📚 One by One
🖊 Freida McFadden
Genre: Psychological Thriller
📖 Swipe for summary
🗓 Publication Date 04/02/24

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the gifted eARC of "One by One" by Freida McFadden. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

What to Expect:
🏕 Group of Friends
🏕 Week long getaway
🏕 Marriage troubles
🏕 Wilderness Survival
🏕 Hunted
🏕 Unnamed character

🫶 What worked for me...
I enjoyed this McFadden story and found it to be somewhat unique compared to many of her other books. It did give off B-flick wilderness horror movie vibes, which made it even more enjoyable. There's a good amount of red herrings sprinkled around the story to aid in throwing off the reader, and an added bonus of an unnamed character with a dark past. The wilderness setting will always reign supreme, in my opinion, and really induced a stressful sense of urgency.

🤷‍♀️ What didn't work for me...
The only thing that I didn't jive with was Claire's best friend's new boyfriend, Warner. Warner's switch in behavior was forced too early on in the book. I really can't elaborate on this further without spoilers.

🤔 Would I recommend it...
I would absolutely recommend this book! It would make a great summer thriller read. If you're camping or backpacking, then you're going to want to load this book on your Kindle. Just don't get lost.

⚠️ Trigger warnings...
Murder, infidelity, blood, toxic relationship, child abuse.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

This one had me guessing and I didn't see the end coming (which is always my preference!) Such a great read that I couldn't put down. Highly recommended.

I love Freida. That's it. That's the review. Kidding, but seriously she never misses with the twists and turns!

I received this book from NetGalley.

This story starts with a couple who has marital problems going on a camping trip with some friends. On the drive to a remote location problems arise & they end up stranded.

Overall I do not think this was a book for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters and noticed my enjoyment decreased as I continued to read. The story was progressing well and then it just info dumped in the last third of the book. I also think part of the problem was that it was very predictable after the halfway point. I enjoy thrillers but this just was not one I'd recommend.

One of Freida McFadden's more recent thrillers, One by One, takes readers on a chilling journey into the isolated depths of the woods. Claire, seeking a getaway from the pressures of work and a strained marriage, joins her friends for a week of relaxation at a secluded cabin. However, their idyllic vacation takes a dangerous turn when their car breaks down and they become lost.

As they venture deeper into the wilderness, tensions rise and the group is picked off one by one by a mysterious threat. The fast-paced plot keeps readers guessing, and McFadden masterfully builds suspense as Claire desperately tries to uncover the truth and survive.

One by one is not just a suspenseful thriller; it's also a thought-provoking exploration of human nature. McFadden delves into the complexities of friendship and marriage, exposing the cracks beneath the surface of seemingly perfect relationships. As the characters are forced to confront their vulnerabilities and secrets, the line between friends and foe blurs.

With its chilling atmosphere, intricate plot, and well-developed characters, One by One is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. McFadden's captivating writing style will keep you hooked until the shocking and satisfying conclusion.

This was an enjoyable read and totally bingeworthy. That being said, it seemed more predictable to me than most of Freida McFadden's other works. Overall, I liked it but didn't love it.

I absolutely love all books by Freida McFadden! With spine tingling twists and turns, it is always a pleasure to read her books. I can never get bored because each one of her books are just as great as the next. It's definitely difficult to choose which title if hers is my favorite. I have read almost all her books and look for the next one to read. I highly recommend One by One by Freida McFadden

I will read absolutely anything Freida writes because she NEVER disappoints! I always am drawn in from the very beginning and never can guess the plot twist that ALWAYS comes. Love her!!

This was probably my least favorite Freida McFadden novel (and I’ve read all of them). I felt it was slow moving and predictable.

This was the second book by Freida McFadden that I’ve read, and I really enjoyed it. Six adults on a getaway discover that they are not embarking on the relaxing vacation they had planned, and it seems that their secrets may be picking them off one at a time. I was hooked, read this book in one sitting, completely invested in the wilderness drama that threatened this group, Who was to blame? Was there a creature in the woods? Who could you really trust? Who was in danger next? This was a great suspense novel that I will eagerly share with our readers.

