So, in real life i am a therapist so this book was just too far fetched for me, i live in this world daily and ended up shouting at my kindle "oh dont be ridiculous"

It didnt grip me, i found the entire thing utterly ludicrous, and no psychologist would ever do that, i understand she is a villian but psychologists are regulated and it would never be allowed. Anyway, as you can tell, it annoyed me a bit.

Not for me this one.

This is an unusual story that's well plotted. There are twists to keep you guessing and the plot is just this side of credible. The satisfying ending helped to make for an okay read.

The Grief Doctor

'A place free of judgement… for a life free of pain'

Wow this was a tough read. Probably not the best choice for someone who is a therapist and was widowed at 36! I do believe in facing things head on and not avoiding painful feelings so I ploughed straight in. Dr Elizabeth Codelle is the psychiatric genius behind her eponymous institute that’s situated on a private island and only takes one client at a time. Her background is impeccable: she’s the youngest ever graduate of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and lectured in Oxford University. After running a successful practice in LA for a while she ran the most prestigious award in psychiatry - the John Bright Fellow Award. Yet she’s not without controversy either, her methods are not for the faint-hearted. Surely she can help Arthur? Arthur is struggling to move on after the death of his wife and he’s tried everything. Despite having regular therapy he’s still feeling without hope. He’s stopped caring about his job, his family and his future. His mother is desperately worried about him and her concern is well founded as eventually he attempts to take his own life. Luckily, his mother is very wealthy and turns to the only person she thinks may be able to help - Dr Codelle. The doctor has one stipulation. She will help Arthur, but he must stay on the tiny Welsh island until he’s cured. Whatever that takes.

Whatever that takes turns out to be darker than I expected, with action and some deep emotional pain too. There were points where I wasn’t sure I liked it, but I couldn’t stop reading it either. Arthur has agreed to the two weeks ‘intensive’ programme, but doesn’t get what he’s expecting. Once he arrives the sense of isolation kicks in and he realises that he’s stuck here. The doctor’s methods are heavy and unrelenting. When I practice as a person-centred therapist my core conditions for therapy are to ‘prize’ the client, which means to have warmth and acceptance at all times, to remain empathic and non-judgemental, and finally to be congruent, so your most authentic self. That’s not what happens here and it’s so far from the way I work I could understand Arthur’s instinct to get off the island. Her plan is to remove the feelings he has for his late wife. This reminded me in some ways of ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ where a man is unable to cope with the break up of his relationship, so pays to have all his memories of her wiped from his mind. The problems start when he sees her in the street and feels compelled to watch her, feeling an attachment for a complete stranger. Whether or not memories can be fully erased it seems harder to erase the emotions. His brain didn’t remember her, but his heart definitely did. This book poses the question of feeling grief after a loved one has died - if there was a way to not feel pain at their passing? You would remember the person, just not the emotions attached.

The book has had mixed reviews but I think it’s a great concept for a novel and book clubs could debate it for hours. As it’s dealing intensively with the issue of grief it may be a bit of a ‘marmite’ book, you either love it or you don’t, perhaps dependent on your own experiences of loss. I thought the author could have done more to hide and then slowly reveal the darker side to the therapy institute, that might have helped the suspense aspect of the books. I found some of the therapy methods a tough read and I think they would have had more impact if introduced more slowly. Despite these small concerns I thought the book was a strong read, perfect fonread-alongs and discussion groups. It’s pacy once the truth unfolds and full of suspense. It made me question my own ways of dealing with grief and that’s always healthy. I had lots of thoughts about supervision, ethics and previous clients. What had made her adopt these working practices and at what point had she crossed the line from maverick to monster.


The Grief Doctor is the debut novel from Jack Anderson and will be published in June 2024.

Arthur, a young widow, seeks to escape his overwhelming grief by attending a remote therapeutic retreat run by the enigmatic Dr. Codelle. On this isolated island, Arthur encounters increasingly extreme and unorthodox treatments designed to help him overcome his sorrow. As the methods become more intense, the darkness surrounding the retreat deepens. This book skilfully explores the profound burden of grief, maintaining a steady pace with compelling twists that keep the reader engaged.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Arthur was devastated by the death of his wife. He has no interest in anything & attempted suicide. His mother is beside herself with worry & when she hears of the work of Dr Elizabeth Codelle it seems like a last resort. She runs a clinic on a small island off the West Coast, She takes one patient at a time & it is horrifyingly expensive but it will be worth it. Arthur agrees to try it, little realising what he was letting himself in for.

