This is a gothic, atmospheric, and claustrophobic novel set almost entirely in a hospital. The creepy vibes ooze from the pages as our protagonist is physically and mentally drained. But what's real and what's just in her head?

Meg has a rare autoimmune disease which makes her life miserable. When she gets accepted into a trial that might just cure her, and she'll get paid for doing so, she decides with trepidation to join.

There are some serious consequences though. She must live in a hospital during the trial, it's going to be extremely painful at times, and they're basically going to get rid of her immune system and then replace it.

As she succumbs to the treatment and the various drugs they pump into her system, horrific things begin happening. Hallucinations? Waking Nightmares? Or the product of the treatment? Or...is it all real and she's being used for something nefarious? All these possibilities intertwine as the story progresses and each new revelation, real or not, just ams up the dread.

And there are some creepy, frightening things going on. The doctors and nurses might not be truthful, people are getting sick and dying, and the hospital itself seems to be alive and breathing.

We experience all of this through Meg's eyes and perspective. This author does a great job of building suspense and unleashing it on terrifying sequences which are then doubted as if they never happened. You'll be on the edge of your seat all the way until the end to see what's real and what's not and it's a nightmarish claustrophobic ride I highly recommend.

Rating 3.75 Rounded up.

During this entire book you will be question reality. Are things truly happening or are they drug induced dreams or hallucinations? Even at the end I am still not sure what was real. I found it amazing that the author could create such in so atmospheric darkness while really never leaving the same scene. We are always in the same hospital on primarily the same floor and room. Yet so much darkness and mystery are created. The graphic descriptions are not overwhelming and are done tastefully. I personal enjoy a good body gore story so I would have liked more but I do understand why the author went this route. Over all well written and captivating story. I will bet some will not like the ending being there really isn’t one but I never mind an ending that leaves me questioning.

Gasp! This locked-room hospital horror was so intense, I found myself completely immersed—constantly questioning what was real and what wasn’t. When it finally ended, I could at last gasp for some much-needed air.

Margaret has suffered from an autoimmune disease her entire life. Over the past few years, it has progressively worsened, making it nearly impossible for her to hold down a job or leave the house—effectively destroying the life she once had.

She’s offered a fully funded spot in an experimental medical trial at Graceview Memorial. The procedure? Break down her immune system and rebuild it from scratch, in hopes of killing off the disease. Simple, right?

But as the treatment begins, Margaret starts experiencing strange occurrences—unexplainable noises in the night, missing staff members, and terrifying visions that blur the line between hallucination and reality. Her isolation in the sterile hospital room only amplifies the creeping dread, and the sense that something is very, very wrong at Graceview.

The writing masterfully balances body horror with emotional vulnerability, painting a chilling portrait of a woman at war with both her body and her mind.

This is more than a medical thriller or a horror novel—it’s a haunting exploration of illness, identity, and the terrifying things we’re willing to risk for a chance at being “normal.” I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for a review.
The Graceview Patient is a hospital horror that slowly builds dread and suspense through the perspective of a vulnerable patient who I found easy to empathize with. I felt like I was trapped in a fever dream with hospital walls closing in on me while reading. Starling utilized an excellent setting to immerse the reader in a claustrophobic, slow creeping horror. While the open ended opening might be a negative for some readers, I appreciated that the ending wasn’t in a neat little package as it assures me that I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.
Plot & pacing- the pacing was slow but effective and the plot appears straightforward at first but there’s more unexpected reveals towards the end. I found that the use of atmospheric dread made the plot engaging.
Writing- I’ve been a fan of Starling’s prose since I read the Death of Jane Lawrence. The writing style is well-suited for a horror novel that feels like a fever dream. It’s effective in creating an immersive experience.
Characters- the main character Margaret was the one I was most invested in. There were 2 other side characters I found intriguing as well but I probably won’t remember the names of all of the nurses in a couple of days.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

I recently read Starling's "The Starving Saints," so I had some idea of what I was getting myself into with this novel. That said, in no way could I have predicted what would take place within these pages. I'm absolutely OBSESSED with this novel and Starling's writing in general-- but that ending!!!! Ahhhhhhh I literally had to flip back and forth a few times on my Kindle to make sure that was actually the end of the book-- even going so far as to reload the ARC, just to double check. At first I was disappointed with the ending, and wanted more, but I've made peace now with the ambiguity and embraced it wholeheartedly. I loved this book, just as I loved "The Starving Saints," and I can't wait to read more of Starling's work!

