After giving this book a try, it just wasn't for me. I didn't feel connected to the story or characters at all, so I DNFed it at 30%.

*Thank you @bookmarked for the #gifted egalley. Review not posted to Goodreads/Amazon because DNF or 4 stars or less.*

3.5 ⭐️

The Clinic by Cate Quinn is a fairly fast-paced thriller told in two perspectives with bite-size chapters to keep you coming back for just one more. With 115 chapters and 444 pages, that's less that 1% of the book per chapter, averaging 3-4 pages each!

Meg works as an undercover agent catching bad guys at a casino—and she has a pill problem. Her sister, Haley, is a famous Hollywood party girl who ends up at a luxury rehab clinic shortly before her untimely demise. Meg, suspicious about the circumstances around her sister's death and genuinely struggling with her own addiction, decides to go undercover and get admitted to the clinic. Cara works at said clinic, providing the reader with a behind-the-scenes perspective that Meg is not privy to.

While definitely a thriller, this story never really felt suspenseful to me. I was propelled through the narrative more by Quinn's writing style than by the plot or characters. I know we're not supposed to judge books by their covers, but this one gave me eerie atmosphere vibes that just did not materialize in the book. I'll also say that the twist at the end felt both anti-climactic and unrealistic.

Full review posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5816284126

This was not what I expected just from that cover (I know I know, don't judge the book by its cover). But tell me - wouldn't you expect a gothic tale about some mental disease? In any case, this was a book club pick, and we did enjoy taking this book apart.

Well, this is a bout rehab. And if you read the author's note, this one is personal. And you can feel it. This book is very hollywoodish - lots of drama and a bit of an unbelievable plot. The book seemed very disjointed and didn't go deep into the feelings of those in rehab. Even the thoughts of the main MC kept jumping around, and I wanted a bit more of an ARC for characters.

Now the twists were for sure not what I expected. There's a big red herring, and I do like that all the way till it is revealed, I fell for that red herring. There's a theme of nature vs nurture that was fun too see and explore in our discussion. Easy writing style, short chapters - all made this an easy book to devour. But in the end it was just an OK mystery/thriller, not something that will stick with me or I would recommend. This one though definitely made me want to look more into rehabs and addicts.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy.

THE GOOD:
Spooky setting, fun locked-room style mystery-suspense, interesting peak into a gambling crime-solving niche.

THE BAD:
A few inaccuracies as to PNW topography as well as U.S. medical systems by this U.K. author.

CONCLUSION:
A nice twist on a whodunnit, with some suspense and gothic elements. Recommended.

"The Clinic" by Cate Quinn is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Set in a remote fertility clinic in rural Maine, the story follows the lives of three women connected by their desire for motherhood and the secrets that lurk within the clinic's walls. Quinn masterfully weaves together multiple perspectives, creating a narrative that is both suspenseful and thought-provoking. With its twisty plot and well-developed characters, "The Clinic" is sure to keep readers guessing until the very end. Fans of psychological thrillers will not want to miss this riveting read.

Set in a remote rehab clinic in the Pacific Northwest, Cate Quinn creates a chilling atmosphere of psychological fear in The Clinic. Meg is working her job with casino security when she hears the news. Her sister Hayley is has been found dead by apparent suicide in rehab. After reading texts Hayley sent right before her death, Meg knows something suspicious is going on and vows to go find out the truth. Will she be able to figure out what happened to Hayley while dealing with the own alcohol and pill addiction and facing the trauma from her childhood?

The gothic hospital, the celebrity patients and the questionable clinic owner are just a few parts that succeeded in their execution. The plotting could have been a bit tighter and the character of Cara was a bit too naive, but I had a great time with the story. I appreciated that the POVs were kept to just the 2 women, Meg and Cara, as it would have been easily overwhelmed with any more. Overall, if you're looking for a quick and twisty tale that also deals with the ethics surrounding mental health treatment, I highly recommend The Clinic.

3.5/5 ⭐️


I loved that this book kept me at the edge of my seat for almost the whole time. I kinda guessed who it was just didn’t know how they were doing it. So the ending felt a little unimpressive and too far fetched!

This was very good. The twist and turns kept my attention well and I enjoy the ending. I would read more by this author

So this was definitely a slow burn, multiple POV thriller. Unreliable narrator which I LOVE. This took me a while to get into then the ending I wound up staying up way past my bed time to finish the book. This book had so many freaking twists and turns it literally never stopped. I did find it somewhat disjointed at times and probably longer than it really needed to be, but overall it was pretty entertaining!

