This was definitely an entertaining read that I enjoyed. 

When Meg hears that her famous actress sister Haley, has committed suicide while in a posh rehab facility in the remote Pacific Northwest, she doesn't believe it.  She thinks there is more to the truth than what the media is saying.  She's determined to investigate from the inside and find out the truth.  She leaves behind her job in LA at the casino, catching cheaters and checks into the rehab.  Meg has been battling her own additions, and the withdrawal may dampen her plans.  Will she be able to get through in order to discover what really happened to Haley?

This book was told in dual POV of Meg and Cara, who works at the facility.  The plot was intriguing and definitely kept my attention.  All the drama and secrets definitely kept me on my toes.  Addiction, mental health, and past traumas play major roles, and I did learn that the author drew from her own experiences at rehab.  This was a well written twisty psychological thriller, and I would definitely recommend it.

Thank you @bookmarked @netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Meg, a DEA agent whose gig is working undercover in casinos, admits herself to an exclusive (and expensive!) rehabilitation center where her celebrity sister, Haley, was found dead. She knows that someone there had something to do with her sister’s death and wants to get to the bottom of it- but does that mean she’s trapped there with a killer? In this locked room thriller, Meg is stuck inpatient at a rehab that’s so off the beaten path, it’s not on GPS. Isolated in a fully restored old mansion, this state of the art facility has all sorts of luxury amenities, as well as secrets.

This was a well-written thriller that kept me guessing throughout. I loved the super short chapters (115 chapters, to be exact)- I felt that it was the best way to tell this story and keep the reader engaged and rearing to turn the page. With the way that Quinn described The Clinic, especially the spa area, I felt like I could see the building myself. With a single, linear timeline and alternating duel points of view between Cara, the clinic manager, and Meg, a patient at the rehab clinic, the characters in this book were straightforward and it was easy to keep track of who’s who. I enjoyed getting to know Meg as a character and felt that there was decent character development here that let the reader learn more about her (and decide whether to love or hate her). It was interesting to see her journey while in the rehab as she realizes that she actually may need the help that is offered there.

I liked how a lot of the male characters had 3 letter first names and that was a hint from one of Haley’s journal entries. This had me guessing which character Haley could have been writing about. I appreciate the authors note and how she used some of her own experiences with rehab to write this book. I also found the research about blowfish and fugu fascinating and I absolutely took to Google to find out more. 🐡

While this book was full of twists and turns, the major twist was so shocking that I felt it was a bit too unrealistic to be entirely enjoyable to me, which is what kept me from rating this book a full five stars.

The Clinic published January 23rd and is available everywhere now!

The Clinic was a page-turner story that takes place in an ominous rehab clinic for the wealthy. I was genuinely surprised by the plot twists and really enjoyed the character development of most of these characters. (Without giving too much of the story away), the end felt a tad rushed but I was still happy with how it ended. Great thriller!

I really loved reading The Clinic - I thought is was a very well-written "locked-room mystery" thriller with interesting characters. The chapters were short, which made me feel like I flew through the book - definitely an easy read. The ending was a little bizarre for me, though I did enjoy it! This was a solid 4-star read for me, I want to read more from this author.

3.5 stars - a well-written and highly entertaining story!

The author did a great job of creating a tense, mysterious, and emotional atmosphere of a rehab clinic. After reading this, I learned the author was inspired to write this story after her personal experience in rehab. I appreciate that the author chose to write a book about mental health struggles and addiction. She did a great job of humanizing these sensitive issues.

The Clinic is told from alternative viewpoints between Meg and Cara - Meg was my favorite. She advanced the story the most.

This story did not unfold as I thought it would. The twists pleasantly surprised me, even if they were a bit far-fetched. I may have rated this higher if this story was shorter and slightly more realistic. I enjoyed the ride and look forward to reading what this author writes next.

The new year is traditionally a time for fresh beginnings and intentions, and Cate Quinn is starting 2024 with one of the best ways an author can: a new release, and the first in 15 books she has written sober. (Quinn also pens under the names Catherine Quinn and C.S. Quinn.)

Kicking off with an impactful author’s note explaining that when Quinn went to rehab in 2020, her uppermost thought was that she “might never write another book,” “The Clinic” follows Meg, a covert casino ring buster in Los Angeles, as she decides to go undercover at an atmospheric luxury rehab facility on the Pacific Northwest coast. Here, tabloids have reported that star actor Haley, Meg’s sister, has died of an overdose.

However, Meg is convinced something far more sinister has taken place. Alternating perspectives between Meg (a classic unreliable narrator struggling with an alcohol and pill addiction) and that of facility worker Cara, Quinn weaves a superior, creeping psychological thriller taunt with tension and drama. She ends her author note, “ … this is the one that I’m most proud of. ‘The Clinic’ is dedicated to anyone anywhere struggling with addiction.”

