The Grief Doctor – Jack Anderson

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?

‘A place free of judgement. for a life free of pain’

The Elizabeth Codelle Therapeutic Institute is the world’s most exclusive clinic: eye-wateringly expensive and located on a small island off the Welsh coast, it is run by controversial genius Dr Codelle. She takes only one patient at a time, she keeps them away from the outside world while they’re in her care – and she gets results. Because Dr Codelle doesn’t just promise an easing of the symptoms of addiction, she promises a total cure. And widower Arthur, whose grief at the loss of his wife has brought him to the point of destruction, can’t be allowed to leave the island.

Not until he submits to Codelle’s treatment, and is all better…

Book Info: Print length: 368 pages. Publisher: Raven Books. Publication Date: 6 June 2024

My Thoughts:

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?”

Rating: 4 out of 5.