This was a shocking, dark thriller that had you on the edge of your seat from the first page. Plenty of twists and an ending I was expecting. I think it was a little too dark for me but it was well written and I would still recommend it.

i really really enjoyed this book and the story! the characters were very well written and the plot had me guessing until the end!

I am not sure if I was the right market for this book. It felt more YA. But despite this, it was quite a good thriller.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy.

I enjoyed this book. I liked the twists, even though I saw most of them coming. I liked the idea of Inside and the premise of the book.

Looking forward to reading more from Barnsley.

The Clique is a searing look at the toxic world of corporate legal firms, where every second is accounted for and leaving the office at 9pm is considered early. Cass Harlow has dedicated her life to being considered as a partner in her prestigious firm, and she's only weeks away from finding out whether she has been successful for the latest position. She knows that its very much an old boys' club, with nepotism and old school networks rife in the company but she believes that she has what it takes to make it, even if it comes at the expense of everything else.

She is devastated when Sara, one of the firms' few female partners, falls from the roof-top in an apparent suicide. Cass knows how much stress Sara was under but is still shocked that she might have taken her own life in this way. Cass quickly learns about a secret women's only network that might be able to shed some light on what has happened, and might also be able to help Cass get the partner role that she so desperately wants.

It was a really tense page turner with some great reveals which I hadn't been expecting - well worth a read.

4.5⭐ This was my first book by this author and it did not disappoint. This book is about Cass, a lawyer at a prestigious law firm, whose friend just died from what is aid to be suicide. Upon further research Cass learns her friend/colleague was involved in a secret clique known as Inside. After this things start to unfold and more secrets and revelations are revealed. I will definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins UK, and the author for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

"The Clique" takes readers on a thrilling journey into the secretive realm of a women's society where success demands sacrifice. Following the tragic passing of esteemed lawyer Sara O'Neil, questions surface regarding the enigmatic organization she belonged to. As protagonist Cassandra Harlow delves into Sara's mysterious death, she unearths a web of hidden truths and perilous allegiances lurking within the clandestine group.

With themes of ambition, betrayal, and the complexities of female empowerment, "The Clique" offers a riveting exploration of loyalty and deception in the corporate landscape. Through twists and turns, the novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats, unraveling the intricate dynamics of power and ambition in a world where every move carries consequences.

As Cassandra navigates the treacherous waters of this elite society, readers are drawn into a tale that probes the depths of human desire and the lengths to which individuals will go to secure their place in the hierarchy. "The Clique" is a compelling read that skillfully blends suspense and intrigue, leaving readers eagerly turning pages until the shocking conclusion.

4.5 stars for this phenomenal read..

I just finished "The Clique" by Rhiannon Barnsley. What a wild ride! I loved every minute of it.

The description doesn't begin to capture the drama, intrigue, mystery & mega twists that unfold in this story. I couldn't put this book down! I loved the character of Cass, who was strong, determined and a total badass!!

The ending totally floored me!! I highly recommend this book, it was so well written, full of twists and will not disappoint.

I will say if suicide, drugs, and/or sexual assault are triggers for you, I would proceed carefully.

Thanks to @Netgalley, @HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this ARC and give my honest thoughts.

Pub Date - August 15, 2024

Sara O'Neil was living the corporate dream: a career advancement at a young age, respect within the workspace and well liked by her colleagues. Everyone around her thought she had it made. Until the day she jumped to her death at work. Cassandra Harlow, a commercial lawyer at the same firm, is devastated by the loss of Sara. Had the pressure of her high-stress job really made her jump? Was it really a suicide or was she pushed? These are questions Cassandra keeps asking herself. When she finds out Sara was a member of an exclusive all-women's club, Inside, she has even more questions. But the more she digs, the greater danger she and the people around her are in.

What this book did well is emphasis the physical and mental strain of having a high pressure job. The endless hours, the stress of deadlines, being forced to choose work over family/relationships. Bamsley also highlighted the struggles women have in a male-dominated field and the unfortunate sexual harassment they have to endure. There was a lot of commercial lawyer jargon, and this felt more like a workplace drama than a mystery/thriller. Those aspects were fine, but not what I was expecting from this book. No real thrills started happening until much later in the book (maybe around the 40% mark), and I had just checked out by then.

This book will have an audience, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a smart and pacey debut from Rhiannon Barnsley! It reminded me of a female version of The Firm going in but it was so much more. Right from the jump this thriller will hook you in and won't let you go. So much intrigue, never knowing who to trust, and the ending really surprised me. I can't wait to see what this author does next!

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing an early copy.

This thriller screamed “locked room mystery in the corporate world” to me and intrigued enough to request an ARC. The corporate industry depicted is the legal sector where ambitious friends Cassandra and Sara work very long hours. One day, Cassandra is horrified to witness her colleague falling to her death from the highest floor of the building. Suicide, murder or an unfortunate accident? As if this event is not traumatic enough, after rejecting a wealthy character’s unwanted advances, Cassandra also gets fired, leaving her even more vulnerable. An introduction to the secret female networking group “Inside” seems like a spark of hope, but Cassandra’s decision to join soon requires her to engage in all sorts of clandestine manoeuvres and brings with it the harrowing realisation that Sara’s death is not at all what it seemed and soon Cassandra must live in fear of her life also …

This was a fast-paced contemporary thriller that at times stretched the imagination a bit in the name of twistiness. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My thanks go to the novel’s publishers to NetGalley as it was their advance copy that allowed me to read this thriller and to produce this honest, independent book review.

