I thought this was a new book from McFadden when I applied to get this from Netgalley but in reality this came out in 2021 🤷🏻‍♀️. This was my first thriller by the much touted author of “The Housemaid” series and I was very unimpressed.

Nora was a young middle schooler when her serial killer father was arrested. She had no idea what he was doing in the basement of her home. Nora has tried to move on as a surgeon and has hidden her past from everyone, even changed her last name to protect herself. But suddenly, two of Nora’s patients are brutally murdered exactly as her father killed his victims. The coincidence is too much, someone knows who Nora really is and she has to get the bottom of it to free herself from the police’s eye.

This was one dimensional and predictable. I really liked the premise and it was an easy read, but the amateur writing was repetitive. I don’t think I’ll read more by McFadden, there are much stronger thriller writers out there.

✨Trigger Warnings: Murder, Suicide, Death of a Parent, Medical Trauma

McFadden has done it again. All of her books are so fast paced, page turners that I can’t stop reading. Just when you think you know who did it, there is always a twist that you don’t expect.
I loved the past and present POVs throughout the book.

I absolutely love Freida McFadden. When I first read one of her books, I binged read her entire back list within a week. These books are easy to read and they hook you! The Locked Door is no different. I absolutely loved this one as well and can't wait to read more of her books!

Wow!! What a great read. Did not see that twist coming. Thought I had this book figured out by 40% ...... totally wrong. My backup twist ..... wrong again. I couldn't put this book down.

Easy read. Storyline jumps from present to past, but easy to follow. The past storyline aligned well with what was happening in the present without giving anything away.

Thank you to Netgalley and Freida McFadden for this free ARC ebook. This opinion is 100% my own and honest review.

Well when you start with a serial killer getting caught, your in for a good book. Nora's dad was sentenced to life in prison for murdering 20- 30 women. Now 26 years later, Nora is a respected surgeon, partner in a practice and living the dream..sort of. Two of her patients turn up dead, with the same M. O. As her dad, Nora doesn't know what to do, she can't let anyone know who her father is otherwise she'll lose everything. I love McFadden's writing style, she creates vivid imagery with her words and detailed scenes.

In typical Feida fashion, this is a book you don't start reading and set it aside. You read the whole thing in one sitting. The protagonist is such a well rounded character, it's like you are stepping into her life. Make sure to stick around for the epilogue, there are definitely some surprises.
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and mostly the author for the advanced copy of awesome book.

This was a twisty book that kept me guessing. Freida McFadden is not a great literary stylist. If you are looking for complex characters or elaborate world building you will not find it in her books. What she does well is focus on her plot and keep things moving. Her books make great audiobooks because they are straightforward and easy to listen to. The Locked Door, while not earth-shatteringly original, really did keep me in suspense until the end and was a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for selecting me.
Freida McFadden, you are amazing and I loved this book to the vey end.

This book was very fast paced and hard to put down. I didn't see the plot twist coming.

Thank you to Freida McFadden, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook copy of The Locked Door for me to read and review. Whew! What a story! I was hooked on the characters and plot from the very first chapter and needed a few days to process after I finished reading! The character development and the twists and turns keeping readers on their toes and second guessing what they thought they knew was masterfully done! This was the first book I have read by Freida McFadden and her writing has definitely lived up to the hype and I will for sure be reading more of her work. Highly recommend this twisty, suspense filled read.

The Locked Door by Freida McFadden was uncomfortable to read. It stressed me out because it was so tense and suspenseful. It was an excellent thriller, but almost too much so. I definitely did not see the twists coming, which is rare for me.

This was a propulsive read that kept me guessing until the very end. The resolution was a bit far fetched but very entertaining