The Graceview Patient by Kaitlyn Starling, when Margaret gets a call telling her there’s a patient study happening for her autoimmune disease she is hesitant at first but then learned she will be paid for the study and it may in the end cure her. on her first day there while getting settled in she meets the smoothie Adam who she doesn’t know is she dislikes or it’s attracted to him but he brings her to meet Veronica she also has Fayette Garrett’s disease and has been in the trial for a while. She looks emaciated and during her and Margaret’s conversation at one point she freaks out and asked Margaret if she heard that and when Margaret says no she tries to play it off as if it was nothing this only alerts Margaret to the fears she already has but no one will answer her questions and soon when the girl goes missing Margaret will do everything except follow the rules and in the end Veronica will not be the only person who leaves without explanation. She doesn’t know who she can trust nor what is real or fake she sees an apparition but again doesn’t know if she is really seeing someone or it is a phantom and when the book ends you’ll still be wondering that as well. I did find this book claustrophobic 100% creepy I just wish some of the questions would’ve been answered by the end I really wanted to love this book and as I said it was truly creepy well worded in a writing style I really liked until I got to the fever dreams and parts of the book that you didn’t know whether it was reality or her imagination. For example was Adam really as bad as he was portrayed? Who the hell knows cause I still don’t. I like the writing style so much I want to buy another book by the author but she’s another author who wants to send you electronic data that is way too costly I do not pay over $10 for a books and find $10 a lot and it makes me so frustrated when authors want to sell you a book that other authors sell for two dollars for $17 that is a lot for a JPEG. That’s neither here or there that is nothing to do with whether this book is good or not I mean I do recommend it if it sounds like something you would like I just didn’t like the ending the unanswered questions and the dubious finale. #NetGalley, #SaintMartin’sPress, #TheBlindReviewer, #CaitlinStarling, #TheGraceviewPatient,

Caitlin Starling could send me her grocery list to read and I’d love it.

If you like medical/body horror read this immediately- so many of the descriptions made me sick to my stomach in the best way. Lushly described in a wonderfully revolting way, plays with the gothic aspects so well. The “woman trapped in a haunted house” “is it real or just my mind/medication” translated so well to the hospital setting. Definitely similar vibes to Mexican Gothic, cannot wait to get a physical copy when it releases!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

3.5 stars

Medical thrillers are some of my favorites! I was so excited to get this ARC and read it in two sitting.

You could really feel it as her world began closing in around her, and how she was essentially forced to keep going. Healthcare and insurance is a nightmare on its own, but throw in forced isolation and body horror and it's tense and creepy!

I started off really enjoying this. It read almost like a journal. The main character is to spend a few months in a hospital as part of a clinical trial. The days go by, you learn and almost experience the pain, sickness and loneliness with her. As the story neared it's ending, it became weird, confusing and then it just ended.

Overall, I liked it but I felt it had so much more potential.

I have recently discovered that I love a hospital/asylum/locked ward story. This was the PERFECT read to satisfy my craving for another one of those! It was intense and eerie and unsettling. I was on the edge of my seat and very unwilling to read this after dark lol.

Actually finish this a few days ago and had to take some time to think about it before reviewing. I normally love Caitlin Starling, and she has done great work with unreliable narrators before. This one though, I think, may have needed some more time in the oven.

Don't get me wrong, it's a decent, if repetitive read -- but our protagonist Meg starts out so desperate and at the end of her rope, that the tension never really built for me. Her paranoia spirals out of control and either bad things are happening to her, or grip on reality is slipping... but the stakes never feel any higher. She can't leave the hospital because she's dying anyway, she starts desperate and.... continues to be desperate.

