I think I am just not a fan of Ms. Freida. I honestly kind of suspected the ending of this book, and was just not impressed. I like when books have little clues about the ending, not totally pulling something out of thin air just to prevent the reader from guessing the ending. Overall, I was hooked in the first half, but the second half really didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Inmate by Freida McFadden is a psychological thriller about a single mom (Brooke) who returns to her hometown to work at a federal prison after her parent's deaths. Unfortunately, the prison houses Brooke's old boyfriend who is serving a life sentence for triple homicide - the catcher is: She is the one who put him there. I was really excited to read this thriller as Frieda McFadden books have been flying off the shelves at the bookstore. The only other book by her I've read was "Never Lie" and this is another book of hers that did not disappoint! I liked how McFadden wrote in the present tense and occasionally in the past as Brooke tries to remember exactly what happened the night her boyfriend, Shane, tried to kill her when the facts surrounding the ordeal starts to seem questionable. Did she put the wrong person in jail? If you're a fan of her other novels then I would highly recommend this one as well and if you have not tried one of her novels yet, this would be a good one to start with!

Freida McFadden is a powerhouse when it comes to mystery thrillers. The inmate follows her prerogative. I was not able to guess the ending (which is extremely important in a thriller) and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. A killer 4 star read

Very fast-paced and suspenseful read. So many twists and turns I never truly guessed what was about to happen and that made the reading experience very engaging. Although the plot was very intriguing, I found it hard to connect to our main characters. I didn’t have any emotional investment to any of them and therefore lacked any concern for them at all. Wasn’t much that truly stood out about this book, but it was an enjoyable thriller.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the arc through NetGalley! All opinions are my own honest opinions.

The Inmate by Freida McFadden definitely kept me turning the pages—her writing is addictive, and the suspense builds nicely. The premise is intriguing, and there were plenty of twists to keep things interesting.

That said, some of the plot twists felt a little over-the-top, and I found myself frustrated with the main character’s choices at times. The ending was definitely shocking, but it left me wanting a bit more depth and believability.

Overall, it’s a quick, entertaining read, especially if you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you guessing. Just be prepared to suspend some disbelief along the way!

Review of The Inmate by Freida McFadden

Another thriller I absolutely binged. I really liked the main character in this one. She’s a nurse practitioner and since I am a PA, I could relate to a lot of things in her job and I feel that the author did a great job of representing our professions. I’ve always been curious about what it would be like to work in a jail too, which is a side note. This book was amazing as I said I love the main character and I loved her story. My favorite part of this book were the flashbacks to the past. It was so exciting and well done that I lived for those chapters. I definitely thought I had the ending figured out, but I did not. (Of course).

Synopsis:

There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men’s maximum-security prison:

1) Treat all prisoners with respect.

2) Never reveal any personal information.

3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary’s most notorious and dangerous inmates.

And they certainly don’t know that Shane was Brooke’s high school sweetheart—the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there.

But Shane knows.

And he will never forget.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Inmate by Freida McFadden in exchange for my honest review and opinion. In the last few years, Freida has become one of my absolute favorite authors. Needless to say I was thrilled to receive approval to read this early. This book is SO good and has so many twists and turns that we have all come to expect. Loved every second of it and was sad to finish it so quickly.

Surprisingly, this was my first Freida McFadden novel which is shocking considering how many thrillers I read on a yearly basis. I think this is a great novel for readers who are just getting into thrillers. It's written well (though the plot is a bit farfetched) and is a good read when you don't want to cover your living room in red string to figure out who committed the crime. I read it in an afternoon. I think the author does a great job at building atmosphere and keeping readers wondering.

She does it again! Freida McFadden's 'The Inmate' is a heart-pounding, psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story centers around Brooke, a single mom and nurse practitioner who returns to her hometown, only to face a dark past when she encounters Shane, her high school sweetheart turned inmate, at the maximum-security prison where she works.

As the narrative masterfully alternates between past and present, McFadden crafts a complex web of mystery, suspense, and twists that will leave you breathless. With its breakneck pace and shocking revelations, this gripping tale expertly explores the intricacies of relationships and the devastating consequences of past actions.

Prepare to be enthralled by this captivating thriller, its stunning plot, and multidimensional characters. 'The Inmate' will keep you guessing until the very end, leaving you consumed by its dark secrets and haunting twists."
One of my favorites yet!

This is another great twisty ride provided by Freida McFadden! These books have been labeled “popcorn thrillers” because they really do have entertainment value!

