The Crash Paperback – January 28, 2025

The Crash had me hooked from the very first page! Freida McFadden knows exactly how to reel you in and keep you on edge the entire time. The tension was intense, the characters were layered, and the twists? UNREAL. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, everything flipped in true Freida fashion. I’ve read all her books, and this one is definitely one of her most gripping and emotional stories. If you love thrillers that mess with your head and keep your heart racing, this is the one. She’s the queen of suspense!

Freida McFadden’s latest novel, The Crash, centers around protagonist Tegan Werner, a young pregnant woman who, you guessed it, crashes her car during a blizzard while driving to see her brother. Pinned inside with a broken ankle, Tegan is rescued by a man named Hank who takes her to his rural home. There, she meets his wife, Polly, a former nurse eager to look after Tegan while they wait out the storm.But, like all of McFadden’s books, something isn’t right. Tegan needs to go to the hospital, and Polly promises she’ll take her after the storm, as soon as the roads clear. In the meantime, Tegan is trapped in a stranger’s basement, unable to walk and without a phone. It’s not long before she wonders if this couple has her best intentions in mind.While some readers have compared this book to an older, well-known story of an injured author trapped by a crazy fan, this not the case. This is its own story and is worth taking the time to read. It grabs your attention right from the beginning and draws you in further with each chapter. But that’s not to say it doesn’t have its challenges.For example, the pace is quick and easy, but the story itself unfolds slowly. This can be maddening for those of us who like to get to the action, especially when there’s so much inaction taking place. (i.e., If you’re one who likes to have that resolution right away, this may not be for you.) It also can be a bit repetitive, reminding us several times of characters’ attributes and situations. However, considering the lack of action taking place, these reminders keep our perspectives in line with those of the characters as well as with the plot.The book is presented with alternating points of view which gives us the opportunity to see a more holistic picture, but in this case, knowing more also adds to the tension. We primarily hear from Tegan and from Polly, who each make poor decisions mostly due to their own desperation to change their current situations.Through them, and through other characters, McFadden explores when actions truly are justified and when we’re simply making excuses to not do the right thing. We see this a lot in her books, and you may not be a fan of this one if you’re not comfortable in the gray area, as the lines of good and bad are often blurred.McFadden also examines our sense of judgement, especially when considering how Tegan and Polly often misjudge each other and others. This is a recurring theme we see throughout the book. Polly judges Tegan. Tegan judges Polly. They both assume things about Hank as well as other peripheral characters in the book. Only the reader knows, for most characters, who is correct or incorrect about whom. But even then, it’s hard not to have some sense of empathy, for the, um, “misguided” characters.This can be frustrating, especially with Polly’s conflict between what she wants and what she does, Hank’s inability or refusal to step up, and Tegan’s own collision between naivety and reality. Then there are the other characters, the ones we see before and after that crash. Unlike Polly and Tegan, we are given very little or just enough information about them. Nevertheless, it’s all critical so pay attention. While the book focuses on Tegan and Polly, the other characters, including her brother, the baby’s father and his associate are all very important.In classic McFadden style, there’s a twist at the end, actually there’s more than one twist, and I have mixed feelings about them. While you may predict one or two of them, I’m pretty sure one will catch you by surprise. It felt out of place because there were very few clues leading up to it, but at the same time it definitely gave me a shock, and who doesn’t love that?Overall, I enjoyed this book. While I couldn’t stand the tension or the inaccuracies of what each character thought about the other, I know that’s also what kept me emotionally invested and motivated to see the book through. I finished it feeling good but also as if I’ve compromised my own morals. There’s a guilt from that satisfaction, but it was worth it.

I have read quite a few books by author Frieda McFadden, and there is not a single one I didn't enjoy. This particular book has an added benefit - It shows (in my opinion) the author at her very best because she still writes the type of book that had me reading through the night. In addition, I loved her ability to keep me thinking about people who mis judge others solely on their appearance. or in a different way when the villains turned out to be exceptionally good people who had issues that caused them to consider doing wrong, but it wasn't in their nature to follow through with it. My review tells nothing about what actually takes place, but I can assure you it kept me reading until the last page!

The only thing that I did not enjoyed was the continued conversations between Polly and Tetan (I believe that is how you spell her name). There was to much repetition. It got to the point where I just speed read through the pages until I got to the point where Hank finally took her to the hospital. Then it got interesting again. I really enjoyed Freida’s books. I have read a lot of her books. They always have a twisted ending and after I finish reading them, I still keep thinking about the end, especially this one!! What a surprising ending? Almost like they live happily ever after: but for how long???

This book was a crazy ride, with twists and turns. The majority of the book had me wondering if Tegan would get rescued. For me her kidnapping was too prolonged, and I was getting bored with the storyline. Then events started happening, events that were unexpected and exciting. The book ends with each character’s storyline tied up in a finished and believable bow.

Several major plots twists create a thriller worth turning the page. Tegan is relatable. There are so many times that the thoughts of Tegan and Polly are completely out of sync that it keeps you wanting more detail. The issues of infertility can be triggering but I love the way Freida diverts the potential tragedy into a victory. Great read.

So this is one of my favorite authors in the world. She does a phenomenal job at writing each story in its own twisted way. I loved the plot of this book and kept wanting to read, even when I had to put the book down to do things like actual work😂 this is a phenomenal book and so well written!!

I’ve read a few books by Frieda McFadden, and while The Crash wasn’t my absolute favorite, it still delivered the kind of psychological suspense she’s known for.The story centers around Tegan, who’s eight months pregnant and dealing with far more than she bargained for. I’ll be honest—some of her choices had me stressed out early on! 😩 I found myself frustrated at times, mostly because things moved slowly for the majority of the book. The tension and pace don’t really pick up until near the end.That said, the twist when it comes is solid, and the final stretch definitely made the buildup worth it. If you like slow-burn thrillers with unreliable characters and creeping tension, you may enjoy this one. A solid 4 stars from me!