I really enjoyed this thriller by Freida McFadden, i really liked the premise of the book and it was different for any of her books I have read, i was trying to guess the ending the whole time and it was so unexpected. I would definitely recommend to my friends.

Did not see that twist coming! From the first few chapters, I thought I had it all figured out. I felt like it was a familiar setup and that I could easily call out who the murderer was. However, once things started happening, my guess at “who” kept changing. I liked how the killer’s perspective was woven in throughout the actual happenings of the book.

I cannot get enough of this author! She could be write anything and make it engaging, shocking and pulpy! Another sensational title filled with shocks-a-plenty.

Keeps the reader on their toes! Just when you think you have it figured out, it’s time for a twist! Very quick paced and enjoyable!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me entertained and interested. The twist was unexpected and the ending was good!

In her latest thriller, "One by One," Freida McFadden intertwines themes of infidelity, friendship, and survival. It's a tantalizing story that is both a quick read and a whirlwind of unexpected twists.

At the heart of "One by One" is Claire, a woman whose marriage is failing. The decision to vacation with her husband and friends, including her best friend and secret lover, quickly spirals into a nightmare when their minivan breaks down, leaving them stranded and lost in the forest. As the group works to find a way out, a pattern emerges: one by one, they start to die. Who, if anyone, will make it out alive?

True to McFadden's style, "One by One" follows the structure of a classic thriller—suspense, intrigue, and the unraveling of secrets. This is the second time I've read the author's work, and it's clear she has a talent for turning out reliable and entertaining mysteries. While the story sometimes lags and feels repetitive, overall, it's a fun read for mystery lovers.

"One by One" isn't just a story about a disastrous vacation; it's a twisted web of lies, betrayal, and survival that will keep readers guessing until the very end. For those in search of a quick, thrilling page-turner, "One by One" is worth your time.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen! I love Frieda McFadden books! This is unique and kept me guessing who the Anonymous speaker was. As each friend dies off, my suspect shifted. Loved this one!

I loved this one! It was a super short, fast paced read. The story was action packed and kept me interested from start to finish — there wasn’t a single page that felt unnecessary which I really appreciate as a reader. I thought the twist was fantastic, it kept me guessing until the very end. Overall, I highly recommend!

"One By One" [English Review]
de Freida McFadden
★★★★☆

"One by One" by Freida McFadden follows the story of Claire, who´s looking for a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends sounds like heaven to our main character, plus Claire may see a chance to repair her damaged marriage with her husband, Noah. Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. The woods are not as easy to navigate as they thought... hours later, they are lost... hopelessly lost! One by one, they will get what they deserve...and only one of the six will return home alive.

Similarly to her previous novels, McFadden builds an intriguing narrative and once again explores the depths of the human psyche and relationships. Just like in "The Housemaid", Freida McFadden plays with the reader's expectations and subverts them, but this time the author unfolds a different tension-filled premise: characters trapped in a secluded environment, where secrets and past grievances surface as their numbers dwindle under mysterious and deadly circumstances. Setting the story in a remote and isolated location, McFadden adds a claustrophobic tension to the narrative and intensifies the novel's themes about survival, human trust, and paranoia.

The well-constructed plot, packed with satisfying twists and turns, combines efficiently with McFadden´s sharp efficient writing, proving that McFadden is masterful in creating the proper pacing for the most intriguing narratives, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats one page at a time.

(P.S.: Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review)

I LOVE the "And Then There Were None" concept. It's a classic but a good one. I think Freida McFadden did an amazing job with it, making it a group of college friends (instead of strangers as in the Agatha Christie original).

When a couple whose marriage is a little shaky decides to take a road trip with some old college friends, it seems like a good idea. Until they get lost, their car breaks down, and someone is picking them off one by one. Who? Why?

Readers who love fast-paced twisty books will really enjoy this one!