Freida McFadden gives us another good thriller! You know what it’s about and you think you know what will happen, but don’t stop reading!
Thank you to Freida McFadden, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC. My review is all my own.

McFadden has done it again with a fun, popcorn thriller The Inmate! I loved that it kept me guessing until the satisfying ending. I truly could not see some of the twists and loved how the mystery unfolded. The author does a fabulous job weaving and connecting the past to the present and keeps the reader wanting more by leaving little tidbits at the end of each chapter. It was a quick read with short chapters, a well plotted storyline, that showed complex and dysfunctional relationships with well developed, complicated and troubled characters.

My rating 5 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC that will be released March 5 20254.

This gripping thriller pulled me in from the very first line and had me thinking, would I take a job at a maximum-security men’s prison if it was the only job I could find?!

The story is told by Brooke, our female lead, and jumps between present day, where Brooke has moved back to her hometown and 11 years ago, at a party that changed Brooke’s life forever. While there were some twists that you may have guessed or “seen coming” the book is still fast-paced enough to be very entertaining.

This is a perfect binge worthy read that packs a punch right till the very end.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, NetGalley & Freida McFadden for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Miss Freida NEVER dissapoints. You think you know what your walking into but u dont. Miss Freida has my jaw on the grow and my theories in the trash, every. single. book. I do have to say tho. Never liked Tim. Man was annoying as hell. I did make my mission this year to finish all of her books. She got me into the thriller genre and im forever gratefull.

Gosh, this was so good. It was my first book of McFadden’s and I fully understand the hype around her now. This book had me in a chokehold (no pun intended). I read it in one sitting because I had to know what happened and it did NOT disappoint.

Holy mother of thriller, what. Queen of not making endings and twists you are not able to guess.

A lot of this book felt quite repetetive, quite a few of the pages were the people saying the things over and over, the FMC annoyed me pretty badly and a lot of if didnt give a whole lot of sense to me. I still gasped at the ending of this book, it made me laugh in shock and thats why this book still deserves a 4 star for me.

Freida Mcfadden gives books that is extremly quick reads, which is absolute amazing - she writes in a way to get you quickly catched to the story, and I absolute adore all the short chapters. I will for sure pick up more books from Freida!

Working in a prison, I generally avoid reading books about them... I'm glad I read this one though.
I did not see the ending coming at all. I truly thought I knew where this whole story was headed but man, I was wrong... Great read!
4.5 stars!

After 10 years away Brooke returns home when her parents tragically pass away. With her is her 10 year old son. Her parents thought it was best that Brooke stayed away from their town to hide the shame of their daughter being a mom at a young age. After applying to multiple nursing positions Brooke's only option was the local prison, where her ex boyfriend Shane is currently being held for murder. Brooke does her best to avoid having to see him since it was her testimony that put him behind bars. But when Shane ends up in the nurses suite Brooke is met with mixed feelings about him and her testimony.

Meanwhile, Brooke has reconnected with her childhood best friend Tim. Both Tim and Shane are warning her about each other causing Brooke not to know who truly was the murderer that might 10 years ago. Shane or Tim?

In a twisty back and forth whodunnit with a present storyline and a past storyline the author keeps you guessing. I definitely switched back and forth throughout this book with who I thought the killer was. The author does a great job of keeping you on the edge of your seat and second guessing yourself!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a compliemntary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Brooke Sullivan moves back to her childhood home in a small town hoping that her 10 year old son will thrive in a new school, she takes the only job she can find as a nurse at a prison. It just turns out that the man who tried to kill her 11 years ago is housed in the same prison. What will she do if and when she comes face to face with him in her clinic, how will she feel, knowing that she once loved him and still cannot believe what he tried to do to her. Her life is slowly coming together, she finds a great babysitter, she enjoys her job and her son seems happier than he has been in a long time.

Brooke runs into her childhood best friend, Tim, who is now the assiatnt principal at the school that her son is now attending. She hasn't seen Tim since the incident 11 years ago. Can they just pick up where they left off as friends or has too much passed between them to ever be friends again. You know what they say, small towns hold big secrets, that is so true with this town. and memories can be tricky.

