The Intruder by Freida McFadden is a fast, tense psychological thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Set in a storm-battered cabin in the New Hampshire woods, the story follows Casey, a troubled former teacher whose world spirals when a blood-covered girl appears at her door during a hurricane. From that moment on, you’re never sure who is telling the truth—or who the real threat is.McFadden excels at creating claustrophobic, edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. The isolated setting, unreliable characters, and rapid-fire chapters make this an easy one-sitting read. The twists come quickly, the secrets unravel dramatically, and nearly every chapter ends with a hook that keeps you turning pages.If you enjoy McFadden’s signature blend of suspense, shocking reveals, and morally messy characters, The Intruder delivers exactly what you want: a gripping, binge-worthy thriller packed with tension and surprises.

I’d give this one a 3.5 but I’ll settle on a 4. I enjoyed it, but I’ve noticed a pattern in Freida McFadden’s writing that makes her stories feel a bit predictable. A lot of the tension comes from the protagonist making frustrating decisions that put them in danger, and by the time things unravel, it feels like the character’s situation is mostly their own fault. It’s a style that works for pacing and suspense, but it also made some of the twists feel less impactful.What I actually enjoyed most was the backstory — more than the main storyline itself, in some ways. The way the past and present were blended together was interesting and kept me reading. But even then, about halfway through I could see where it was heading. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it definitely softened the reveal.That said, it was a solid palette cleanser. Quick, engaging, and easy to breeze through. I just don’t think I’m a fan of the recurring character patterns and story structure Freida tends to rely on. Predictable doesn’t mean bad — just familiar.Still worth the read if you’re in the mood for something tense but not too heavy.

The Intruder by Freida McFadden is an engaging and twisty psychological thriller that kept me guessing. While the pacing slowed down a bit in the middle and I started to lose interest, once the secrets began pouring out, I was completely hooked again. The tension, suspense, and surprising twists made it well worth the read, but I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending. It’s still a solid and satisfying story overall.

I was completely hooked on The Intruder! Freida McFadden does it again with another sharp, addictive psychological thriller that grabs you from the very first page and refuses to let go. I devoured this one in less than 24 hours — every chapter left me needing to know what would happen next.The story is filled with unexpected twists and jaw-dropping reveals that kept me second-guessing everything and everyone. McFadden’s writing is so fast-paced and suspenseful, yet she still manages to dive deep into some truly chilling and thought-provoking themes. It’s that perfect balance of tension, intrigue, and realism that makes her books impossible to put down.What I loved most is how expertly the twists are layered. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, she throws in a curveball that changes everything — and the ending? Absolutely wild. I closed the book still thinking about it and secretly hoping there’s a sequel in the works.If you love psychological thrillers that keep you on your toes, The Intruder is a must-read. Honestly, at this point, anything Freida McFadden writes goes straight to the top of my list.

I absolutely loved this book! This might be one of my favorites by this author. I was completely hooked on this story and I flew through it.This book is about a woman who lives in a remote cabin and is preparing for a bad storm. She notices a light in the shed out back and goes to investigate… turns out it’s a young girl covered in blood. She takes the young girl in and makes some disturbing discoveries…In this book you follow two timelines and my mind was kind of blown when they meshed together and we actually learned what was going on. I didn’t see that coming at all. It was such a good twist.In true Freida fashion there were plenty of other good twists and turns in the story that I really enjoyed and didn’t see coming. Some things I had an idea of what they might be, but didn’t have it completely figured out.That ending didn’t leave me very satisfied though. In some ways things were wrapped up nicely, but in others they were left open and left me wanting more.Read this if you like:→ Secluded cabin→ Trapped in a storm→ Suspicious neighbors→ Twists and turns

Classic Freida. I devoured The Intruder in two days flat, her books go down like ice cream, smooth and addictive, but with just enough bite to keep you from relaxing too much.This one had me side-eyeing every character, especially Lee, who set off my internal alarms from page one. But Freida being Freida, nothing is quite what it seems. I saw a few of the twists coming, but there were still plenty of surprise punches, especially the ending. Ohhhh that ending.The characters were deliciously messy. I really felt for Ella, especially with her chaotic, hoarder mother and the way she tries to claw out of that life. And just when you think you know her? Another layer peels back. There’s a quiet menace lurking in her voice that made certain lines hit hard. (“If I mess with somebody, it’s only because they deserve it.” Uhhh, excuse me?!)The moral ambiguity? The unanswered questions? Loved it.Five stars for a fast, twisty read that plays with your expectations and leaves you with that signature Freida unease in the pit of your stomach.