I get that we are left in the dark because Meg is left in the dark, and I see how that can be immersive, but it just made it harder for me to care. We don't understand the motivation of the people running the study, we don't learn enough about the hospital staff to discern their intentions, and we definitely don't have enough grounding moments to understand the infection?entity? thing.

I'm a big Starling fan generally, have read everything's she's put out and will continue to do so. This just doesn't even stand in the Shadow of "Last to Leave the Room" or "Luminous Dead"

Caitlin Starling is very skilled at writing engaging stories that take place in one main setting. Happening entirely in a hospital and mainly within one ward, The Graceview Patient still conveys an otherworldly atmosphere amongst the medical instruments and hospital procedures. I found myself quickly invested in the story, curious about Meg’s perception of reality and drawn into the interactions with other patients, nurses and the mysterious medical rep, Adam. Meg’s connection to nurse Isobel is a successful driving force behind the plot. Unfortunately I felt that the final quarter of the book did not hit as strongly as I would have expected. I think it made sense in terms of the progression of the plot, but I still felt like something was missing. I think a reread might clear some aspects up, but this book is similar to the Starving Saints in that rolling with the uncertainty and unreliable sense of reality is part of the experience. In the end, The Starving Saints hit a lot more strongly for me, but The Graceview Patient was a solid book and left me wanting to read more of Starling’s work.

This book was a WILD ride. The concept is so compelling—an experimental medical trial, a lost girl with no one and nowhere to go, and a setting that is both terrifying and utterly gripping. The unreliability of the narration was SO perfect. Highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an early copy of this book! I loved it. Opinions are my own.

I was absolutely captivated by this book. I felt completely immersed in her struggle, from the painful isolation of her illness to the terrifying uncertainty of the medical trial. I admired her resilience, even as the boundaries between reality and delusion blurred, making every moment feel unsettling and deeply suspenseful. I found myself gripped by the eerie atmosphere of Graceview Memorial, feeling the tension build with each new revelation. The psychological twists kept me questioning everything, and I appreciated how the author masterfully balanced horror, mystery, and raw emotion. I felt deeply connected to Margaret’s experience—her fear, her determination, and the chilling realization that something far more sinister was at play. I finished the book feeling haunted yet completely satisfied. The storytelling was immersive, the pacing was perfect, and the emotional weight of Margaret’s journey stuck with me long after I turned the last page.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves psychological thrillers with a sharp, thought-provoking edge.

This was medical horror at its finest!! I was deeply disturbed while reading this and it will be one to stick with me for a long, long time. Most people don’t like hospitals as is, so we’re already starting off with a terrifying situation of a long-term hospital stay and a chronic illness with no cure, where the experimental treatment you’re going to receive is your last hope. Adding to this, Margaret has no support system, no one to help her, and nowhere to go. Honestly, that’s already a pretty horrifying book IMO, so we’re starting off strong without even talking about the truly sinister aspects of this novel. I read some reviews where people were unsatisfied with the ending, but to me it ended perfectly. I’m also not someone who needs an ending all wrapped up in a pretty bow, so that probably makes a huge difference. I wouldn’t have given this a 5 star rating with such an ending because that’s diminished the horror with this subject matter. Keep an open mind for that!!

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of The Graceview Patient, by Caitlin Starling, from St. Martin's Press/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Better in concept than execution, particularly that frustrating ending. And especially because hospital sundowner’s syndrome is a very real thing.

A few thoughts…..

John Milton, man, he nailed it from the get-go: “The mind is its own place and, in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven.”

Meg/Margaret: Isn’t it interesting that our main protagonist’s name is the same as that of the main character from Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time? And that both were dealing with a pulsing building?

Note To Future Kristi: No more Caitlin Starling for you, just not your cuppa.

DESCRIPTION
Misery meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers in this genre-bending, claustrophobic hospital gothic from the bestselling author of The Death of Jane Lawrence.

