sister. It is a rehab facility for the rich and famous and one of them killed Haley. Who can she trust?

I loved this book. 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.

This was a super dark and ominous book, perfect for winter! I liked the original plot and twists throughout. Well done! I will be recommending to friends.

When Meg's sister is found dead of an apparent suicide at a fancy, hidden rehab clinic, she sees a golden opportunity to leave her casino job where she catches criminals to go undercover to determine what really happened to Haley. Despite being famous with a drug problem, Meg knows her sister was never a heroine user so she cannot believe the claims of suicide. Rehab might seem like an easy place to hide...unless you actually have an opioid problem yourself. From the first minute she's there, Meg can tell something is off and the treatments are anything but ordinary. The patients are all famous in one fashion or another and she fully believes that one of them killed Haley...but who?
I read this nearly in one sitting. It was very fast-paced and suspenseful.

Meg works undercover, catching cheaters in a casino. She’s also an addict, who pops pills to treat an injury acquired during a job gone wrong. When she learns her famous, estranged sister died of an overdose in a glamorous rehab center, Meg decides to check in and investigate what really happened to her sister. This book had me in a death grip and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Definitely PLL vibes, especially towards the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This was a dreary read for me. Inasmuch as the author has had experience in a rehab situation, I'm surprised that the atmosphere described in the book seemed so unbelievable. By the time it ended, I was glad to have escaped not only my reading obligation, but also the resulting headache of living in a world of traumatized sociopaths.

To keep things general: this one just wasn’t for me. The overall concept and setting was intriguing, but the execution didn’t hit the mark. I struggled to stay interested from the start, which is really hard for a longer book, and it got a bit far fetched in the end. Most disappointing was the setting itself. Given the cover and descriptions, I was hoping for something creepy and gothic, but it was just too “LA Chic.” Don’t you look at that cover and get excited for something spine-tingly?? That part I’ll take the blame for - I shouldn’t have assumed. Despite that, the book still didn’t give me much. I liked the short chapters, as it made it easy to feel like I could keep going, but the overall plot never gave me a tug. Never the, “I have to know what happens next!!” The only way I got through this was the short chapters and “Ugh, I guess I can do one more because they’re only a couple pages," feeling.

Getting more specific (POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD): the “big killer reveal” was just blah. Maybe I read too many thrillers, but this wasn’t twisty or very shocking, it tried to be, but again, execution didn’t hit the mark.

Things that really annoyed me (AGAIN, SPOILERS):
-The “Fedora Man” and “Queen of Hearts” plot seemed like a throw-away story line in the end. We spend what feels like 75% of the book tapping into Meg’s traumatic past with these characters, and Fedora Man just waltzes in, talks to Meg and explains her confusing history in a 5 min conversation, then leaves. It was the quickest “resolution” and we just move right along like we didn’t spend the entire book fixated on this plot!
-A similar annoyance - The clinic was under some sort of lockdown. Fedora Man even says he couldn’t get in right away, waits in his car, then comes in when possible. He talks to Meg, barely questions her on why she’s there, barely questions what lockdown is all about (I think he may have ask if she wanted a ride, but doesn’t push the subject much), then just leaves like it’s no big deal…. MEANWHILE, someone has alerted the police of a murder and the cops state they can’t come until the morning because of the weather. Fedora Man = "Imma head home, no problemo," but cops investigating multiple murders with a killer on the loose = "nah, we’ll wait this one out a bit." Absurd.
-Unethical things probably happen all the time in these types of clinics, but there are also mandates/rules for clinic facilities and the security of medication and more staff seems like a big important thing. Meg just comes in with drugs and a phone and is barely searched? No staff/security with locked medication and drugs, even despite a recent patient break in and overdose? Where is the staff?? We have an owner, a doctor, an office manager, and some offhand mention of nurses that do absolutely nothing outside of being henchmen for the boss… we’re just letting detoxing patients who are quite volatile just roam around and interact with each other seemingly unsupervised?
-Plot seemed all over the place and we kept weaving new things in. First, Meg’s past was the main plot, discovering her sister’s killer by navigating her history. Then we add in blowfish treatments and the black market (okay weird, but fine). Next, right near the end, we add in a sociopath/mental health diagnoses component out of the blue. Plot points were so ridiculous it took away my interest.
-The characters weren’t well developed. Everyone including the main narrators Cara/Meg had similar voices. While they had different backstories and physical characteristics, their personalities and interactions were so similar it was hard to differentiate. Dex and Tom were just two interchangeable men with anger problems literally fooling around with everyone, and Jade and Sierra quite frankly were also a similar blur, just one had an English accent…  
-You have to suspend reality. An officer bringing baby with to investigate a murder? The cops being so persistent on upholding the law but then shrugging off ethics in the very end? Our main character who proves to follow every rule and question every shady situation, then throws all morals out the window in a months time?

Those are only a few issues, but it took some effort to get through the unbelievable aspects.

I hate to rate this book so low, especially as I appreciated the look into rehab, the minds of addicts, and how difficult recovery can be. I also commend the author for writing her first novel sober and pulling from her life and rehab experience. That being said, there is a lot of addiction themes and a later focus on mental health diagnoses. It felt very personal and maybe I would have responded differently if I had any connection to the topic.

This is my honest review based on an ARC provided by NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark.

I have read and enjoyed previous books by Cate Quinn, but The Clinic is now my favourite. For a long book it was a fast read and I finished it in 2 sittings. Short chapters, alternating points of view and unreliable characters made it a binge worthy story for me.

