Freida McFadden is always a trusty go to for a Psychological Thriller and Never Lie falls in the footsteps of its predecessors.

A woman goes missing. Her boyfriend is suspected of murder. Her home goes on the market and an unsuspecting couple get snowed in while viewing the property "for the first time." But one of them is lying and this is not their first time to the property.

Book: Never Lie
Description:
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams.

But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne

Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end.

In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance.

Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels.

And then Tricia reaches the final cassette.

The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth.

My Thoughts: I’ve come to the conclusion that this author just isn’t for me. This book was a quick read with some twists. However, the characters were just extremely unlikeable (in the worst way).

I did love the audiobook narrator though

Whoa! This book seemed, at first glance to be a typical mystery. A couple is looking for a new house, a snowstorm is developing and they have to break into the house to take shelter. What follows is the back-story of the previous owner, who vanished several years ago, and a twisted plot that has all sorts of unexpected results. While, at times, it was a bit more graphic than I'd prefer, the story line was so gripping that I ignored those parts. If you want a real thriller where you can't guess the outcome, this is a great book to choose!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Never Lie by Freida McFadden definitely fooled me - I was quite convinced I had things figured out and then there was a twist that I had simply not seen coming at all. This book was a great psychological thriller. I didn’t want to take a break from listening. The main characters are snowed in in a disappeared psychiatrist’s mansion that they were looking at as prospective buyers and from there it all got very creepy and mysterious very fast. I couldn’t guess the villain. I was shocked to find out that everyone had dark secrets.
I couldn’t wait to see how it would unfold and who gets to survive the story !

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for this advanced audiobook, I loved it! Freida McFadden has done it again! I couldn’t stop listening.

I love these fast paced thrillers. Freida is quite good at producing what I think are called popcorn thrillers. Always fast paced. Always twisty. And always fun to read. Or in this case, I listened and Leslie Howard as the narrator met the challenge of not getting in the way.

A couple going to view a house that’s for sale in the middle of a snow storm. Not ideal. Doing it at a house where the owner went missing and is presumed dead. Down right nuts. The creepy house is like an additional character. Let me tell you that I was sure I knew where this one was headed but man I was wrong.

There are well developed characters, an interesting premise and enough twists to make me pause and think about them. I did not see that coming. Go into Frieda’s books cold, meaning don’t read about them, and then just sit back and enjoy!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I listened to this audiobook during two gym sessions. Leslie Howard is an incredible narrator. I LOVED this book! There’s a major twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. The book is mostly told from Tricia and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s POVs and I kind of wish I could have heard from Ethan’s POV. I think it would have made this story really interesting. The characters were all well developed, had interesting personalities, and were equally sneaky. Thank you Frieda for another fabulous book! Highly recommend checking this author out — I’m working my way through all her books in 2023

This is the first book that I have read (listened to the audiobook) by Freida McFadden. I enjoyed the twists of this psychological thriller. The ending was unexpected. I will be on the lookout for other books written by her and put them on my TBR list. The narration was well done. I recommend this book to those who enjoy this genre.

I love audiobooks, the majority of books I read each year are in an audio format. So, whenever NetGalley has new books from authors I love or have been meaning to give a try, I jump at the chance.

I should have just jumped off a cliff.

This is probably the worst audiobook I’ve listened to all year. It completely blows my mind that this author has such a huge fan base. This book was so cheesy and cringeworthy, I actually found myself making faces and shaking my head several times. A talented writer can convey that a couple is in love with out writing, “swoon” and “my hero” ad nauseam. Hell, a high school creative writing class could express love better than Frieda McFadden. Add to this the inability to just call a car a car, but to beat the reader over the head with “the BMW” and “the Audi” repeatedly… we get it. She has money. She thinks she has a nice car, but guess what BMWs and Audis are total crap (I digress…)

Besides the cringey, unbelievable writing style and dialogue, the story itself was full of plot holes. I won’t go into detail as I don’t want to spoil this chum bucket for anyone, but the plot wasn’t well planned at all. Perhaps the writer should focus on one book’s plot and master it instead of churning sub-par books out at such a rate of speed.

All of this said, I will not be reading another book by this author. She left not a shred of hope that she’s capable of writing anything worth the time.

Thank you NetGalley, Hollywood Upstairs Press and the author for this free digital ARC in order for my very honest review.

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan arrive at a remote but gorgeous palatial home for a real estate viewing. Soon after arriving, though, they realize that they will be stuck there at least overnight, as a blizzard is moving in. Next they uncover that this house belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a phycologist who mysteriously disappeared a couple of years ago. She is presumed murdered, but her body was never found.

Tricia married Ethan very quickly after they met, and in insolation, she realizes there is a lot she doesn't know about him. She comes across a secret room with a stash of recordings. Dr. Hale secretly recorded her interviews with her patients. Tricia begins to listen and discovers some shocking secrets. She will begin to question if Ethan knows more than he is telling.

There is a big surprise twist at the end of this book. I didn't anticipate it until near the end. Although this was a fast moving storyline, I never became invested in the characters so for me, this book is a three star. Those who are more interested in a tense story line full of surprises will probably rate it much higher.

This was a decent read. I was a little surprised at the twist at the end. I would read this author again.

This one was a captivating psychological thriller. | listened on audio and loved hearing the transcripts of the missing psychiatrist's therapy sessions. It had me trying to piece together who did what and what secrets might be relevant for the couple snowed in at a creepy semi- abandoned mansion.
The twist - I certainly did not see it coming. Was it believable? Sure, kinda. I could pick a part a few details but decided to just go with it. And of course as typical for this author there is not just one twist.
This was a quick binge read and helped keep my attention after being bored with a couple romcoms I put down. I have seen a ton of 5 * reviews on goodreads though.
Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

3.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, Hollywood Upstairs Press for an audio copy of Never Lie in exchange for an honest review.

