This book hits the ground running. An eerie setting, a hopeful student, and the chaos that ensues had me gripping the book with white knuckles. Freida McFadden knows how to keep the pages turning and get the heart racing.

Freida McFadden once again provides a thrilling tale with twists and turns and an ending that you didn’t see coming! Ward D is a literally psycho thriller from the psych ward. Recommend

First things first: this book maybe sorta kinda hates the mentally ill.

Secondly:...I really liked this book.

So like, yeah. People with mental illnesses aren't portrayed great. As a person who was once nearly institutionalized though, I can't really say that I cared too much. This book is like the rest of Freida's books: absolutely ridiculous and impossible to put down. Just be warned going in that the portrayal isn't great, and be sure to skip this one if it isn't something you are up for right now.

Summary:
Our main character is Amy. I can't remember her last name even though I just finished the book. Please don't judge me.

Amy is a medical student. Just...vaguely. She has yet to decide what sort of doctor she wants to be. The only specialty she has completely ruled out is psychiatry. But uh oh! She is currently on psychiatry rotation! And now she has been tasked with spending the night in the hospital's psychiatric ward, Ward D. Ward D has all sorts of funky folks to meet: we have superheroes, best friends, like three love interests, knitters, jelly enthusiasts, and a bright young reporter with a point of view. Naturally, murderous hijinks ensue.

My thoughts:
Amy is kinda the worst, lol. Like, this woman grinds my gears, I swear. But honestly, none of the characters are likeable; they aren't supposed to be. (Except Gabby. Stan Gabby.) Despite this, I really enjoyed learning more about these characters.

The pacing was good. We were always arriving at a new twist, but I never got confused or overwhelmed.

Speaking of twists: most were pretty great. I did guess a few, but that is probably just because I am way too deep in the genre. Most felt reasonable; some were a little out of nowhere. I hated the final twist. It just felt unnecessary and odd. Like, one last ooooh look at how scary all these crazy people are. And just when you felt safe rooting for that one because you thought they were normal! Like. A bit yikes, perhaps.

I thought the steel substitution was a plot hole at first, but they came back to it. Mostly. So good job on that.

Final Opinion:
This book was super fun, and I know I will continue to enjoy the rest of Frieda McFadden's work. I read the whole thing in a couple hours. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys over-the-top thrillers. The campy villain monologue at the end???? Wonderful. Just a great time overall.

Not one of Freida McFadden's best books (and I have read a lot of them). But if you enjoy her usual formula (creepy/unreliable characters, plot twists that come of out nowhere and don't follow logic, very quick read) you will enjoy this one as well. A fast, predictable read that you should pick up if you're looking for some mindless fun/horror movie type entertainment.

Wow! This story had me on edge from start to finish. I never knew where it was headed, and my wild predictions were no match for the author's twisted imagination. I tried to outthink the plot, but I was completely wrong—and I loved it! As the story unfolded and secrets came to light, the suspense was nerve-wracking. The atmosphere was so vivid, I could feel every tense moment with each turn of the page. The characters felt incredibly real, and while I was deeply invested in each of them, I couldn’t trust a single one. It was absolutely exhilarating! The deeper I got into the story, the faster my heart raced, and I couldn’t bear to put the book down—so I read late into the night. Warning: Do not follow my example! This book gave me the ultimate case of the creepy chills. And it was amazing!

I really love Freida McFadden’s books, but this one is one of my favorites. The twists in the plot are great! I highly recommend this book to anyone that’s looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing.

Ward D has been one of my favorite Freida books so far. The characters are well written and-her descriptions are always on point. You learn to care for her characters und once you think you are on track and have the story figured out you, believe me you don't she keeps her twists coming to the very end. Ward D was a book I both read and listened to as an audiobook.

Maybe I should’ve been a PI? This was good but predictable. When you’re looking for a quick and entertaining read, Frieda does give it up. The world is a scary place and this story demonstrates that, but I didn’t see it criticizing mental health as some did. It’s always important to be aware of your own triggers and how a story might affect them.

It was good. Suspenseful, scary, just twisty enough to be entertaining. Quick read. The only quibble I had is that I would've liked to see a bit more of the backstory, in depth. I think that would have fleshed out some of the characters a bit more. What you get with Freida McFadden is that there's going to be something wild going on. Fun!

A twisted psychological thriller that takes place in a psychiatric facility. Multiple red herrings and confusing events will keep you hooked throughout this story.

Ward D is one of Freida's best books, because the setting is top tier in addition to the story. A rainy night on a locked psychiatric ward, where the reader can trust no one. Absolutely delicious.

*Ward D* is the second book I’ve read by Freida McFadden, and like her other novels, it’s a fast-paced, suspenseful read.

