Read if you like:
🔪Quick reads
🔪Short chapters
🔪Nonlinear timelines
🔪Popcorn thrillers
🔪"A Flicker in the Dark"

Twenty-six years ago, Aaron Nierling, was convicted of murdering 18 women and sentenced to 18 consecutive life sentences. While Aaron was killing women behind the locked door to the basement, his 11-year-old daughter Nora was upstairs. Decades later, Nora has changed her name and is now a successful surgeon living a quiet, solitary life. Nobody knows that her father is an infamous serial killer, and she plans to keep it that way. But when two of Nora's young female patients are killed in the same gruesome manner that her father used to kill his victims, Nora becomes a suspect in their murders. Somebody knows who Nora is and wants her to take the fall for these horrific crimes.

When I say I devoured this book, I mean it. This is a fast-paced page-turner that is an easy and quick read. I finished the entire thing, from cover to cover, in just a few hours. Like other Freida novels, this book had shocking plot twists and exciting reveals. In the end, though, I was left wanting more. There were many unanswered questions, and I would have liked to read more about Nora's childhood. Overall, a gripping psychological thriller that you can easily binge in a day. I am becoming a huge Freida fan and can't wait to read more of her backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Suspenseful, compelling and twisty thriller.

Freida never disappoints her readers!

Once I have picked up the book, I literally cannot put it down. I kept guessing what’s next, what’s inside the locked door and who did these…

Nora was the daughter of a serial killer. She renamed herself and buried her identity. As a surgeon now, two of her patients got killed in the same way that her father did 26 years ago. But her father was still incarcerated. Was that a copycat murder? Or someone knew Nora?

I like how Freida set up the storyline. It had an in-depth description of Nora, including her curiosity about the locked room, her hatred being the daughter of a serial killer, she’s being panic from her real identity got discovered…

I highly recommend this book to suspenseful/ thriller bookwormers.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC The Locked Door. I have read so many Freida McFadden books I didn't even realized I have read this book before. This book is so thrilling and so many twists and turns I really enjoyed it.

My must-read author! Devoured this thriller in one day. Loved the set-up of the main character and her curiosity as a child and as an adult. That was my favorite part - how the author could go back and forth between the young and adult voices seamlessly! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Another five star book by McFadden!

Aaron Nierling’s actions twenty-six years ago will never be forgotten, especially by his daughter, the Doc.

I get through the prologue, and I’m hooked on this psychological thriller. I immediately care about Dr. Nora Davis and wonder about the effect her father’s actions have had on her. All is revealed in this “hard to put down” novel. Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read and review THE LOCKED DOOR .

Freida McFadden really knows how to write a good book. there were so many twists and turns that I kept doubting who the killer actually was and if the narrator was reliable. all in all, I need to read more of her books because they really keep you on your toes !!

I have read a bunch of Freida McFadden's books and I have loved all of them...They are so tense I have to keep reading and just cant stop!!!! I never saw the twist at the end coming and thats why I love these books so much!!! A truly exceptional read and I cant wait to read her next one!!

****This honest review was given with an ARC book ****

LOVED IT! I am usually pretty good at predicting "who done it" not this time, I did not see that coming at all!
Frieda never disappoints!

Thank you to Netgallery and the publisher for this ARC. The publication date for this is the 3rd October 2023. It took me a while to get into this book as I found the story a bit strange and I struggled to finish it.

The characters were ok and none of them were particularly likeable. I would give the book 3/5 based on the this.

This book kept me guessing! I didn’t expect that twist at the end. This was a page turner and read it in a couple days. I’m giving 5 stars because I never guessed the ending!

Another great effort from this talented author. Enough twists to keep things very interesting and managed in a credible way, adding to the engagement,

THE LOCKED DOOR ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love a fast paced and twisty thriller, and this was just that. I had to figure out who the killer was and read it in one day! I’m rounding up in this one. I usually love a Frieda book, and while I did enjoy this one, it wasn’t my favorite of hers.

Nora, a successful surgeon, was 11 years old when she found out her father was milking women in her basement. Now there is a copycat serial killer out there, and they’re trying to drag her into the middle of it.

Pub date: Oct 3, 2023

Perfect if you like:
•One day read.
•Unpredictable ending.
•Serial killer thriller.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mood: 🍿🫗

Thank you for the ARC!

I love Freida books because hey are fast paced, shocking and keep you guessing until the end. The ending is a shocker that I didn’t see coming.

Nora’s father was known as the handyman a serial killer. She changed her name, became a surgeon and has tried to forget her past. Now someone is doing copycat killing and she is the main suspect. Who is trying to frame and why?

It is creepy to think of someone watching you and planting evidence to frame you. I can’t get enough of her books.

Freida’s books are so quick to read!!

The Locked Door was especially fast paced. Not as shocking as most of her books, but still had a few good twists.

If you’re thinking about reading this, why not!

Solid read.

There’s no such thing as a bad or even mediocre Freida McFadden book, but this one is twisted and terrifying in equal measure. Even with the slow build, it grabs you and doesn’t let go until the last sentence.