I love the way this author keeps you on the edge of your seat, trying to guess the story as you read. I look forward to reading her whole catalogue of books.

Definitely was not my favorite McFadden book, but I still liked it. I couldn’t stop reading it because when I thought I figured out what was happening, I was wrong. I needed to know who actually did everything. However the MC drove me a little crazy. She was not the brightest and believed stuff so fast it was making me mad. And then the final twist made me sad, when the kid said that sentence I was like NO!! Overall the book was good.

I highly recommend "The Inmate" by Freida McFadden with a perfect rating of 10/10. This novel is an absolute gem that I urge everyone to read. McFadden's storytelling prowess shines brightly once again, delivering an exceptional reading experience that surpasses expectations.

The writing style is superb, intricately weaving together a captivating narrative while skillfully developing both the characters and the setting. Brooke, the protagonist, is a relatable and cunning character who breathes fresh life into the story. Witnessing her navigate through adversities and overcome obstacles, including encounters with psychopaths intent on her demise, was truly enthralling.

Furthermore, the revelation of the true identity of the killer left me utterly shocked and amazed. "The Inmate" is a must-read for anyone seeking an immersive and thrilling literary journey.

As always, Freida McFadden is a wonderful author. Her books always capture my attention from the very first page. This one was no exception.

4.25/5

this was my first freida mcfadden book and i was pleasantly surprised! overall, i really enjoyed myself. it was a quick read that i didn't really want to put down. the mystery and plot twists weren't particularly revolutionary. i had some ideas about what was going to happen, but there were still plenty of moments that had me questioning myself. but the part that shocked me most by far was the epilogue - completely obsessed!!

Whoa…… twists and turns until the very end! Great book. I kept thinking I had it figured out, only to be wrong.

*A sincere thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing the advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.*

I was interested from the very beginning. The only sort of gripe I have would be I felt like it at some points would drag along. Perhaps an over development of the story. But I loved the present day and past back and forth.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to like this one based on the title. Let me tell you if you haven’t read it pick it up you won’t regret it. I started to suspect who it was but I kept doubting myself and boy did it keep getting better. It had me at the edge of my seat. Don’t even get me started for the ending. Freida always has your jaw dropping for her endings.

It’s been a very long time since I finished a book in one sitting, finished this in 3 hours because it was well written, fast paced and oh so good.

Also, tell me why I was having butterflies in my stomach at every romantic interaction between Shane and Brooke?

This is exactly what I mean when I say less is more, the author drops just enough romance and intimacy and the rest is up to our imagination.

As for the plot, it was brilliant, a perfect package.

Just like with every other Mcfadden plot, we are made to believe one thing, while a dozen other possibilities were running on our minds but it ends in the most unexpected way?

I did not see that plot twist coming, and the ending was just perfect. *chefs kiss*

After The Housemaid, I’ve got the hang of Freida McFadden books and her thought process, so I go in knowing that it’s NOT going to be a regular thriller with a generic plot, and now I am more prepared for what is to come and I’m actually loving the experience.

With a Freida McFadden book, what you read and feel in the 50th page is not the same as what you would in the 250th, 300th and the very last page.

OVERALL RATING: 4.6/5

Amazing read! Frieda does not disappoint with this one! Couldn’t put it down until I finished. It took me about a day to finish, would recommend for anything starting off with thrillers

Always a fan of this author! I think I’ve read every book that she has put out, and I plan to read every one she releases in the future as well. I always refer to her books as thriller lite - they definitely get suspenseful, but I feel like I can read them before bed without having nightmares. I definitely had to suspend disbelief a few times in this book, but it also had some great twists and turns. Overall, a very enjoyable read!

You can never go wrong with a Freida McFadden! She has become one of my favorite authors. While this particular book was not my favorite of hers, definitely still enjoyed it. She always has twists and turns at a good pace to keep you interested and entertained. Thanks to Freida, publishers, and NetGalley for the ARC!