Member Reviews

This was my first book by Cate Quinn and while I'm not giving up on her, I was not impressed. You could tell by her writing style she was a fairly new author. Sentences that were just poorly written, making it hard to read. I loved the story line idea and felt like it had strong potential. Unfortunately, it was extremely predictable. There were very few shocking moments. The one thing I did enjoy was the unreliable narrator and implausible characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Cate Quinn, and Sourcebooks Landmark for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Great book! I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what was happening next. The twist at the end was very unexpected.

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"The Clinic" by Cate Quinn is an absolute triumph in the realm of psychological suspense, a novel that seamlessly navigates the intricate web of addiction, family, and the enigmatic truths that bind them together.

Cate Quinn's storytelling prowess is nothing short of remarkable. From the very first page, readers are ensnared by the world she paints, where Meg, a casino employee with her own share of struggles, is thrust into a whirlwind of mystery when her famous actress sister, Haley, dies under suspicious circumstances at a remote rehab facility. The narrative crackles with tension and intrigue, and the sense of urgency is palpable as Meg embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, delving into the very heart of the rehab center that claimed her sister's life.

"The Clinic" is a masterclass in character development, offering a deeply layered portrayal of Meg as she confronts her own demons while seeking answers about her sister's demise. It's a testament to Quinn's ability to craft multifaceted, relatable characters who grapple with their own flaws and vulnerabilities.

The novel's power lies in its relentless exploration of addiction and the human condition, beautifully rendered amidst the confines of the rehab center. It explores the depth of human resilience and the complexities of familial bonds with a level of depth and authenticity that is nothing short of breathtaking.

Quinn's narrative is a thrilling rollercoaster ride that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, delivering twists and revelations that are as shocking as they are thought-provoking. "The Clinic" is an unforgettable journey that leaves an indelible mark, a testament to Cate Quinn's storytelling brilliance and her gift for crafting a gripping and emotionally charged tale. This is a must-read for anyone who craves a riveting, intricately woven narrative with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.

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I enjoyed the ending of the book, but everything leading up to it was hard to get through. Although the experiences did seem genuine and the characters were lovable the book lacked the engrossment factor that I normally receive from reading books of this genre. I connected to Meg at some level (which is interesting since she’s a sociopath) but couldn’t for the life of me
Connect to Cara. The book lacked substance but was in general a good idea and had promise.

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A genre that never fails to captivate me is one featuring an unreliable narrator surrounded by characters of questionable reliability. The magnetic pull of the narrative gripped me right from the opening page. In this tale, Meg's sister meets a tragic end in rehab, officially labeled as suicide. However, Meg harbors doubts and opts for an unconventional approach – checking herself into the rehab facility to untangle the mysteries surrounding her sister's demise.

The narrative skillfully oscillates between Meg's perspective and that of Cara, a member of the rehab staff. The author adeptly weaves two distinct plots, maintaining a seamless flow between them. What I found commendable was the absence of redundancy between the two points of view, a quality I highly value. The author fearlessly delves into the complexities of addiction and rehab, crafting a brilliant thriller laden with suspense and unforeseen twists.

The story confronts challenging issues head-on, providing a nuanced exploration of addiction and the rehabilitation process. Amidst these thematic layers, a masterfully constructed thriller unfolds, replete with suspense and unpredictable turns. The plot twists, in particular, kept me on my toes, defying my expectations and contributing to the overall unpredictability of the narrative.

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The Clinic is a captivating thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. I just kept thinking, “what in the world is going on here”. This story encompasses so many real-life subjects, such as addiction, mental disorders and unsavory business practices, yet it’s written in an eerily haunting prose.

When Meg finds out her estranged sister, Haley, dies at The Clinic, an elite rehab facility for the rich and famous, she makes the decision to investigate herself. Strings are pulled to get her into the The Clinic, and she must hide her identity, but the one thing she refuses to do is give up her own addiction to drugs. She manages to get a supply of oxycodone onto the premises so she’s never quite sure if what she’s seeing and believing is real. In order to find her sister’s killer, she needs to change her ways. She’ll need to befriend other patients and see if she can read people as well as she thinks she can.

This book is mind bogglingly brilliant! Honestly, I pride myself on solving mysteries before they’re revealed, but I didn’t even come close with this one. My rating is 5 stars for the excellent storyline, the well written characters and the thrill ride. Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy. This hits the shelves on January 23, 2024.

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I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but the incredibly slow start combined with alternating POV from characters I couldn't connect with made this one a DNF for me. I hope that it finds its audience, but I won't be recommending it.

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The Clinic by Cate Quinn is the perfect read for when you are craving dark, mysterious and moody. This is set in the Pacific Northwest and I felt like I was there with the atmospheric and descriptive writing.

I found the setting and characters to be well developed, but my only gripe was the length of this book. While at first glance the page count may seem low, it did feel a bit wordy. I think it could have been edited down, maybe even just 30-50 pages, and I think this would have been a 5 star.

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Meg works for a casino in LA, catching cheaters and popping a few too many pain pills to cope, following a far different path than her sister Haley, a famous actress. But suddenly reports surface of Haley dying at the remote rehab facility where she had been forced to go to get her addictions under control.

