That was a shocker even down to the last bit and I'm not surprised at all since Freida McFadden has been doing this to us with each novel that she has written.

Claire is ready for vacation, she thinks. It's just what she needs, right? A break from work, a few days away from the kids, days with friends and time to figuer out what she wants to do with her failing marriage.

A dead battery.
A lonely dirt road.
No cell phone reception.

What else could go wrong? Deeper and deeper they go, trying to find their way to civilization. But as they do, the number of people in their group starts to dwindle one by one. Who will make it home from this vacation gone awry and who will be left for dead?

This was only my second Freida read and I really enjoyed. The plot seemed really unique, however I had a hard time liking and connecting to Claire.

I did like the suspense of not knowing which character would be killed next. The chapters that were from the past were my favorite parts of the book. I went through each character not knowing which person was telling their story.

I was not expecting the twists at the end of the book. After each one, I thought the I knew what to anticipate next, but Freida knows to keep us on our toes down to the very last page.

Claire and Noah marriage is in shambles. They take a yearly trip with their close friends. Claire and Noah clearly hate eachother. They take a wrong turn on the way to their week cabin getaway. Things seem to keep going wrong but it’s unclear what’s happening. I really did not expect the ending at all. I kept questioning what could be happening. Really easy interesting read. I love Freida McFadden books!

Freida McFadden usually writes twisty books and this was no different. I really liked this book along with the plot.

I didn't see what was coming and that is the best part about Psychological Thrillers there is always something that you dont see coming.

Great Book!

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and reveiw.

The BEST Freida book so far. I could not put it down. Literally finished it in 4 hours. Freida’s style of writing seemed more smooth and not as repetitive. The alternating story lines also hit at just the right time, which kept me so enthralled that I couldn’t stop reading. HUGE plot twist at the end with more twists and turns all the way until the last sentence. SO GOOD!!

Get ready for a heart-pounding thriller in Freida McFadden's latest novel, promising twists and suspense at every turn. Claire Matchett sees this trip as a much-needed escape from the pressures of daily life, a chance to reconnect with her spouse and friends amidst the tranquility of nature. However, when their minivan breaks down in the wilderness, their idyllic getaway takes a dark turn. With no cell service and darkness descending, the group finds themselves lost and vulnerable. As they struggle to find their way back, sinister forces seem to be picking them off one by one. With each passing moment, the sense of dread intensifies, leaving Claire and her companions wondering who—or what—is hunting them. McFadden weaves a gripping tale of betrayal and survival that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end, leaving them questioning if anyone will make it out of the woods alive.

This plot and these characters were not my favorite. I found the story to be a bit repetitive and I would not recommend this book.

As a backpacker and someone who has traveled to plenty of off the beaten path locations, I had to look past a lot of things to appreciate the story. Are people really taking road trip to the middle of nowhere and not downloading offline maps of the area?!
The claw mark thing was dumb and added nothing to the story.
Once I looked beyond some of the logic issues, I enjoyed the story. The pacing was great and I quickly read it over 3 days. I wasn’t surprised by the killer reveal but the epilogue hit.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend was anything but relaxing. 6 people, many secrets and different ideas of how the weekend is supposed to be. Freida McFadden takes us through some thrilling turns and twists as the reader is guessing who is the person throwing everything off and wondering is the anonymous POV is the same person? Lies and deception are a huge part of the plot. Friendships may seem solid but even those can sometimes be a lie. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it if you like this type of genre.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

Like other Freida McFadden’s book, I read this in one sitting. This book was definitely hard to put down and I kept having to turn page after page!

This book is about our main characters Claire and Noah who go on a week long vacation with 4 of their friends to. On the way there, their car breaks down and they decide to walk to the inn that they have a reservation for. However, they are lost and someone one is hunting them each one of them down.

The twist in this book was pretty good and I had no idea who was the one killing each of the members.

A good read and would recommend

Thank you to Netgallery and Poisoned Pen Press for an early release copy of One by One by Fredia McFadden, this book will be available on April Second of 2024.

Reading one of Fredia Mcfaddens books feels like watching one of those psycho Sunday hallmark movies but in book form! I enjoyed quite a few books by Fredia McFadden but I think this one was just Okay at best. It felt like the story was just missing some excitement that many of her other books have held.

I feel that a lot of the same troupes are being used over and over, I wanted something new, fresh. The characters were okay, the writing was good (I always praise Fredia McFadden for her simplistic writing style) but the ending just held no excitement for me even though I didn’t guess who had done it.

One by One - Freida McFadden

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“Two people can't keep a secret," she says. "Not unless one of them is dead.”

Claire is headed on a trip to a remote inn with her husband and their small group of friends. When the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they are forced to camp outside and one by one, mysterious things start to happen.