A really good, locked room sort of mystery which unfolds through two viewpoints – Cara, the manager of the rehab facility and Meg, sister of the famous Haley and a pill-popping alcoholic. Meg doesn’t believe that Haley committed suicide but was murdered and has entered the rehab to find evidence or the murderer. But someone there knows who she is and is sending her messages telling her to stop looking and leave. When she ignores the warnings, things ante up and now not only has she got to find her evidence, but she also must keep her wits about her to avoid becoming part of the body count.

The author does a really good job presenting addicts in various stages of recovery - made more poignant after reading her special note at the end.

It is a bit of a slow start, but the short chapters help get past that hurdle. Totally recommended.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for an ARC of The Clinic in exchange for an honest review.

In Cate Quinn's recent Thriller, The Clinic, the Reader is transported to the Pacific Northwest coast, where a remote Addictions Treatment Center caters to the rich and famous.

One of the perspectives we follow is Meg, whose estranged sister, Haley, a famous actress, has been receiving in-patient care there. When Meg hears the news that her sister has overdosed while in treatment, and rumors swirl it was possibly suicide, Meg doesn't believe it. As in, she really thinks there is no way in heck her sister would have overdosed, let alone on purpose. Meg suspects foul play and decides to go undercover at the Clinic to try to figure out what really happened to Haley.

We also follow a woman employed at the Clinic, Cara. She's relatively new and as she begins to settle in and get to know everyone around her, she too suspects something may be off. As the narrative shifts back and forth, it offers the Reader an inside glimpse into the Clinic from both a worker's and a patient's perspective. It's through that dual view that the truth is able to come to light.

Y'all, this is a very basic way of summing up all that is going on in this story, but I don't want to risk giving anything else away. It's best to go into this knowing as little as possible. I enjoyed the set-up of this one a lot, as well as the setting. It hooked me from the very start. I felt like the opening scene really set the stage for all that was about to play out.

I really loved Meg as a main character. Her perspective just fit my tastes so well. She's tough, smart and no-nonsense, but also flawed and struggling with a lot of things in her life; including her own addiction to painkillers and alcohol. I liked learning about her, the events in her past that had propelled her to her current state. I felt like Quinn did an incredible job of bringing Meg to life, breathing humanity into her and making her actions and motivations understandable. Honestly, I became very attached to her.

That's unsurprising though, as I love flawed characters. If characters are too perfect, I don't like 'em. No one is perfect, why would I want my fictional characters to be?

I was excited to go undercover with Meg and investigate the Clinic. It seemed shady as all get out from the start and I liked meeting all the various players within that setting. It also felt very claustrophobic; like once Meg was in there, it felt like there was seriously no turning back. The fact that she was also grappling with her own addictions issues, and that her mind wasn't in top form through that, added to the sense of being trapped and desperate.

I feel like Quinn really succeeded in that regard.

I wasn't as sold on the other perspective, Cara, but I do understand and appreciate why it was necessary for the overall story. For things to ultimately play out the way they did, both women were needed.

This definitely went in an unexpected direction for me and I thought it was so much fun. It gets pretty wild and I loved being with Meg as she tried to navigate through all the chaos. Some of her choices, oh baby, were they intense.

I would definitely recommend this to Readers who enjoy tense, suspenseful Thrillers with flawed MCs and questionable organizations. This had a lot of action and a full cast of unlikable side characters as well. It's engaging and a bit OTT. Overall, a great read!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I cannot wait to read more from Cate Quinn!!!

The Clinic by @catequinnauthor is a fantastic psychological thriller featuring themes related to the bonds of family, trauma, and addiction.

The main character, Meg, decides to play amateur sleuth after her sister dies in a posh rehabilitation center called The Clinic. Meg does not believe that her sister died of an overdose as the facility claims and decides to enroll herself at The Clinic. With this decision, Meg must face her own addictions, past trauma, and ultimate mental health diagnosis. The story has tons of twists and every one is hiding their own secrets.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to readers who love a psychological locked door thriller.

Thank you @bookmarked for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

I received an ARC from Sourcebook Landmark which I am grateful for in exchange for review.

I went into the clinic without knowing much about the book or the author. This is the first book that I read by this author. The story is a murder mystery that revolves around the death of Haley while she is in a rehab center, trying to get clean from her drug addiction. Haley’s sister Meg has a complicated relationship with her, and upon hearing of her suicide, she became suspicious and decided to check herself into the same rehab center to see if her sister truly committed suicide or was murdered.

The book is written from multiple points of view. The primary narrator is Meg, who is battling an addiction to OxyContin and alcohol, although she isn’t prepared to admit it. Cara is the administrator and a master of many trades at this prestigious rehabilitation centre.

There were some interesting topics covered in the book, relating to rehabilitation centers cycling through patients and releasing them in halfway houses, only to readmit them almost immediately in order to reactivate their insurance, known as the 'Florida Shuffle.' I hadn't heard much about this until recently.

