Read in 2 hours and 13 minutes.

The short chapters and punchy writing gave this book a blink-and-you-miss-it pace and amps up the tension.
It’s interesting because the eerie setting and shifty behaviour of the characters enamoured me to this book, although the actual backbone of the story didn’t entertain me.

This may be a personal fault rather than that of the author but I didn’t care one jot about the historic side of the plot, but the modern version, with the characters twisting around each other, was pretty good.

It seemed like not a lot happened despite the hyped up mystery, and I’d like to read more about the clinic itself, so I’m glad that this is a series.

In one chapter, the patients are sedated so heavily that they are described as “completely devoid of spontaneous movement” and the “living dead”.

It’s such harsh comparisons that cut to the brunt of the matter, that fascinated me.

I’ll read the next book, as I appreciate the way that this author writes, but I hope that this is a meticulous laying of foundations for a gothic castle rather than a flimsy greenhouse.

As an example of the skill in writing, I now live in fear that someone would describe me like this:

As long as she could remember, she’d been there to appease her mother’s anxiety, to galvanise and inspire her. Her mother entirely lacked the capability to do this by herself. There was a void somewhere in her, hungry and howling for others to fill it. It had always taken a great deal of energy and Anna found herself continually exhausted. She hoped that with some distance, her mother could learn to let go of her and manage her emotions.

And this quote? Iconic

Lina now noticed how Miro was looking at her, his gaze moving against her body like a heat lamp.

(I still hate Miro).

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for n honest review!

As someone who gravitates toward thrillers rooted in psychological and medical horror, Room 55 caught my attention immediately. Set in Sweden’s infamous Säter psychiatric clinic, the story is rich in atmosphere and eerie tension. The isolated forest setting, the whisperings about a mysterious room, and a suspicious death all make for an intriguing setup.

Helena Kubicek Boye uses her background in psychology to add realism to the setting, and it shows in the detail and tone. The concept had so much potential, especially with the blend of Scandi-noir and institutional horror, but the execution felt uneven. Some plot twists were predictable, and the pacing dragged in sections that should have built suspense. Anna Varga is a compelling protagonist, but I found myself wanting more development in both her backstory and the supporting cast.

This is a good entry point for readers new to Nordic thrillers or those curious about psychological horror in clinical settings. It did not blow me away, but it scratched the itch for asylum-centered thrillers. Fans of Sharp Objects or Lars Kepler may enjoy the ride, even if the payoff feels slightly muted.

I really wanted to enjoy this one, but I found the read to be a bit confusing and the layout and transitions were not smooth. While I did finish this book, I didn't find the characters relatable, I just couldn't form that connection. There was nothing "chilling" within this book nor was there anything thrilling. I think the idea is great. There is real potential. Just needs some re-formatting.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review.

This book had a good premise but was not my cup of tea. There were questions left unanswered and things that just didn't make sense. Still unsure what happened at the end.

I read 15% and had to DNF
The storyline jumps around so much that it feels like I’m reading incomplete chapters. I’m sorry but I could not finish it

Gave up at 36%

This was a NetGalley ARC and while I understand there will be some formatting and grammar issues that will be rectified before publishing, there was just too much to be able to read it.

The flow was all over the place. In the middle of a paragraph it suddenly switched to an entirely different character or situation. There was no character development by 36% and I was still confused as to who was who 🤷‍♀️

It was very frustrating, perhaps a loss in translation somewhere. Big disappointment as I was really excited to read this book given its premise.

1⭐️

I had high hopes for this book, but I believe something was lost in translation – pun intended. It sounded like a dark, haunting story about a psychiatric clinic, Säter, deep in the woods of Sweden. Anna is a new psychologist there, eager to start her career working with some of the worst offenders and hoping to see some good come of her treatment. She hears rumors about secret rooms and starts receiving mysterious notes at her apartment. Her friend and fellow worker at the clinic, Lina, tells her to ignore it all and just focus on her work, but Anna can’t help feeling there’s something seriously wrong with Säter.

Sounds creepy, right? It was not. I’m not sure how there can be so many macabre elements in a story that just comes across as flat. The narrative is not just from Anna’s point of view, but from several other characters, many of whom we have no introduction to; they just start thinking to themselves or talking to another person, and the reader has no idea who this character is until several paragraphs later.

And we pretty much know who the perpetrators are from very early on, we just don’t know what they’re hiding. There’s no real suspense to the story, even with the murder that occurs. When the killer is revealed, it’s just confusing, and there doesn’t seem to be any clear reason for it. I really think it must be something with the translation, it just didn’t capture any type of chilling atmosphere.

I know this isn’t the finished format, but the biggest problem was that there were no breaks in between different sections of the narrative when it switched to another character’s point of view. At all, in the entire story. I’m talking in the middle of a paragraph, it would suddenly switch to another character’s point of view, and leave you wondering what the heck is happening. It was easily the most confusing layout I’ve ever read.

Honestly, this book could use some serious editorial revisions. It could be such an eerie and disturbing story, but it’s just disappointing.

Rounding up to three ⭐

I immediately wanted to read this on seeing it was set in an asylum. It's one of my go to's.
It didn't live up to my expectations though. Did I just miss subtle clues, because I didn't get any chilling vibes at all. In fact it was a bit dull at times.
For me, it very much read as if something had got lost in translation.
However, the story had enough plots to keep it going, and questions that needed answering.
Just an OK from me unfortunately

Room 55 was a tense and atmospheric mystery-thriller by Helena Kubicek Boye. This was the first book I’ve read by Boye. Room 55 centered around a young psychologist as she unraveled the sinister mysteries of a psychiatric clinic—starting with one eerie, whisper‑haunted room.

Boye delivered a slow-burn suspense style, with a creeping tension that escalated through small, unnerving details. I loved how this chilling story played with the unsettling terrain of the human mind, identity, and the blurring lines between reality and delusion. The mysterious room 55 was a symbolic space that represented the mind’s “locked doors,” where suppressed memories, secrets, or psychological fractures were hidden. The characters in Room 55 were deliberately layered and unreliable. These traits reinforced the central question: what is real and who can be trusted? I loved how the protagonist’s descent into doubt and fear was mirrored by the obscure motives of those around her. This characterization created a compelling psychological thriller that thrived on ambiguity and tension.

Helena Kubicek Boye fabricated a chilling and atmospheric mystery that blurred the line between sanity and suspicion. I was fascinated by the eerie tone and haunting reveal. Room 55 is most suited for readers that love intelligent atmospheric psychological mysteries with a clinical setting, emotionally complex characters, and a chilling awareness of suspense rooted in sanity and institutional confidentiality.

Thank you Net Galley and Saga Egmont for an advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review.