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for any books surrounding rehabs, mental health treatment, and especially when they have unethical or out-there elements. This book was fast-paced and kept me intrigued to figure out what happened. Will definitely pick up more from this author in the future.

A hard-driving contemporary thriller set in an isolated rehab center catering to the rich, famous, and notorious.
Haley Banks, famous country singer, is found dead in rehab. Her sister Meg uses her undercover cop skills to enter the clinic and find out the truth about her sister’s death. But Meg has a lot of secrets and pain too, and her oxycontin addiction no longer serves to hide her own truth from herself. Finding her sister’s killer is wrapped around finding the truth about their childhood, as the staff at the rehab center work to get to the roots of her addiction issues. The plot winds and twists like a labyrinth with a surprising ending. This is a hard to put down novel as Meg delves deeper and deeper into The Clinic’s secrets. There were a few times I felt some of the story a little unbelievable, but I might be tender about addiction due to a family member. It’s also a bit of an isolated manor story, as deep fog keeps outsiders from coming to The Clinic for a time, one of my favorite mystery tropes. Recommended for lovers of contemporary mystery and suspense.

The Clinic - Cate Quinn
When the rough and tough Meg learns of her sisters passing, she refuses to believe it's suicide. Haley may of had a lot of issues, but Meg can't believe that suicide would ever be something Haley would resort to.
Meg decides to take matters in her own hands and use her skills to go undercover to the rehab Haley died in and seek the truth. Never did she expect to have to deal with the demons of her past and the blips of memories that she has spent her whole life trying to push down. Did their trauma make them this way? Will Meg learn the truth behind her childhood? Did Haley really kill herself, or were there darker forces at bay?
This book was a wild ride that I was so excited to sink my teeth into. This book kept you needing more. I needed to find out what really happened to Haley, but I was more driven to find out what happened to the sisters in the past. Never could I have guessed how the events in the clinic would unfold, and everyone that played a part. If your looking for a fast paced thriller that will keep you needing more, this is it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5!

It has been a minute since I've been genuinely shocked by a twist in a thriller and I'm absolutely speechless at how The Clinic by Cate Quinn led me on a wild goose chase.

Filled with some high stakes, drama and the questioning over what is real and not was a fun ride. The Clinic pretty quickly transported me right into the rooms of the rehab facility and I spent the better portion of the book stumbling just as hard as Meg trying to piece this mystery together. The emotion, vulnerability, growth, and absolute evil chaos that was lurking on every page really will leave me thinking about this one for a long time to come. I love thrillers and having such an atmospheric read that genuinely shocked me with the twists happening, that's something special

This was a really solid thriller! I enjoyed the pace and felt drawn in immediately to the plot. Thought it was very unique especially compared to a lot of the thrillers that have been coming out recently.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of The Clinic by Cate Quinn in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book and was pulled in by the raw emotions of Meg and the other addicts at the clinic. I loved the research Quinn did on Fugu and how she incorporated it into a murder mystery. I highly recommend this book.

This is a great double POV thriller/mystery.

Two sisters. One is an addict the other a former FBI analyst. Haley and Meg. Meg is told that Haley has committed suicide while in rehab but she refuses to believe it. So she goes somewhat undercover to investigate. From there this story takes off.

Well written. Makes you feel things. The descriptions are great.
Cate Quinn rarely if ever lets us down.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Four stars and a big recommendation.

This book was really quite good! Thank you for allowing me to read it! The plot was unique and I really enjoyed the character development. I felt like I was actually there. The end seemed a little rushed but overall it was a really great read.

The Clinic is a fantastic read. I can whole heartedly say I did not see that coming. WOW. The characters come to life on the pages. I felt their connections and the push and pull each one had with themselves and within their interactions with others. It’s evident that the author fully understands the complex weight and baggage that comes with addiction.

I recommend going in blind and enjoying the ride.

💉💉💉💉 / 5

thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

wow! i wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but i thoroughly enjoyed this crazy ride! i loved both POVs—the MC and the clinic manager—as i felt both were likable characters and provided two unique perspectives throughout the story. the dark and creepy rehab facility was the perfect setting for this story to take place, and the celebrity patients made things more intriguing. though the chapters were short, it did take me longer to get through this one than expected, but the pacing picked up about halfway through, so i flew through the last half.

i’m so glad i finally got to this one—and i was happy to learn about the author’s inspiring rehab journey, which led to this thrilling story! can’t wait to read more by this author!

I absolutely loved this book! I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the "whodunnit" storyline. Fantastic twists and turns, and I was left in suspense until the very end. I also really loved the way addiction and trauma were represented. Definitely recommend you read this one ASAP.