I tend not to like reading closed-in thrillers where the characters are locked in, but this one was really enjoyable and kept me guessing all the way to the end. I would rate this book four stars out of five.

I received an electronic ARC from Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I did enjoy this novel. Especially the setting, the fast pacing, and the short chapters. However, I sometimes felt like the story went in circles becoming more and more confusing. When everything did come together, it did all make sense. I wonder if there will be a follow-up to learn more about Meg. I would definitely read a follow-up to this novel if there ever is one.

A hot mess of a book. The writing was rough, with lots of disagreement between subject and verb or weird word choices. I was reading an ARC, though, so some of the errors might get caught before publication. The characters were pretty stock and some of their characteristics downright odd - I mean, who in this day and age has no earthly idea what “codependent” means?? The plot was definitely twisty, but it felt twisty for the sake of it. All in all, it just didn’t come together for me.

A rehab for the rich but what lies behind those doors.
We follow Meg as she sets out to find out what really happened to her sister at the very prestigious rehabilitation centre set in the middle of nowhere.

The personal touch by the author of writing what she knows and has experienced was such an added benefit to this book. A great reflection of the struggles those with addiction face both during rehab and after. Plus a note to bring awareness to the possibility of revolving door rehabs.

I really enjoyed this book overall. Great storyline and suspense that kept it interesting. I wanted something different from the twist, I felt we were building to more and needed one final push to the ending. Still a solid 4 stars for me and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley, Cate Quinn and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of The Clinic.

Thank You Sourcebooks, NetGalley and Cate Quinn for the gifted eArc of this twisty read! This atmospheric psychological thriller takes us to a luxurious and remote rehabilitation clinic that is often isolated due to weather. Meg admits herself to the clinic in attempt to seek answers in her sister’s mysterious death and uncovers secrets from her own past and while receiving treatments she discovers others have dark secrets as well. This book has unreliable characters, suspicious pasts, mental illnesses, addictions, childhood trauma, medical treatments and it has a lot of twists with an ending you won’t see coming! Make sure to read the author’s note and check for TW’s.

I went into this with the highest of hopes after LOVING Black Widows a few years ago! The cover was sooo good & I just love her writing style. Although I enjoyed the alter sting perspectives & quick chapters, something felt off with this one. I didn’t love some of the twists. I felt as though the reveal of Mr. Priest was so anticlimactic and I don’t know how I felt about the revelations of the fugu & Lutz/Jade. I wanted to love it but I think this one just was okay for me. 😭 I’m so sorry & so so grateful for the opportunity to read with NG. Thank you so much for allowing me to read it!

Two sisters, different lifestyles; one is a performer on stage, the other is a performer of sorts on the casino gambling floors. Both have substance abuse issues.

One checks into a clinic, not exactly voluntarily, yet she doesn't exactly become a rule abider when she figures a way to score some drugs.

The other voluntarily checks into the same clinic to find out what happened to her sister, though she doesn't want to be free of the oxy that makes her feel so good. u

I couldn't relate to any of this and didn't think it was worth finishing as I didn't care about any of the characters.
Thankyou NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are freely given and are my own.

This was my first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was different than most thrillers and kept me on my toes. The characters had some not likable qualities but I feel most books are like that these days. I loved how the author incorporated mental health within her book. It’s such an important subject that needs to be talked about more. The ending was way out there but it is ok. I still had fun with it.

The storyline of this book was unlike anything I’ve read before, which was great. It tells the story of Meg who works in a casino catching cheaters. Her sister is a famous actress and Meg sees televised reports that her sister has died, possibly from suicide, while in a rehab facility. Meg can’t believe her sister would kill herself, so she decides to check herself into the facility to investigate. Meg doesn’t want to admit that she has a drug/alcohol addiction herself and due to that she is having a hard time getting the answers she is looking for. The story is told from 2 main points of view, Meg’s and the clinic manager, Cara. There are several interesting characters who keep the story flowing. With most of the characters being patients with addictions it’s hard for Meg to know who is telling the truth. The ending had a twist that I was not expecting. Thanks for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley, Cate Quinn, and Sourcebooks Landmark for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I hate to admit that I couldn’t really get into this one… I can see why people would like it and I may pick it back up at a later date. If you like thrillers, though, be sure to give it a chance!

While this book provided a truly enjoyable experience, it did feel excessively lengthy. Despite being engrossed throughout the entire novel, I believe the narrative could benefit from a trim of around 100 pages, particularly in the second quarter. The build-up is substantial, but once it reaches its climax, the story becomes incredibly engaging. With multiple points of view, my personal favorite and what I consider the most crucial is Meg's perspective. The novel delves deeply into themes of addiction and mental health, resonating closely with readers. The portrayal of the rehab center, The Clinic, is both eerie and atmospheric, earning top marks for its unsettling vibes. Overall, "THE CLINIC" stands out as more intimate compared to other recent thrillers I've encountered, and I eagerly anticipate what Cate Quinn has in store for future works.