Margaret lives with a rare autoimmune condition that has destroyed her life, leaving her isolated. It has no cure, but she’s making do as best she can—until she’s offered a fully paid-for spot in an experimental medical trial at Graceview Memorial.

The conditions are simple, if grueling: she will live at the hospital as a full-time patient, subjecting herself to the near-total destruction of her immune system and its subsequent regeneration. The trial will essentially kill most of, but not all of her. But as the treatment progresses and her body begins to fail, she stumbles upon something sinister living and spreading within the hospital.

Unsure of what's real and what is just medication-induced delusion, Margaret struggles to find a way out as her body and mind succumb further to the darkness lurking throughout Graceview's halls.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

As it didn’t meet my expectations, this was a ⭐read for me. I’m going with ⭐⭐⭐ as readers in the right target audience may appreciate it more than me. I thought the story would be along the lines of Coma with maybe a bit of Andromeda Strain thrown in.

Margaret, or Meg, has a rare autoimmune disease that attacks her epithelial cells and she is a mess physically and emotionally. You’d be cranky too if your skin was a mess, canker sores lined your mouth and throat and the joint pain was constant, not to mention severe digestive disorders. Fortunately, one of her doctors is able to get Meg into an experimental medical trial at Graceview Memorial. The trial will totally destroy her immune system, then rebuild it. Meg chronicles the process and her journey, but I don’t know what happens next or how the book really ends. Was it all medically induced hallucinations, fever dreams, something supernatural or her own mind being destroyed? The dark mind trip was too long, and unsatisfying.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC of 'The Graceview Patient. by Caitlin Starling.

This is a masterfully sustained crescendo of spooky dread. A patient is admitted to an necessarily exclusive clinical trial in order to try to overcome a severe immunodeficiency syndrome. And the nightmare is added to, layer-upon-layer and page-upon-page, until we're all in there with Meg, not knowing what's real and what's imagined as the cure proves immeasurably worse than the disease.

The entire time I was reading this book I felt horrifically aware of my veins- that's definitely a new reading sensation for me.

The Graceview Patient follows Margaret as she is admitted into the hospital to undergo experimental trials for her rare autoimmune disease. The book is told from her point of view and is painstakingly descriptive. The realism surrounding her illness and her treatment is absolutely chilling. A lot of the novel is spent describing the feeling of being punctured by needles and intravenous infusions- which to someone who is phobic of needles, was incredibly uncomfortable. But alas, it's a good thing I am not looking for comfort and fuzzy feelings in my horror. The Graceview patient definitely delivered the promised experience in my opinion.

The line between reality and delusion was practically non-existent in Margaret, so I definitely felt myself going back a few times to reread something. Just to make sure that I had read it correctly.

While this book explores themes of ethics in the medical sphere and the delicate mental state of someone undergoing such intense medical procedures- it also relies a little bit on the supernatural and Starling introduces some haunting aspects to the novel as well.

I read this in one sitting, because I had to and even now I still feel unsettled. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers/horror I would highly recommend trying this one, I can guarantee you won't finish this book unscathed.

3.5 Stars rounded up for the creepy factor

The Graceview Patient proves once again that Caitlin Starling is one of the most versatile voices in horror today. Her ability to shift between subgenres is remarkable, and here she dives headfirst into a chilling blend of medical, body, and cosmic horror that’s hard to neatly categorize, but absolutely gripping to experience.

This story is dark, disorienting, and viscerally unsettling, especially for anyone even slightly squeamish about hospitals or medical procedures. Starling captures that deep, primal fear of losing control over your own body in a way that's both vivid and deeply unnerving.

That said, this wasn’t my personal favorite of hers. While the atmosphere and tension were spot on, the plot felt a little underdeveloped. I found myself craving more clarity and more answers about what exactly was happening and why. A longer page count could have helped flesh out the world and the terrifying forces at play.

Still, The Graceview Patient is a uniquely unsettling ride. If you love horror that makes your skin crawl and leaves you questioning reality, this is one to pick up. Just be warned: if hospitals already make you uneasy, this book will have you looking over your shoulder for days.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Caitlin Starling, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.