So, here's the thing. I keep requesting books by McFadden, and while they are quick reads I never am fully satisfied. I am not sure what the issue is. The storylines are good enough but I think the writing just doesn't grab me like I want it to.

I devoured The Inmate by Freida McFadden in one sitting, unable to tear myself away from the dark and twisted world of a maximum-security prison. The author's masterful storytelling weaves a complex web of intrigue, as the protagonist's journey into the depths of human depravity reveals the shocking secrets behind the prison's walls. With its gripping plot, memorable characters, and thought-provoking themes, this psychological thriller is a must-read for fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins. Be prepared for a sleepless night as you're drawn into the claustrophobic world of The Inmate, where the lines between good and evil are blurred and the consequences are devastating.

I know Freida McFadden is super popular, but this is my first foray into her writing. She did not disappoint! This is exactly how I like my thrillers to be: fast-paced, dark, and with some serious twists and turns. This was definitely a bit silly in some places (like no background check on someone working in a prison with an inmate that she's connected to), but I did not expect the ending at all. There were some elements that also felt repetitive, but I didn't mind since each chapter seemed to fly by. And like most books within this genre, the main character made some seriously questionable choices, but I will definitely read more of her writing for sure!

yet again Frieda McFadden has given us a cracking book, love the prison aspect of this book I don't think I've ever read one set around a prison.
Great writing as always, great story line that had you gripped from the beginning. I don't think you should pass this one up. Go read it!!
Twists are her best thing and it doesn't stop in this book!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Freida McFadden for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a psychological thriller that follows two timelines. One is present time and the other is roughly 10 years earlier.

Our main character starts working at a men's maximum security prison as a nurse practitioner. The only problem is her high school ex-boyfriend is in there for life for multiple murders, and Brooke helped put him there.

I was gripped from the very first chapter. I couldn't put it down. There were so many twists throughout. I thought I knew what was going to happen, but I was wrong every time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to read an unputdownable thriller. With this being my second Freida McFadden book that I have absolutely loved, she has become one of my new favorite authors. I can't wait to pick up more books by her.

This is the 4th Freida McFadden book I've read and she is fastly becoming a top 10 author. I liked this book, didn't love it but was definitely readable. Tells the story of Brooke, a nurse practitioner who gets a job on a prison where her once boyfriend is serving time for a crime she was witness too when they were all young . Bit did he do it? I found it a bit far fetched tbh, which spilt it for me as the storyline wouldn't happen in real life. I know it's a novel but when things are a bit daft, it stops me loving them. Still an enjoyable read though, just not one of my faves.

From time to time I like to leave my Romance bubble and embark on a thriller journey, ideally a one that will keep me guessing until the end. This is my first Freida's book, and honestly I will be coming back for more!

This was an exciting, entertaining and addicting journey! It is told in dual timeline, alternating between the past (11 years ago) and the present. I enjoyed the pace and the twists and turns, and this story kept me captivated until the end. And that ending?? 😱😱😱 The epilogue?? Shocking! Unexpected! Left be gasping and saying WTF.

I had a bit of a hard time connecting to Brooke and sometimes I just wanted to shake her to come to her senses, but honestly this is something I can overlook, because the story itself was a wild ride and no matter how hard my brain worked – and worked it did, – it honestly gave me what I always look for in a good thriller: it gave me tension, it gave me suspense, it kept the wheels in my brain working hard, so it's a win for me!

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

Freida McFadden is the queen of twists! What a wild ride! Not my favorite book by her but it definitely did not disappoint.

I was so confident in what I thought was gonna happen. I was like surely that’s it. Nope. Wrong.

So addictive, read it just over a day. Perfect fast paced read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC!

The Inmate
Frieda McFadden

Freida will always be a good option, she delivers binge worthy stories that are captivating and often twisty.

“Sometimes people do exactly what you think they’re going to do, and they still manage to disappoint.”

I personally love the concept of a jail setting. And the rules, namely are;
* treat all prisoners with respect.
* Never reveal personal information.
* Never get too friendly with the inmates.

But unfortunately Brooke has broken the rules. Nobody knows that Brooke has an intimate relationship to one of the penitentiaries most notorious and dangerous inmate. They don’t know that they were high school sweethearts and most definitely don’t know that it was Brooke’s testimony that landed him inside.

But he knows and he won’t forget it.

“I look like I’m in college, and feel like I’m fifty. Story of my life.”

Another fantastic thriller and thank you @penguinbooksaus!