The Inmate by Freida McFadden is a gripping thriller that doesn’t disappoint. The suspense is perfectly balanced, keeping you hooked and on edge throughout. One of my favourite aspects is the dual timeline, which adds depth to the story and keeps you guessing. And the ending? Absolutely mind-blowing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, Freida's signature plot twists proved me wrong, making me second-guess my own detective skills. She truly is a master of mystery. Overall, it’s a solid, highly enjoyable read—an easy high four stars from me!

THE INMATE By Freida McFadden

There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men's maximum-security:
1) Treat all prisoners with respect.
2) Never reveal any personal information.
3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.
But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary's most notorious and dangerous inmates. And they certainly don't know that Shane was Brooke's high school sweetheart―the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there.
But Shane knows. And he will never forget.

😊What i liked -

✔ Mystery/Psychological Thriller/Suspense.
✔ This was my first book by this author and after reading it, I have been wondering why I put this book off for so long.
✔ Though I was quite certain on who actually did it, still the way the book is written made me question myself constantly. Bravo to the author for this.
✔ I wasn't really surprised towards the end but then the author threw not one but two big twists in my face. For a minute I couldn't believe I read what I read.
✔ The plot was strong, Few likeable and few unlikeable characters. Good amount of twists. A mix of fast and slow pace.

🤔What could have been better -

✔ Though I liked the pace of the book, it was a mix, but I felt the slow overpowered the fast.


📚Who Should read :

👶Beginners
🕵️Psychological Thriller Lovers

📈My Rating : 4.5/5

Wow, Wow, Wow.....The Inmate keeps you guessing til the very end!! It does make you wonder what could have been different if Brook had made the choice to tell what was happening in her friends home at an early age. Worth the read!

Frieda McFadden NEVER disappoints me with her writing! She always keeps me on my toes and has amazing plot twists.Twists. I loved the way the characters were written as well as the fact that we got to follow 2 different timelines in this book. Can you imagine working at the prison your ex boyfriend is sentenced at... for murdering your friends! Brooke also gets reunited with her childhood friend Tim who warns her to be careful around Shane in the prison... but Shane warns her to be careful around Tim!
This book had me spinning back and forth. A wonderful read! I'd defend reccomend it!

If you’re looking for a realistic plot, this is NOT the book for you!!! Me though? I loved it!

Brooke has just moved back to her hometown with her son after she was left the family home when her parents died. The only nursing job she can get in town is at the local prison, where (get this) her *baby daddy* is serving a life sentence for attempting to murder her (and also for killing two other people)!! To this day however, Shane (baby daddy) insists that he is innocent and that Brooke should keep an eye on her childhood best friend, Tim, who was also there the night of the murders.

First of all, if you know anything about how the criminal justice system works, throw all that knowledge out of your head before reading this, otherwise it’ll drive you insane. And sorry, but the fact that they wouldn’t have clocked in a background check that her baby daddy is serving a life sentence there and declined her for the job is a crazy take. You literally are legally required to disclose that during the background check process if it’s a justice system related job. But whatever, it’s fine!!!

Listen, the first half of this book was actually so good. I’ve read one or two other Frieda McFadden books and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was liking this. The second half goes a little bit haywire, I’m not gonna lie to you, but I had so so much fun with it.

For me though, the ending was a step too far and made the book officially lose a star for me. Like so much wild and incredibly unrealistic things happen in that last half of the book, but the twist at the end felt like overkill and was honestly just unnecessary. It almost made all the other unrealistic stuff feel more prominent bc you’re just sitting there exasperated like, ‘lady, relax already!!!’

Freida McFadden delivers another masterclass in psychological thrillers with The Inmate. This book is completely twisted, with a storyline that keeps you guessing and second-guessing until the very last page. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, McFadden throws in another shocking twist that will leave your jaw on the floor.

The pacing is relentless, and the suspense builds perfectly, ensuring you’re on your toes the entire time. The dark, chilling atmosphere and complex characters draw you in, making it impossible to put the book down. If you’re a fan of gripping thrillers with an unpredictable ending, The Inmate is a must-read. Prepare to have your mind blown!

I will always be an MF fan for not just how she builds the characters and plot line, but for how she can continue to create books that keep you interested. I’ve read a handful from MF and every plot twist is great. The ending wasn’t quite what I expected and found it could’ve been wrapped up more quickly, but I was still shocked and look forward to MF’s next book.

Holy moly! I devoured this book, I absolutely could not put it down. I THOUGHT I had it figured out, I was wrong!

Didn’t like the main character very much so it was hard to dive into this. I did like the structure of the timeline and I wanted to see how it ended.

I am a big Freida McFadden fan, but this was one of my least favorite books by her. Still a great read but it was predictable