Another engrossing psychological suspense tale from McFadden! The setup is irresistible, and McFadden makes the most of every opportunity to wring suspense from the situation.

Another top tier McFadden thriller, I always enjoy her books, unexpected twists and well crafted characters, this was suspenseful and fast paced!

Wowza. Where to start! This was only my second Freida McFadden read but I went in with high expectations. A very quick read that keeps you on your toes! I flew through this one. I will say I was a little disappointed with the writing, I wanted more detail than what I got but I still absolutely ate it up. Some expected twists but also a couple unexpected turns which I love when I read a thriller. Definitely recommend and so glad I was given the opportunity to review with NetGalley!!

This was a fun one, I enjoyed how suspenseful the book was the entire way through, and how unhinged the whole situation was. I felt the motivations weren’t super clear and some of the twists were a little out of left field but I enjoyed my time nonetheless.

This is my 1st Freida’s, despite having several of hers on my tbr. I gotta say, it’s a good one indeed, with those little by little breadcrumbs she spreads across the story - managed to made me went back & forth with whodunnit & what exactly happened, yet stayed suspicious with most suspects.

I also felt that my patience been tested real bad with the fmc (Brooke) upon how clueless & too positive she’d been - which mostly made things worst back & forth as well - ugh the disappointment & rage I’ve went through to finished this book with her, boyyy Lord have mercy as my anger issues been rattled over the first half…

I’ve been proven right for some part, some wrong, and I love the twists towards the end - despite I can see it before Brooke does, again. And the ending - I think that was good too - almost ironic, and I still felt unease with Tim with that last revealed, but yeah well good for Josh I guess. Ironic, but good for him. At least he’s not as fragile as we thought - yet yeah, may he won’t follow his daddy’s footsteps then - intention wise.
Overall, such a good read, and I’d love to read more Freida’s next. I also think this could be a good movie adaptation as well, despite some of the cliches, I bet it’ll still be an enjoyable watch.

Read this in a day! Couldn't put this book down until the last page. The book had mentioned gripped from page 1 with not a single drop in pace or interest. I liked the central theme and the red herrings throughout.

The action and suspense felt by the character translates well and the author managed to confuse me too on what was actually going on. Also several minor parts of the story tie up well for the finale. I also liked how nothing is what it seems and especially loved the ending!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read The Inmate. When Brooke moves back to her hometown and takes a job at the local prison, traumatic events from her high school days resurface. The book alternates between the present and the night from Brooke’s past when she was attacked, along with several of her friends. I flew through this one and appreciated that the twists kept on coming right through the last page.

The Inmate
4⭐️

If life didn’t keep interrupting my reading time, I probably would have finished this in 1-2 sittings. I liked that the past and present narration showed the growth in MC Brooke. The past narration definitely sounded like a high school and the present sounded more mature. The past storyline had teenage-horror-slasher vibes, but not in a gruesome way. I had to laugh every time any character would bring up a point and Brooke would instantly think “really good point” 😂 Pretty sure we could tell Brooke anything and she would throw out any previous thoughts on the matter. Great quick read with suspense and thrills throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley, Freida McFadden, and Poisoned Pen Press for providing this ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date 05 Mar 2024

Brooke returns back to her hometown after being gone for ten years and takes a position at the local prison. One of the inmates, Shane Nelson, is someone she knows very well and was the reason why she left all those years before. With her moving back all of the memories of her life here before come rushing back. However, everything Brooke thought she knew is turned upside down as details from the night that sealed Shane Nelsons fate come forward.

I thought I knew…I read this entire book thinking I knew. I did not. I was so wrong. Frieda is a great story teller and always gives readers multiple twists along the way. Both of the plot twists at the end absolutely threw me. I don’t know if I will be picking my jaw up off the floor anytime soon. The characters were written perfectly for this story, I was captivated from beginning until the end. This is in the Top 3 Frieda McFadden books for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I quickly knew after reading The Housemaid that Freida McFadden would be my new go-to for a twisted psychological thriller. The Inmate truly delivered on a book that is fast-paced, mind-bending, and overall just a good read. I was constantly second guessing myself and would not have been able to guess that ending from a mile away. So good!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Brooke finds herself back in her hometown after her parents are killed in a car accident and she’s left her parents home in the will. She hasn’t been back to Raker since she was forced out of town by her parents to hide her pregnancy. She accepts a job as the nurse onsite at Rakers penitentiary but of course that’s where her ex boyfriend currently is, serving a life sentence for trying to kill her.

