Member Reviews

A quick read. I enjoyed the book, but it did drag on in parts. I will say Frieda does know how to keep me guessing. The main character irritated me, she was so quick to trust people even after almost being murdered as a teen.

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Great read
This was a fast, enjoyable read. A young woman was almost killed while staying the night at her boyfriend’s. Two friends were killed and two others injured. There was a storm going on and it was apparent that one of the survivors was the killer was it her boyfriend or her lifelong best friend? She recognized the after shave scent of her boyfriend, so she went along with her best friends who was allegedly stabbed by the boyfriend, and the boyfriend was sent to prison. She wound up getting pregnant the night of the murders and moved away from her home town. Eleven years later, she returned and got a job at the prison where the boyfriend was incarcerated.

The story wasn’t perfect and might have been improved by a little tightening, but it kept my attention right from the start. The ending was a nice twist, but not an outlandish one.

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hm….
this book *was* engaging and kept me wanting to figure out what was going on
but it also dragged
so
oooo
oooooooooooo
oOooOooOoO
much
i was almost like… exasperated … like get on with it….
didn’t see the reveal coming that’s for sure, and that epilogue…. +*+*strong family genes+*+*+

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My Honest Review
Wow, this book had me on the edge of my seat. I thought I knew the resolution about 30% in then again at 80%, and I was wrong both times. McFadden has a way of making you think you know exactly what’s going to happen, then she throws a curveball at you and you’re guessing all over again. McFadden also provides readers with great character development. While the characters were static, their true characters/personalities are revealed as you read, which provide some shocking twists you might not be expecting. Speaking of not expecting, THE ENDING!! The ending absolutely made the entire book for me. It was a wild twist that I would not have guessed at all…even after the twist at the end, I still wasn’t expecting the true ending at the end (you’ll have to read to find out what I mean).

One frustration, which is common for me when I read thrillers, is that the female main character Brooke was dumb in certain moments. For example, her supervisor at the prison Dorothy told her not to give away any personal information, and on her first day, Brooke shares some personal information with an inmate. However, you can’t blame her, and I felt bad for her; she’s a single mom, who wants to do the absolute best for her son, and you can see how much she loves and is proud of him on nearly every page.

Why This Rating?
I gave The Inmate a 4.5 rounded down to 4. While I loved the ending, it seemed far-fetched. The motive and the extremely thought-out plan seemed so wild that it almost wasn’t believable. With that said, the ending left no strings untied, so there were no loose ends for readers to decide what happens on their own. McFadden also used the typical cliches (or maybe classics?) of a thriller: a stormy night, a power outage, no cell service, etc. Do think these are thriller cliches or thriller classics? Personally, I find them to be classics that I love to see used in the latest thrillers.

Do I Recommend It?
Absolutely! Thrillers will forever be my favorite genre to read. I love the fast pace, the crazy plot twists, and the hopefully surprise ending I didn’t see coming. The Inmate did not disappoint! It was a fast-paced thriller with a story I hadn’t read before that keep me invested till the very end. If you love Freida McFadden or a very intriguing mystery, I highly recommend. This was my first Freida McFadden book I’ve read, and she’s already become an auto-buy author for me.

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the perfect thriller! freida mcfadden hits again! freida knows how to write a good book and that is that!

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freida mcfadden is the queen of a suspenseful thriller and the inmate checks those boxes. when brooke starts as an NP in a prison, she is given 3 rules to follow but before even starting, she broke the cardinal rule. don’t get too close to inmates. this book had great twists and turns

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Flew through this! I truly had to know what happened to Brooke and her friends in high school. Was Tim who he said he was? I didn’t see the twist coming. A great thriller like the other Frieda McFadden novels!

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I have loved every book I have read by McFadden and this one fits right in with the rest.

Brooke reluctantly takes a job as a nurse practitioner at a men's prison. Not exactly the job she wanted, but you take what you can get. She is surprised to find she actually likes the job. Except for the fact that the man who tried to kill her years ago is an inmate there.

Brooke seemed a little too trusting at times considering her history.

Lots of twists as is usual for this author.

I love how easy McFadden's books are to read and they still pack a punch. Most books are either one or the other.

The epilogue is the perfect touch at the end.

Thanks to netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the arc.

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“Oh yes. You can tell a lot about a man from his eyebrows. Nice eyebrows mean he’s wise.”

The Inmate by Freida McFadden


QUICK SUMMARY
Brooke has just moved back to her hometown and took a job she didn’t want to take but has no other option. She’s the new nurse practitioner at the Prison. The only thing is the man she put away for trying to kill her ten years ago is there serving his sentence.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Thank you NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for this copy of The Inmate.
This is my first introduction to the author and it wasn’t a bad one. The book was a pretty quick read, I almost thought I wanted more then I was getting until the story came together and I understood why it was done the way it was.
I love when I am surprised and this one handed me a surprise on a a silver platter.

