**advance review copy received from NetGalley in return for an honest review***
This book does exactly what you hope it will when you pick it up - a slick, pacy thriller that grabs your attention from the first page and doesn’t let go of it until the end. Perfect beach read.

Cassandra Harlow is shocked when her friend and co-worker Sara O’Neil fell to her death from their office rooftop. Sara had it all.... she had recently been made partner in their law firm, something Cassandra is working towards. Sure, she had been stressed lately, but Cassandra refuses to believe it was suicide. Then she discovers Sara was a member of a women's-only club, called Inside, that is available by invitation only, and they limit the number of members. Rumor has it, since Sara is dead, a spot is now open, and Cassandra wants to try to infiltrate Inside and find out what they know about her friend's death.

I really enjoyed this book. It was non-stop action and chills, and towards the end there were a couple of big reveals that I definitely didn't see coming. This is perfect for fans of J P Delaney, B A Paris, and Tarryn Fisher.

This book literally starts and ends with jaw dropping situations. The meat in between those two events is equally as shocking but puts them into context, and I for one read the last sentence of the book with a buzz of a satisfied smile - does that make me a bad person? I'll let you decide when you've read the book.

The day to day workings of legal companies is outside of most people's knowledge base. Unless you've worked at one of them you're unlikely to have stepped behind the scenes. They are usually very well-presented, smart, shiny places with highly qualified, expensively dressed professional staff. But would you really want to be one of their number? It is well known that the hours are long, the pressures unbelievable - the need for things to be done in a timely manner with impeccable attention to detail is paramount. But what if you worked your backside off, only to be overlooked when it came to promotion purely because you were born the wrong gender? It's been happening for decades in the professions, the Old Boys' Network and Gentlemen's clubs ensuring that only the "right" people get the top jobs. In other words...Men Only. But all this is beginning to change, but only if you have access to The Clique. A mysterious, members-only society which helps the cream of the crop of women professionals get a Louboutin-clad toe into all the places and jobs that have previously only been offered to the men. But what is the price of success? Would you be willing to pay it?

This novel takes us on a nail-biting journey as Cass endeavours to find out what happened to her friend and colleague Sara O'Neil. She puts herself in ever more dangerous situations, even onto the radar of the local police as her investigations get closer to the truth. But who can she trust and will she reach the prize before someone decides she's gone far enough and takes her out of the game?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which looks at the not-so-attractive underbelly of the corporate law world, and personally I think it has the best last sentence of a book that I've read in a long time. An excellent finale Miss Barnsley. Bravo!

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication and, in doing so, discover another author whose work I will be exploring further.

Sara O'Neil a partner/lawyer and mentor to Cassandra (Cass) Harlow a senior associate in the large law firm of Carrey and Watson falls froma fall from the roof of the multi storey law office roof. Is this a suicide or something more sinister? cass is in no doubt it was not suicide.

Cass discovers that Sara was a member of an elite secret female networking group called "Inside" and in the strong belief that this plays a part in Sara's death applies for membership in order to investigate her friend/colleague's death. The process is long, quirky and seemingly deadly.

This was a slow burner and really did not catch fire for me. I found Cass's relentless attempts at trying to join the group a bit of a stretch. However, given that it was the author's first book it was a reasonable read and I think this author has potential. I would certainly look for any future books

Thanks to Netgalley UK and publishers Harper Collins UK, One more Chapter for the arc copy of the book in exchange for a fair unbiased review

Rhianon Barnsley delivers a debut thriller that is intriguing to say the least.

As she navigates main character Cass through a toxic work environment. Which begins with the death of her friend and colleague Sara. Who seemingly jumps from the rooftop of her work building shocking everyone. But especially Cass. Who can't believe anyone as together as Sara would commit suicide.

But then things take a drastic turn when Cass is herself subjected to an extremely aggressive client during a lunch meeting and on reporting him to her bosses. She finds herself fired and needing to find a new job within three months.

However, Cass soon finds a group of allies when she is invited to interview for 'Inside' a secret society like no other and one whose all female members help get elite professional woman to the top.

By any means necessary.

But to gain access to this clique you have to undergo a rigorous process and do whatever is required.

And when Cass learns Sara was a part of this clique she is more determined than ever to gain access. Especially as she doesn't quite believe Sara committed suicide.

But surely the clique wouldn't kill one of there own, would they?

And with an interesting storyline. That underscores the misogyny and inequality in the workplace. This was an enjoyable cat and mouse read. That lacked a little in the pacing department but more than made up for it in other ways and I'm excited to see what this author offers next.

Please be aware this story features suicide, drugs and sexual assault so proceed with care.

Not quite what I was expecting but still a satisfying drama/mystery with an original concept, some clever reveals and enough tension to build anticipation for the reader.

Some of the events were unpalatable and hard to believe but I guess this was required in order for the club/clique to feel so evil.

The ending felt like it was going to be a bit clique but then there was a point of difference and a wicked left turn.