Tricia and Ethan are on the hunt for their dream secluded home when their realtor finds a hidden gem they decide to drive out and see it before it hits the market, however a winter blizzard has hit and their car gets stuck in the snow. They break into the home to shelter from the storm where they realize the reason it is such a good deal is that it was the former home of psychologist Dr. Adrienne Hale who disappeared and is presumed murdered by her boyfriend. Even though Tricia is creeped out to be staying in the house she begins to snoop around and stumbles on tape recordings of Dr Hale's patient therapy sessions. As she listen to the tapes a new murder suspect begins to emerge and worse yet they are not alone in the house.

Overall, I liked the majority of Never Lie. Freida McFadden has a fast paced writing style and there are some unexpected twists. The story is told through the perspectives of Tricia and Dr. Hale which moves the story along but I was not that big of a fan of either character. Tricia is a bit all over the place, she refuses to borrow a sweater from the dead woman's closet when she is freezing but is perfectly happy to listen to patients private therapy sessions. The ending was where I struggled the most as it didn't make to much sense based on the earlier chapters. It is a decent book and would be interested in McFadden's other work. I had the audio version read by Leslie Howard who was enjoyable to listen to and kept the pacing of the story interesting.

A woman and her husband go to look at a property for sale but they get snowed in. Then some strange things start happening and the horror that occurred at the house starts unraveling.

This book is character centric building on what you can gather about Dr. Adrienne Hale and Tricia through each chapter. Just when you think you have it figured out, you realize you were nowhere close!

I enjoyed the pacing of this book. It isn't a slow burn, but it's not a flash in the pan either. It's just right.

This read was compelling in that you wanted it to just get to the point. Another reader described McFadden's writing style as "clickbaity" and I wholeheartedly agree. Many chapters, especially at the beginning, ending with something like "he doesn't know the secret I've been keeping from him". Naturally, you want to keep reading because of this fake suspense building, but when it is finally revealed, it's a bit disappointing. I guessed part of the ending, so some of it was a surprise, but at that point, I was just ready to be done with the book.

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan arrive at a countryside estate for a scheduled open house viewing only to be snowed in with no way of communicating with the outside world. Tricia believes that someone else is in the house with them, lurking in dark corners and possibly dangerous. When strange things start happening in the house, the couple must figure out what's happening before it's too late.

Jumping between Tricia's point of view and the former owner of the house, Dr. Adrienne Hale who mysteriously disappeared, it's slowly revealed how the two storylines are connected. I think you're supposed to hate Tricia, or at least I really did. She's very repetitive in her thoughts and words, her favorite lines being about how great she thinks her husband is even though she barely knows him and her friends think he has a lot of red flags but they don't know him like she does, kind of crap.

Average, Semi-predictable, and completely Unbelievable, this is a locked room mystery that's worth a skip.

Thank you Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for an ALC of Never Lie by Freida McFadden. I listened to this one and alternated with the ebook and absolutely loved it!

Tricia and Ethan are newlyweds searching for the home of their dreams. The home they visit ends up belonging to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a famous psychiatrist who went missing without a trace 4 years prior. A violent winter storm traps them at Adriene’s house overnight. Tricia finds a secret room, one that contains audio tapes of patient appointments Dr. Hale had.

Listening to the tapes, Tricia unravels what happened leading up to Dr. Hale’s disappearance.

AH! What a great read. I thought I had this figured out and was totally eye-rolling half-way through. Freida proved me SO wrong, though. I love a book that makes you say WOW at the end and has you wanting to go back to see what details you missed the first time around. Nothing is by chance…keep your eyes open and stay alert!

I love this authors work and this was no exception. I thought this was well done and probably one of my new favs from her.

If you're looking for a psychological thriller you may want to check this out!

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read Never Lie, by Frieda McFadden as a Buddy Read and I highly recommend doing the same.

Tricia and Ethan are newlyweds looking for a house to make their home. They end up trapped by a snowstorm while looking at a mansion that belonged to the late/elusive, psychiatrist, Dr. Hale.
Tricia decides to look around and discovers a hidden room full of tapes from Dr. Hale's patient interview and uncovers a web of psychology and lies.

First of all, this book does stretch some things, is quite implausible at times, and throws red herrings like a kid playing Angry Birds.

Now, it also keeps your interest and has suspense The mind games and psychology of the characters are both disturbing and intriguing.

I wish there was a bit more back story, but reading this with friends while we all share our theories and 😳😬😠😮 was fantastic.

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I'll Never Lie....and tell you that I loved this book. Because unfortunately, I didn't. Freida McFadden has been on the thriller scene for quite some time but recently went viral on BookTok and Bookstagram for her 2022 novel The Housemaid. Based on other reviews,it appears that Never Lie is living up to her hype, but it just wasn't for me.
Trisha and her brand new husband are house hunting when they get stuck at the former residence of Dr. Adirenne Hale, thanks to a major storm. Trisha quickly begins noticing strange things happening in the home--unexplained sounds, food in the fridge, and pictures seemingly moving on their own. Is someone else hiding in the house, or is it pregnancy hormones playing tricks on her?
Flashback to "before," through the perspective of Dr. Hale. A psychiatrist who volunteers her time at a local free clinic, Dr. Hale has some difficult clients, none more so than EJ, a narcissistic trust fund boy who develops an unhealthy obsession with her.
Trisha's and Dr. Hale's stories intertwine in a way that can't be described as anything other than chaotic. I typically like ridiculous jaw-dropping storylines but this was just too much. It didn't make sense and there were one too many plot holes for me. Never Lie is super quick and fast-paced, but does require the reader to suspend all sense of reality in order to enjoy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.
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