As someone who has read many of Freida McFadden’s books, I went into Ward D with high expectations—and she didn’t disappoint. Known for her sharp psychological twists and fast-paced storytelling, McFadden delivers another gripping thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night.

The story follows Amy Brenner, a medical student doing a dreaded overnight shift on Ward D, a locked psychiatric unit. Things quickly go from uneasy to terrifying as the night unravels—her ex-boyfriend mysteriously vanishes, the power goes out, and Amy finds herself surrounded by unpredictable patients and secrets from her own past. As reality blurs and danger mounts, Amy must figure out who she can trust—if anyone.

The book is tense, atmospheric, and full of twists that fans of McFadden will expect (and still be surprised by). Her use of unreliable narration keeps you guessing until the very end. While the portrayal of mental illness may feel over-the-top at times, the story’s suspense and pacing more than make up for it.

Verdict: Ward D is another solid win for McFadden—dark, twisty, and highly entertaining. If you’ve enjoyed her previous books, this one definitely belongs on your reading list.

I love the short chapters and the easy english. But I don't like the rest of the book. There did not happen much, it was pretty boring for me.

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

Being an absolute fan of the author I had high hopes from this one too. While the book was still paced good and had a good story, the plot wasn’t as suspenseful and intriguing as it usually is from the author. It lacked a bit of depth and intensity and hence felt a bit of drag in the middle. That being said, I would still pick her books any day being a mystery thriller enthusiast.

Ward D by Freida McFadden is a fast-paced, suspenseful thriller that kept me hooked. It follows Amy, a medical student on a 24-hour shift in a locked psych ward, where things quickly go from normal to terrifying. The story blends medical drama with psychological twists, and the creepy setting adds to the tension. Some twists were predictable, and a few characters felt underdeveloped, but overall, it was a gripping and eerie read. Great for fans of dark, medical-themed thrillers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Freida McFadden doesn't disappoint with this thriller. This book was hard to put down. If you enjoy books that constantly have you changing your idea of what is happening and who is evil this is the one for you.

Would you want to spend the night in a locked psychiatric ward? Well Ward D is about medical student Amy who has to spend the night in the locked psychiatric ward but the catch is she has her reasons why she doesn't want to do this and those reason she plans on keeping hidden. This had me captivated from the start and I could not stop turning the pages until the end. All of the characters in this were great. I loved how descriptive the book was since I felt like I was right there with Amy. The author did an amazing job writing this one. Every twist and turn revealed in this was so good. I loved this book and would recommend to any reader especially to those who love thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this amazing read in exchange of my honest review of Ward D by Freida McFadden.

This was a fun read! Quick and definitely bingeable! It was out there and wild! Always love how Freida McFadden knows how to suck a reader in.

Amazing read. Thrilling til the very end. Freida always knows how to bring it with the suspense and I'm never disappointed.

My first read from Freida McFadden and I’m hooked. This book was a super quick read and I couldn’t put it down. The twist was somewhat predictable, but I enjoyed the climax nonetheless. The setting was spot on and I felt I could walk around the ward blindfolded by the end! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to readers who are looking for a new thriller to pick up, but do be wary of the amount of gore if you are sensitive to this. I am now looking forward to picking up more books from this author.

Amy Brenner, a medical student, is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward as part of her training. From the start everything is off and from there it just goes farther off the rails. The crazy isn't just the patients, it's Amy and all of the things that happen over the course of the night. Her childhood friend is a patient on the floor and she has flashbacks to her youth. I questioned who should really be the patient here because she completely goes down a rabbit hole and becomes unhinged. I see someone else referred to it as a bad horror movie, and I had the same thought.

Such a thrilling read! Right off the bat, the protagonist finds herself in a situation which would be terrifying for anyone - locked overnight in a psych ward. And true Frida fashion, the reader is in for a big surprise! This was definitely one of my favorite Frida books yet!

it feels the same to me. freida mcfadden needs something new in her books. all the books have almost same thing in them

Wow! I was very engrossed in this book. Read it in one whole weekend! Keep the lights on if you are reading it at night. I literally could not figure out how Amy is going to get out. McFadden never disappoints. I will never miss a book that she rights!

One night in a locked psychiatric ward spells big trouble for an attending medical student.

I think the issue with setting a suspense/thriller in a hospital is that oftentimes, the events play out in a completely unbelievable manner. From a surprising lack of security to every bizarre patient scenario playing out in a mater of hours, it's just always so farfetched.

Having read several of McFadden's other novels, this just felt like one of her weakest stories to me. The events as they unfold were just absolutely absurd and none of the twists or reveals proved to be all that exciting.

I guess being a doc, I shouldn't read books which involves a doctor as a character or revolves around medical subjects. It irks me a lot when the book feels far from the reality. It is my pet peeve.

The story follows Amy a medical student, who has to spend a night shift at mental ward, which is called as ward D for some unknown reasons. The medical world is so different from what is shown in movies or written in books.

There are parts of the book which I liked but most of the book had me rolling my eyes upwards. I feel that this book needed more research. I have read few books by Freida McFadden before and I really liked them, this one just didn't work for me though.

Thank you Netgalley and poisoned pen press for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Freida McFadden’s Ward D is Grey’s Anatomy meets Shutter Island, packed with paranoia, plot twists, and a locked psych ward you definitely wouldn’t want to visit. Medical student Amy signs up for an overnight shift expecting boredom—what she gets is missing patients, eerie encounters, and mounting dread.

McFadden’s fast-paced, punchy chapters keep the suspense high, and Amy’s sarcastic inner monologue adds humor to the chaos. Some twists are predictable, others genuinely shocking. The ending wraps up a bit too neatly, but overall, Ward D is a gripping, binge-worthy thriller that’ll make you think twice about late-night hospital shifts!

A quick, twisty thriller similar to McFadden's other popular books. Not my favourite, but not my least favourite either.

Thank you to NEtGalley and Freida for the free copy in exchange of an honest review.

Freida McFadden has quickly become one of my favorite crime authors, and Ward D is yet another example of why she’s at the top of her game. From the very first page, I was completely hooked—so much so that I read it in one sitting! It’s no surprise that McFadden has such a hold on me with her ability to craft thrilling, edge-of-your-seat stories.
In Ward D, McFadden delivers a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing at every turn. The tension is palpable, the twists are sharp, and the suspense builds in such a way that you feel like you’re trapped in the story with the characters.
Some people found it easy to guess, I couldn't guess and the epilogue did offer a cool touch that added a nice little surprise like Freida always does in her books.
The suspense was at its peak for me; the eerie and unsettling atmosphere McFadden creates really kept me hooked.
I didn't enjoyed a couple of characters but somehow I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

Overall, the plot is a bit of a rollercoaster, with twists that keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat.

Holy shit is my only review…

Jk but so glad I chose this as my second Frieda McFadden book. As I’ve come to realize, her books are SUPER easy to get hooked into and the last 20% requires you to sit down and lock in.

I just couldn’t believe the final chapters, especially the epilogue 😳