diff --git a/pinecone/client.go b/pinecone/client.go
index 2461344..a6573d4 100644
--- a/pinecone/client.go
+++ b/pinecone/client.go
@@ -107,24 +107,6 @@ func (c *Client) IndexWithAdditionalMetadata(host string, namespace string, addi
 	return idx, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Client) extractAuthHeader() map[string]string {
-	possibleAuthKeys := []string{
-		"api-key",
-		"authorization",
-		"access_token",
-	}
-
-	for key, value := range c.headers {
-		for _, checkKey := range possibleAuthKeys {
-			if strings.ToLower(key) == checkKey {
-				return map[string]string{key: value}
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 func (c *Client) ListIndexes(ctx context.Context) ([]*Index, error) {
 	res, err := c.restClient.ListIndexes(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -132,12 +114,17 @@ func (c *Client) ListIndexes(ctx context.Context) ([]*Index, error) {
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status code: %d", res.StatusCode)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to list indexes: ")
 	}
 
 	var indexList control.IndexList
-	err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&indexList)
+	err = json.Unmarshal(resBodyBytes, &indexList)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -221,16 +208,16 @@ func (c *Client) CreatePodIndex(ctx context.Context, in *CreatePodIndexRequest)
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
-		var errResp control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errResp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create index: %s", errResp.Error.Message)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to create index: ")
 	}
 
-	return decodeIndex(res.Body)
+	return decodeIndex(resBodyBytes)
 }
 
 type CreateServerlessIndexRequest struct {
@@ -261,16 +248,16 @@ func (c *Client) CreateServerlessIndex(ctx context.Context, in *CreateServerless
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
-		var errResp control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errResp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create index: %s", errResp.Error.Message)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to create index: ")
 	}
 
-	return decodeIndex(res.Body)
+	return decodeIndex(resBodyBytes)
 }
 
 func (c *Client) DescribeIndex(ctx context.Context, idxName string) (*Index, error) {
@@ -280,16 +267,16 @@ func (c *Client) DescribeIndex(ctx context.Context, idxName string) (*Index, err
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		var errResp control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errResp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
-		}
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to describe idx: %s", errResp.Error.Message)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to describe index: ")
 	}
 
-	return decodeIndex(res.Body)
+	return decodeIndex(resBodyBytes)
 }
 
 func (c *Client) DeleteIndex(ctx context.Context, idxName string) error {
@@ -299,13 +286,13 @@ func (c *Client) DeleteIndex(ctx context.Context, idxName string) error {
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusAccepted {
-		var errResp control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errResp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
-		}
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete index: %s", errResp.Error.Message)
+		return handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to delete index: ")
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -318,12 +305,17 @@ func (c *Client) ListCollections(ctx context.Context) ([]*Collection, error) {
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status code: %d", res.StatusCode)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to list collections: ")
 	}
 
 	var collectionsResponse control.CollectionList
-	if err := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&collectionsResponse); err != nil {
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(resBodyBytes, &collectionsResponse); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -342,11 +334,16 @@ func (c *Client) DescribeCollection(ctx context.Context, collectionName string)
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unexpected status code: %d", res.StatusCode)
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to describe collection: ")
 	}
 
-	return decodeCollection(res.Body)
+	return decodeCollection(resBodyBytes)
 }
 
 type CreateCollectionRequest struct {
@@ -366,17 +363,16 @@ func (c *Client) CreateCollection(ctx context.Context, in *CreateCollectionReque
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
-	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
-		var errorResponse control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errorResponse)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
 
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create collection: %s", errorResponse.Error.Message)
+	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
+		return nil, handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to create collection: ")
 	}
 
-	return decodeCollection(res.Body)
+	return decodeCollection(resBodyBytes)
 }
 
 func (c *Client) DeleteCollection(ctx context.Context, collectionName string) error {
@@ -386,14 +382,31 @@ func (c *Client) DeleteCollection(ctx context.Context, collectionName string) er
 	}
 	defer res.Body.Close()
 
