Dawn is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m. So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything. It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider. She was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who's the real victim?

The Coworker gives us another of McFadden's signatures. Not just one daft women this time though - we get two! Luckily, McFadden is really good at what she does with those women though. I spent the book genuinely believing I knew what was happening, but once you reach the end, you realise you're just an idiot and the real story was obvious the whole time. This was really far-fetched though, so it was hard to keep interested - especially with the constant repetition of how great Natalie is when really, she's the most unlikable character I've ever had the (dis)pleasure of reading. I switched between the book and audiobook for this read through and the same as other Freida novels, I recommend the audiobook for this one, Alyson Krawchuk does a great job narrating something that is incredibly hard to enjoy to it's fullest.

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press & Freida McFadden for an advanced copy for review. The Coworker is available now.

Turtles!!!! Loved how Freida portrayed a neurodiverse character obsessed with turtles.

This book was engaging and surprising and one of best yet. Didn’t even come close to guessing the plot.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
This book was absolutely Amazing!
I will be recommending this book to everyone.
I am a long time Freida reader and fan, The Co worker is moving to the top of my favourites.
If you aren't a Freida fan, you should be!
This book is fast paced and thrilling and kept me on the edge of my seat.
You never know what is going to happen next.
Just when I thought I had the twists figured out another curveball is thrown.
Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great read.

DNF

Sadly I did have the time nor the will to finish this. I think her writing is very gripping and would love to read more of her works but this one sadly did not do it for me. Remember all readers have opinions and this is just mine. 🤍

The Coworker by Freida McFadden is a great story that make you feel all the feels while keeping you at the edge of your seat. You will fall in love in Dawn, and you may even become a turtle lover after reading this book. In usual Freida fashion, the ending and epilogue smack you right in the face… yet they leave you feeling complete. This is an excellent read, and I truly enjoyed it.

What can one say honestly about Frieda other than she is the Queen of Thriller and there isnt anything this woman can write that would not be good. I mean hands down this one took me on a roller coaster of who dun its and had me guessing all the way to the very end and how I didnt see that coming is beyond me but it was amazing and as always flew thru it so fast and the wait for new work from her is going to be absolutely tortourous as any other avid Frieda reader would agree that she should put more books out to keep the fixation at a dull minimum. I give this one 5 stars since its the max that you can give but if you havent read this one yet I dont know what your waiting for and you need to run and read this one as it will keep you guessing until the very end.

Oh my gosh!
Was this book full of turtles? Yes.
But was it clever? Also yes.
This is another story of Freida's with two parts similar to how she wrote The Housemaid. I am here for it! I love this set up when it comes to her books. I love learning one story and having it totally flip in the second half of the book, only to flip another way in her epilogues. The characters each make you feel a certain way. You make your own opinions and develop suspicion, but it never turns out quite like you think it will. This is one that blew me away - again! I have to say this is one of my favorites by Ms. McFadden.
4.5 stars!
Also, while I was gifted the e-version in exchange for my honest review thanks to #Netgalley & the publishers, I also was able to listen to the audio book while following along in the kindle copy! I thought both were great! The narrators really helped set the tone for the novel too!

I absolutely love the Co-Worker. This book took me by surprise and I couldn not guess the twist. It did take a little bit to get there but you really need the story build up. Trust me when I say, this book is 100% worth the read.

Freida has done it again! I was floored by the ending, the first one. And thrown for a loop by the second on in the epilogue!

I suspected the first revelation… but every twist and turn after that was a shocker! It’s a must read.

I love Freida’s style of writing. It’s like sitting and being enthralled in a story being told my a close friend. Bravo, Freida, Bravo!

#FreidaReadah

in true McFadden form this book was a very bingeable, quick read. I enjoyed the page-turning elements, but didn’t like much else about this book. I did not like a single character in this book. Dawn being obviously neurodivergent could have been a wonderfully quirky addition to the story, but instead it felt lazy and insulting. I wish there could have been more depth there and more understanding of neurodivergence. The plotline had potential, but lost me about halfway through and the ending made no sense to me at all.

Fried McFadden has done it again!!

This is the epitome of mean girls as adults. Natalie, is she a bully or nice. She’s gorgeous, top salesman at her company, many friends. Dawn, mousy and obsessed with turtles, no friends. When Dawn ends up missing, Natalie is the main suspect and is arrested. But the twist! THE TWIST!! This author is the queen of twists and this did not disappoint.

It took me a minute to get into it, but moved very quickly once it picked up. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this advance copy!!

