Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Clinic by Cate Quinn.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the intriguing plot.

Meg who is an addict/alcoholic finds out her sister has died in a rehab facility. She checks herself in to try to find out what happened. It’s a wild ride trying to figure out who is lying and who is telling the truth also while becoming sober herself.

I did not see the plot twist coming and was shocked at the ending.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

A physiological thrill mixed with dual POVs, great writing about facing addictions, multiple suspects, and a very unexpected plot twist!

This book has everything you’re looking for in a read that will have you hooked and finishing in one sitting. I started before bed, stayed up way later than I should, and immediately dived back in with my coffee the next morning.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book and submit an early review!

Meg is working in a casino when she finds out her famous sister Haley has died while in a rehab treatment facility. The facility is implying her death was suicide, but the explanation doesn't sit well with Meg. She decides to go undercover at the clinic to figure out what actually happened to Haley. Battling her own addictions turns out to be more difficult than she thought, and unwinding Haley's final days becomes more and more challenging.

I loved the suspense of this story, and the eerie setting adds to the overall feeling of this mind-bending story!

we stan a good unreliable narrator!!!! i loved this book- it kept me guessing and thoroughly enthralled. great read!!

I thought this was a good pyschological thriller that had a good mix of mental health awareness mixed into it. Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS landmark for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The Clinic is about a singer/star Haley, who is at a high end rehab clinic, and her sister Meg who works at a casino. They do not have a strong relationship, but when Meg sees a newsflash on tv that her sister died in rehab, she suspects foul play and wants to be admitted as a patient so that she can try to find out what happened to her sister, while also detoxing herself.

The story is dual POV, bouncing between Megan and the clinic manager, Cara. I loved that it had short chapters (115!), and was decently paced. It’s a very unique book, as I have not read anything like it. It kept my attention pretty well, and kind of felt like a whodunnit. I thought some of the story line was a little weird, may be triggers to people that have drug/addiction issues, but overall a good read. I would recommend to others to give it a read!

Whoa, this was a story that started slow but when it picked up I felt like I was on a skateboard going down hill.
Meg works in a casino catching cheaters and her sister is a famous Actress. Meg hears that Haley has died at the rehab clinic and she cannot believe her sister committed suicide. So she decides to check herself into the clinic to find out what happened to Haley.

Whether this is a smart decision or not Meg moves forward with her plan. Only to find that what she thought could be is far more sinister than murder.

I wish this title didn't have so many characters between that and each character telling their story at times it was a bit confusing, but don't let that stop you from picking up this title it's filled with suspense AND twist and turns

In exchange for my thoughtful and honest review I received a galley copy of this title

The Clinic is a psychologically thrilling masterpiece! From the theme of addiction and psychosis to the creepy setting of an isolated rehabilitation center, uneasiness abounds. Enter the strange world of Dr. Lutz, and the messed-up celebrities and our unreliable narrator. You will not know where to turn for the truth. An absolute jewel of a thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! The perfect level of mysterious and creepy. Cate Quinn wove in genuinely interesting information as well (shoutout to the neuroscience moments!), and had an interesting take on addiction and mental health. I’m looking forward to reading more by Quinn, can happily call myself a fan.

Thank you to Netgalley, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and Cate Quinn for the advanced copy of The Clinic. We are introduced to Meg who is suffering from addiction and is also hired to sniff out cheaters in LA casinos. Meg’s celebrity sister Haley is also addicted to substances and checks into the Clinic. Word gets to Meg that while at the Clinic, her sister died from suicide. Meg does not believe this at all and wants to get to the bottom of it so she checks herself into the Clinic to find out who killed her sister and why. There are 8 potential suspects who are all unreliable and to be honest, not very likable. I think this book had a lot of potential but the character development could have been much better. Overall, a good read.

An isolated luxury rehab clinic atop a cliff and a mysterious death. Meg’s job is catching cheaters at a casino in LA. She’s good at playing a role and figuring out tells and when reports of her celeb sister’s suicide arise Meg is not buying it. She decides to check in at the clinic she was a patient at and go undercover to find out what really happened. But battling with her own addictions and trauma means it’s not going to be easy.

I loved the setting and premise for this! The idea of this looming Victorian property on a cliff with luxury facilities and being stuck with a potential murderer was such a vibe. Short chapters kept the story moving at a quick pace and kept the pages turning. I enjoyed the alternating POVs of Meg and Cara giving both the patient and staff perspective and for me the characters were all interesting and I enjoyed unraveling their stories. I’m a fan of an unreliable narrator and felt it really added to the tension and kept the reader guessing. The story gets a bit disjointed towards the end and some plot points and twists are a little wild. To be honest I kind of wish it leaned a little more into it!