You meet all 5 main characters immediately. Brooke, the main character and mom to Josh. Shane, the handsome high school football star, who is currently in jail for murder. Tim, the sweet neighbor who clearly had a crush on Brooke but doesn’t exactly fit in… And Chelsea, the best friend to Brooke through grade school.
You go back and forth through time reliving the events of the murders and through Brooke’s current life. At times I kept thinking… so what?!? There was a big plot development and then something big happened and we just moved on. Nothing was really discussed about it again. “These kids were murdered, I went to court, he went to jail, that’s it.” And then the final twist from @fmcfaddenauthor comes and you’re just left sucking your breath in.

Thank you so much @netgalley for my ARC, make sure you check this out tomorrow when it launches!

The Inmate starts with a promising premise, a woman take a job at a prison where her ex is an inmate; however, the main character is so unbelievably naïve and impressionable. I could not believe how easily she was persuaded and manipulated for a 28 year old. While there were a couple twists toward the end, one of which was pretty surprising, the story overall was predictable. This was a fast read, but I was let down based on what I was initially expecting. (3.25/5)

**This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Wow the creepy vibes were intense with this one. Maybe a little too intense. I could feel my anxiety spiking. It held my attention the entire time and finished it in almost one sitting. Kept me questing the entire time and my allegiance to any of the main characters wavered throughout the entire thing. Just when I thought I figured out the twist something else would happen and change my mind but the entire time nothing ever really fit and I knew something big was coming and boy did it. Not my favorite of hers because it was just too creepy. I didn’t know who to trust throughout and at multiple points I began second guessing the FMC. It lived up to her usually style of writing and kept me entertained.

Fast paced as usual. Not my favorite Frieda book. But it was okay, just fine. The “twist” was underwhelming for sure.

The twist got me good. I was second guessing who the culprit was every chance I got. Brookes history was intriguing.
All the clues that lead to the reveal made sense. And I can’t believe this only took place in one night.

It’s not often that I read thrillers, but I loved the housemaid so I am honored to have had the chance to read this in advance.

Special thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for this opportunity🖤


What a ride this book was. I was on the edge of my seat and trying to wrap my head around what was happening all through out. Freida knows how to write suspense in such a way that you are feeling like you’re in a mindf*ck and just when you think you have it figured out, you absolutely do not.

This was captivating, full of suspense, and a roller coaster. The epilogue will BLOW. YOUR. MIND!🤯🤯

The Inmate had me second guessing EVERYTHING. Every time I thought I knew who I could trust it was then flipped upside down. This book gave me Prison Break vibes- minus the plot of actual prison break? Haha.

I found the FMC to be very naive and she trusted everyone a bit too eagerly. I think she should've stayed away from everyone involved in murders that happened in the past.

I don't think she should've brought the Dad back to the house so quickly after he got out of jail- regardless of her ideas on if he committed the crimes or not. Thats not the situation that he should've been meeting his son. She SHOULD NOT have gone back to that murder house..

I found this book incredibly interesting and I couldn't put it down! I needed to know exactly what was going to happen- and that happens in just about every Frieda McFadden book I've read. They're. Utterly. Addicting. You definetyl need to read this book!!!

I've read several books by Freida McFadden and enjoyed them all. She knows what her readers want in a book and gives it to them every time. Her books are not for intellectual progression, they are mystery/ thrillers and entertaining. The main character in this one, Brooke Sullivan, makes some decisions that may not be the smartest, but she manages to get herself into deep water without a life preserver on a regular basis. Every couple of chapters has a twist or two and the clues do not travel a straight line to the killer, but not many could figure out who the killer was before the reveal.

My first Freida McFadden book…I know…where have I been?! 😱

You follow Brooke who has just landed a job at a maximum security prison as a nurse practitioner. Although she can’t shake her past, especially as her ex boyfriend, Shane, is an inmate at the prison and he’s there because of her testimony.

It’s a dual timeline between now and eleven years ago, so we see the story unfold and the events play out that landed Shane in prison in the first place and this flowed really well.

It kept me on the edge of my seat with every page I read and there were a few times throughout where I thought I’d cracked it but I was so wrong!! & that epilogue!! 😵😵😵

I can’t wait to read more by McFadden!

The Inmate, and let me tell you, it's a total gem! The plot twists are like a wild ride, and the ending is pure genius—caught me off guard in the best way possible. I practically shouted 'no way!' The way McFadden crafts the story, it's like she's whispering, 'Hold on, you're in for a wild journey.' If you're on the hunt for a book that delivers non-stop surprises, The Inmate is a must-add to your reading list