As usual, Frieda really took me for a ride with this one. I was not expecting Dawn to pull a ‘Gone Girl’ in the second act. While I knew early on that she was an unreliable narrator, I was very very wrong all along about the WHY and who she was working with. My one pet peeve was the amount of unnecessary information I was force fed about turtles lol. Overall, this was a solid thriller and has further cemented Frieda McFadden as an auto read author for me.

This was an absolutely amazing book! Freida has such a wonderful with those twist! You think you know, and then you are completely shocked! I love reading her work. She is a very talented writer. This is another page turner just like all her other books! Once you start reading you will not be able to put it down! Don't start it at night, you won't sleep! Highly recommend!!!

I really enjoyed Freida’s latest book publication! She is an auto-buy author for me any time she has a book come out! The Coworker kept me reading as I could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen between Natalie and Dawn. The plot kept me hooked, the characters had me questioning everything and the book had everything I loved in a thriller. Five star read for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC.

Natalie Farrell becomes concerned when Dawn Schiff, a punctual coworker who works in the cubicle next to her, doesn't show up for work. Natalie goes to her house looking for her but uncovers a strange scene instead - broken glass and blood on the floors. What ensues next is beyond Natalie's wildest dreams - the detective working on Dawn's missing persons case begins to question her! And when a dead body shows up, the search for Dawn's killer starts to close in on her. But Natalie knows she didn't do it.

Lots of twists and turns and different perspectives. You know right off the bat someone isn't telling the truth - but who? Freida McFadden has really made her name known in the last few years for her thrillers - and this one is no exception. I've read almost all of McFadden's books, and while she doesn't follow the typical "thriller" formula, she does seem to have her own formula. After reading so many of her books, I've started to expect some of the twists and turns, but still pleasantly enjoyed this book. Recommend to anyone who enjoys thrillers and whodunnits.

The Coworker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Frieda McFadden

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back. Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m. So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who's the real victim? But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.

My Thoughts: I am a HUGE fan of McFadden. I adore her writing style and her ability to interweave sneaky twists throughout the story. This is a classic McFadden thriller with turtles! I know that there have been mixed reviews on the turtle, but I enjoyed it. Dawn is eccentric. Natalie is popular. When Dawn does not show up one morning, Natalie knows something is off. As Natalie starts to dig into Dawn’s disappearance, at the same time, she finds herself at the center of the police investigation, she finds herself entrapped in a dangerous cat and mouse game.

The story is narrated by Dawn and Natalie, in a dual perspective. Dawn is eccentric, does not make friends easily, LOVES turtles, and is possibly on the spectrum. Natalie is popular, attractive, and tends to come off as manipulative. Our MCs are unreliable and flawed, relatable, and will keep you guessing which is the true victim. The characters were well developed with depth, mystery, obsessive, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, suspenseful, twisty, thought-provoking, and just brilliant. The author does an amazing job at building the characters, proving a detailed scene that immerses you into the story, builds the plot in twisty layers, and creates a fantastic unpredictable ending. There were no plot holes and the characters were really built so well, even showed some character growth throughout the novel.

This is a compelling, captivating, gripping fast paced psychological thriller that completely immerses you in the storyline and you will not want to put down. I personally will blindly read anything by McFadden and can’t wait until the next book in February, The Teacher. I highly recommend this story, and any of McFadden’s wonderful twisty thrillers. Go pick you your copy today! Also available in audiobook on Hoopla (library) or Audible (purchase).

This is a quick read with some twists and turns. The narrative goes back and forth between Natalie and Dawn. Colleagues at Vixen with many secrets. Thank you to the publisher for a copy.

What a ride! I was laughing some of the time, shaking my head, and wondering if someone is as weird as one of the characters!! 🐢

At times, some parts were long. I expected one of the twists but not two of the other main twists, in normal Frieda fashion!

I rated 4/5 stars because I thought some parts were dragged on too much, but I still enjoyed the book very much! Would definitely recommend anything by her!

Thank you, Frieda, for another great book:)

I recently finished "The Locked Door" and enjoyed it so much that I went straight into reading "The Coworker." I will say this book had an odd storyline, but I was intrigued by the two main characters, Natalie and Dawn. The two coworkers couldn't be more different from one another! Natalie Farrell is popular, beautiful and serves as the top sales rep for the company and Dawn Schiff is peculiar, socially awkward and has a strange obsession with turtles. The back and forth between the two characters and the sudden disappearance of Dawn Schiff kept my interest all the way through. Another book by Freida that you can't put down! An easy read with an ending you won't expect!

Thank you to Freida McFadden, Poisoned Pen Press and #NetGalley for the ARC and opportunity to read and review another book by one of my favorite authors!

I am a HUGE Frieda fan. I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept me second guessing myself throughout. Not my absolute favourite book of hers - but none the less an excellent read!