This was such a fun read and I was sucked in from the very first chapter. I was a little hesitant at first, since this was almost 450 pages long and I wasn't sure how a seemingly straightforward mystery would handle being stretched out for that long. However, I think Quinn did a great job of layering a few different plot threads as well as weaving these plots together at different points in the book.
I loved all the characters in this read - especially Meg. She is such an interesting and complex character. I loved how the mystery thread is intertwined with Meg's character development and how, eventually, Meg comes around to the idea that in order to find out what happened to her sister, she'll have to work on herself first. Meg can certainly fall into the 'unlikable female' main character but I found her to be incredibly realistic. While we do get multiple POVs in this book, I found Meg to be the most well rounded character and I loved getting her inner monologue. I do wish we had more time to see her life before rehab because her connection/relationships outside of the Clinic do play a role in the overall story. The cast of characters at the Clinic were fantastic and we really get a whole range of emotions and reactions to the events happening throughout the book.
Obviously, since this was set in a rehab clinic, there is a lot of discussion about addiction of various types. I don't personally have any experience in this area so I can't speak personally to the representation. However, there is a note in the book that says Quinn was inspired to write this book after her own experience in rehab. I did enjoy the different types of addiction we see represented across the different characters and the different areas of recovery each of the characters are in. We also get some POVs from the professionals working at the Clinic and it was interesting to get their views on addiction, recovery, and the patients there.
I was expecting this to read more like a typical mystery where Meg is investigating and checking people off her suspects list. However, the investigation was used to sort of highlight Meg's own struggles with her relationships and her addictions. There are a number of times where she sort of recaps her investigation up to this point and realizes she hasn't really gotten anywhere substantial but that doesn't stop her from making accusations. While I was initially a little annoyed (I love a straight up isolated murder mystery) I do think overall this was the right choice as it fleshed out Meg's character even more. She does solve the mystery at the end, but only after a good chunk of personal growth and character development.
On paper, this ending feels like it should be one of those off the rails endings that I absolutely love. However, it didn't quite land right for me. After giving it some thought, I came to the conclusion that while I very much enjoyed the twist aspect (I certainly didn't see it coming), I think it deflated some of the character development we get throughout the previous 400 pages. But as with any twisty endings, results will vary reader to reader.
Overall, this was a good mystery with a great cast of characters. The topic of rehab/addiction is core to the story but felt like it was handled well. I loved Meg and her journey throughout the book. The ending didn't work for me as well as I would have liked, but I can see other readers liking it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Expected publication date is January 23, 2024.
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