Ward D felt like it took the long way to get to the
heart of the story. Figuring out “who done it” wasn’t hard either. Just not a suspenseful story.
It kept my interest but not to the point I wanted to keep reading it non-stop.

I LOVE Freida McFadden but just like with any author you’re not going to always love every book.

Can’t wait to see what’s next by this author.

A great creepy read! I quite enjoyed this new one from Freida McFadden! A psychological book based in a psych ward, it’s a setting to freak you out!

I have loved Freida McFadden books ever since I first stumbled upon her books. Ward D is no different. As a fan of McFadden’s, her books always have many twists and turns and just when I think I know what is going on, a twist appears and makes me rethink the entire story. The story focuses on Amy, who as a medical student has to do an overnight rotation on Ward D - the mental health ward. Amy, who is already nervous, begins to notice signs that something may be very wrong in this ward. As the night continues, people start to vanish and Amy knows that the only way she will survive the night is to trust in her instincts.

A med student, Amy, is required to do an overnight shift at a psychiatric ward. Shortly after arrival for her shift, Amy finds out that dangerous patient has been placed in a seclusion room for everyone’s safety (he threatened to kill everyone on the ward). Did I mention a childhood friend also resides on this floor?
Quick read but not one of her best in my opinion. It was predictable which really bummed me out….this author usually keeps me guessing all the way through.

Exactly what you want from a Freida McFadden - suspense, mystery, and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Super fast read, plenty of twists and turns. Listen, is it fine literature? No. Is it fun? Yes.
This latest version corrects issues with previous publications. I had a ton of fun reading it.

I read this in 2023, it is not a new book. You can get it free on kindle unlimited. The book is typical Frieda, fast paced, easy read.

Another winner by Freida McFadden. She always shocks me! I read it in two days. There were lots of twists and turns. But the biggest twist was on the last two pages!

I love Freida McFadden's writing, and I especially love the fact that I could read this book in one sitting. Ward D is another fun popcorn-like read, where the plot moves fast, and the setting doesn't have to be realistic to work. I think that's what I enjoyed the most about this book. For me to enjoy a book, I don't need to believe whether the plot could or could not happen in real life, so once the reader gets past that, it's a fun read. This is another psychological thriller from the author that was a solid read. I enjoyed all the characters, alternating timelines of the past and present, plot twists, and all the suspenseful thrills. It's what you expect from Freida!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

Trapped on an overnight shift in the mental ward, medical student Amy Brenner struggles with her own insecurities and paranoia about the assignment. Or is she valid in her misgivings? Another quick paced mystery from Freida McFadden.

Amy is dreading her night working as a medical student in the Ward D, which is the mental health unit. She has her reasons for that and they are very specific. She also wants to keep her reasons secret. Patients and staff start to disappear and she is sure that her worst nightmare is coming true. Thanks to @NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Quick read as always. Not my favorite of her books. Unlikeable characters and did not enjoy the descriptions of some of the mentallyill

Amy, a medical student, is assigned an overnight rotation to Ward D- the psych ward. She soon learned that things don’t feel right, but what is going on? At the night passes so do patients. Where are they disappearing to and who is really who. It seems everyone is not who they seem. Follow the twists and turns until the end which turns once more.

What can I say, I actually thought this book was more suited to a YA audience. We sell a lot of her books at the store where I work so I thought I would try one but to me it was average, engaging at first but then quite silly, like watching a really bad horror movie.
So many things didn’t make sense and the plot was unbelievable. A student spends the night in a locked in psych ward and of course things start to go wrong.
Not for me I’m afraid.

#WardD. #NetGalley

I don't read this author for depth but she's perfect for a reading slump or to recommend to students looking for a propulsive read (especially ones who don't like to read). This was quick and had some great twists which is exactly why I pick these books up! Yes there are some issues with the depiction of mental illness but if anyone is picking up Freida McFadden for realism or nuanced characters, they are in the wrong place.

Ward D
by Freida McFadden
Pub Date: March 4, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was previously published in 2023 so with great surprise I saw it offered again in 2025.
Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward.

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.

And as the hours tick by, Amy grows increasingly convinced something terrible is happening within these tightly secured walls. When patients and staff start to vanish without a trace, it becomes clear that everyone on the unit is in grave danger.

Amy’s worst nightmare was spending the night on Ward D.

This has all the things you want in a psychological thriller. Locked up in the psych ward overnight for a twelve hour shift, Amy, a medical student, is already terrified. But then her childhood best friend is a patient in the ward. Crazy and crazier.... and always when you think you might get a happy ending, Ms McFadden throws in.....

A fantastic book! It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Freida McFadden has a great way of telling a story, and this book is no exception. Thank you for letting me read it.

If you’re a Frieda fan you will definitely enjoy this one. But I must warn you. You won’t want to put it down!
A medical student who turn it is to do a shift in a locked psychiatric unit is worse than she ever expected. Amy was concerned about her shift on Ward D. A shift that ends up being worse than she could ever imagine.
A book that will keep you guessing.

Ok read, but I felt like I was actively trying to ignore the glaring inaccuracies in the portrayal of psych facilities/patients. It did keep me guessing on whether or not the main character was a reliable narrator!

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC! Re-releasing March 4, 2025.

Amy Brenner is very apprehensive about the overnight shift in the locked psychiatric unit she has to do as part of her medical school training. She has visited Ward D before, when her best friend Jade was a patient there during their high school days. So beyond the fear of what she might encounter from the presumably dangerous patients, Amy has to grapple with unpleasant memories of her friend's breakdown. Once Amy arrives, she is dismayed to see that her ex-boyfriend, Cameron, is going to be doing the shift with her. He broke up with her because he wanted to focus on his studies, so she really isn't thrilled to be put into close contact with him again. As they are shown around the ward, they are given the code to allow them to get out of the locked door, should an emergency arise. The cell phones they brought with them don't work, so there is the added pressure of feeling cut off from the outside world. As Amy and Cameron look through files and talk with patients, they are aware of the two locked seclusion rooms that are on the floor. One has a dangerous patient locked inside, since the decision has been made to transfer him to a more secure facility in the morning. They hear him constantly trying to get out of the room and generally causing a ruckus, but there are no windows into the room so no one is able to check on him. As the night wears on, more and more strange things happen, and Amy grows more anxious. The events of the evening are interspersed with her recollections of her high school friend Jade and the events that lead to her being admitted to Ward D all those years ago.

I enjoyed the story and the suspenseful events. It was hard to know who to trust and which events were actually happening, and which might be part of Amy's growing alarm and worry. There were a few things that didn't seem to fully add up, but if you put those aside, the story is certainly a page-turner and I really liked the few final surprises in the epilogue.