I was excited to get to listen to the Coworker early. Although this story was not as engaging as Freida's others it was still an enjoyable read. I will continue to read anything Freida writes. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audio version of the Coworker.

The Coworker is a fast-paced thriller by the beloved Freida McFadden. Like many of her other books, this title was a quick and easy read. The internet is obsessed with McFadden and her stories, but I continue to not be wowed by her writing or development of characters. They tend to remind me of other popular thrillers by utilizing similar storylines and tropes. I find her books are great palate cleansers as they don’t take much “brain power” to read and can usually be read in just a few sittings.

The Coworker is told in two parts. The first part is good at getting to know the characters. I enjoy the back-and-forth email exchanges that reveal their personalities. In the second half, I couldn't listen fast enough. A body. A suspect. The past. I need answers!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

crazy turtle lady alert

This book depending on where you are at ranges from a 2-4 star. It had me at the begining and lost me after the turtles were mentioned for the 100000th time. This is my least favorite by the author but it wont deter me from reading the author again.

For me : i didnt like any of the characters and they were also underdeveloped. The plot twists were expected and not so dun dun dunnnnnn as the author normally gives us.

Not a popular opinion but I feel pretty strongly that this was a let down. I'm officially calling it quits on Frieda after this one. The story was so ludicrous at times it was laughable. I threw my phone in the car when yet another chapter talked about fucking turtles. What do turtles have to do with a murder and coworkers? Absolutely nothing, that's what. Yet they're mentioned more in this book than any relevant plot point. It gave me "The Maid" vibes, a main character that's arguably on the spectrum and has a strange affect / weird obsession. Not my cup of tea but I wish it wasn't so. I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape AudioBooks, thank you for sharing it with me and I apologize for the visceral reaction but it really was that bad.

I LOVED THIS THRILLER. Hands down, one of my favorites this year, it was twisty but not predictable. And weird as hell. Our unreliable narrator is (in my unprofessional opinion) perfectly on the spectrum—seeing a neurodivergent lead was SO REFRESHING! And the author didn’t stray away from flying us in, but she also didn’t objectify our MC and make her a poster child for neurodivergence. She just told her life from her perspective, never naming or identifying or labeling, just living. I’m so thrilled by this I can’t explain. I’ve been telling everyone in the world to read this book!

As far as thrillers go, this one was just ok. The book started off hot. I was excited. But then as more details and information started to come in, it felt like I already knew where things were going. The point of view traded between two co-workers - the beautiful, popular one and the mousy, awkward and very strange one. Let office bullying insue.
There were unreliable characters and terrible treatment of people. But who was bullying who?
Additionally, Dawn Schiff, the strange one, who always referred to herself by full name, was completely obsessed with turtles. They were her favorite animal and could relate to their introverted ways. She may have overshared facts about them, and it was a source of bullying. But on a side note, I am a fan of turtles and it made me weirdly relate to her weirdness.

Separately from the stroyline, I listened to the audiobook. I wasn't a big fan of the reading. The narrator took awkward pauses (and not when reading the awkward character's part) and you could hear some background noise.

I had mixed feelings about this story. It wasn't my favorite from Freida McFadden, but overall a fun read. I liked how it was told with different POVs and the use of emails. Which felt very on theme. It was more predictable, and the way Dawn was portrayed left me uncomfortable. I did appreciate the ridiculous amount of turtle references though.

Was removed and archived from my shelf before I could read it.

Thank you, netgalley and Dreamscape media, for the opportunity to read and listen to these stories for an honest review.

When Dawn fails to show up at work, her cubicle mate Natalie becomes concerned and sounds the alarm. However, it is soon discovered that Natalie, who is considered the top performer in the sales department at Vixed, has a history of being a fraudulent and abusive person. As the investigation into Dawn's disappearance progresses, Natalie's true personality emerges, and her reputation takes a hit.

"The Coworker" is a thrilling novel that I couldn't put down. Initially, the story seemed predictable, but it turned out to be a real page-turner by the end. What stood out was the phenomenal, unpredictable ending, which sets it apart from other thrillers. Additionally, the book carries a great lesson about bullying in schools and workplaces. Overall, it was a great read that I highly recommend to fellow mystery lovers.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me a free advanced copy of the novel.