This was an interesting concept & the setting was well done. It captured the claustrophobic atmosphere very well. I'm not sure why I didn't enjoy it more than I did. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this eCopy to review

The Grief Doctor is a tense psychological thriller set on an Island off the Welsh Coast. After becoming a widower Arthur checks himself in at The Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute, how far will he go to be cured? Can you really cure grief? As the treatments become more and more extreme will Arthur survive?

An exploration of grief with some great plot twists

What extent would you go to, to not feel grief? Arthur becomes a young widow and burdened with the extreme sadness of his loss finds himself at a therapeutic retreat on a remote island under the control of the genius, and mysterious Dr Codelle. As the treatments become more extreme, the unorthodox therapeutic methods are pushed and the darkness quickly creeps in. This was a well written and thought provoking novel, with the burden and depth of grief insightfully explored. The plot keeps a steady pace, with good twists.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I find myself unable to continue reading this novel. The writing is fine, though heavily descriptive of places and settings. Poor Arthur’s grief at the loss of his wife is all too real, but I found the Doctor’s method to be exploitative, to the detriment of Arthur, and for her own satisfaction. It is chilling and disturbing in my opinion, and I really don’t want to read any more.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of the book.

Arthur arrives at Doctor Elizabeth Codelle’s exclusive therapeutic institute, on an isolated island, to start treatment for the grief he is experiencing for his wife. She promises that she can totally cure him but treatment is radical and he can not leave until he is completely cured. Will he get better and escape the island?

This was a great concept which I was interested in reading. The story quickly turned very dark and disturbing while raising intriguing questions about what you would do to eliminate grief and exploring addiction. I enjoyed that this was threaded with psychology and the eerie atmosphere the author managed to create. The pacing was up and down for me and I found that at times I wasn’t as invested as I should be, however this was definitely a well written thriller that makes you want to discuss with others. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

How far would you go to erase your grief after the death of a partner? When Arthur signs up to a therapy retreat on a remote island, he is ready for Dr Codelle to help him with the grief of his wife. However, the removal of that grief comes with a cost, and is Arthur ready to pay for it?

I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Grief Doctor, it didn’t have great reviews from previous readers when I started it, but I think it was a good read. Dealing in grief, it’s a difficult and polarising subject in general, and some of the therapy explored was genuinely heartbreaking and difficult to read (the video section in particular was awful!). Dr Codelle has very unorthodox methods for dealing with the addiction of grief and you are fully on Arthur’s side as he tries to escape. I would perhaps have liked a little more ‘normal’ side of the island to have been introduced before the darker side is thrown at us – I think that might have made a greater impact.

I liked that the book still felt in the realms of realism throughout – although it’s a pacy thriller, I didn’t feel taken out of the action at any point. It certainly makes you question how you feel about the idea of grief and leaves an impression on you long after you have turned the final page.

Overall, The Grief Doctor is a tricky read and one that leaves you with a lot of questions on how much grief we should hold on to when someone close to us leaves us. Thank you to NetGalley & Bloomsbury Publishing – Raven Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set against the backdrop of the remote and mysterious Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute, this chilling tale of genius, morality, and consequences will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

What sets "The Grief Doctor" apart is its masterful exploration of complex themes such as grief, addiction, and morality. Anderson's insightful portrayal of Arthur's journey is both poignant and thought-provoking, offering readers a window into the depths of despair and the lengths one will go to find relief. Through Arthur's eyes, we are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about the nature of addiction and the consequences of seeking a quick fix.

But it's not just the themes that make "The Grief Doctor" a compelling read; Anderson's prose is vivid and evocative, transporting readers to the windswept shores of the Welsh coast and the eerie confines of the institute. His descriptions are rich and immersive, painting a picture of a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

As Arthur grapples with the moral implications of Dr. Codelle's treatment, readers will find themselves questioning their own beliefs about right and wrong. Cured or not cured.