Really enjoyed this thrilling ride of a book, set in the toxic world of corporate law, where a colleague has supposedly killed herself, It kept me guessing with some unexpected twists and reveals and was a fun, fast read.

This book is an absolute page-turner that immediately plunges us into the gripping aftermath of Sara's passing and the shocking revelations surrounding the company she was a part of. Cassandra Harlow's determination and her passion for bringing justice to light add an extra layer of depth to the story. When the protagonist experiences a harrowing ordeal at her workplace and is abandoned to fend for herself while her company turns a blind eye, the narrative takes a riveting turn. Her decision to seek sanctuary with Inside raises compelling questions about the organization's true motives. The intricate web of deceit and the characters' emotional odyssey make this book an enthralling and provocative read. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone in search of a captivating and absorbing tale. Happy reading!

#PageTurner #GrippingRead #Justice #Intrigue #EmotionalJourney #ThoughtProvoking #Captivating #Absorbing #BookRecommendation #HappyReading

Loved the premise. The whole idea of a secret women’s club, helping increase women’s profiles and secure them promotions in their high flying careers.

Case is first drawn to ‘inside’ when a colleague Sara jumps from the roof of their building. Working for as a corporate lawyer Cass knows Sara will have been under enormous pressure with long working hours but she doesn’t believe she took her own life.
When she discovers Sara was a member of Inside she wants to investigate and find out if they had any involvement in her death.
Whilst going through the initiation process her world start to fall apart, she loses her job and another friend.
As Cass and her new boyfriend George dig deeper will they find the truth or put themselves in more danger?

The plot had enough twist and turns to keep me intrigued and I loved the ending.
I liked the character of Cass especially how she kept fighting to find the truth of what happened to her friends

A twisty thriller centred around toxic, misogynistic workplaces and an exclusive secret society who just might be able to help you rise the ranks. But the only way in is if someone leaves.. or dies.

Cass is a great lawyer, but is always having to work twice as hard to get recognised compared to her male counterparts. When her friend and mentor, Sara, seemingly jumps from the office rooftop - Cass knows that something is amiss.

She starts to investigate the society that Sara was a part of, an exclusive, women's only group that is only for the best of the best in their fields. However, she comes to realise that this society has some dark, hidden secrets..

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
An enjoyable, twisty thriller that kept me captivated to read it in one sitting. From the very first pages, I was intrigued by what had actually happened to Sara - did she jump, or was she pushed?

I always love a novel with a secret society, and uncovering the dark truths that they hold. I really enjoyed following Cass infiltrating the ranks, playing a game of cat and mouse.

As a debut novel by Rhiannon, I'm looking forward to reading more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for this copy. This review is voluntary.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This tense crime thriller follows Cassandra Harlow who is a lawyer. Her friend and Colleague Sara recently fell to their death from the office building, and the police are investigating.

Shortly after her death, Cassandra learns of a society which Sara may have been a member. She decides to see if she can apply not only to help her own career but discover if Sara’s death was an accident.

The society is very elite, and only recruits new members when there is departure from the society. Soon Cassandra learns the Society may not be all it seems, and it may be deadly to peruse her investigation.

Was Sara’s death an accident? Will Cassandra learn too much?

This crime thriller builds tension throughout as Cassandra learns more about the society, and in a way, it is creepy how much they know about their potential new members.

I found myself willing Cassandra to succeed in her investigation, but it is hard for her to know who to trust which adds to the tension.

I would love to read more from this author, as I found this thriller enthralling throughout.

Overall, a tense crime thriller where being part of an elite society may be deadly.

An interesting story from a new author who takes her inspiration from her background as a corporate lawyer. Unable to believe that her friend and colleague Sara has committed suicide Cass investigates a secretive organisation which supposedly helps professional women gain advancement in their careers. The book is scathing about male and class privilege within the city of London and particularly within the corporate legal profession. The plot moves along at a good pace but the ending arrives rather suddenly and somewhat is somewhat unsatisfactory. The book however is very readable and I could easily see it as a Netflix series. A good start from a debut author

The author is a corporate lawyer, so it's obviously going to be based in reality, but at times it was stretched a little too far for me.

Cass is a lawyer about to hopefully make partner, when her mentor Sara, falls to her death at the office. Cass feels a bit at sea without her guidance and suggestions on how to deal with office politics. Only it might be that Sara herself wasn't who Cass thought she was, someone with all her ducks in a row. Maybe the secret society "Inside" have some of the answers but first Cass needs to gain membership to find out. With limited membership slots it's not going to be easy.

What ensues is towards the end of the book a page turning thriller. Cass certainly has lots of guts which made for edge of the seat reading. I did wonder what Cass was going to do as her avenues became closed and her allies lessening. I thought that in places the writing was overly descriptive and explanatory. Don't get me wrong it's a great story and I enjoyed the read, but the writing shows it as a debut novel for me.

