By: Cate Quinn
ISBN: 9781728293981
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Publication Date: 01/23/2024
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
From the critically acclaimed author of Black Widows comes a thriller set in a remote rehab clinic on the Pacific Northwest coast, in which the death of a woman inside prompts her sister to enter the clinic as a patient in order to find the truth. Perfect for fans of Stacy Willingham and Tarryn Fisher!
Meg works for a casino in LA, catching cheaters and popping a few too many pain pills to cope, following a far different path than her sister Haley, a famous actress. But suddenly reports surface of Haley dying at the remote rehab facility where she had been forced to go to get her addictions under control.
There are whispers of suicide, but Meg can't believe it. She decides that the best way to find out what happened to her sister is to check in herself – to investigate what really happened from the inside.
Battling her own addictions and figuring out the truth will be much more difficult than she imagined, far away from friends, family – and anyone who could help her.
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My Review
From the author of Black Widows comes her latest and highly anticipated, THE CLINIC — a heart-pounding, twisty personal psychological thriller exploring themes of trauma, addiction, and the complex bonds of two sisters that will keep you turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning.
Meg works with Luckie's Casino in LA, California, and uses her specific skill set to catch criminals. She drinks too much, pops pills, and battles her demons and addictions.
After receiving texts from Haley, her sister, a famous actress (who enjoys drama), she first ignores it until she gets the news that Hayley has died in a rehab called The Clinic in the Pacific Northwest.
What happened to Hayley Banks? The headlines are not favorable, from suicide, heroin overdose, or murder.
With her investigative skills, Meg decides to enter the Clinic to find out what happened to her. What kind of treatment are the patients of the Clinic receiving? Are they safe or ethical?
The mansion house was kind of a fairytale, Victorian style, set on a hill overlooking the coast with wrap-around balconies, turrets, fish-scale siding, and a high fence at a maximum security prison.
As soon as she arrives at the Clinic, she senses things are off, not only between the patients but also among the staff. The illusive D. Lutz owns the Clinic. Meg is determined to find out what went on here. Cara is the manager.
Meg and Haley have a complex relationship but care about one another. To solve her sister's murder, she needs to solve herself and figure out the source of her and Haley's childhood trauma.
Cara finds Haley's things and sees her journal. "My name is Haley Banks. I am an addict. The substance I use is human beings. I am out of control. And I don't care."
Who tore out the pages and why?
However, what dangers are lurking inside The Clinic? Will Meg get her answers and come out alive? What happened to Hayley Banks?
Trauma and addiction are vital themes throughout the narrative, with impacts on the characters they carry through life.
I enjoyed the personal story from the author about her rehab and alcoholism and the process of being with other addicts, which was transformative and allowed an understanding of how trauma is at the root of addiction. This experience inspired the fictional version of THE CLINIC.
TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION.
I enjoyed THE CLINIC immensely. I found Meg's choice of career fascinating and, of course, being brave enough to go undercover at the Clinic to do her sleuthing to find out what happened to her sister, putting herself in harm's way.
Told from alternating POVs, Meg (enjoyed Meg's character the most) and Cara (the Clinic's manager), the setting is atmospheric and gives Gothic vibes. I enjoyed the short chapters and the eerie cryotherapy chamber was scary. With a cast of supporting characters, THE CLINIC is character-driven and deeply psychological —exploring the depths of human resilience, survival, and complex familial bonds.
This is my first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more. For fans of Carol Goodman, Ruth Ware, Rachel Hawkins, Sarah Pearse, Alice Feeney, and Lisa Jewell.
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital review copy for my honest feedback and the introduction to this talented author.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 23, 2024
Praise
"The thorny relationship between two estranged sisters powers this atmospheric thriller...Quinn's fans will be rapt."
― Publishers Weekly
"Hooks readers from the start and has twists and turns that will keep them guessing. Themes of addiction, trauma, and grief set this apart from other thrillers, and readers can sense Quinn's personal rehab experience, which she writes about in her acknowledgements...hard to put down."
― Booklist
"The Clinic drew me in from its tense first page and left me thinking long after I finished it. It's a twisty mystery with feeling that kept me turning the pages until well into the night."
― Sara Ochs, author of The Resort
"Cate Quinn's propulsive thriller, The Clinic, reads like an edge-of-your-seat page-turner, with clever twists and turns and redirections, all while taking place at an unconventional rehab clinic in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest coast, but at its core this is a haunting story of addiction, long-lasting trauma, and the power of transformative change―I absolutely loved it."
― Ashley Tate, author of Twenty-Seven Minutes
"A fast-paced, personal and twisty thriller that deals brilliantly with trauma and addiction while propelling us through the story. Loved it."
― Anna Mazzola, bestselling author of The Unseeing, The Clockwork Girl and The House of Whispers
"The Clinic weaves moving portrayals of rehab into a twisty, beautifully written mystery. With enigmatic characters and a vivid atmosphere, Cate Quinn delivers a pitch-perfect page-turner. I devoured it."
― R.J. Jacobs, author of This Is How We End Things
"Set in the world of luxury rehab, this novel is punchy, pacy, and yes, completely addictive―a tense and twisty read."
― Emma Kavanagh, author of The Missing Hours
"Asks whether the most dangerous secrets are the ones we keep from ourselves… Quinn, like an alchemist, managed to turn a dark period into page-turning gold."
― Derek Farrell, author of the Danny Bird Mysteries.
"An absolutely propulsive read that grabbed me by the throat and never let go until the final page."
― Cass Green, author of In a Cottage in a Wood
"With relentless writing and twists around every corner, Cate Quinn weaves a gripping mystery through the world of luxury rehab that will have you saying ‘one more chapter’ until you hit the final page. So be warned, once you step foot in The Clinic, the doors lock behind you." ―
Tony Wirt, author of Just Stay Away
"I loved The Clinic… it has so many twists I nearly forgot I’ve been sober for nearly four years. And underneath the rollocking story, there’s a serious look at the nature of addiction and how it can tear lives apart."
― Julia Crouch, author of The Daughters and The New Mother
About the Author
Catherine Quinn is a bestselling fiction author whose books are published in over fifteen countries. She writes contemporary thrillers as Cate Quinn, and her historical thrillers are published under the pen name CS Quinn. WEBSITE
Catherine’s was a travel and lifestyle journalist for The Times, The Guardian and The Mirror, alongside many magazines. Prior to journalism and fiction, her background in historic research won prestigious postgraduate funding from the British Art Council.
Combining research skills with far-flung travel experiences helped her delve into different communities and worlds to create page-turning thrillers in interesting locations.
She writes a blog about her adventures eating scary food at www.thefoodexplorer.co.uk.