Arthur, a young widower struggling to cope with his wife's death finds himself at the Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute, a place promising revolutionary treatments for grief. However, the story turns rather dark as Arthur faces Dr. Codelle's extreme methods.

The book does well in portraying Arthur's grief and drawing you into his emotional turmoil. However, the plot that becomes slightly bizarre towards the end.

Struggling to cope after the death of his wife, Arthur agrees to be admitted to a private psychiatric facility with revolutionary new treatments that claim to cure any psychological problem, whether it be drug addiction or grief. Once at the facility, however, Arthur discovers that this quick fix comes at a massive price.

I struggled my way through this book, unfortunately. It was very heavy on description and I found myself getting bored quickly after pages of description of the facility building and surroundings. The plot I felt was engaging at first, but became bizarre and unbelievable towards the ending.

There are aspects that I’d recommend, however. Arthur’s character is strongly written and the reader is quickly invested in his wellbeing. In addition, the author does a good job of depicting grief, and there are parts of the book that are very affecting.

Not a bad book by any means, but not one that I’d strongly recommend.

The Grief Doctor is the debut novel from Jack Anderson and will be published in June 2024.

The story centres around Arthur, a young widower who can not get over or move on from the tragic death of his young wife. Despite grief counselling and regular therapy sessions, Arthur just can’t cope without his beloved soulmate. Struggling to carry on, he attempts to take his own life and finds himself waking up in hospital.

Arthur’s mother, an extremely wealthy woman and CEO of a very large, successful international company is understandably worried sick about her son. Unable to sit by and watch him fall apart, she wants to help him any way possible at any cost.

The Elizabeth Codelle Institute is a therapeutic rehabilitation centre run by Elizabeth Codelle, the youngest ever graduate from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm who lectured at Oxford before she was 25 and ran a leading psychiatric practice in LA where she was given the John Bright Fellow Award! Usually, it’s only bestowed following a lifetime of significant contribution to the field of psychology.

The Institute is located on a tiny isolated island off the coast of Wales and only takes one patient at a time (at an exorbitant price) and reluctantly Arthur agrees to a two week intense one-to-one programme with Codelle, or at least that what he thinks, because when he arrives everything becomes really dark and dangerous.

Codelle’s methods are harsh, disturbing and unrelentless. She’s determined to “help” Arthur face his grief and remove any emotions he has for his late wife by some very unorthodox treatment and Arthur just wants to get off the island and escape.

The Grief Doctor is a fast paced, emotional thriller which I really enjoyed. With a small cast, the story was intense and quite heavy in places. The subject of grief was dealt with sensitivity, and the “treatment methods” whilst unorthodox were certainly thought provoking.

I think this book would make a great book club choice as it certainly triggers some interesting discussion points and leaves the reader asking themselves “if you had the option to not feel grief at the death of someone you loved – to remember them but not feel pain at their loss – would you take it?”

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"The Grief Doctor" by Jack Anderson delves into the enigmatic world of The Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute, a secluded haven for the wealthy seeking a total cure for addiction. Dr. Codelle's unorthodox methods and exclusivity add layers of intrigue to the story. Widower Arthur's journey of healing and redemption under Dr. Codelle's care is both compelling and suspenseful. Anderson skillfully weaves a narrative that explores the complexities of grief, redemption, and the lengths one will go to find solace. This thought-provoking tale delves into the depths of human emotion and the quest for true healing.

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Struggling with writing style, not really loving it. I like the idea but the novel, no. Didn't seem to get involved with book, kept putting it down and didn't fall into a pace with it.

This is an unusual story that's well plotted. There are twists to keep you guessing and the plot is just this side of credible. The satisfying ending helped to make for an enjoyable read.

The premise of this novel was interesting and thought provoking. A well written and challenging literary thriller.

I found this novel a pleasant surprise, while there wasn’t a great deal of suspense there were good portrayals of desperation.

I enjoyed the answering of how far would you go to stop this and I think it’s a great book for book clubs as will bring many interesting conversations.

An enjoyable and thought provoking read - I am very fortunate *touch wood* to not have been impacted by grief in my life but I found it fascinating to see how all encompassing it can be and how it can impact the relationships around you and the lengths you may go to in order to find some comfort again - I would definitely revisit other works from this Author! gripping stuff!