Freida writes the kind of books that you can’t put down. The stories that are easy to read and suck you into them to the point you forget to eat, can’t sleep, and cannot function until it’s finished. Forever a McFadden fan!!

Nora is the daughter of the “Handyman” serial killer, but she is living her life in anonymity after being adopted by her grandmother and moving out of state and changing her name. She now works as a surgeon and just trying to get by like everyone else. It’s been 26 years since she turned her father in and he got 18 life sentences. Then, 2 of her patients die in the same manner as her father’s killings and the police come knocking on her door. How did they track her down? She starts to investigate the copycat murders on her own as well so she can clear her name but can she, in fact, clear her name?
Many of the childhood flashbacks alluded to Nora having similar tendencies as her father and even the fact that she worked as a surgeon when her dad was known for cutting the hands off his victims (thus the nickname) and yet when she reconciled with her college sweetheart, she acts like he’s the one who has something to hide.
Classic popcorn thriller that I was able to read in one sitting.
Thanks to Hollywood Upstairs Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WOW. WOW WOW WOW. i thought the housemaid was good and then i read THIS. a million times better than the housemaid and an even bigger fucking plot twist. my mind was scrambling the entirety of the story and i wasn’t sure what the fuck was going on. seriously, this book was FANTASTIC. in my top 5 books of the year.

idk if its just me but frieda mcfadden is just the thriller genre's version of colleen hoover...take that how u wish

This was so good!

I find stories by this author hard to put down! The characters are interesting and the pacing is quick! There is an eerie vibe throughout the story and so many red herrings. I didn’t even come close to guessing the plot twist. The final twist, though small, gave me chills 😳.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy in exchange for a review.

The Locked Door was a quick and interesting read. I did, however, feel that the book lacked character development and without this it took away from the 'whodunit' as without a proper fleshed out backstory, it's difficult to make judgement.

Although the book was fast paced and, for the most part, interesting, I was able to predict the plot. Which isn't uncommon for me with McFadden's books. Despite this, it was an enjoyable read.

I have read quite a few books by Freida McFadden and to be honest I am finding that I feel the storylines are just a little bland. I was drawn to this one because reading about the daughter of a serial killer sounded fascinating. And while I felt like there were parts of the book that kept me engaged the end totally blew it for me. Without giving away any spoilers there was a twist that I didn't feel really made complete sense.

It wasn't a bad book, just one that I thought would have a little more potential.

This was my first Freida McFadden novel, that i was graciously sent from the publisher to read and review. From the second I read what the book was about I knew I was going to love it, and I literally could NOT put this book down. All throughout the book I had suspicions of who I thought the killer was even right up until the last couple of chapter I thought I had pinned who the killer was but WOAH I wasn’t expecting that plot twist!!! Cant wait to read more of Freida’s books!!

The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

Genre: Suspenseful Thriller

Read this if you like:
Serial k!llers
Dual timelines
Eerie/creepy vibes


Phewwww! Looking for a fast-paced thriller with short chapters? Let me introduce you to Freida. Her books never fail to keep me guessing. Sis will throw a red herring in a heartbeat to throw you off track. From the beginning to the last chapter, you will be hooked and fly through this book.

The Locked Door almost felt like a guessing game for me as I followed Nora’s story especially because you can’t tell if she is a reliable narrator or not. The deeper I got, the more uneasy I felt. Everyone was a suspect and I went back and forth with myself the whole time. Then when I DID find out the killer, that person never even crossed my mind and looking back, maybe it should have…

I very much enjoyed this book! I loved the short, quick chapters and how quickly the novel catches your attention. I enjoyed the red herring characters and how I wasn't 100% sure that Nora wasn't the villain.

I read Freida McFadden's "The Housemaid" books in 4 hours (each) and in general, I read a lot of thrillers and suspense stories This one definitely kept me on my toes. I feel that the storyline was different, and I appreciated that it wasn’t similar to the majority of the thrillers that I’ve been reading lately. The only thing I would have liked more of is to learn of Nora’s childhood. I have too many questions about Nora’s childhood and her relationship with her father that I needed answers to.

I highly recommend reading The Locked Door. I’m also glad that I took a chance on reading this book, and I will be reading more from Freida McFadden going forward! Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Locked Door is the latest psychological thriller by Freida McFadden and centres around Nora Davis, a successful surgeon with a tragic and murderous past. Her father, Aaron Nierling, is the notorious serial killer who kept his victims hidden in the family’s basement under his wife and young daughter’s feet. It has been 26 years since her father has been incarcerated but there have been two murders of Nora’s patients in eerily similar manner as her dad’s victims. Is it a copycat or is Aaron Nierling a puppet master from his prison cell?

