Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

12 reviews

charlotte_helen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Not the best book I’ve read by this author but good for a different type of read. I found myself not really connecting with many of the characters and guessing some of the plot twists. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Medical content, Violence, Gun violence, Grief, Car accident, Child death, Police brutality, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Emotional abuse

kaylasbookgram's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Brooke was told not to get close to the inmates at her new job as nurse practitioner at a prison but what her new boss doesn’t know is one of the prisoners are there because of her. 

This book was so amazing! Just when I thought I knew who the bad guy was a huge twist would happen and it’s change! So crazy! I didn’t know what story to believe or what was the true story! And I loved every second of it! 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Bullying, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Child death, Physical abuse, Death, Police brutality, Confinement, Torture, Violence, and Grief

madamenovelist's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Blood, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Pregnancy

katlikesreadingbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Another great book. I was truly immersed in the story. I read this book in less than a day because I could not put it down. I really thought I knew what was going to happen, but I was shocked. Just like in this author's other books, there are many shock factors, twists, and turns. I am still recovering from that ending!! Definitely worth the read!!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Stalking, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail

yvo_about_books's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

Finished reading: February 22nd 2024

"Sometimes people do exactly what you think they’re going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you."

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I'm aware that Freida McFadden is a very popular psychological thriller author, but somehow I had never actually picked up one of her books before. It seemed like a sign that just when I promised to myself to change this in 2024, an ARC of previously published The Inmate popped up on Netgalley. Of course I couldn't resist this opportunity, and especially since I always love a good thriller with a prison angle... And I definitely understand why so many people seem to enjoy her books now!

The Inmate uses a dual timeline structure, where we switch between the present and eleven years earlier when the murders happened. As often with dual timeline structures, I did prefer one over the other, as the flashbacks just had a bit too much teenage drama for me. That said, once Brooke and the rest are at the farmhouse, things get intense enough to keep your attention. The present timeline is mainly your typical psychological thriller with a main character with unreliable narrator vibes... The last especially once she starts questioning her own memories. It was this present timeline that kept me on my toes, as I was fully invested in discovering the whole truth about both past and present events.

This story is definitely more character driven, and the main characters are all flawed. I had mixed feelings about Brooke, who could behave in an incredibly stupid way in parts... But I can't deny that the manipulation, gaslighting and building up of doubt and confusion are really well done. This is one of those stories that makes you think you have everything figured out, only to drop a plot twist bomb on you that makes you question everything... Not every twist is completely credible, but it does make for a very engaging story. And that ending! I definitely didn't see that last chapter coming, and it was a great way to end things on a high note.

I'm keeping this review short to avoid possible spoilers, because The Inmate will have so much more impact if you go in blind. While this story is mainly a character driven psychological thriller, there are also plenty of moments of tension and things can get pretty graphic especially in the flashbacks. I enjoyed the prison scenes, and I loved how this book made me doubt everything I thought was a given fact. Recommended if you enjoy the genre! I will definitely be diving into Freida McFadden's backlist ASAP. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Police brutality, Confinement, Kidnapping, Car accident, Grief, Bullying, Gun violence, Death of parent, Death, Gaslighting, and Violence

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

    Brooke moves back to her hometown with her son after her parents die. She gets a job at the prison where her ex-boyfriend/son's father is incarcerated after she accuses him of a massacre the night of her son's conception. But did he do it? Or was it the boy next door she's now falling in love with?
    This was a good thriller. I was bouncing back and forth between who could have done it. It was one of the guys, but I wasn't 100% sure who it was.
     And the final twist with the son was interesting, though I'd figured out something was up with that little hint someone dropped.
   The characters however weren't very likable for the most part, which made it a bit harder to enjoy.

Narrator Rating: 3.25 stars
   The narrator was decent but pronounced some words oddly. Her voice was harder to tune out which was good. She just didn't make the book come alive as much as I would have liked.

Elemental Levels:  Fluff-NA   Heartfelt-4/5   Helpful-NA     Horror-1/5    Inspiration-NA  Love aka Romance-2/5   Mystery-4/5    Predictability-2/5   Spice-0.5/5    Suspense-3/5   Tear- 2/5  Thrill-4.5/5 Humor-0.5/5 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Medical content, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Gun violence, Bullying, and Alcohol

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Child death, Classism, Mental illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Gore, and Cursing

Minor: Ableism, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Car accident, Fatphobia, Abandonment, Body shaming, and Abortion

mikaylarupke's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content

Minor: Death of parent and Sexual content

julienicole1106's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, and Murder

Minor: Sexual content

sizzlesteaks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Child death, Death, Medical content, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gore, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Car accident and Gun violence

aimzthereader's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Freida McFadden writes great psychological thrillers with many twists and it keeps you guessing the whole way through. I enjoy her plots and the premise of her books. Typically I don't connect with the characters and that's fine with me. There were times in this book that I got SUPER annoyed with some of the decisions that the main character made so which knocked it to a 3.75/4 star instead of a 4.5 star. I liked the different clues that were put out there along the way and that she writes great psychological thrillers without having a red herring that made no sense. 

I will continue to read her. books because they are fun, quick smart thrillers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Bullying, Murder, Medical content, Child death, Blood, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol and Stalking

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Kidnapping