Oh Wow!!! This book is totally awesome and I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. This book is the best psychological thriller that I have ever read. I love Freida McFadden and her books are always good but this one is excellent. This book has twists and turns that I never would have though of. I highly recommend the book to you all and I know you are going to love “The Housemaid.” I sure did. Please let us know what you think.Millie recently got released from prison and now she is having a very hard time hanging onto a job of any kind. And then she applies for a job as housemaid for Nina Winchester. The Winchesters’ are one of the most prominent families in this town. If I get this job I will be all set and can finally move out of my car, The house where I would be working is gorgeous and the job is an in-house position, and the pay is great. The family consists of Nina, her husband Andrew and her eight year old daughter Cecilia. And hooray Nina finally calls I got the job!I start the next day, Cleaning, cooking and occasionally taking care of Cecilia. This job is going to be easy. My bedroom is in the attic but I do have my own bathroom. Boy was I wrong about the easy job, Cecilia is a spoiled little brat and cries about everything, Nina is a night mare she has lost it and she can not be all there. The second day I am there I come down and she is destroying the kitchen all because she left her PTA notes on the counter and now they are gone. She says I stole her notes. The only good thing with the job is the husband Andrew, he is so nice and very handsome too. Will I be able to put up with Nina and all of her fits? Will she fire me? Can I ever get alone with Cecilia? And most of all can I keep Andrew off of my mind and respect that he is a married man?

I bought this book for my mom and was curious to hear what she thought. She really enjoyed it, so I decided to give it a try myself.Yes, I’d heard about it before and even got some recommendations from my friends, but to be honest… it didn’t exactly was enough to actually get me to pick it up. But I got stuck with another book that just wasn’t working for me, so I grabbed this one instead, and one thing led to another… I ended up finishing it and even skipped my Shabbat nap (which almost never happens ????).I managed to predict a couple of twists; there were a few clichés, but I admit there were also moments and twists I truly didn’t expect.I do want to continue with the next book in the series (which my mom already finished, in audio! It was actually her very first audiobook, and I feel like such a proud daughter for getting her hooked on audio. She hasn’t stopped gushing about how she managed to finish a book within a week, since she barely has time (she’s a kindergarten teacher) for print reading, and eBooks just aren’t her thing).So I’ll probably continue the series on audio too. I’ll keep you updated ????

I have never enjoyed reading [hate it, actually] and very few books have kept my attention [like 3 my whole 33 yr life], but this one? I couldn’t put it down! I read it on & off throughout the day & finished it in maybe 5 reading hours. I just came on Amazon to order the rest of the series! If you’re contemplating whether or not to read this, do it!

We’ve all heard that no one knows what really goes on behind closed doors. It’s been said, as well, that what happens behind closed doors is no one else’s business. Sometimes, however, no matter how much you try to respect the privacy of those behind those doors, they drag you into their world, and you have no choice but to find your own way out. Good luck!

I can understand why most of the reviews are 4 or 5 stars. Much of the way through the audiobook was hard for me to continue. I couldn’t relate to the characters, the situation(s), circumstances or their personalities and ways of dealing with things. Of course I wouldn’t put up with any of that situation or get myself into it or let someone else get away with pulling it without going off on them, and I dislike the narration accents but understand they are regionally applicable, which they really don’t need to be as thematically this situation can happen anywhere, BUT HOWEVER then was the massive plot twist I did not see coming which made it all extremely interesting to find out how it would all end up and play out. The outcome and resolutions were good, if not somewhat implausible and unrealistic. That combined with how long it took to get to the plot twist being a little drawn out and unrealistic is why I’m rating this 4 stars.

The Housemaid – Freida McFaddenNarrated By: Lauren AltmanNarrator Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Lauren did an excellent job bringing these characters to life. I felt her tone and pacing were perfect as she brought out the emotions these characters went through.My Review:My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Pages: 336Genre: Psychological ThrillerTropes:????Secrets????Hidden Identity????Domestic Abuse????Forced Proximity????Domestic Maid????Multiple TwistsThis is Andy, Nina, Millie and Enzo’s story. This book is addicting. I’ve kept the audio playing no matter what so I could listen.I suspected early on that the character who was made to look insane and evil was not the true demon in this story but the depth of abuse totally took me by surprise.Three characters were redeemed and one received exactly what they deserved.I highly recommend this book. This is my second book by this author and I can’t wait to delve into more.#freidamcfadden #thehousemaid #bookstagram #booktok #psychologicalthriller #secrets #hiddenidentity #domesticabuse #forcedproximity

