Oh Lord, I wanted to like this so bad.

It started out okay. I had high hopes. It was good until Brooke started using her brain all the time. This book would 100% be better if she doesn't think too much so she doesn't confuse everyone. Even she manages to confuse herself, if you can believe it.

All the maybe he isn’t—, maybe I should be—, maybe I should just—, I can't. Brooke why are you doing this to yourself.

I honestly feel for Brooke. Being treated the way that she did in the aftermath of the murders, it was really hard for her. Standing up to her parents after being shunned by them and raising a child on her own, that takes courage. Being woken up by the same strangled-by-your-own-necklace nightmare, that takes a toll on your mental health. Losing your friends and witnessing their deaths, that kind of trauma carries through. The triggers, they linger. Even more so, the memories, they stay with you.

However ...

Explain it to me, if Brooke was still so traumatized by the events from 10 years ago, how was she not repulsed by the sight of Shane in her patient room? She believed Shane strangled her yet she was practically restless and swooning upon seeing him. Oh my shirt was hanging a little low and my cleavage was showing! Nah, it's fine, he prolly don't see much boobs in here. — Are you kidding me?!

tIn "The Inmate," Frida McFadden spins a riveting tale of love, loss, and redemption within the confines of a prison. The story follows a nurse practitioner who, unable to secure employment in her hometown, reluctantly takes a job at the very prison where her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child are incarcerated.

McFadden's narrative unfolds with tantalizing twists and turns that kept me eagerly turning the pages. From the moment the protagonist steps foot inside the prison walls, the tension is palpable, and the mysteries surrounding her past slowly unravel, keeping readers on their toes until the very end.

While the novel is undeniably a gripping thriller, McFadden's skillful storytelling also shines through in her richly drawn characters and nuanced exploration of human nature. Each character, from the enigmatic inmates to the resilient protagonist herself, feels authentic and multi-dimensional, adding depth to the narrative.

In "The Inmate," McFadden proves once again why she's a master of the genre. With its compelling plot, gripping twists, and well-drawn characters, this novel is a must-read for fans of thrillers and mystery alike. You can never go wrong with McFadden, and "The Inmate" is no exception.

I have previously read ward D by Freida McFadden. I figured it was not my type of book writing wise. But due to the huge amount of fans she has, I was willing to give her books another change. So I was happy to receive a copy of The Inmate. The book is engaging enough, but it's nothing more than a quick pallete cleanser inbetween more serious books. I tend to read a lot of dark books, or books with heavy world building. So if you want something quick and easy that is still engaging to a degree with a kind of plot... then Freida is your gal!

A very quick read like all of Frieda’s books… Pretty silly but equally entertaining. Frieda’s books are all like a bad horror movie. They have no substance and always make me chuckle but at the end of the day, I’ll always love them. 3/5 stars!

As I approached the final chapters of "The Inmate," I couldn't shake the feeling that it might end up as a run-of-the-mill read, perhaps deserving of just a 3-star rating. Sure, there were plenty of twists and turns along the way, but as someone who's devoured their fair share of thrillers, I found myself piecing together the mystery a bit too easily. It felt like I'd seen this plot before, and I was worried that the book wouldn't leave a lasting impression.

However, all that changed with the epilogue. It was like a bolt from the blue, completely unexpected and utterly mind-blowing. Instead of a neat and tidy conclusion, the epilogue left me pondering long after I turned the final page. Suddenly, my rating soared to a solid 4 stars, and I found myself reassessing the entire journey I'd just taken with the characters.

This was my first foray into Freida McFadden's writing, and I must say, it won't be my last. Her style is refreshingly straightforward and easy to follow, even amidst the tangled web of mystery she weaves. The characters felt like real people, with dialogue that rang true and internal monologues that offered intriguing glimpses into their minds. While I didn't always agree with Brooke's decisions, seeing the world through her eyes added depth to the story and helped me understand her motivations.

"The Inmate" has opened up a whole new world of suspense and thriller novels for me. I'm eager to dive into more books in this genre, eager to unravel the mysteries alongside the characters and get lost in the suspense once again.

I'm grateful to Netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this captivating work in exchange for an honest review.

Always a thrill ride when you read a Freida McFadden novel. In this tale, the MC Brooke has spent the majority of her adult life living estranged from her parents and in hiding from the people in her hometown. Because she was responsible for putting the star quarterback in prison, the very prison where she will now serve as a nurse. Being in close contact with the man who tried to kill her brings old wounds to the surface and makes her question herself. As with all McFadden books you won't find out who is responsible until the bitter end.

Freida McFadden has done it again - another thrilling must-read! I feel like I am gobbling up one of her books every week - they are just so damn addictive! I can't help myself! The twists and turns, the shocking reveals, and the stories themselves - riveting!!

This time round in The Inmate I was definitely thrown for a loop. I thought I had figured out whodunit, but nope, I was wrong and then some. Whoa! And, I loved it!

