Intern Reviews: Freida McFadden the Thriller Queen

What's more dangerous: a liar or someone who convinces you that you're the one who's crazy? It's a question that immediately makes you question reality itself, captured perfectly in the line “Demented people imagine things all the time.” It's a disturbing example of the physiological manipulation that earned Freida McFadden the title of the ‘queen of thrillers’ considering she can alter your brain chemistry with the flip of a page. Her intricate, complex plots make it hard to know exactly where the story is going, making the reader question everything they read. With over 36 million copies of her books sold, she is known for fast, jaw-dropping twists that keep readers engaged and guessing. But are her stories really worth it?

The Locked Door, written by Freida McFadden, was released in 2021, belonging to the psychological thriller genre much like the rest of her books. The book follows the main character Nora Davis, who is a surgeon and spends her life saving others. However, her past is darker than you would expect. Nora's father was a notorious serial killer who had a specific manner in which he used to kill his victims. They all had blue eyes, long black hair, and, once dead, severed hands. Although her father was arrested when she was only 11, one of Nora's older patients died 26 years later. They had her father's signature blue eyes, long black hair, and now severed hands. Someone had framed her, wanting her to take the fall, but she wasn't her father, at least not completely.

Before experiencing Locked Door, I expected what the clues led me to believe, which was that the person who did it was obvious and was to be expected. The clues pointed heavily to one person so I disregarded the ones pointing to others. I have read some of her books before but this one was by far the most thrilling. The book took me through the twists and turns of accusations and distrust, not knowing what to believe and what not to. The book was fast-paced and easy to read, allowing me to be so intrigued that I was able to complete it in one day.

Overall, The Locked Door proved to me why Freida McFadden has become one of the most popular thriller authors today. With the amazingly fast pacing, the constant twist, and the suspenseful storyline, the novel keeps readers questioning every character, as it keeps me trying to keep track of all the clues. Despite its flaws, the story is still extremely entertaining and has a way of gripping its audience. I would strongly endorse reading this book to anyone who enjoys psychological, thrillers and mystery books. The guessing game is fun, and it keeps you extremely engaged,--the best part of a book like this. For anyone looking for a quick but intense vacation or beach read psychological thriller The Lock Door is definitely worth checking out.