This was great! I've read several clinic/institution themed books this year but didn't see the twists in this one coming...On a mission to find out what happened to her sister, hooked on tablets and booze she enters the clinic to find out more, but who can be trusted in this place? the sketchy owner with a hidden past? the doctor who seems to see too much but not intervene, or the other residents all here for their own rehab needs. A real page turner.

The amount of characters made the story feel disjointed for me. I didn’t quite like the change in tempo. However, it was a decent story albeit rather unbelievable.

Haley is a famous singer and a patient in the clinic, treating her addictions. When she is found killed, sister Meg, enters the clinic to try and find out what really happened to her. Finding out the truth becomes harder than she thought it would be.

I enjoyed the setting of the clinic and found Megs backstory and character interesting. There are quite a few characters in the book and they all have their unique voices and are well written; although some are slightly annoying. I enjoyed finding out what really happened to Haley; although the pacing did dip in and out to get there. I did not expect the twist! I may have had to suspend my belief but the story was entertaining and slightly different. I haven’t read the author’s other books but I will be looking back at them after reading this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 rounded up

Meg works at a casino in Los Angeles, her job to catch cheaters but it’s taken its toll with a work based injury leading to overuse of pill popping. Her sister, Haley Banks, is a famous actress and after one successful sting operation, Meg hears a news report of Haley’s death at a remote rehabilitation clinic. Later, rumours surface of the possibility that Haley commits suicide and so Meg realises the only way she can discover the truth is to check herself into the clinic. She becomes increasingly convinced that Haley has been murdered. The story is narrated by Meg which works well and by Cara Morse, the manager of the clinic. Whilst the information that Cara learns is useful to the investigation, her point of view is more bland than Megs - less personal involvement I guess.

I really like the premise of this latest novel from the talented Cate Quinn and this one is personal for her as she explains at the start. However, whilst there is much to praise I can’t get around the fact that it is slow to get going. Thankfully, the pace does pick up helped by the short sharp chapters and then it becomes a very gripping read. On occasion, it does feel like a surreal ride into crazy town due to the behaviour of some of the celebrity inmates and a very dodgy clinician in charge in Dr Lutz, there are very odd vibes and inevitably there are game players. It’s engrossing as emotions run wild and it becomes clear that it’s a wider deeper issue that what may or may not be going on at the clinic. It becomes quite shocking with some weird and disturbing incidents which are interspersed with Meg’s memories, disassociation and obvious trauma from the past.

It’s hard to like the characters although I do like Meg as she has guts and determination. Through Cara your suspicions are allowed to grow as what the manager thought she knew about her place of employment is blown out of the water. Lutz is central to this and I like the believable direction the author takes the plot.

So, all becomes very intriguing but then I feel as if the crazy train suffers a bit of a derailment with a wheel or two rolling off which is a disappointment after such a good build up. It seems to me to feel rushed and a bit far fetched. However, the storytelling overall has a lot of merit and so I’ve rounded my star rating up as I like what the author has tried to do here.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This was a great read, especially as it had me questioning who to trust. For me this helped build the suspense and tension throughout

The Clinic is an extremely private facility along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. It offers the ultimate in luxurious rehab facilities, where celebrities can go to dry out, or deal with other very public woes, safely away from the limelight.

Unfortunately, when one young country singer and wannabe actress ends up dead, the hush hush nature of the place makes it very difficult to be certain of the exact cause of death. There are murmurs that this may have been suicide rather than an overdose, but Haley's sister Meg does not believe that.

Meg and Haley have always had a complicated relationship, and an extremely tortuous past - including a difficult childhood and some very serious unanswered questions related to childhood trauma and Mr Priest. This is an intriguing part of the book, and one aspect that I think that the author handled very well.

What is actually going on at the clinic may require a degree of suspension of disbelief, but it is probably not beyond the realm of what is possible. The story has many twists, and quite a high degree of misdirection that readers will find satisfying.

The characters are well drawn, and barring a few unnecessary interactions (perhaps intended to add more layers of red herrings), the nature of the bond between addicts is also rendered very authentically. Possibly because Quinn knows first-hand what she is writing about here. This is the first book that she has written sober.

My only complaint about the story was that the beginning is misleading - not an unreasonable thing for a thriller - but it does not stand up to scrutiny post facto, which irritates me somewhat.

Other than that, and probably (rightly) undeterred by that, I suspect this will be a huge hit with readers in general, and Quinn's fans in particular. I give it 3.5 stars and wish her great success with the book.

After enjoying Black Widows by Quinn I was excited to read more by her.
I went into this not knowing much of the synopsis, but I found myself gripped from the very beginning. With fast paced writing I flew through this. Not wanting to put it down.
Seeing how far Meg would go to find the truth about her sister.
This story is full of questionable characters. You don't know who to trust. Is anyone even telling the truth.
I found myself jumping between theories throughout. But was still surprised by the final reveals and twists.
The last 10% was packed with action that I worried the book would end unfinished. Thankfully it didn't.