Wow is all I can say. This book had me hooked from the get go.
A murder myster or was it suicide? And what is this all ladies society to advance careers. There’s so many questions that all get answered.

This book was full of twists and turns and was so easy to read. I did not want to put this book down.

This book being the author’s debut felt like they have been writing for a very long time. I can’t wait to see what else this author publishes in the future.

A brilliant, suspenseful debut thriller about the toxicity of surviving in a competitive law firm. Our story is told in first person narrative.

We follow the FMC who witnesses her colleague, Sara, fall from the rooftop of their office to the ground. It’s supposedly a case of suicide. But then her close friend and colleague at the office tells her about a space opening up at Inside - a group that Sara was a part of. Now that Sara has died there’s a vacant spot. Inside is a super-secret organisation for women in the corporate world. Our FMC is mildly intrigued at first but when something horrible happens at work and she’s given a notice period that’ll make her redundant in three months (and she’s been blacklisted from other firms) suddenly she’s desperate to join Inside…however tensions increase when she starts to realise Inside isn’t quite what they claim to be.

I completely devoured this book. It’s extremely gripping and engaging, with compelling characters who are relatable. There are some shocks at the end and the ending is a sucker punch. Absolutely outstanding!

Dunno about you but the title attracted me, I didn’t read any blurb at all, the words ‘The Clique’ were enough

But its way way more than I thought

Think ‘The Firm’ alongside Suits but kinda darker….well much darker

Add a ‘secret society’ for the top 100 women in the business world and then one of them dying that creates an opening for someone new to join ( with a while process to go through ) and you are ready for this really entertaining and well written debut

Be prepared to be shocked at the levels of misogyny and corruption within the world of top lawyer companies and the underhand lengths the bosses are prepared to go to keep the illusion of perfection going

A great one sitting read full of murky going on’s and easy to read characters

It can’t really be like this in those tall metal and glass bastions of wealth….can it??

High-flying lawyer Sara O'Neil has it all; the career, the money, the prestige. And then she jumped to her death.

Cassandra Harlow never expected to see her friend fall from their office rooftop. Someone knows what really happened. But the only people who might know the truth are a secret women-only society, inside, whose promise is to fast-track your career.

But if Sara was part of it, and they helped facilitate her rise to the top, could they also be the reason she came crashing down to earth?

Sara O'Neil had it all; the career, the money, the prestige, so why did she take her own life? Cassandra doesn't believe Sara would take her own life and decides to do her own investigating.

This story starts slowly, but it's not long before the pace soon picks up. Cassie and Sara worked in a mainly male-run law firm. But Cassie finds out that Sara was a member of an elite women-only society. Did they have something to do with Sara's suicide? This is a pretty decent debut novel, but you do have to suspend your beliefs a little. Was it suicide - or something more sinister? Read the book and you'll find out.

Published 1st August 2024

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK #OneMoreChapter and the author #RhiannonBarnsley for my ARC of #TheClique in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pacy, gripping read exploring the toxic dynamics of working in a London law firm from the perspective of a woman and how it’s mostly very much still an old boy’s group.
This follows our female protagonist who’s been working hard for years hoping for a promotion. One morning there’s a thud. Someone has fallen from the roof. Not just anyone - it’s her colleague Sara who recently seemed to be ascending in her career. So why would she killed herself? Then our protagonist hears something about Inside, an all woman’s group, that Sara was once a part of. When our protagonist is horribly assaulted at work and her firm turn a blind eye, she decides she apply to Inside….but is Inside really who they say they are?
There’s lots of topical themes here. I found the masculine office dynamic really infuriating and it reminded me of my temp days in the City and how unfortunately not much has changed. The Clique is such a relatable read. I did find, however, the ending was cray-cray and that the story too abruptly for my taste. I wanted a bit more of an explanation regarding a few characters. That being aside, this is a brilliant suspense debut and I look forward to the author’s future work.

The Clique by Rhiannon Barnsley is taut and suspenseful in all the right places, as a psychological thriller ought to be. Twists keep coming until the fantastic ending. Reading was quick and the combination of brisk and slow paces reeled me in and kept me in a pleasantly high-alert state.

Fed up with workplace stress and pressures, Sara jumps off her law office building. Her friend and co-worker Cass discovers the existence of a secret female society nearly impossible to join. Combined with the toxic work environment, she begins to make sense of her friend's death. She's worked to the bone herself, her boss is insufferable and time isn't her own. All for prestige, power and money. The Inside is intriguing and elite. But who can be trusted?

The corporate office setting along with its angst, politics, insincerity, unwritten rules and misogyny is written so realistically it took me back to a workplace I left for those reasons. The plot is fascinating with characters I enjoyed hating. A few details are implausible but not enough to adversely impact my reading experience. Simply put, I really liked The Clique and hope the author writes more in this genre.

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this engrossing novel.

The Clique kept me gripped throughout. I actually think it could become a film.

The clique is about the dark side of career driven people, greed and power.

4.5 star