The story follows Amy, a med student assigned to a night shift in the psych ward of her local hospital. From the start, she’s anxious about the experience, and it quickly becomes clear that her fears are justified. Along with a fellow med student—who also happens to be her former lover—she receives an overview of the ward’s rules from the lone doctor and nurse on duty. As the night unfolds, chaos ensues, leaving Amy unsure of who to trust or where to turn.

The book delivers solid twists and keeps readers guessing, but I found several aspects unrealistic. The ward is oddly understaffed, with just one nurse and one doctor overseeing a high-risk unit. Security measures seem lax, with unmonitored seclusion rooms, malfunctioning phones and computers, and even patients wandering freely. The most baffling detail? Staff members are encouraged to sleep during their shifts. These inconsistencies made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story.

If you’re looking for a quick, suspenseful read, *Ward D* is entertaining. However, if you prefer a more realistic depiction of a psych ward, this might not be the book for you.

*** Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the ARC of this book

Freida McFaddon does it again!

Ward D follows Amy, a medical student, who was an overnight shift on Ward D, a locked psychiatric floor. She has her own reasons for not wanting to be there and is very much not looking forward to these next 12 hours. What starts out as a hopefully quick overnight shift quickly turns into a nightmare, one that Amy isn’t sure she’s going to survive.

This book was great! Full of twists and turns, it kept me constantly turning the pages to see what would happen next. The twist at the end took me by complete surprise, one I did not see coming! I will absolutely be recommending this book!

Ward D draws you in slowly but once hooked you wont want to put the book down.

It is a locked room mystery that takes place in one night that seems endless to Amy who was assigned to the psych ward.

Ward D has bad memories for Amy and they are ones she never shares.

To add icing to the cake her very recent ex boyfriend Cam is working the same shift and her teenage best friend is a patient.

What could go wrong.

Everything.

The phones and computers are down.

The locked door is also out of commision and its chaos.

Danger is around every corner and what isnt real Amy projects.

Ward D is a roller coaster of a ride that will have you holding your breath, biting your nails and screaming at Amy to run run run.

Freida McFadden is a master of twists and turns and always expect the unexpected.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the privilege of reading and reviewing Ward D.

As always, McFadden moves quick and without unnecessary fluff into her story. Even though I enjoy other books of the author more, if you want a fun, scary evening with a creepy, twisty, popcorn horror book, than this will not disappoint.

Freida McFadden delivers another intense, gripping thriller with Ward D. The story centers on a medical student who finds themselves in a psychiatric ward overnight, only to have things spiral into chaos. The tension builds from the very first page as strange and unsettling events begin to unfold, leaving the reader constantly questioning what is real and what is part of the madness surrounding them.

McFadden’s writing keeps you hooked, making this one of those books you can't put down. The sense of isolation, combined with the eerie atmosphere of the psychiatric ward, ramps up the suspense, and just when you think you have it figured out, she throws in a twist that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

The ending is classic McFadden—satisfying, yet with a punch that makes you want to immediately re-read the book and catch all the details you might have missed. If you love psychological thrillers with an unpredictable storyline, Ward D is definitely worth the read. I’d highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspenseful medical thrillers with a dark, twisted edge.

Amy has been dreading her evening working on Ward D, the hospital’s inpatient mental health unit. There are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do this required overnight rotation. Reasons nobody can ever find out.

It's a re-release of a 2023 book. I didn't love this one, felt repetitive.

Thanks for the ARC

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book. I have read a number of Freida McFadden books and this one was one certainly an adrenaline rush! As the main character works to complete an overnight shift in a psych ward for her schooling, the assignment goes from bad to worse. With a number of quirky and questionable characters, McFadden does an amazing job at leading the reader to both believe and doubt what they are reading. This was literally a locked room mystery that delivered! With an interesting and entertaining cast of characters one wonders what is real and what is not. I loved the constant change of events and the way the main character deduces the situations to shape her actions. This was very relatable which made the story more believable. Psych patients and medical workers alike comprised a tangled cast that kept the reader guessing. I was rooting for the main character throughout, as I questioned the situations with her right up to the ending. It was a wild ride and the epilogue really iced the cake! This is a can't miss for suspense/thriller fans.

The main character is stuck for her first overnight in psych ward. As the night unfolds so do the scary kooky characters. For some reason no one wants to be there when the lights go out. I can’t imagine why. Let’s just say that not everyone makes it out alive and there is a juicy twist that makes it all worth it.

I am a huge fan of Freida McFadden and really enjoyed this book it was fast-paced and a quick read. I know our library customers will enjoy it as well. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced readers' copy.