The story starts off with a punch. Straight off, we are told that twenty-six years ago, a man named Aaron Nierling was arrested from his Oregon home for the murder of thirty victims. He was a regular kind of guy, with a steady job, a woodworking hobby, a good husband, and a father to Nora. ⁣⁣
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One day, however, the police show up at their door after having received an anonymous tip, and find a dead girl in the basement. He admits to the killings of a total of thirty women over a period of two decades.⁣⁣
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Because his signature was to cut off the hands of his victims, he earned the moniker ‘The Handyman’. He was sentenced to multiple life sentences without any possibility of parole when Nora was just eleven years old, and she hasn’t seen him or spoken to him since then.⁣⁣
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Nora’s mother was arrested too, for aiding and abetting, and she committed suicide while in police custody, while Nora was raised by her maternal grandmother. ⁣⁣
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In the present day, Nora is a surgeon and has her own practice. She has changed her last name to Davis, and has tried her best to completely erase her past. However, she cannot completely leave it behind, and so she has nothing in her life apart from her work. She has stayed far from friendships and relationships, and doesn’t let anyone into her life or her home. ⁣⁣
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One day, however, her peace is shattered when a patient of hers ends up murdered, and her hands are cut off, just like her father used to do. The police start interrogating her, because of who her father is, and she is incredulous that they think that she could be involved. ⁣⁣
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Then another patient of hers is murdered. Very soon it becomes apparent that these murders are personal because of the victims’ links to her as their surgeon.⁣⁣
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Then someone starts leaving evidence of the murders at her house and in her car, but she can’t tell anyone about it, because she believes that it would make HER look guilty. She knows that her father is in jail, but then who is the copycat killer, and why are they committing these murders and trying to frame her? ⁣⁣
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The main two suspects are Brady, her love interest, who was her boyfriend in the past, and who showed up back in her life at around the same time that the murders started taking place, and Philip, her partner at her medical practice. She has to find out who it is before the next murder is committed, and she’s afraid the next victim might be Harper, her receptionist, who is the same age and appearance as the other victims, and is also closely associated with Nora. ⁣⁣
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The book is fast-paced, an drew me in immediately. No beating around the bush; you read the first sentence, and you’re already in the story, no descriptions, no slow build-up, just…BOOM!⁣⁣
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The chapters are short and pack a punch, maintaining the pace throughout. Did I see the final twist? No, I did not, to be honest. Did I find it entirely believable? Nah. Did I find it just the slightest bit contrived? Yes. A person showing up at just the right moment to save the day at the end. Yup. That belongs in a Hollywood film. However, that doesn’t make it any less entertaining or enjoyable. ⁣⁣
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The character of Nora is of a cold, distant person, who is a product of her past. She is an accomplished surgeon, but she has never moved past the fact of who her father is. Even though she is completely innocent, she behaves in a very paranoid manner at times and reaches illogical conclusions because of that, and does some completely bonker-ish things, such as throw murder evidence in a trash bin (?!)⁣⁣
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Having said all that, I would still recommend it to readers of mysteries/thrillers as it is quick-paced, absorbing, and easy to read (no complicated multiple timelines to keep track of). You may think you have figured it out once or twice during the story, but trust me, you would be wrong. ⁣⁣
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Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

NEW FAV BOOK ! 4.5🌟

Would you believe me if I say that I was intrigued from the prologue! ⬇️
“He is a narcissist and a psychopath, who likely killed at least thirty women without a trace of remorse. He is insane. He is a monster. He is also my father.”

I was in a huge reading slump but " THE LOCKED DOOR" was the reason I'm out from it.

This is my first book by Freida McFadden and absolutely not the last.
Not all authors can write thrillers with that quality!😋

I want to speak out loud and admire every thing about this book but I don't want to reveal spoilers.

I'm fascinated by the writing style, the characters, how I was on my edge, the plotttt and EVERY SINGLE DETAIL.😭💗

At the beginning the story was giving me "mouse k-drama" vibes and I liked that.

"Nora" made me afraid, confused and Sympathized for her.
From my point of view her parents were the reason why she thought and tried to be evil. She is the output of whatever they persuaded her with, even if that was unintentionally.

I was terrified of LOCKED DOORS long ago but now I'm traumatized.🫡

Thank you Netgalley and the author for providing me with this ARC.

Another great psychological thriller by Frieda McFadden. I found the characters likeable, and the story engaging. I kept picking it up just wanting to know where this was going, and I still didn’t see the twist coming !
Easy, quick, enjoyable book for the thriller lover!

Wow! Freida McFadden's books are always worth a read and this one did not disappoint me. Mystery meets Serial Killer-vibe: this book will have you hooked within the first chapter. I really recommend giving this one a shot!

The more novels I read by Freida, the more I fall in love with her writing style and plotlines. Halfway through this book, I thought I had figured it all out. I thought that I'd be disappointed by the end. Boy, was I wrong. It has just the right amount of suspense, the characters are well developed and that twist at the end!! *chef's kiss*

Nora Davis is a surgeon trying desperately to escape the shadow of her father's murderous past, but when the police knock on her door and suspect her of murdering two young women who were on her operating table, her past seems to come crashing down on her.

I generally enjoy Freida's books, they're a fun read that holds your attention and has an interesting twist. While this isn't my favourite of her books, it's a solid read that keeps you interested and wanting to read more!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book. This author did it again! I was hooked from the beginning. The way I questioned the main character. I always felt like I knew her so well, but not at all. I am not disappointed at all by the twists and turns. Great overall book and solid read.

Whoa!!! Now I get the hype for this author!!!!
I was so incredibly invested with this story and I love how it went straight forward into the twists and mystery without bringing any extra unnecessary characters or situations!!!!!
I'll definitely read more by this author!!!! I don't want to miss any of her books!!!!

Thank you Freida McFadden, Poisoned Pen Press and netgalley for the arc 😍 I loved this book so much!!!!

Pretty good. A standard Freida McFadden book, so you know what to expect but it's still a really enjoyable mystery.