I’ve been a dedicated Freida McFadden fan ever since reading The Housemaid and The Housemaid’s Secret. When I started reading The Co-Worker earlier today I was hoping it would be just as good and it was! The author put so much plot into this novel and I applaud her efforts to keep readers entertained. But books this good prevent me from moving from my comfy chair for hours. Worth it? Definitely yes!

𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐝.

No matter what jobs you've worked over the course of your life, you've encountered that 𝒐𝒏𝒆 coworker. The one who is a little different, a little annoying, and just gets under your skin for no good reason. Maybe you're polite, maybe even kind, but you're probably stand-offish. After all, this person can't read social cues, so God forbid they think you want to be 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔.

Such is the case with Natalie and Dawn, who share office space at Vixed, a nutritional supplement company. Natalie is the golden child, effortlessly beautiful, and at the top of her game in sales. Dawn has been hired on as the company's accountant, and she's...different. She's very regimented, craves order, and loves procedures...and she's obsessed with turtles. And I do mean 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅. When Natalie saunters in the office one morning and doesn't see Dawn at her desk, she is immediately curious. Then she answers a phone call on Dawn's extension and hears a feeble voice say, "Help me" before the line goes dead.

The action in this cat and mouse thriller unfolds almost immediately and is told through alternating female points of view, Natalie and Dawn, and also through a series of e-mails that Dawn exchanges with a friend. When a large amount of blood is found in Dawn's house, it's clear that someone has targeted her, and Natalie is the first under suspicion.

If you've read even one of Freida's books, you're aware that her signature is the twist in her epilogues. Just when you think you have everything figured out, you hear her maniacal laughter in her head reassuring you that you don't know anything. This one was jaw-dropping for sure! Thank you so much to the author for my place on her ARC team and to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for supplying me with this early read. THE COWORKER will publish August 29, 2023.

I read this book in a day and a half. I could not put it down! This is only the second book by the ever talented Freida McFadden. I will be reading a lot more of her books.

I just finished The Co Worker by Freida Mcfadden. This story will make you question every single character except the turtles mentioned in it.

Freida knows how to write a psychological thriller. The story is filled with many twists, turns and you assume that you know what is going to happen but like the rest of her books, Your assumption will be wrong and that last twist. It will take you by a complete surprise.

Totally recommend to all psychological thriller readers. This is a must read

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read this arc

I’ve read all of Freida McFadden’s books, but I’ve never approached one with the mentality of “I’m going to figure out the twist this time”. Not until now.

And boy, was I wrong. Again and again. So wrong.

I would recommend this novel to anyone, twice. Why twice? Well, because I’m about to reread it - I’ve got to see what hints I missed.

It’s not a case of resisting reading Freida’s books, they just haven’t been on my radar, but after the hundredth ‘But what do you think of Freida McFadden’s writing…’ this bookseller had to give in! And I decided to give in by requesting Freida’s next book, The Coworker, out in August 2023, from NetGalley. My request was approved in minutes (sorry) and I got stuck in. And did not stop. Or sleep.

A host of characters written to play with the readers mind and emotions… are they guilty, are they a victim? The possibilities seem almost endless. I disliked most of them, and yet stayed up late to read about their lives. Very clever.

When that major twist was delivered it hit hard. So simple and yet not something I saw coming. And within a few pages – boom – another twist. And then… another. And… you guessed it. Freida McFadden is the queen of the twist but it doesn’t end with just one. And that’s what I liked most about this book.

This is the first book that I’ve read by Freida McFadden and it certainly won’t be the last. Described as easy thrillers, I would completely agree. They’re dark, twisted, but easy to get into and very easy to read in one sitting to find out what on earth is going on!