Series Info/Source: This is the fourth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I bought this on audiobook.Thoughts: This was a fantastic continuation of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. There was a lot of action, adventure, strategy, and some new wonderful characters introduced.Carl and Donut are on Level 5 and it is a crazy one. The groups have been split up in to bubbles, and each bubble has four castles that must be won. The teams are trapped in the quadrant for their castle until they can conquer it, and then they can help other quadrants. Once all four castles are conquered, their bubble will “pop” and they can help other quadrants. Between the weird camel-humans who have serious attitudes, the bomb-dropping gnomes, and all the low level characters they are stuck with, this level is going to be a serious challenge.I enjoyed this book a lot more than the previous one where they were in the Iron Tangle. This has a lot more adventure and action and ties in even more to the broader alien world. We get to meet a lot of fun new characters. Even better, Carl gets to continue on his quest to screw up the dungeon as a whole.If you’ve enjoyed the first three books in the series, you will enjoy this one. I continue to love the characters, amazing world-building, action, and humor in these books. I really don’t have a lot more to say aside from the fact that this series is awesome and you should read it. Make sure to read the Epilogue all the way through because there are some crazy plot twists introduced there.We listened to this on audiobook and the audiobooks are well done. They use multiple voice actors and sound effects. I will say that as a family, we have had some issue with the sound balancing on these audiobooks. We normally listen to these in the car while driving and have had issues not being able to hear the AI voice or in this case the voices of the characters when they were underwater. We ended up having to turn the audiobook way up in volume to hear those parts. While I applaud the effort to make the book sound more immersive, the sound really needs to be balanced out to the same volume. This has been an issue with all of the audiobooks in this series.My Summary (5/5): Overall this is a wonderful continuation of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. This book is back to all the action, adventure, world-building, and fun characters that we saw in the first two books. My whole family really loves these books (keep in mind my son is 17 years old and these are more mature reads). In fact my teenager paid me to buy books 5 and 6 so he can start listening to those books immediately. If you are a fan of action adventure fantasy with amazing world-building and you like dungeon crawls you will love this series. Even if you aren’t a fan of any of that you will probably love this series and should check it out.

Wow—this installment takes the series to a whole new level. The plot keeps getting more intricate, weaving together action, political maneuvering, syndicates, borant, gods, and countless background threads—all while maintaining the relentless chaos of the dungeon crawl itself. The worldbuilding feels deeper and more expansive than ever, and every layer adds richness to the story. And that epilogue? Let’s just say it’s extremely intriguing and sets the stage for even bigger things to come.Fantastic job yet again by Matt Dinniman.

***4.0 Stars***Overall,This series is so much fun. You never know what to expect. The world building in this book is chefs kiss. So imaginary and fun. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a high stakes whacky story that will make you laugh out loud and also love the characters so much you want to see them succeed. The Level in this book is so bonkers and different than anything I have ever read. #PrincessPosse

The plot is well developed, the pacing is good, and the humor is excellent. There’s really only two core characters to get attached to, with the others bouncing in and out of the series as needed. It’s a lot of fun!

The Gate of the Feral Gods is an absolutely wild ride. I’ve been following the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and this one somehow manages to crank up the chaos, humor, and emotional gut-punches all at once. The worldbuilding expands in really unexpected ways, with more focus on the darker, almost mythic side of the dungeon, but it still keeps that razor-sharp wit and over-the-top action that makes the series so addictive.Carl and Donut’s dynamic is as strong as ever — ridiculous, heartwarming, and snarky in all the right ways. The story balances tension and comedy perfectly, and just when you think you know what’s coming next, it surprises you.If you’ve read the earlier books, this is a must. If you haven’t — start from book one and prepare for one of the most fun, insane, and surprisingly emotional series out there.

I seldom read novels, let alone a series of novels. This is my first review for the DCC books, and this is where I believe the story takes all the way off. It is a fast-paced, quick quipped, complex, and humorous run through the floor. I haven’t laughed so hard or been so hooked on a series since I discovered Deadpool as a kid. The writing has the perfect blend of crass, snark, elegance, and heart that I didn’t know I was missing in my literary experiences. Thank you, Matt, for all your hard work. They will not break us.

The story and character development are excellent. I am always looking forward to what insane situations Carl and Princess Donut are going to get into and the even more insane plans that Carl comes up with to get them out of them.I have enjoyed every book in the series and am very much looking forward to the next installment.

Well written compelling story with twists and turns. It’s a quick read and a real page turner with a happy ending.

Booked kept my interest the entire time. Loved the twist and heartwarming ending. Would definitely try reading another book of Minka Kent!

Such a good read! The ending had me shocked!

Easy read. Kept me up past bedtime wanting to know more. I felt like I knew Wren and her sister.

While I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a gripping thriller it’s a great read. There is some “suspense” some secrets and some twists I didn’t see coming..I guess maybe I was expecting more in the category “thriller/suspense. However it is a great story, well written, and had me not wanting to put it down. Definitely pick it up and read

The first half of the book, when the two sisters were alone in the cabin in the forest, was okay. Once they left, it became fairly easy to figure out the story. Also,The sisters adapted to the new environment unrealistically easily.A fast read.

