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

Sisters might drift apart, but their bond can’t be broken.

Meg is shocked to find out her sister has died at a remote rehab facility. They haven’t been close in years, but Meg knows the rumors of Haley committing suicide are false. Determined to found out the truth she decides to enter the facility. Meg is surrounded by an array of suspects, yet facing her own demons to get answers might be her demise.

This novel started out with suspense and the need for answers. Yet, after a few chapters the story’s pace slowed down. I wanted action or something to keep me reading, but it took a while to reignite my interest. Meg and her determination were the highlight of this novel.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this e-ARC.

WOW! I haven’t had a book grab my attention so fast and held it all the way through till the end. There were so many twist and turns in this book. Amazing story line and characters! Highly Highly Recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me this advance reader copy of The Clinic by Cate Quinn in exchange for my honest review - The Clinic is out right at the start of next year, January 23, 2024!

I was lulled into the plot of this one so hard by the premise, and we had a really good start - our protagonist Meg is an undercover poker player (she's not a cop, it's never really established?), but she also is an addict, pegging her as an unreliable narrator. This one flips back and forth between Meg's POV and the POV of a character named Cara. To be honest, Cara's POV chapters didn't add anything to this story - she had a half backstory that didn't really add anything to further the plot, so I had trouble connecting why she was going to become a character that gets her own POV. The plot starts off strong, with Meg going undercover as a patient to figure out what happened to her sister Haley, who mysteriously overdosed while a patient at The Clinic - after Meg arrives, things start to spiral out of control, including the trajectory of the plot. It was disjointed, confusing and got to a really unrealistic endpoint, that ultimately didn't wrap up. The ending was my biggest critique with this book, because everything wrapped up nicely in a little bow, and some of the "reveals" weren't followed through (ex - Meg's brain imaging etc.) and ended up meaning nothing to the end of the book. I'm really disappointed I didn't like this more, because I was really intrigued by the premise.

One thing the author does really well is talk about some of the feelings surrounding the cycle of addiction - I read in her acknowledgements that this book was derived from her own experiences with alcohol, and I'm really proud that she's in a good place and channeled this into a book, I just wish the execution would have been a bit different.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC - The Clinic is out 1/23/24!

Theres not much better than starting a new book and not wanting to stop it! The Clinic had my attention and held my attention. I couldnt read it fast enough!

Not sure how I felt about this book. Had started off greT with the casino part then got into the rehab abs I found it frustrating and too much going on with the people and the cops. Sometimes less is better.
The twists were good, but overall just an OK read.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

A big thank you to Netgalley, publishers, and author, Cate Quinn, for allowing me to read an early copy of The Clinic. The review is mine with no outside influence.

The Clinic is about a rehab for the wealthy, run by a shady doctor, and comes under scrutiny when one of the famous addicts dies. While the premise is good, the execution could have used some work. First the cons: there are too many different storylines or elements all happening at the same time. Suspicious death, mysterious (possibly dangerous), addicts with all different backstories (most of which are not fully flushed out which would have helped the reader connect to the characters, but would have made the story even more complicated), small town police, questionable love (at least attraction) story, childhood trauma, drug/alcohol addiction, and I think there are a few I am missing that all made this story a bit convoluted. While all the idea and stories connected, a few were a reach at best and some were not needed at all.

It felt at times the story had trouble getting started. Some people referred to this as a "slow burn." in my opinion, it was not so much a slow burn, and more the author had a lot to say during the action, but just had trouble getting started. Once the action started, there was a massive dump of information that felt less thriller and more over share.

Here are the pros: Most of the characters (what you could connect with, anyway) were likable. Flawed, but human - relatable in many ways. The story was well written and did actually make sense once it was finishing. The twists and turns were fun. Comfortably predictable, but executed well. There was just a lot of the story that did not need to be included to make it a good read. It is a good thriller, a fun who-did-it, and as a whole, enjoyable! 3.5 stars