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Book Review 📚

The Inmate by @fmcfaddenauthor 🔐🔪🩸💉

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and now I want to them all! I was sucked in from the beginning, I love the switch from past to present trying to put all the pieces together. Just when I thought I knew who was the bad guy I didn’t! I was totally shocked and on the edge the entire time! I truly questioned who was trustworthy, it made my head spin. This was a thrilling read for me, highly recommend if you need to get out of a reading slump!

Available NOW!

Thank you @fmcfaddenauthor @netgalley @poisonedpenpress for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 🤍

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Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an eARC of this republished book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars | This is my first time reading a book from Freida McFadden and it didn't disappoint. In fact, I'm a fan already! I love the writing style and the progression of the story was great imo. The book sets from the past and present wherein we'll follow the characters on their younger days and on their present lives (some are already dead though). The shift is not confusing, which I liked because I was able to understand the entire course of event. And all the questions I've formulated were answered.

The characters were vividly portrayed, and as the story progressed, I was really really confident that I had the plot figured out, until it didn't! Shane is indeed, a manipulative. The story unfolds with unexpected twists and turns which kept me engaged, and I love it! In addition, I didn't expect the epilogue with Josh's POV! That's really mindblowing and didn't see that coming, which left me in awe. Great job, kiddo! I didn't like Brooke though. She's indecisive, naive, and trust people too easily considering the fact that she got almost killed by someone close to her. Girl, you're better than that! Nonetheless, it's such a great read. Very engaging, thought-provoking, and unputdownable! Looking forward to more of Freida McFadden's literary works.

"The Inmate" is a propulsive, mind-bending thriller about how we define guilt - and who has to pay for it. And with a clever narrative and well-crafted characters, this novel is a compelling read if you're into suspenseful plot and psychological thriller genre.

This novel was re-published on March 5, 2024.

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Brooke Sullivan, a new nurse practitioner at a men's maximum-security prison, must adhere to three strict rules:

1) Treat all prisoners with respect.
2) Never reveal any personal information.
3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

Unbeknownst to the prison staff, Brooke has already violated these rules due to her intimate connection with Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary's most notorious inmates.

I found myself frustrated with Brooke's inconsistent behavior throughout the story; her certainty on one page often gave way to abrupt changes on the next. Despite being portrayed as a strong character, her actions fell short, making it challenging for me to fully engage with the narrative.

Surprisingly, the ending caught me off guard, though I remain unsure whether that's a positive or negative aspect, as it felt somewhat unexpected and not seamlessly integrated into the plot. I appreciate stories where readers can decipher clues, but this conclusion seemed random and not particularly well-executed.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to explore this book.

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This was my first book by this author. It was a mild ride. A little guess worthy and lacked character depth. I really wanted to like this book. I had heard so many good things about this author and her other books. So it was a bit of a disappointment. I have a few other books of hers that I am going to try.

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All I can say is wow. I loved the plot twists. I highly recommend this book. Freida McFadden has done it again.

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I now get the hype!

This was my first encounter with this author's work and it sure won't be my last.

So get your popcorn ready -I like mine salty, sometimes cheesy- and get comfy because once you start this gripping thriller, you will NOT and I mean YOU WILL NOT want to put it down till that jaw-dropping epilogue.

A quick tip, in order to fully enjoy this fast-paced thriller, you should not think too much. Actually, the less brain power you use, the better. It's just that kind of book and, at times, we all need an entertaining read to devour in one-sitting with a delicious bowl popcorn.

I would definitely recommend.

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4 stars!
This book was so good! The twists! Unbelievable! I was kept guessing constantly. The main character, Brooke, can get a little annoying at times but overall it kept me engaged, guessing, and at the edge of my seat the entire time! Would definitely recommend to a friend! The chapter from Brookes son perspective!!! Oh my goodnesss!!!!! Loved it!
Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebook for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

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What can I say a gripping read I was hooked Lord it all lots of twist and turns a great written book it hooks you into the plot and what a plot it is a little slow in places but it build up for the hit

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This was my first book by the author and I have seen people on about her books for a while. I did enjoy this one and it was a very quick read and had some unexpected twists but thought some of it was also predictable at times but I would definitely check out another one of her books to compare. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc. I would give this 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4.

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This is the first time I'm reading a book by this author, and I loved the experience! The progression of the story was amazing and gradual. There is a constant shift between the past and the present to make the readers understand the course of event. At one point I thought the story had become quite obvious, but guess what, I was wrong! Hahaha!
Characters wise, I found Brooke to be naive. She chose to ignore all the red alerts. Josh was such a sweet heart. The side characters were very mysterious, but you can expect their true personality to shine with time.
The ending was, of course, very unexpected. The last pov (of a character that I don't want to give spoilers of) was such a game changer!
This was a quick to read psychological thriller that can push you out of a reading slump. This was my first thriller of the year, and I'm glad I picked this up!

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Freida McFadden is the queen of plot twists. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, you realize you are completely out wrong. I really enjoyed The Inmate, it gave me some prison break vibes! Thank you #netgalley

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