I got this as an ARC for the rerelease from Poisoned Pen Press. Freida books are always a whirlwind of darkness but such quick and easy reads for me. I felt this one was lacking heart, as some quite life altering events were happening and everyone just kept moving on their merry way. This still had its classic Freida twists, especially at the end!

I was expecting disappointment because it was slow-going and seemed to point toward an animal being the killer, because all the characters seemed too obvious a choice, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. I love the twists as usual with Freida McFadden's work and this one was no exception.

Frieda McFadden really knows how to write a thrilling killer of a story with multiple suspects and several mysterious deaths. She knows how to create suspicion on all the characters and so my guesses about who or what is killing off the lost travelers kept changing all the while I was reading. Claire and Noah have a troubled marriage with Claire cheating but Noah has his own secrets. The rest of the group does too. It was a nice touch to add the scratches on the trees and I will say that I definitely would not want to go on vacation with any of these characters!

This was impossible to put down until I knew it all and I loved the twist at the end. I wonder if Noah and Claire's marriage will last? Or can there only be one winner? You should read and find out like I did. :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher.

Freida McFadden's "One by One" delivers a thrilling weekend getaway turned deadly. The secluded cabin setting and a cast of characters with strained relationships build a palpable sense of tension from the outset.

Fast-paced: The story wastes no time throwing the group into chaos, keeping you glued to the pages.

Twists and turns: McFadden throws in enough red herrings and unexpected developments to keep you guessing until the very end.

Audiobook bonus: The audiobook format with its shifting narration adds another layer of suspense.

Overall, "One by One" is a solid suspenseful read. If you enjoy a quick-paced whodunit with a dash of isolation and a surprising reveal, this book will keep you up at night. However, those seeking a perfectly polished narrative might find a few bumps along the thrilling ride.

Fast paced, full of twists and turns! Once I started reading this I was unable to put it down. Another classic by Freida!!

Review of “One by One” by Freida McFadden

3,5 ⭐️

Again, Freida McFadden had me guessing throughout the entire story. There’s an anonymous MC, which you don’t get to know the identity of until the very end. I must say, the audiobook gave some parts away there for me, but I still didn’t guess the plotline there 🤯

3 couples go on a trip together in the minivan from Claire, our FMC. She’s married to Noah, and the two of them are in a very bad place in their marriage. Claire is determined to file for divorce after the trip. However, when the van breaks down in the middle of the woods, things start happening. The friends are struck down, one by one, and no one knows why or how? Or do they? 🪵

It’s another wild right, very hard to put down. A quick read to give you your thriller needs. Even though I’m not in one right now, I do think this book will be great to get you out of a slump! A recommendation 🤍

I do not like providing negative reviews but this book was so disappointing and I do not feel this is a true representation of this author's work which I usually find to be strong and very enjoyable.

The book is based on three couples, Noah and Claire, Lindsay and Warner and Jack and Michelle. It is told in alternating POV's from an anonymous person and Claire. The couples take off on a break away together to have some fun and down time but when Clair's minivan breaks down they become lost in the woods with no idea how or when they are now going to reach their accommodation, the situation is about to become dire. They all lose phone reception blocking any communication with the outside world which then increases the stark reality of their current predicament. We learn that all of these couples are having some form of issues, Claire is incredibly unhappy in her marriage to Noah, Jack and Michelle also are experiencing their own marital problems and Lindsay has only been with Warner for six months so they do not really know each other that well as yet. Soon members of this party start to die, one by one. To me it became obvious who the perpetrator was relatively early, this is not always a bad thing if the story captivates me and keeps me engaged but this was not the case with this book.

Unfortunately, overall I struggled with this book. I felt the plot was underwhelming and the characters did not aid in doing the book any justice, they lacked depth and I found that I could not connect with any of them or more so, care about what happened to them. I was becoming increasingly bored as the book progressed and I really couldn't wait for it to finish. I one point I actually had to check that this was a Freida McFadden book as I kept waiting for the excitement to kick in which it did not.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Like every Freida McFadden book I've read, this was a quick, fast-paced read with interesting characters, suspense, and of course, a major twist! This one will definitely keep you guessing - I did not find it predictable at all. Overall, this was an entertaining read that I would recommend!

3.75/5 ⭐️ - rounded down for feeling unfinished
This book really brought me to the woods with the main characters. The descriptions were spot-on, with a leading sense of hopelessness and fear. I loved the alternative view point being "anonymous". I was able to guess the ending, which is why I docked a few points, but I was still very impressed with the twists and turns in the story. This was a quick and easy read, and I think the audiobook would be incredible - as long as anonymous stays anonymous!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I will start my review by saying Freida McFadden is one of my favorite authors and I adore her writing style. One By One didn't disapoint. It was a magnificent psychological thriller that had me guessing the "who done it" right until end.

I will say I'm most grateful for reading this book in the comfort of my home and not in a remote camping site because I would have frightened myself into a anxious mess reading this while sitting in a tent with no cell service.


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