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

This book was a twisty tale. At one point I thought that I figured out the direction the story was going - but then talked myself out of those thoughts because SURELY it couldn't be that much like another popular thriller, right? Wrong. This storyline felt too close to another, very popular thriller.
Unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. The similarities to the other book didn't allow me to connect with this story. I think that it's hard to freshen up or draw inspiration from a story that has already been told so well.
I do enjoy Freida McFadden's writing style and ability to keep you guessing throughout the story. I do plan to read more from this author and look forward to reading The Housemaid.

Thank you to @netgalley @dreamscape_media and @poisonedpenpress for the gifted copy of this book.

This story about a toxic workplace was incredibly compulsive and so easily bingeable! It’s full of unlikeable, unreliable and slightly unhinged characters BUT it definitely works!

It starts off a bit slow but certainly picks up. I thought I knew where it was going, then I didn’t, then I did and bam, this one was a rollercoaster for sure!

McFadden likes to leave you shook and her signature continues to lives on with this one!

This was a wild ride!  I figured bits and pieces out but not how all the pieces played out which makes for a very entertaining, compulsive read/listen.  I think this was more creative than The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secret in terms of plot but required a bit more suspension of reality for the reader/listener.  Definitely recommend for a weekend or vacation read!

I actually read this with my online book club last month (just forgot to review on here until now) and LOVED it! It was just the perfect amount of creepy and twisty. 4.5 rated up!

If you want a book set in our daily lives, but a dash of thrills, detectives, and tow curling suspence- pick this up! Friends McFadden is a great storyteller and a fresh voice in the genre! Absolutely a fun and quick read!

The Coworker was a well woven story of two women. The two main chapters are polar opposites, but they have one thing in common: secrets…

If you like unreliable characters who aren’t always likable, this is a thriller for you. It’s very intriguing, and there’s a great chance you’ll be surprised at least once, if not several times. If you aren’t sure about this book in the beginning, keep at it a little longer—it’s worth it.

I listened to the audiobook, which had a single narrator. The narrator did a great job distinguishing between the two characters. I listened at 1.75x then 2.0x speed (my normal is 1.75x speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced audio copy. I do apologize for my delay in completing my review.

This is my first book of Freida McFadden, and it was an entertainer! It has the usual cocktail one would expect in a psychological thriller (starting off with a crime) – decent character development, engaging character interplay, average procedural work, unreliable narrators & twists.

Dawn is very regular and sincere at work. She had asked for a meeting with her boss Seth Hoffman about something important the previous day. Natalie is a coworker and Dawn had also mailed her asking to speak about an important matter. But Natalie was busy in sales calls and could not meet her. Dawn does not come in to work one day. Natalie is surprised and goes over to her place. She finds a scene which is concerning – a broken glass on the floor and some blood. Natalie calls the cops and Detective Sentora investigates the case, digging into Dawn’s relationships at work and circumstances of her disappearance. The other characters who figure in the story are – Caleb, colleague who Natalie is dating; Kim, Natalie’s friend who together have joked about Dawn being odd; Seth’s wife Melanie who is set to separate from him.

The story alternates between events in the past, starting 6 months prior and now. It is told through the viewpoints of Natalie & Dawn. Dawn is suggested to be on the autism spectrum – most find her odd and she has a love of collecting objects with turtle images/shapes. A lot is gradually revealed on her relationships at work, a tragedy from the past and her confiding her current frustrations with a friend Mia. There is a major twist around half way in the story and some more in the later sections. Lot of this is theatrical and the procedural aspect of the investigation is expectedly average (though much better than most in this genre). I found the letter writing Dawn indulges in to be silly – obvious at the end that it was more for the reader rather than the story. I liked how the characters of Natalie & Dawn were developed, though some of the backstory is sketchy, lacking depth. The interactions between Natalie & Dawn were very good – building a nuanced, complex relationship.

The story overall packs great entertainment – keeping you engrossed. I liked the audiobook narration by Alyson Krawchuk.

Recommended as a good relaxing read!

My rating: 3.5 / 5.

This is a quick read with some twists and turns. The narrative goes back and forth between Natalie and Dawn. Colleagues at Vixen with many secrets. Thank you to the publisher for a copy.

I had to DNF this one. The story wasn't drawing me in and the narrators voice was not working for me.