Nora is a surgeon and the daughter of a notorious serial killer. She has changed her name, kept her father’s identity to herself, and avoided any sort of relationship in order to blend in and never have her family secrets revealed. So when a copycat killer appears to know exactly who Nora is, she has to work fast to protect herself while she tries to figure out who has discovered her deeply guarded secrets. Everyone is suspect.

This book is fantastic! I highly recommend it to anyone who loves psychological thrillers or unputdownable fiction. I give it 5 great big stars. Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Absolutely loved this book, along with every other book I have read from Freida McFadden.
Nora is such a fun character and the story was so easy to get sucked into. I couldn't put this book down from start to finish.
The ending, as always, is mind boggling.
Forever a fan.

Oh dear Frieda, you've done it again! No one writes thrillers that hook me more than McFadden. I read this book in one sitting... and that says a lot considering I'm a new mom and sleep is everything to me right now. But I couldn't put it down and stayed up far too late just to get to the last page. The writing is fast-paced and I stayed engaged and fully engrossed the entire time. I will say that I had partially figured out the "twist" by the end of the book, but that didn't take away from how riveted I was while reading. I forever will be the biggest Frieda McFadden fan and this book is one of my favorites by her.

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I am a HUGE Frieda McFadden fan. There isn’t a book of hers that I dislike. So when I saw this on netgalley and got the chance to review it, I took it!

This book starts out intriguing right off the bat. Her dad is a serial killer?! Hello!! Sign. Me. Up. But then it gets into her adult life. And I’m even more intrigued. Frieda does duel POV, from past and present which I always appreciate in a book. I feel like it really helps tie the story together. And the way she would give *juuust* the right amount of information to keep you hanging on? YES FRIEDA.

And the ending?! Genuinely did not see it coming. Not even an inkling. I was SHOOK. It was so so good. The only reason I didn’t give this book a 5 star review was because I wish the epilogue would’ve been just a smidge longer with more info on their new lives. But overall, fantastic book!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57795665

I have become HOOKED on Freida's books. I really enjoyed this, but ultimately it's not my favorite of hers. Still worth reading though IMO!!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-six years ago today, a man named Aaron Nierling was arrested in his Oregon home. He was known as an upstanding citizen, holding a steady job, and was a dedicated husband and father—a true family man. However, following an anonymous tip, the police made a horrifying discovery: the remains of thirty bodies dating back over two decades. Nierling earned the chilling moniker "the handyman" for his gruesome signature killings involving the severing of victims' hands. He was swiftly sentenced to a lifetime in prison. His daughter, Nora, was only eleven years old at the time, an introspective and observant girl who couldn't help but wonder why her father's basement workstation was always locked and why he spent the majority of his time there.

In the present, Nora has changed her last name and works at a clinic with a competitive partner, aspiring to become a surgeon. She has embraced a solitary existence, immersing herself in work, shunning intimacy and relationships, determined not to pass on her genetics and create another monster like her father. She even refuses to care for animals, despite a persistent stray cat that knocks on her window at night.

Nora is resolute about leaving her past behind, but the past has other plans. A sudden visit from a police officer shatters her so-called peaceful life. Someone is targeting her patients, murdering them in a manner eerily reminiscent of her father's gruesome deeds—severing their heads. Nora becomes the prime suspect due to her connections to the victims. She soon realizes that someone is constantly watching her, leaving behind evidence at her house that could directly implicate her as a murderer. With her father still locked in prison, the question looms: who could be the copycat killer following in her father's macabre footsteps? Nora must find this imitator before she gets wrongfully convicted for the brutal murders she did not commit. Or did she? As we delve into the events of twenty-six years ago and read about young Nora's adventures, she appears to display some psychopathic tendencies, almost akin to a soulmate of Dexter. Could she be the real killer?

Pros: The book maintains a heart-pounding pace with its short, action-packed chapters. It immediately intrigues you, inviting you to make guesses from the very beginning. It skillfully lures you into its narrative and expertly delivers the final twist in the vein of the best Freida McFadden style. The classic final chapter that reveals yet another plot twist is both unexpected and delicious enough to leave a sinister smile on your face—it's truly well-executed.

Cons: Nora is intentionally crafted as a perfectly dislikable character who rubs you the wrong way from the outset. While it's understandable not to connect with a character due to her dark inheritance from a killer, it can be challenging to invest in a story when you don't particularly care about the protagonist's fate. At times, she behaves like a teenager, giving the impression that she never truly grew up since her father's incarceration. It's unclear whether the author intentionally portrayed her this way or took a risk to create an intentionally annoying character to set up a twist. Additionally, the on-and-off semi-relationship between Nora and Bradley may induce eyerolls.

Overall: Despite its flaws, the book remains an entertaining, riveting, and fast-paced read that you can easily devour in one sitting. It delivers thrilling twists, much like the other works by this author. I especially recommend it to devoted fans of McFadden's style.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this intriguing thriller in exchange for my honest thoughts.