Dawn is nothing if not predictable. She comes in at the exact same time every morning and even goes to the restroom at the same time. No minute is unaccounted for and she's an accountant so that's kind of her thing.

Her other thing is turtles. She relates to them on a spiritual level. Dawn has never got on well with people. She's awkward and she wishes she too had a shell to hide in.

So when Dawn disappears, her coworkers at the vitamin hack company are concerned enough to go by her house which soon becomes a crime scene.

Someone didn't like Dawn but someone clearly is out to get our other main character Natalie. How are they connected and were they actually pals as Dawn says or was something more sinister going on to lead to Dawn's sudden disappearance?

The clock is ticking and Dawn is probably trapped somewhere like a turtle on its back! They simply have to find her.

This was great and twisty in true Frieda fashion. Our narrators are unreliable at best so we must investigate what is true and read between the lines of both ladies. Sometimes it made me feel decieved but the destination was worth the journey.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen and review. The audio narration was great!

Two star because I finished it. I don't know what is going on with this author lately. This book and her last have been a mockery of someone with a mental illness. Mental illness is rarely the cause of aggression.

I am so done with this author.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

4 stars

Freida McFadden has changed my perceptions of many relationships, households, and objects throughout her books. This time, it's turtles. It'll be a long, long time before I can look at a turtle again and not think of this most recent group of memorable characters.

Natalie and Dawn work together, and readers get to know them independently much more than through their interactions with each other. While both have their quirks (I write with great diplomacy), Dawn is the more overtly unusual individual, and her attention to detail, order, rules, and right and wrong are so well known that when she doesn't come to work one day, it's clear that something is off.

These characters are riddled with questionable choices and actions, which makes them entertaining to read. There are a lot of grey areas here, and while some of those are easier to decipher than others, there are still some surprises to be had.

As is the case with McFadden's work in general, this is a well-paced and engaging read, and the audio version is particularly enjoyable. I recommend this one when and where accessible.

Dawn Schiff and Natalie Farrell are coworkers at Vixed, a nutritional supplement company. Dawn, an accountant, and Natalie, a sales representative, work side-by-side, but they could not be more different. Dawn is a bit strange, or at least everyone at Vixed thinks so. She is obsessed with turtles, can't seem to say the right thing, has no friends in the office, and is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m. Natalie, on the other hand, is beautiful, popular, and the top sales rep at Vixed. When Dawn doesn't show up to work one morning, Natalie becomes worried. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call: "Help me!" No one else at work seems concerned about Dawn, so Natalie decides to investigate on her own. Natalie goes to Dawn's house, but she is not there, and Natalie discovers a disturbing amount of blood. Then a body is found, and Natalie becomes the prime suspect and finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse.

Ok, wow. This book was so good. I binge-listened to this audiobook late into the night and on my commute, finishing the entire audiobook in less than 24 hours. When I got to Part II, I was screaming, "I KNEW IT!!!" in the car. Reader, I did not know it, because this book had so many twists and turns until the very end. The mind games will leave you frustrated but wanting more. Such a fast-paced, gripping thriller that was utterly unputdownable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

When Dawn Schiff doesn't come into work one day, her coworker, Natalie, becomes suspicious. It is very out of character for Dawn to miss even one day of work. Dawn is clearly a bit different and her personality is not the same as most people. For example, she has an obsession with turtles and fills her home with turtle decor. Soon after, Natalie answers a phone call at work and believes it's Dawn saying "help me." She decides to go to Dawn's house and see if she's there, but instead Natalie finds blood all over her floor. Natalie immediately calls the police. They begin to investigate Dawn's disappearance. What Natalie did not expect, is to be constantly questioned and to become a prime suspect.

THE COWORKER was a great book to listen to. I enjoyed the fast pace of the story. I was a little confused by this turtle obsession, but it all came together in the end. I will say I was surprised by the big twist in this one. It was definitely nothing that I would have guessed, so I commend Freida McFadden for stumping me (once again). I do think if you've enjoyed her other novels, you will like this one also. I can already see this becoming very popular.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my gifted ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to pub date.