But I did really like this. And I really loved the characters too. Nicolette was my favorite, just a beautiful sweet woman who wanted a family but couldn’t. Her husband though, I kept going back and forth between liking and disliking, but by the end I really liked him and especially for Nicolette. The girls, Wren and Sage, I loved how the book started out with them living like “little house on the prairie” style living, only to be forced to leave and end up living in the world of today 2025 type living. Their world completely changes, and everything is foreign to them. They can’t understand how electricity works, or having a cell phone, Wren talks about not understanding the Microwave and Toaster and how she puts food in there and immediately it’s piping hot the next minute. I just loved this so much, the author did really well with those parts of the book. I’m definitely gonna check out more books from this author. I was just painting a house for work, and I downloaded the audible book, listened to it for 2 days, and this book definitely made working so much more enjoyable! Love that for me! Anyway, 5 stars! I really loved how every time I guessed something was going to happen or how this would end, and I was wrong every single time. Again, love that.

The story draws you in from the start. Happy ending to a scary start for two girls all alone in the woods

Book Review: Cry Havoc by Jack CarrCry Havoc is more than a thriller. It is an experience that brought to life the same spirit and purpose I felt during my own time in the Navy. Jack Carr captures that intensity with a realism that feels authentic and earned. His storytelling reminded me of listening to the real legends of MACV SOG such as John Stryker Myer and Dick Thompson. Their courage and sacrifice helped shape the foundation of modern special operations, and Carr honors that history perfectly.Reading this book took me back to the 1980s when the Walker Spy Ring was exposed. I was serving in the Navy at that time, and it forced major cleanup and security work aboard the USS Kitty Hawk while we were on cruise. Those were defining moments when trust and vigilance mattered every single day, and Carr captures that same sense of duty and betrayal throughout Cry Havoc.What makes this book even more powerful is how Jack ties it to The Terminal List universe by introducing Tom Reece’s father. It connects generations of service and sacrifice in a way that feels personal and real. Jack’s writing makes you feel like you are part of the mission and standing right alongside the characters.This book even inspired small changes in my own life. I put away my Apple Watch and started wearing my Rolex again as a reminder of where I came from and what matters. I also had the honor of exchanging challenge coins with Jack Carr himself and sharing a photograph that I will always value.Jack Carr has officially become my favorite author. He does not chase politics or popularity. He writes about good people who still fight for what is right, even when no one is watching. Cry Havoc proves that courage and honor are timeless and that great storytelling can still move you to action.I highly recommend this book and every one Jack Carr has written. He continues to raise the standard for modern thrillers and gives readers like me a reason to feel proud and connected to something greater.

I really enjoyed Cry Havoc: A Tom Reece Thriller. From the very first chapter, it hooked me with the author’s attention to detail. Especially in the descriptions of clothing, gear, and tactical setups. You can tell the author did their homework.What I loved most, was how the story jumped between different perspectives and timelines. At first, it feels like you’re piecing together separate stories, but as the book goes on, everything clicks into place in such a satisfying way. The shifting viewpoints keep the tension high and give you a deeper understanding of each character’s motivations.By the time the threads came together at the end, I couldn’t put it down. If you like thrillers that blend sharp technical detail with strong storytelling and clever structure, Cry Havoc delivers in every way.It should be noted that I’m a big fan of Jack Carr and his series of books focused on James Reece. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised that I enjoyed this book as well.

I haven’t read a lot of Carrs books but I’ve enjoyed them very much. I had my doubts about this one only due to the time period. The only Vietnam War books I’m inclined to read are about the air campaign, war aviation being one of my favorite subjects. I’m starting to really enjoy historical fiction, so many books are being written so well these days. It’s an enticing way to learn history as long as you realize they may not be 100% accurate. I thought this was an excellent portrayal of the special op and CIA involvement in the Vietnam War. Again, I have not read much about it and I’m sure there were more factual and historically accurate books written. But for me, the style of writing in the intrigue, had me thoroughly enjoying the story. I look forward to a follow up.

I liked the storyline giving background on Reece and his father, but I think the book had way too much environment, weapon and Vietnam history descriptions which diverted from the main plot. I’m hoping future novels move away from this and move the story along quicker.

Jack Carr is an exceptional writer and probably has led me to read more books than anyone else I know. I have deeply enjoyed the James Reece series but I was worried about this one. Why? It’s because I have never been more prepared for a book. In anticipation of Cry Havoc I read over a dozen related SOG books and listened to many hours of podcasts about MACVSOG and the real life warriors of it.Their lives, the missions, the victories and losses far exceed in greatness any novel. I am happy to report that somehow Cry Havoc managed to exceed my expectations. Carr brings together a great story with many plotlines and hits the bullseye. He does not shy away from the complexities of the war and political events yet brings a meaningful tribute and spotlight to a major part of history. This is his most researched novel and the end product benefits from it.I hope you not only find a great and thrilling read, I hope it inspires to seek out a greater knowledge and understanding of Vietnam, the reality of a too maligned conflict, and the importance of fighting communism