So, what's the book about? (summary from Goodreads)

A gripping, twisty thriller from Freida McFadden, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secret ! There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men's maximum-security 1) Treat all prisoners with respect. 2) Never reveal any personal information. 3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates. But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary's most notorious and dangerous inmates. And they certainly don't know that Shane was Brooke's high school sweetheart―the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there. But Shane knows. And he will never forget.

How awesome does that sound? Like, the kind of awesome where you have to get your hands on a copy ASAP and devote your evening to reading it all in one sitting, right? That's how it sounds to me. And that is what I did and let me just say it was the right decision. The Inmate by Freida McFadden was fan-freaking-tastic! Definitely one of my favorites so far. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, especially fans of Freida McFadden - you are going to LOVE this book! Make sure to check it out!


Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

Such a good fast paced read. Finished it in a day. Could not put it down. Would definitely recommend this one to others!

This was a phenomenal book with amazing twists that the reader was not able to see coming until the final page. The best part was that the epilogue also left the readers jaw on the floor.

The Inmate by Freida McFadden was a compelling read with many twists and a very thrilling ending. The main character Brooke was confusing. She was a strong independent woman and at the same time always ignoring her gut instincts.
The storyline was entertaining and the male leads Shane and Tim were wonderfully written. After reading The Housemaid this book fell a little flat but I will continue to read all of Freida’s books. Thank you to NetGalley and Freida McFadden for this ARC.

This book!! It has been a while since I have read a thriller that I actually enjoyed and surprised me. I feel like most thrillers are so easy to predict and for the majority of this book I was convinced I knew what was going to happen but within the last 40 pages there were so many twists and turns and I had no idea where it was going to go next. Now I can see how that could bother some people but I was thoroughly entertained by it. This was my first time reading something by Freida McFadden but it definitely will not be the last. It was such a quick read and I really enjoyed the dual timeline in the way she wrote it. I loved that it was a thriller but she also made you care about the characters in such a short amount of time. The timeline pacing was a little bit strange because all the sudden it would just randomly say that it had been several week since the last chapter took place but it didn't really affect the plot at all. So other than just observing that the timeline was a bit strange, I didn't really notice it much. I am also someone who likes no spoilers so I don't even read the plot summary about books or the blurb. I went into this book completely blind and had absolutely no idea from reading the beginning where we were going to end up. It was a wild ride.

Unfortunately I was unable to prioritize reading this book and by the time I got around to it - it had been removed from my shelf.

3.5 stars!
If you think that Freida McFadden ran out of ideas to make a good twist, think again because she got a good one in this book. It was crazy and I can even admit it was very suspenseful and captivating.
So why 3.5stars only? Because I see this and too unbelievable! I did not like the MC. Half the time I was utterly annoyed at her lack of standing ground. I found myself frequently rolling my eyes every time she justifies all of her actions. Other than that this was a heck of a book!

A fun twisty dark escape on a snowy day! This one has a bit of everything- teen angst, locked room vibes, murder, deception, love, and long lost family. Small town USA has a lot of missing people that just seem to vanish and they are all connected to the long ago evening where the unimaginable happens. Now it’s time to move on and Brooke is trying to do just that while raising her son. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this thriller.

Amazing fast paced thriller that keeps you on the edge and craving for more! Interesting twists and turns that take you all over the place, but nothing comes even close to the jaw dropping epilogue. Unforgettable and outstanding! A must read for thriller fans!

Loved this quick read! The twist at the end- wow didn’t see it coming!! Some of the interactions in the jail seemed far fetched, but overall really enjoyed this suspense book.

Brooke, a woman who put the father of her son behind bars for killing three of her best friends, comes face to face with her past and starts to second guess the killer.
Frieda does an excellent job of adding endless twist and turns, which had me second guessing the killer until the end.
The complex relationships between the characters add depth to the narrative and kept me engaged throughout.
Overall, "The Inmate" is a fast-paced and thrilling read. And round of applause for the ending! 👏 👏👏

This book is absolutely amazing. I had no idea what to expect but the twist and turns are amazing!! 5 stars ⭐️

The Inmate tells the story of a woman going back to her hometown after the death of her parents. She takes a job as a nurse in a local prison and settles into her childhood home with her son. But things aren't that simple. She's hoping to avoid a certain inmate because she's responsible for putting him behind bars when she testified that he killed her friends and tried to kill her. He was her high school boyfriend and people in the town never believed he did the crime.
One thing I'll say about Freida McFadden books is that I fly through them. Most of them I finish in a single day, and this one was no exception. The mood created was dark and ominous and I did want to keep reading to see what happened. Yes, most of the twists were pretty obvious, but the story was emotional and human and I still enjoyed the journey.

I think I'm reading too many Freida McFadden books because I'm starting to figure things out quicker and quicker! Nevertheless, I'm a huge fan of her writing and her books. The Inmate managed to keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I ended up reading it in a single day because I really wanted to know how it would end. Freida's writing style is so easy to follow, and the short chapters in this book made it a real page-turner. Not my favorite book by her, but definitely a good one I can recommend!