What I liked about this book:
-fast paced, quick read
-short chapters
-the past and present timelines
-question raised if Nora is a reliable narrator which adds to the creepy story
-so many red herrings and twists that I couldn’t predict who was behind the murders
-questioning if Nora had the serial killer gene like her father
-the ending
-popcorn bingeable read

What I disliked about the book:
-although I enjoyed the ending I feel like it just needed a little bit more of a wrap up

My rating of the book: 4 ½ out of 5

My final takeaway: I enjoyed this fast, paced captivating read that kept me wanting more. If you enjoy twisty psychological thrillers where you don’t ‘know who did it’ then this book is for you.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC which will be published October 3, 2023.

What would you do if your dad was a notorious serial killer? Do you run and hide? Do you follow in his foot steps?

When women start dying in the same manner your father killed them... and they are his exact type... how do you prove it wasn't you? Especially when you know you might just have it in you.

This story provides twists and turns that make you second guess what you think you know. Another slam dunk from Freida McFadden.

Reading a book written by Freida McFadden is like an addiction, you just can't get enough of it. She plays mind games with you, as the reader, with cat and mouse games leading you down one pathway then twisting down another way. It is enough to give you whiplash, but it s also what makes this book so addictive. You will not be able to put it down.

Nora Davis is a successful surgeon with a hidden past. She is the daughter of a prolific serial killer who kept his victims in the basement of their family home right under his family's noses. He has been in prison for 26 years and will be there until he dies. So, when one of Nora's patients ends up dead in an eerily similar fashion to her father's victims, it was like de ja vu for Nora. Nora changed her name many years ago and no one should know her real identity, but apparently someone knows, and they intend to set her up.

This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing and then guessing again. I suspected all sorts of horrible things as I read this book. Nora was weird. That much was obvious, but was she a killer? The twists and turns just kept coming until the ending was tied up with nice, neat, chilling bow that I never saw coming. Freida McFadden is a masterful manipulator in directing the reader in different directions by planting little seeds of doubt that will drive you mad as you try to solve the mystery. For those who love a good serial killer thriller, you will enjoy this one.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love Frieda don’t get me wrong but this fell flat for me. While a quick suspenseful read this reads like other books I have read in the past and the lack of what felt like it’s own unique plot made this hard to trudge through.

Nora, daughter of a notorious serial killer, is just trying to live her life after her father’s imprisonment. Now 26 years later, women start being murdered in the same fashion as those committed by her father. When people realize who she is, they start to become suspicious. Is there a copy cat on the loose, or has she inherited all of her father’s genes?

Freida McFadden has done it again! True to her style, just when I thought I had it figured out, she got me again! Truly the queen of twists, I did not see the ending coming at all.

This book had me hooked from page 1. Definitely a fast paced thriller that I could not put down. I loved reading this book. Freida’s writing style has a way of keeping me wanting more and unable to stop reading til the end!

If you are a fan of Freida McFadden, do not skip this book. I have yet to be disappointed by her and I highly recommend this book as a quick read thriller. I will definitely be reading all the rest of her books.

Another super quick read by the one and only #friedamcfadden! Although this wasn’t my favorite of hers, it was a good one. The twist was there and completely unexpected. I love thrillers with serial killers and for this one to be about the daughter of a serial killer really caught my eye. Poor Nora is just trying to escape her parents past and attempting to live a normal life. As the copy cat killer takes shape, she becomes paranoid and I truly felt for her.

I devoured this in one day so if you are looking for a quick read that will keep you guessing till the end, this one is for you.

Thank you NetGalley for approving me for an eARC of the book, now being published under Poisoned Pen Press on Oct 2nd.

This book is binge-worthy and captivating. One of my favorites so far from Freida, having already read The Housemaid, The Inmate, and The Coworker. It has a gripping storyline. The protagonist, Nora, is the daughter of a notorious serial killer. The story is told in dual timelines, with glimpses of Nora’s childhood, along with the current timeline, with Nora being a successful surgeon. In the current timeline, one of Nora’s patients is found murdered in a similar manner as her father’s victims.

Nora is intriguing as a character and you question whether she is reliable as a narrator, which created an eerie and creepy tone in her narration at some points. There’s some great twists that I didn’t see coming. As is the case with all of Freida McFadden’s books that I’ve read so far, once I started I didn’t want to put it down. I recommend this one if you love fast-paced popcorn thrillers with a true crime element.

Thank you so much Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley.

When she was a kid, Nora's dad was a serial killer. He's in prison now, and she has changed her last name. She's a surgeon. One of her patients is murdered in the same way her dad killed his victims. Someone knows.

This book was such a thrilling ride of suspense. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Part of me was questioning Nora's intentions while the other part of me was convinced she was a victim. I did not figure it out. One of the best thrillers I've read this year.

I’ve seen this author’s books all over my social media but had yet to read one of her books. If this book is snuggling to go by - I’ll be adding all her books to my to be read pile! I read this book in a day! It kept me interested the entire time. I would recommend to anyone and everyone!

What a ride! Freida McFadden never disappoints. This one kept me up at night to see what was going to happen and I do not regret the lack of sleep. This was a fairly quick read and highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review.