-	// Check for successful response, consider successful HTTP codes like 200 or 204 as successful deletion
+	resBodyBytes, err := io.ReadAll(res.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	if res.StatusCode != http.StatusAccepted {
-		var errResp control.ErrorResponse
-		err = json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&errResp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
+		return handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes, res.StatusCode, "failed to delete collection: ")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *Client) extractAuthHeader() map[string]string {
+	possibleAuthKeys := []string{
+		"api-key",
+		"authorization",
+		"access_token",
+	}
+
+	for key, value := range c.headers {
+		for _, checkKey := range possibleAuthKeys {
+			if strings.ToLower(key) == checkKey {
+				return map[string]string{key: value}
+			}
 		}
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete collection '%s': %s", collectionName, errResp.Error.Message)
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -438,9 +451,9 @@ func toIndex(idx *control.IndexModel) *Index {
 	}
 }
 
-func decodeIndex(resBody io.ReadCloser) (*Index, error) {
+func decodeIndex(resBodyBytes []byte) (*Index, error) {
 	var idx control.IndexModel
-	err := json.NewDecoder(resBody).Decode(&idx)
+	err := json.Unmarshal(resBodyBytes, &idx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode idx response: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -463,9 +476,9 @@ func toCollection(cm *control.CollectionModel) *Collection {
 	}
 }
 
-func decodeCollection(resBody io.ReadCloser) (*Collection, error) {
+func decodeCollection(resBodyBytes []byte) (*Collection, error) {
 	var collectionModel control.CollectionModel
-	err := json.NewDecoder(resBody).Decode(&collectionModel)
+	err := json.Unmarshal(resBodyBytes, &collectionModel)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode collection response: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -473,6 +486,65 @@ func decodeCollection(resBody io.ReadCloser) (*Collection, error) {
 	return toCollection(&collectionModel), nil
 }
 
+func decodeErrorResponse(resBodyBytes []byte) (*control.ErrorResponse, error) {
+	var errorResponse control.ErrorResponse
+	err := json.Unmarshal(resBodyBytes, &errorResponse)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to decode error response: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if errorResponse.Status == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse ErrorResponse: %v", string(resBodyBytes))
+	}
+
+	return &errorResponse, nil
+}
+
+type errorResponseMap struct {
+	StatusCode int    `json:"status_code"`
+	Body       string `json:"body,omitempty"`
+	ErrorCode  string `json:"error_code,omitempty"`
+	Message    string `json:"message,omitempty"`
+	Details    string `json:"details,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func handleErrorResponseBody(resBodyBytes []byte, statusCode int, errMsgPrefix string) error {
+	var errMap errorResponseMap
+
+	errMap.StatusCode = statusCode
+
+	// try and decode ErrorResponse
+	if json.Valid(resBodyBytes) {
+		errorResponse, err := decodeErrorResponse(resBodyBytes)
+		if err == nil {
+			errMap.Message = errorResponse.Error.Message
+			errMap.ErrorCode = string(errorResponse.Error.Code)
+
+			if errorResponse.Error.Details != nil {
+				errMap.Details = fmt.Sprintf("%+v", errorResponse.Error.Details)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	errMap.Body = string(resBodyBytes)
+
+	if errMap.Message != "" {
+		errMap.Message = errMsgPrefix + errMap.Message
+	}
+
+	return formatError(errMap)
+}
+
+func formatError(errMap errorResponseMap) error {
+	jsonString, err := json.Marshal(errMap)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	baseError := fmt.Errorf(string(jsonString))
+
+	return &PineconeError{Code: errMap.StatusCode, Msg: baseError}
+}
+
 func buildClientBaseOptions(in NewClientBaseParams) []control.ClientOption {
 	clientOptions := []control.ClientOption{}
 
@@ -546,3 +618,8 @@ func minOne(x int32) int32 {
 	}
 	return x
 }
+
+func PrettifyStruct(obj interface{}) string {
+	bytes, _ := json.MarshalIndent(obj, "", "  ")
+	return string(bytes)
+}
diff --git a/pinecone/client_test.go b/pinecone/client_test.go
index c5533d1..2f72c9c 100644
--- a/pinecone/client_test.go
+++ b/pinecone/client_test.go
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ package pinecone
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -27,6 +29,47 @@ func TestClient(t *testing.T) {
 	suite.Run(t, new(ClientTests))
 }
 
