Raw and disturbing, The Curing Room is a psychological thriller with an unforgettable twist.

Michael Winn’s The Curing Room is a swift psychological thriller that delves into themes of mental illness, revenge, and healing...

Language is direct and visceral. Opening chapters dwell on sharp observations of an average, even dreamy, day: the leaves on trees, what characters are wearing, normal interactions. The dreaminess ends in an sudden way, and the juxtaposition of violence with the ordinary is strong. The freshman’s accident is described in unflinching detail, with the same clarity as descriptions of summer leaves...

The story rides on misdirection, hiding key plot points until abrupt reveals. Characters lie and change their stories from chapter to chapter. Hooks are constant and attention is secured; intriguing cliffhangers are frequent. The facts aren’t clear until a late and surprising twist...

Characters who at first seem unimportant later prove to be vital. Others who first seem villainous prove to be heroes. Dialogue is blunt and hard-hitting, revealing layers in characters who seemed less dimensional before. The novel’s culminating question is not “What is the curing room?” but rather “What needs to be cured?”