I really do enjoy reading Freida's books and have read them all. That being said, this wasn't my favorite of hers. Looking forward to reading The Teacher when that is available.

Sorry for the late review just ended my school semester last Friday and just started reading the book yesterday and was able to finish it today. I must say, the book cover is very intruiging and my expectations to the books knowing what will be new plot twists in the book will show to her readers and yes, I was completely wrong! I thought I know what will be the twists at all and after reading the ending, I left my mouth open and guess what, I loved this book! Freida is a bomb! She's really good at giving unextraordinary plot twists! Very commendable!

With sharp storytelling, McFadden crafts a thrilling narrative that explores obsession, betrayal, and an unforgettable crime. "The Coworker" is perfect for those who love suspenseful tales that keep you guessing until the very end.

I know I’m late to the Frieda McFadden Party. This was my first Frieda McFadden thriller and it definitely won’t be my last. The Coworker is an easily digestible fast paced thriller that keeps you guessing.

Thank you netgalley and poison pen press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun read! The plot twist at the end is always especially fun to look forward to in Freida’s books. I wish they had developed some of the adjunct characters a bit more but overall loved it.

Loved this book, couldn't put it down and finished this in one sitting. Freida knows how to make you think you have the ending figured out and wham plot twist.

I loved this book. It was such a fast read. Her short chapters make it easy for me to 'read just 1 more chapter' . The story was so funny and easy to follow. I love the surprise at the end, I didn't even guess it!!!

I love Freida McFadden's writing style, she really makes you think you have it all figured out right until the end.

This was a very twisty book! I never knew what was going to happen and love how she included Sheldon the turtle. 1000000% recommend!

Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back.

McFadden has quickly become an auto buy author for me. The Coworker is a fun, twisty popcorn thriller. It gave me Molly the Maid and Eleanor Oliphant vibes. The book tackles work place bulling with some memorable (if unlikable) characters, short chapters and an ending I did not see coming. I loved the quirkiness of this one and the inclusion of turtle love.

Another Freida book that I could not put down! She is a super thriller writer and always fast-paced with relatable characters!

This was my very first Freida McFadden read. This one left me questioning everything I know, but also why haven't I read any of Freida's books before because clearly I am missing out!! I went 90% of the book thinking one thing and then it turned out to be something completely different. I was so invested in this story to find out what was actually going on. It was captivating, and the twists and turns. Wow. Just wow. I know this was my first, but I'm not sure there are any others of Freida's books that would be able to top this. Can't wait to read more!

I was acquainted with Freida McFadden’s writing through her stellar thriller The Locked Room. Her latest offering, The Coworker, is a solid mystery with lots of gasp-worthy twists and turns. Again I appreciated McFadden’s pacing at introducing new information and complications. The plot points were resolved almost seamlessly in the end, and this reader felt satisfied with the time spent with The Coworker.

Let me start off with Frieda dont miss ohk

I gave this 4 stars. It was good had me hooked from the beginning didnt want to put it down . The plot twist were crazy and for me I never see them coming .

I personally hated both Dawn and Natalie but you can see how they fit in to the story line . But they personalities were just poop for me .

The suspense was there . She knows how to write ohk . I definitely recommend this to anyone new to Frieda or just need a quick cleanse it will definitely do the trick .

This is my first book by this author and sadly it didn’t wow me.

🐢 The characters were one-dimensional and stereotypical IMO. I didn’t connect with anyone. Plus, the story wasn’t keeping me engaged. It took way too long for something to happen that piqued my interest.

🐢 I enjoy a good revenge story, but this one felt a little too convenient and convoluted. I also love unreliable narrators, but their “unreliableness” must at least make some sense when things come together at the end of the story. Plus, there needs to be some build up to what is coming – to me, nothing in this story made sense until we were way too close to the end when suddenly we get all kinds of information that we had zero clue about before. I don’t need all the critical plot details too soon, but I do like to at least have some breadcrumbs leading me to them.

🐢 All that said, there was one twist at the end that I liked because it made sense and there were a few breadcrumbs in the story that made it believable. So, kudos for that.

🐢 I really wish I had enjoyed this more. I know people who love this author so I will try another book by her at some point.

Thank you @netgalley and Poised Pen Press for an eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

"The Coworker" revolves around the protagonist's journey through the intricate web of workplace relationships, revealing hidden motives and keeping readers on the edge of their seats. McFadden skillfully crafts characters with layers of complexity, leaving us questioning their true intentions and the unfolding events.

Character development is a notable strength, as the author constructs a cast of individuals with palpable tension and mistrust between them. McFadden plays with readers' perceptions, keeping them guessing about the true nature of the characters and the direction of the narrative.

The pacing of the novel is well-executed, with suspense building as the plot twists and turns. Each revelation adds a layer of complexity, contributing to an overall sense of mystery and unease.

"The Coworker" stands as a compelling psychological thriller on its own merit. Readers open to a thrilling experience will appreciate the well-developed characters, intricate plot, and skillful pacing that make this novel an engaging read, earning it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

The Coworker was my first Freida McFadden book, and I was excited to read it because I hadn't gotten around to reading any of her other books. It was simultaneously fast-paced and a slow-burn, which for my personal reading style, worked out well. As for nearly everything else, though....

I didn't feel invested in any of the main or side characters in the novel, which made it difficult to care about what happens to them. I was more interested in finding out the twist of what actually happened to Dawn rather than caring whether or not Natalie has her name cleared. Both Natalie and Dawn end up being these morally grey, unreliable narrators. While I typically love that trope - especially when the reader isn't aware that trope is in play - I feel that it wasn't executed well in terms of Natalie's characterization. The epilogue came out of left field for me, and it felt like the author changed essentially everything we knew about Natalie's character; and not in a "wow, what a good twist!" kind of way. Another thing I wanted to note was my own interpretation of Dawn's character. As a neurotypical reader, I acknowledge that I do not have the right or personal experience to claim with certainty that Dawn's character is on the spectrum. But... her character just appeared to be very coded in 'stereotypical' traits of Autism often found in media. In addition to that, it seemed to me that essentially, these traits were what made Dawn, well, Dawn. There wasn't much else to her character other than her hyperfixation with turtles, awkwardness, and trouble socializing/connecting with others. Again, this is just my own personal interpretation, but I would have loved to see more to Dawn's character than these traits, regardless of the author's intent.

The twist was good, but the fact that it occurred with 100+ pages left in the book left much to be desired. I was able to predict smaller twists, but overall, it was a thriller with a good plot.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of The Coworker by Freida McFadden to review. All thoughts are my own and are not influenced by any third party. #TheCoworker #NetGalley

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

This book was... not for me. There's not much I can say without spoilers, but I was NOT a fan of the way that one of the POV characters was written and the other POV character was just the most insufferable person to sit inside their head. I really had to force myself to read this one through. It sure was twisty, and some were telegraphed, and some were quite left field. It was a pretty quick read, though, but overall not very satisfying.
Might try another by this author later, but certainly not immediately.

The book started out with lots of potential, but the twists and turns felt so implausible that I was disappointed in the book in the end. sometimes too many twists blunt the impact of the story. I feel like the author wanted a story so over the top that she lost her way. The characters' actions were not believable.

I read part and listened to part of this one. The narrator was great, but the pace was a little slow for me. Speeding it up to about 1.25 was perfect. This is classic Freida McFadden. Perhaps not entirely believable, but so many great twists if you can allow yourself to stop questioning it. She perfectly captured the "sea of cubicles" office situation. Every office has the perfect rule follower, the just enough to get by worker, the gossip, and the break room/kitchen police... The relatable setting had me feeling very invested. I enjoyed this one.