The Graceview Patient

A Novel

By: Caitlin Starling

Narrated by: Xe Sands

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’s rare autoimmune condition has destroyed her life, leaving her isolated and in pain. 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.

©2025 Caitlin Starling (P)2025 Dreamscape Media

Soooooo Slow

This book reads very slow. Also, the ending felt abrupt and unfinished. I loved the idea of Misery meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but this book takes too long exploring the physical toll of the procedures instead of the furthering the plot. For the performance, it sounds like the person is constantly talking through their teeth with little change in tone or pitch.

Always waiting

I found through the whole book that I was just waiting for something to happen. It felt like the best part was just over the next page, but it always a few pages away! Having the main character be a complete wimp was disheartening! These are the reasons that I did not enjoy the book.
Here are some good things:
The story line has a great setup. The characters are believable, except maybe one! The idea is great! The setting was a big draw to keep me interested!
Overall it’s a 4/10 for me!