If you’re looking for a fast paced read while on holiday with a mysterious mood and some wild twists this would be a fun read to check out!

I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Author Cate Quinn has given us a murder mystery/psychological thriller set in an isolated rehab clinic on the Oregon coast catering to the famous and/or wealthy who have become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. While many advance copy readers have given it high praise, my reaction was decidedly mixed. I thought “The Clinic” was successful in some areas but lacking in others.

Protagonist Meg Banks is a very good gambler, so good that she works undercover for an L.A. casino catching cheaters at the tables. She’s also addicted to pain meds and alcohol. When it’s reported that her sister, world-famous singer Haley Banks, has committed suicide while undergoing treatment at the Clinic, Meg refuses to believe it. Instead, she flies to Oregon and checks herself in, determined to discover who killed her sister and why.

With Oxy and alcohol artfully secreted amongst her possessions, she arrives at the very expensive, somewhat experimental clinic to find five other patients watched over by the clinic’s owner, manager, chief psychiatrist, and a number of nurses and other staff. Meg soon confirms that her sister’s death was not self-inflicted and begins hunting among patients and staff for the killer. Will she succeed or will her sister’s killer come for her next?

So, “The Clinic” is a “who-done-it?” with eight possible perpetrators, a number of possible motives, and lots of opportunities for surprise.

Ms. Quinn does a very good job building the world of the clinic. Set in the middle of a boggy, foggy forest high above the Pacific, its isolation adds a good deal of tension to the story. As do the five patients who have little patience with Meg and her refusal to engage in rehab activities. Ms. Quinn fully explores the interrelationship between trauma and addiction as well as the nature of, and differences between, sociopaths and psychopaths. She also gives us a good sense of what it’s like to suffer withdrawal.

However, I found the characters to be not as compelling as they might have been. The addicted characters were not very likable. More important, the reasons for their addictions and how their addictions affected their lives and the lives of others were barely touched upon. I never got the sense that any of those characters had ever “hit bottom,” or that they were really trying to improve themselves. Their only motivations for attending rehab seemed to be saving their careers or avoiding some other negative consequence. None of the non-addictive characters were all that interesting—except for the clinic’s owner who was just creepy. All in all, I had trouble engaging with these characters; which, at times, caused the novel to drag.

Also, while the plot purports to contain a number of surprises, I’m afraid I found at least one or two all too predictable and others not all that believable.

So, for me, this was a three-star read, meaning I liked some of it but had problems with some of it.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Cate Quinn, and publisher Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with a complimentary ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

⭐️: 3.5 / 5

Publication Date: January 23, 2024

I want to thank Sourcebooks Landmark and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The prologue does a great job at setting up the inviting incident with Haley that triggers the story which follows.

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the unreliable characters. Everyone is hiding something and the author does a great job at keeping you guessing who the murderer might be and what part of Meg’s past she’s trying to run from. I was also fascinated to learn at the end of the book that some of the inspiration came from the author’s own experiences in rehab.

As for my reservations, l was a bit underwhelmed by the twists and reveals. I’m not sure why but each of them feel a bit flat for me. I also found some of the changes in perspective to take away from the moment that was building for one arc to then shift to the next.

Overall I thought this book was an interesting look at trauma and addiction. The short chapters made it a breeze to read through but I was left feeling underwhelmed towards the end of the book.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Victorian houses
- Mysteries
- Short chapters
- Unreliable narrators/characters
- Books about addiction/trauma

⚠️ addiction, past trauma

Addiction, trauma, alcoholism … this book has it ALL!! I will be honest and say it took me awhile to “get into” this book but once I did, there was no stopping me! At 86% on my kindle, I literally gasped out loud at the twisty ending!! And do not miss reading the acknowledgements by the author. It explains what she did and why. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published January 2024.

