This was not my favorite Freida by a longshot. It just was not for me! I will still try out her other books though.

Freida McFadden truly never misses! This was such a quick and easy read that had me guessing the entire time!

Another amazing thriller by Freida McFadden. In her usual fashion it had twist and turns all the way to the very end. While I was excited to see the main character was a nurse practitioner, I just could not like her. She came off very naive and dumb which made some of the plot very outlandish and silly. But overall, a quick read.

It's impossible to read this book and not do a lot of head shaking about the main character. Much like the storyline which flips back and forth in time so did Brooke.
She sends a guy to prison and then questions her memory of what happened.
She hooks up with the long time friend and then dumps him.
The guy in prison (father of her child) who she hasn't seen in 10 years is now looking good.
This girl cannot make a decision and stick with it.
The book didn't have me on the edge of my seat but there was a big twist I didn't expect in the end.
Too many non-believable scenarios to form an attachment with the main character. I wanted a less wishy washy female persona.

Frieda McFadden did it again this book was once self published but due to recent popularity it had a re-release. What an amazingly twisted story.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: ⭐️

For those who are unfamiliar, Frieda McFadden is a well-known author in the mystery thriller genre. "The Inmate" is the third book of hers that I've had the pleasure of reading.

When you first open "The Inmate," you're immediately drawn into Brooke's world, feeling a deep concern for her well-being. As the story unfolds, it transforms into a gripping murder mystery that keeps you on your toes.
"As the prison doors slam shut behind me, I question every decision I've ever made in my life."
What I liked: Despite the storyline being a bit far-fetched, "The Inmate" remains a page-turner. McFadden's writing is engaging, and I found myself questioning alongside Brooke. The epilogue, in particular, was a standout - unexpected and deeply impactful, it left a lasting impression on me.

What I Didn't Like: However, the book did take me a while to get through. While it was enjoyable, it didn't captivate me as much as some of McFadden's other works. It lacked a certain intensity that I've come to expect from her novels.

In conclusion, "The Inmate" is a solid read for fans of the mystery thriller genre, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of McFadden's previous books. It's worth picking up, especially if you're looking for a story that will keep you guessing until the very end.

A solid new story from Frieda McFadden. Follow Brooke as she begins her new job as a nurse in a pennantury but not everything is as it seems. There is one inmate with whom Brooke has a complicated past.

A quick twisty read, not my favourite Frieda book but as with all her others it held my interest and just when I thought I had things figured out it took yet another turn.

I am slowly making my way through her entire back catalogue and whilst this wasn't the best it was still incredibly bingeable.

3-3.5 stars. There was a lot of repetition and red herrings. It felt too obvious, the author was really pushing us to believe Tim was a killer. I did get really into it right away and didn’t want to put it down, so that’s a plus.

What happens when you end up working at the prison where the ex you put into prison is housed? This is the tale of Brooke's new job in prison--where the man who attempted to kill her years ago is sentenced. After a close encounter, Brooke begins to question is guilt and/or innocence. Did Shane really try to kill her? What is she forgetting from that night? Another super twisty thriller from Frieda McFadden.

Gotta love Freida McFadden! She’s always a comfort read when I’m needing a romance/fantasy break lol.

Brooke is a single parent who just moved back to her hometown and now is working as a nurse at the jail where her son’s dad Shane is imprisoned. Shane has been an inmate for 10 years since he murdered 3 of their friends and attempted to murder Brooke. Or did he?

This was a quick read that led me guessing until the end. I will say I felt like there were some loose ends and some of the twists were questionable at best — just very forced and disarranged to make it work. It was still a fun, palette-cleanser read though!

I did love the last little twist at the end though 🙃

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I like Freida McFadden's books because they are quick, suspenseful, and fun. But lately, I feel like they are too fast, the character development is not shaped enough, and the ending or major twist is too outlandish. Overall, I am entertained, but I am left wanting more.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.

Frieda McFadden has me hooked! Couldn’t read this one fast enough. Lots of twists and I couldn’t tell who to trust! I loved the small town atmosphere that was mixed in from Brooke’s past. I thought I had it figured out but nope. The ending shocked me! Will keep reading all of Frieda McFadden’s books!

I was in the mood to read something dark and twisty and remembered that this was on my Kindle. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The protagonist, Brooke, is one of the most unlikable characters I’ve come across in some time. I wanted to have sympathy for her given her backstory, but her actions and decisions made that impossible. Her relationship with Tim felt forced and contrived. To be honest, I didn’t really find any of the characters to be likable.

With that said, it held my attention just enough for me to want to keep reading. The twists were unexpected but they didn’t provide me with the dark and twisty wow factor that I was looking for.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Like Freida's other books this is a fast-paced one-sitting read. Outlandish plot but entertaining. I liked the final twist.

I found this book incredibly disappointing. I found the main character, Brooke, so incredibly dumb and frustrating. It totally took me out of the book and was incredibly distracting. There were also just so many points at which it didn't make sense between her trauma from the previous events and then also basically throwing herself at her ex. It was vaguely misogynistic because of how sheerly stupid she was at every turn.

Calling this a thriller is a stretch. I was eye-rolling on every page.

The Inmate follows the story of main character Brooke Sullivan over two timelines - her past and her present. It’s fitting as her past has just came right back into her present. She starts a new job as a prison nurse, in the prison where her ex-boyfriend Shane is a prisoner, put there by her after he tried to kill her. As Brooke and her son settle back into their home town more of the people from her past come back into her life including her childhood best friend Tim.

Brooke comes across as quite naive as she ignores advice of multiple people who warn her not to get close to either of the men from her past. I spent the majority of this book not knowing who to be wary of. There’s warnings about almost every character having ulterior motives or being manipulative and at which point do you decide to trust them? I enjoyed the dual timeline running side by side as it perpetuated the feeling of not being able to trust anyone and being on the edge of your seat throughout.

I didn’t see the final twists coming as the story just seemed to be twisting right from the start. I say final twists as there is more than one jaw dropping reveal! I keep seeing Never Lie being recommended so I think I’ll give that a go next, or the next book in The Housemaid series!

I love Freida McFadden books. She always includes twists that I don’t think of. Her accurate medical depictions make for a real life story.

I recently finished The Inmate by Freida McFadden, and it was quite the rollercoaster. As a nurse practitioner in a maximum-security prison, Brooke Sullivan’s life takes a dark turn when she reconnects with her high school sweetheart, Shane, who’s now a convicted murderer. This setup creates immediate tension, and the book wastes no time plunging into a series of twists and turns.

The pacing of The Inmate is relentless, keeping you hooked from the very beginning. McFadden excels at maintaining suspense, though at times the plot’s rapid pace comes at the expense of character development and descriptive depth. The narrative is straightforward, often just detailing actions and events without much embellishment, which can make the prose feel a bit utilitarian.

What really stands out, however, are the unexpected twists. Just when you think you’ve figured out the plot, McFadden throws in another curveball that upends everything. The conclusion is particularly jaw-dropping, with revelations that add a new layer of complexity to the story. Some readers might find the epilogue a bit divisive, as it leaves a lasting impact on one of the key characters in a way that’s both shocking and unsettling

The Inmate by Freida McFadden is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story follows Brooke Sullivan, a former nurse who finds herself working in a prison after a series of unfortunate events.

Overall, The Inmate is a compelling and well-crafted thriller that I highly recommend. It's a page-turner that will leave you guessing until the very end.