There are whispers of suicide, but Meg can't believe it. She decides that the best way to find out what happened to her sister is to check in herself – to investigate what really happened from the inside.

I’m very guilty of requesting a book off Netgalley simply because I like the cover. This is one of those books, and lucky for me, this was a great story!

Meg knows something is up. She also happens to really need to go to rehab herself. Win win, right? Meg quickly realizes there are a lot of secrets going on within the walls of this luxury rehab clinic. Is Meg paranoid from detox from her addiction, or is someone really out to get her?

This one had me all over the place - I couldn’t figure out where this story was going or who was guilty. The twistS surprised me!

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7/10 - This book immediately captured my attention. The story takes place in a rehab facility, and the author takes you through the lives of each of the patients. The plot was intriguing and kept me interested. It did get a little confusing/far fetched at times, but the plot twist at the end was a good one. It’s a quick and easy psychological thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Cate Quinn for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

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I was so pumped to receive an ARC of this book from NetGalley. The books cover, title, and description had me intrigued right away.

And I was right. This book was a perfect thriller. It was full of suspense and twists from the first chapter. It was the type of book that’s keeps you questioning everything until the very end.

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The Clinic was twisty and kept you on the edge of your seat. Some of the concepts felt far fetched but overall, I enjoyed the story and the characters. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4!

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First, I loved the short chapters that always kept me coming back for more. Every time I reached the last sentence I had to know what was coming next which lead to a lot of binge reading.

I thought this was a great thriller for spooky season! It ventured a little too much into sci-fi for my liking but I still enjoyed reading it.

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When Meg's celebrity sister mysteriously dies in an exclusive rehab she suspects foul play. In order to get to the bottom of the murder, and her own traumatic past, she must face sobriety and the other addicts at the facility herself.

***
3.5 stars

The complexity of this book is only undone by how little backstory is given to the actual trauma of its main characters. I appreciate what Quinn is trying to do, and I think the build up to the ultimate reveals are all well-earned. The twists all converge into a very believable conclusion. That being said, I wish more work had been done to dig deeper into what exactly happened to Meg, Haley, and even Cara went through.

Meg and Haley's backstory is not given the attention it needs in order for the reader to understand their motivations outside of "it's in their personality".

Cara is probably the most frustrating part of the book. I realize we need a way to get more inisight into the clinic and how it is run, however, Cara is severely underdeveloped. So she had an affair and ruined her career over it. Ok. So what? Why create an entire second narrator, dump random tidbits of their life into the story, and then just forget to explain to the reader what it all means?

All in all, it was a well plotted thriller that could stand a bit more depth. I look forward to see what Quinn does next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exachange for my honest feedback.

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I had such high hopes for this one because it had all the elements I like but it fell flat for me. Apart from being far too long and slow, the storyline was so unbelievable that I felt zero connection to anything or any of the characters. The twist totally jumped the shark and the overall premise of black market items of that nature just cheapened the concept of the book. It’s hard to give a proper review without spoilers so apologies that this might not make the most sense!

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After learning of her sister's death in a rehabilitation clinic, Meg enters undercover to try and solve the mystery. Lots of twists and turns unfold before the unexpected ending is revealed.

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The Clinic is a fast and fascinating read. A luxury rehab facility hidden away in a coastal forest in the Pacific Northwest sounds like a perfect place to escape to, especially when you're famous and your face, and all your dirt, is known the world over. But a mix of money, drugs, power, and lies is as dangerous as it is enticing. When Meg enters The Clinic, she believes her search for her sister's murderer is her true reason for being there, but she soon realizes she is dealing with some major addictions herself. Her personal path of revelation is just as fascinating as what is revealed about the facility and its treatments.

In a story where it seems everyone is lying, how can you trust anyone? It's a challenging story to hold together and keep the reader hooked, but Cate Quinn does it very well. Switching back and forth between Meg's experience as a patient and Cara's experience as the hired manager of the facility keeps things flowing as we are brought further and further into this deeply deceitful enterprise. I certainly couldn't figure out the killer and was surprised by the ending.

The whole story is a bit of misdirection, keeping you looking at other things, fascinated by them, fearing what you think might be happening, so that when the trick happens, you are left somewhat awed.

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Thriller with an isolated PNW setting? Sign me up. I love the unique background of Meg, it really gave a new perspective/twist on the typical main character (I appreciated that you knew from the start that Meg had her own issues). The ending got a little far-fetched for me however I did not see it coming and appreciated the creativity.

A really great atmospheric thriller and I will definitely recommend to other readers!

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In this thrilling book by Cate Quinn, the Clinic follows a girl whose sister was killed while in rehab. The coroner rules it a suicide, but the police think otherwise. Her sister goes into the rehab, without anyone knowing she is Haley’s sister, and tries to find out the truth about her sisters death. Is Meg safe in this rehab. Will she make it out alive or just like her sister?

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Oh I loved this book. The chapters were short and there was something always going on and never a dull moment. The subject about addictions and treatments were very interesting and I was very interested in the explanations Kate gave. The ending was unexpected but still credible to the reader. I do admit this is a great read especially on the airplane.

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