This book was exactly what I needed to kick my reading slump to the curb, and boy, did it deliver! I devoured it in just a few short hours, completely swept away by Freida McFadden's trademark fast-paced, page-turner style.

But oh, Brooke, our main character—she left me feeling torn. Her trust seemed to come a bit too easily, and her flip-flopping decisions left me scratching my head in confusion.

Now let's talk about that twist—it caught me completely off guard, and the ending sentence stole the show, wrapping up everything in a perfect bow.

In the end, while Brooke may have earned the award for the most oblivious character, 'The Inmate' was a enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!

I’m not sure how to feel about this. I love Freda’s writing but I definitely think this wasn’t her best. All the plot twists happened at the end it felt like it was just the same thing over and over again till the end.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy anything about this book, I honestly should have DNF'd. The writing, the characters, the plot, the twist - none of it seemed believable to me, and the characters were not relatable, the plot underdeveloped, and the twist too far out there.

I really enjoyed this book! I was definitely kept on my toes throughout the story. Some things I saw coming, but others (like the ending), made my jaw drop! I only gave 4 stars because there were points where I felt like it dragged on just a little and some of it was a bit to cliche for my liking, like her relationship with Tim right after she moved back home. With that aside though, it was such a great and quick read that I would definitely recommend!
Thank you to @netgalley for an advance copy in return for my honest opinion.

This book had me hooked. I flew through it. I think the author did a nice job tying the timelines together while going back and forth. It feels like we get the full picture. One thing I really enjoy about Freida’s books is how fast paced they are. I thought I knew where some of it was going early on I was wrong. But the twists and turns kept it interesting. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this with me!

This book was ok. The ending was pretty ridiculous, and far fetched to be honest. But it is McFadden.
I think she should have stuck with the first twist and stopped there.
Brooke moves back to her hometown with her 10 year old son after her parents death. She is now living in the house she grew up in, interacting with people from her haunted past, and working at the jail where her ex boyfriend is being incarcerated for the murder of her high school friends - along with her attempted murder.
The plot to this had a lot of potential and it was entertaining but I was unsatisfied with the ending.
3 solid stars.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC.

I thought this would just be a simple thriller, that the killer was pretty obvious from the start. But Freida McFadden’s talent is confusing you and making you second-guess yourself again and again. She’s called the Queen of Twists, and rightfully so. Even the epilogue had a twist!

This is the second book that I’ve read by this author, and I don’t know if it’s her trademark, but she always makes use of scents in her books. Which is really clever, because it’s another device to give clues or confuse the readers. And though I couldn’t stand the FMC Brooke because of her naivety, I still enjoyed this entertaining thriller.

Step into the intense world of “The Inmate,” where nurse practitioner Brooke Sullivan navigates the treacherous corridors of a men’s maximum-security prison, bound by three strict rules. With tension as thick as the prison walls, Brooke harbors a dangerous secret: her intimate past with Shane Nelson, a notorious inmate serving a life sentence for heinous crimes. As Brooke struggles to uphold professionalism, Shane’s vengeful gaze follows her every move, threatening to expose the truth. With her past closing in and danger lurking around every corner, Brooke must tread carefully to survive the chilling consequences of her forbidden connection.

It was an enjoyable, quick read that kept me interested in the plot. Startled, I dreamed of diving into this novel to bring some logic to it, or hoping to God that Freida would soon make more intelligent heroines. The protagonist was often far too trusting of this man, which drove me a bit insane. I also felt that some of the story twists were so obvious that they almost had me roll my eyes. The narration alternated between the past and the present in a nonlinear fashion.

This has it all: thrills, crime, mystery, suspense, and chillingly dark secrets! Heart-pounding, nerve-racking, and never-ending suspense. I believed I had this thrilling thriller figured out from the start! Despite this, I found the novel to be engaging and read quickly. I had a hard time putting the book down after devouring it in two sittings. My brain was spinning, especially the last ten chapters. She writes twists like no other, therefore I’ll be reading her other works!

This is another fabulously twisty thriller by this amazing author.
I was completely enthralled in the plot and loved the ending. It’s definitely one of my favourite books by Freida McFadden.

I cannot say enough about how great this book was. Going from the past to the present, it’s hard to discern just who the bad guy is. Just when I thought I figured it out, a twist happens and I’m at starting again trying to piece the story together.
This is a story of a bunch of teens dying late one night and the girl who survived. It’s about how she returns home to start over only to try and figure out what happened that fateful night. Be prepared for a lot of twists and turns until you come off the roller coaster to figure out who dunnit.