Meg works for a casino catching cheating gamblers and loan sharks. After a shoulder injury she becomes addicted to opioids. Her sister who is a star is currently in an isolated rehab to try to get clean. When her sister turns up dead at the rehab Meg decides to go into the rehab to try to find out what happened to her sister. This is a locked room mystery. There are only so many suspects and everyone could be guilty? The story is told from two POVs. One is Meg and the other is Cara who runs the day to day operations of the rehab. Cara starts to have doubts about the owner and this adds to the story. The chapters are short but you will definitely want to continue reading to see what happens next. Since the author has gone through rehab it gives an authentic feel to the story. If you like locked room mysteries where you are reading to see what happens next then this is a book for you.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #CateQuinn, and #SourcebooksLandmark for a copy of this book.
#TheClinic

This was a unique thriller that kept me intrigued from the beginning. Short chapters from two POV’s which kept me engaged even when I found it to be a bit slow at the beginning. The description of the inside of rehab and the withdrawal felt real and well explained (the author also spent time in rehab). There were just a few things that felt far fetch, but I was able to put it aside and enjoy the story. I did not see the twists and the ending coming.

Thank you NetGalley, Cate Quinn, & Sourcebooks Landmark Paperback for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Clinic By Cate Quinn.

Holy Cow! This book absolutely blew me away in the best way! I read the book in one sitting because I couldn’t stop turning the pages. The book was incredible! The characters, twists, & turns were captivating. I highly recommend this book! Five stars! ⭐️

This was an interesting read, in both the good and the bad ways. It’s a thriller set in a celebrity detox center, and the people who are working to heal their addictions are the main players. I haven’t read many books where addiction plays an important role without being used primarily as a tragedy, and reading Cate Quinn’s disclosure about her personal history with it added another layer to this narrative.

As a thriller, I found that it was difficult as times to suspend my disbelief without sacrificing overall enjoyment while reading. Some of the characters’ behaviors didn’t make much sense (even in context of the setting). Also, I felt that portrayal of certain mental disorders may have been a bit…inaccurate? One dimensional?

Overall, this isn’t necessarily a book I’d purchase but I do think it’s a fun read if you’re a fan of thrillers. It’s set to release on January 23, so keep your eyes peeled for its upcoming appearance on bookshelves! And as always—thanks so much to the publishers for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m not sure if my famous sister died under mysterious circumstances in a creepy faraway clinic that I’d go undercover to find out why, but I do know when I read other reviews that say “Didn’t see that plot twist coming!” and “Omigosh, that ending!” that I might be committing myself to a one-sitting readathon. As I did…

There are two POVs:
POV 1: Card shark Meg works undercover casino security (a place that values her and forgives her drug and alcohol addiction issues). She’s excellent at reading people and she refuses to believe her estranged pop star sister joined the 27 Club by overdosing on heroin while at a secretive luxury rehab facility on the Oregon coast. Meg’s suspicions are supported by an unexpected voicemail that Haley left Meg before she died. In a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone scenario, her supportive boss agrees to foot the bill for Meg’s undercover stay at The Clinic. She might be able to kick her oxy habit while investigating Haley’s death.

POV 2: Cara, recently a hotel manager in LA who is escaping some kind of social media fiasco at her last place of employment, is now the housekeeper/general manager and our guide to the workings of the clinic. She’s mostly in the dark as far as patients are concerned, but something about Haley’s death is off to her, too, and Cara starts snooping as well.

The other characters that Meg and Cara are dealing with include the head of the clinic, Swiss Dr. Lutz (“let’s try poisonous blowfish sushi to treat trauma”) and British Dr. Max, who seems initially to be a competent sort. We also have the other celebrity patients as well, who tend to be chatty about Haley. On the outside, Meg’s friend Harry knows the real reason she’s at The Clinic, and a pair of police officers keep popping in, asking more and more questions about Haley’s supposed suicide.

Aside from the murder mystery, this is a tale about the ethics and efficacy of addiction treatment and how trauma shapes lives. As Meg and Cara are making discoveries simultaneously, the story takes a lot of unexpected twists and turns and WOW…just WOW! 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Narrator Meg has green eyes that are usually bloodshot.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Not much landscaping mentioned, but Meg travels from pastel palm trees to dark fir trees.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

The story takes place in a rehab clinic and is told from two perspectives: Meg, a mandatory patient who seeks to unravel the mystery behind her pop star sister Haley's death, and Cara, the manager of the facility.

There are several qualities that captivated me and kept my interest alive throughout the book. The short chapters and the riveting tone in the second half, where the pace intensifies and curiosity is awakened, compelled me to flip through the pages faster, eagerly anticipating the heart-throbbing climax. The author's approach to mental health awareness, addiction, sobriety, and the psychological issues that underlie these struggles, combined with her own journey to celebrate sobriety, made the story engaging and realistic. Additionally, the jaw-dropping and unexpected twists, which I never saw coming, heightened my excitement and raised my expectations