Review: The Crash - Freida McFadden

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Review: The Crash - Freida McFadden - January 2025

Freida McFadden is well known for her fast-paced, twist-filled psychological thrillers, often packed with shocking revelations and morally gray characters. While this book delivers some of those elements, I found it to be a more subdued thriller compared to her usual work. The setup is gripping, but the execution left me wanting more.

The story follows Tegan, a heavily pregnant woman fleeing from a past she’d rather leave behind. With nowhere else to go, she sets out to find refuge with her brother, hoping for a fresh start. But fate intervenes when she is caught in a blizzard and stranded in the middle of nowhere. When a seemingly kind couple rescues her, offering her warmth and shelter, she believes she’s been granted a stroke of luck. However, that illusion quickly shatters as she realizes something is very wrong. Her "safe haven" becomes a chilling trap, and her battle for survival—both for herself and her unborn child—begins.

The premise is undeniably strong, and Freida McFadden does an excellent job of creating an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere. The snowbound setting amplifies the sense of isolation, and the creeping tension keeps the reader engaged. However, I felt the psychological depth and darkness that usually define McFadden’s work were somewhat lacking. The suspense is present, but the twists, while entertaining, were a bit predictable, and the stakes didn’t feel as high as they could have been.

Tegan is a compelling protagonist, and her situation is one that immediately evokes sympathy. However, some of her choices were frustrating, making it difficult to fully connect with her character at times. The couple who takes her in are sufficiently unsettling, but their development felt somewhat surface-level, making it easier to guess the direction of the story early on. While Freida McFadden’s signature short chapters and fast pacing make this a quick read, I found myself hoping for more surprises and deeper psychological complexity.

Overall, this is still an engaging thriller, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Freida McFadden’s best work. If you enjoy atmospheric, snowbound thrillers with a slow burn, this could still be worth picking up—especially for Kindle Unlimited readers. However, if you’re looking for a truly dark, unpredictable, and intense psychological thriller, her other books might be a better choice.


Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bp66Df


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