+func TestHandleErrorResponseBody(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name         string
+		responseBody string
+		statusCode   int
+		prefix       string
+		errorOutput  string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:         "test ErrorResponse body",
+			responseBody: `{"error": { "code": "INVALID_ARGUMENT", "message": "test error message"}, "status": 400}`,
+			statusCode:   http.StatusBadRequest,
+			errorOutput:  `{"status_code":400,"body":"{\"error\": { \"code\": \"INVALID_ARGUMENT\", \"message\": \"test error message\"}, \"status\": 400}","error_code":"INVALID_ARGUMENT","message":"test error message"}`,
+		}, {
+			name:         "test JSON body",
+			responseBody: `{"message": "test error message", "extraCode": 665}`,
+			statusCode:   http.StatusBadRequest,
+			errorOutput:  `{"status_code":400,"body":"{\"message\": \"test error message\", \"extraCode\": 665}"}`,
+		}, {
+			name:         "test string body",
+			responseBody: `test error message`,
+			statusCode:   http.StatusBadRequest,
+			errorOutput:  `{"status_code":400,"body":"test error message"}`,
+		}, {
+			name:         "Test error response with empty response",
+			responseBody: `{}`,
+			statusCode:   http.StatusBadRequest,
+			prefix:       "test prefix",
+			errorOutput:  `{"status_code":400,"body":"{}"}`,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := handleErrorResponseBody([]byte(tt.responseBody), tt.statusCode, tt.prefix)
+			assert.Equal(t, err.Error(), tt.errorOutput, "Expected error to be '%s', but got '%s'", tt.errorOutput, err.Error())
+
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func (ts *ClientTests) SetupSuite() {
 	apiKey := os.Getenv("PINECONE_API_KEY")
 	require.NotEmpty(ts.T(), apiKey, "PINECONE_API_KEY env variable not set")
@@ -51,7 +94,6 @@ func (ts *ClientTests) SetupSuite() {
 	// named a UUID. Generally not needed as all tests are cleaning up after themselves
 	// Left here as a convenience during active development.
 	//deleteUUIDNamedResources(context.Background(), &ts.client)
-
 }
 
 func (ts *ClientTests) TestNewClientParamsSet() {
@@ -285,6 +327,34 @@ func (ts *ClientTests) TestCreatePodIndex() {
 	require.Equal(ts.T(), name, idx.Name, "Index name does not match")
 }
 
+func (ts *ClientTests) TestCreatePodIndexInvalidDimension() {
+	name := uuid.New().String()
+
+	_, err := ts.client.CreatePodIndex(context.Background(), &CreatePodIndexRequest{
+		Name:        name,
+		Dimension:   -1,
+		Metric:      Cosine,
+		Environment: "us-east1-gcp",
+		PodType:     "p1.x1",
+	})
+	require.Error(ts.T(), err)
+	require.Equal(ts.T(), reflect.TypeOf(err), reflect.TypeOf(&PineconeError{}), "Expected error to be of type PineconeError")
+}
+
+func (ts *ClientTests) TestCreateServerlessIndexInvalidDimension() {
+	name := uuid.New().String()
+
+	_, err := ts.client.CreateServerlessIndex(context.Background(), &CreateServerlessIndexRequest{
+		Name:      name,
+		Dimension: -1,
+		Metric:    Cosine,
+		Cloud:     Aws,
+		Region:    "us-west-2",
+	})
+	require.Error(ts.T(), err)
+	require.Equal(ts.T(), reflect.TypeOf(err), reflect.TypeOf(&PineconeError{}), "Expected error to be of type PineconeError")
+}
+
 func (ts *ClientTests) TestCreateServerlessIndex() {
 	name := uuid.New().String()
 
@@ -310,6 +380,12 @@ func (ts *ClientTests) TestDescribeServerlessIndex() {
 	require.Equal(ts.T(), ts.serverlessIndex, index.Name, "Index name does not match")
 }
 
+func (ts *ClientTests) TestDescribeNonExistentIndex() {
+	_, err := ts.client.DescribeIndex(context.Background(), "non-existent-index")
+	require.Error(ts.T(), err)
+	require.Equal(ts.T(), reflect.TypeOf(err), reflect.TypeOf(&PineconeError{}), "Expected error to be of type PineconeError")
+}
+
 func (ts *ClientTests) TestDescribeServerlessIndexSourceTag() {
 	index, err := ts.clientSourceTag.DescribeIndex(context.Background(), ts.serverlessIndex)
 	require.NoError(ts.T(), err)
diff --git a/pinecone/errors.go b/pinecone/errors.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..980dd0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pinecone/errors.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package pinecone
+
+import "fmt"
+
+type PineconeError struct {
+	Code int
+	Msg  error
+}
+
+func (pe *PineconeError) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%+v", pe.Msg)
+}