3.5 stars

Fun little spin on the clique trope! It was fast paced and an interesting psychological read. I really enjoyed it.

WOW The Clique (kindle edition) a psychological thriller by Rhiannon Barnsley was absolutely amazing. This is the first time I have read a book by Rhiannon who is a Corporate Lawyer by day and writer after work and weekends and is also a Faben academy writing novel graduate who lives in the West Midlands.

Cassandra Harlow is in her thirties and works as a coroporate lawyer for a prestigious company Carrey & Watson and along with her close friend and colleague Sara, would love to make their way to the top for the position of partner. This is a company whose secretaries know more than anyone else in the company. This is also a company who have hardly many women in the top positions.

Sara was Cassandra's go to ally when she wanted to offload about work but one day out of the blue Sara jumps from the roof top of their company. The question on Cassandra's mind is was it suicide or was she pushed?

This company's mantra is 'Eat what you kill.' Meaning the more money you make, the more money you get to keep for yourself.

Sara is introduced to a secret society called Inside where only women members are expected to bring something to the table IE contacts, inside information from within their working environment in order to advance their careers. Cassandra's main objective is to get her foot inside the door in order to see if she can garner any proof to determine whether Sara was killed or not.

Unbeknown to everyone who applies, Inside has dark secrets hidden behind their masks and it is very hard to cut the ubilical cord once you have signed up.

I raced through this pacy thriller in two days and it was a wild ride. I had no idea where the author was taking me, but I knew I wanted to follow…..⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So many twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat!
And don’t count out the epilogue for another one!

There were a few errors (committing suicide is not an appropriate term anymore), but overall a good book, especially for a debut.

I’m eager to read more by this author!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is a well written thriller about the life of an up and coming lawyer Sarah who works in a prestigious law firm. It details the misogyny and the long hours of work undertaken by Sara to try and make partner in the firm and to keep her male partners happy
Meanwhile her best friend and colleague has jumped off the roof of the firm and Sara needs to find out if it was murder or suicide . This friend was a member of a secret women’s club. Sara needs to join the club to try and find out what really happened to her friend . Sara’s life becomes more complicated and Sara is herself in danger. Will Sara be the new member of the club and will she find out what happened to her friend.
4 stars

LOVED!! Great story line, interesting characters, suspenseful, thrilling mystery. The concept of an elite private woman's club geared toward advancing each other's careers should be amazing but this story turns it into a nightmare! I couldn't read thru this fast enough!!

I thought the premise sounded interesting. Sadly, the writing was dry and didn't pull me in. It felt like it was geared toward a YA audience. I never connected with any of the characters, so it made it challenging to stay engaged and care about the outcome. There's a lot of unnecessary words that stalled the pace, and the society meetings were over the top. There wasn't a thriller feel to the story, and there were plot holes. There was potential, but it failed in execution.

A story that makes you ponder what you would do to get ahead in your job/career. Very well written, the author takes the concept of a clique and develops a well thought out and meticulous story. Each character was flushed out and added dimension to the story.

Really intense book with truly chilling thriller themes. Enjoyed the whole ride, although I did take a break half way through because I was actually getting stressed out! Thought the ending was funny.

Synopsis (no spoilers):
Cass is a successful lawyer on track to becoming partner soon, even though she faces a lot of challenges with sexist ideals in the workplace, to call it a boys club is an understatement. Cass's coworker / mentor / friend, Sara, dies unexpectedly. It appears as if she jumped off the roof of her office building but Cass is not so sure. Nat, Cass's officemate and only other friend, starts telling her about a women only organization, similar to an old boy's club, where women can actually have the chance at moving upward in their careers. It's a secret society, in which they only have 100 members. No one ever leaves the organization, unless they pass away. With Sara's recent death, Inside is now recruiting for its newest member. Nat fills Cass in on all of this and that Sara was a member. She thinks nothing of it until, through a totally unfair and egregious interaction with a client, left her without a job, where she is allowed to work her three month notice, but it's not without a lot of difficulty.

Nat and Cass both decide to apply to Inside and they both are selected for a few rounds of the interviews. Cass has also started up a relationship for the first time in years. Although she lost her job, she can find another, has a budding new relationship, and still has her best friend, plus she might even get in on Inside. Until the nagging thought that Sara's death was not a suicide overtakes her and compels her to start investigating the case.

She lies, gets caught in lies, finds out terrifying truths, and faces her own mortality.

Positives:
- the book was written in such a way that I felt actual anxiety when Cass was going through certain obstacles. I am an avid thriller reader and very rarely does a book have this kind of power over me. This book is a true thriller.
- Cass is relatable to someone who has a high stress job and especially relatable to any woman who has experienced any sexual advances she said no to. These parts were written in a horrific way that felt very real and still maintained the dignity of the character. I respect that a lot.
- The ending may not be everyone's cup of tea but I thought it was a very funny ending.

Critiques:
- I felt like it took a while for all of her life to fall apart and unravel for it to be such a quick wrap up. I feel like if she gained better understanding at every step, I would believe in her drive for the truth more, but I feel like she knew almost nothing till the very end and that bothered me. A rational person wouldn't have kept at it with so little to go on.
- I did not like how Talia got away with it without anything being held against her. Then she wrote a fake book about it. It seemed really convenient. Although, the funny ending wouldn't have happened without it.