When Meg hears that her famous, estranged sister has died by suicide in rehab she is highly sceptical. She knows her sister better than anyone and she would not take her own life. Struggling from addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol herself, she checks into The Clinic to find out what really happened to her sister. It is a rehab facility for the rich and famous and one of them killed Haley. Who can she trust?

I loved this book. 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.

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book. Publishes on January 23rd.

There is something so all-consuming about a character being shoved into lies and secrets in a place where they are attempting to cultivate trust and honesty--both with yourself and others.

Chapters are short and tension-filled, with another mystery (or potential murder) waiting just inside the doors of each room at the rehab center our main character goes into. There's tension, lies, and almost everyone's got a secret. The question that Quinn perfect sets up and leaves you on the edge of your seat until you find out is: Who there has a secret worth killing to keep?

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow, if this is what a rehabilitation center is like I am never going to become an addict, The characters in this book are so well described that you feel as though you know them personally. Cate Quinn delivers a uniquely diabolical description of rehab. with this crazy and I mean that literally cast of characters. Set in a very remote part of the Pacific Northwest they are in a way stranded from anyone. The story is great in how it unfolds and you learn more about each cast member. I didn't see the ending coming but it was worth it. A must-read if you are looking for a good book. Just be prepared to not be able to stop reading.

3.5 stars

First off, I love the cover and think it helped me picture the setting of the book.

Haley is a country singer who wants to be an actress. After she seemingly commits suicide while in rehab, her estranged sister Meg decides to enter rehab herself and try to find out what happened to her.

This book is a little long and at some parts slow, but I found myself wanting to read more to find out what happened. I thought the author did a great job describing the rehab clinic and different types of therapy that went on, and it was interesting to learn that she herself had been to rehab.

The storyline was original and, without giving away any spoilers, I thought the treatment they were testing was a neat twist. The ending became a little far-fetched and out-there. Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading others by Cate Quinn.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to #netgalley, #catequinn and #sourcebookslandmark for the ARC of The Clinic.

The cover of the book caught my eye and the synopsis made me want to read this book and was super excited to receive a copy.

From the first few pages, I struggled through the story and the book. The plot was really out there, some characters were contradictory with their beliefs (Cara) one (Max) was talked about so much and then just forgotten about for the rest of the book? The chapters were short but the book was long. I think it had like 115 chapters in it. Just not the book for me.

I’m glad this is a book review and not a book report. Meg is the heroine. She works in a casino trying to catch thieves at a gambling table. Her sister is a “rock star “ who has a drug addiction and checks herself into a remote rehab center. Meg also has a drug and alcohol problem and ends up checking herself into the same rehab center. I just couldn’t relate to the story or the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I was blown away with the fact that the author had also attended rehabilitation services. I’m glad I learned this at the end of the book.
I enjoyed reading the story from the viewpoint of several characters.
Rehab is usually not successful as indicated by this story. The fugu twist was quite interesting.

Megan and Haley had a troubled childhood. Raised by a single mom and her strange friend, they both head their separate ways as soon as they grow up. Megan lives in LA and works for a casino, catching cheaters and popping pills. Haley is a famous country western singer hoping to catch her big break as an actress. Both of them have their addictions to their jobs, pills, alcohol, and bad decisions. When Megan learns the news that Haley has died in rehab, apparently 'committing suicide', she is shocked, and decides to find out for herself what really happened to Haley.

Megan could benefit from rehab herself and decides to go undercover at this expensive, private clinic, situated high up on the cliffs in the Pacific Northwest. This is where the rich and famous go to detox, relapse, and take stock of their life choices. She meets Dex, a famous rock star; Madeline, a former model; Jade, an actress; Tom, an aging movie star, and various other characters whose identities are kept under wraps. Her co-worker Harry is initially against the idea, but believes she'll only find out what happened to Haley if she goes into therapy herself. She soon makes enemies, and friends as she tries to uncover the truth. There are so many potential suspects, but who would have a motive to kill America's sweetheart?? Turns out she's not so sweet.

This rehab is like a high end resort and spa. Plenty of ways to relax an recharge while you are detoxing. The descriptions of the clinic are first rate and you can imagine it as a relaxing vacation, if you weren't sweating and convulsing through the detox process. Only a few characters are fully flushed out, which is fine, as we quickly get a read on each characters' reason for being there and brief backstory.

This is well written and keeps you engaged. It's similar to few other books like this I've read where there's a murderer on the loose and all of a sudden, everyone is locked in the facility, with no way of escaping. The author herself went through rehab for alcohol addiction and used some of her experience to craft the narrative. Once the police start investigating Haley's death, we get a better view into her day to day experiences at the clinic, and what the other patients thought of her. The treatment methods this clinic uses are very unorthodox, and at first, quite unbelievable, but in the back the author indicates the research she did to come to this conclusion.

Megan soon realizes that she needs to experience the detox and therapy process itself to find out what happened in their childhood to make them who they are today. This revelation was not a big reveal. I thought there would be some shocking event that happened in their youth, but not as bad as imagined.

The big reveal ( and surprising twist) is what really happened to Haley, which at that point, I was really surprised. So kudos to Ms. Quinn in that regard, Her reasoning behind the twist was not as believable but I went along for that ride as well. In the end, Megan gets some redemption. I would say this is a solid thriller, good suspense, but nothing new here to make you run to read this one.