The Locked Door

Every time I think I know what the outcome will be, I REALLY DONT! The seeds of chaos are planted in perfect timing without making anything too obvious or out of the ordinary. The plot twists at satisfying and make so much sense without plot holes and the resolution feeling “left field”. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with each book I decide to read from this author! And now to finish the Housemaid series…

I love her books!! She always has you want to read faster and faster so you can get to the point twists. It makes you not want to put the book down. I was absolutely shocked by this ending! I would not of guessed!! So good!! With that being said, I definitely found this book creepy! Not my usual read. I couldn't read it at night. Ha! But it was still a good one!

I absolutely loved "The Locked Door" by Frieda McFadden! This book kept me hooked from start to finish. While some readers have criticized it for being repetitive or lacking in character development for Nora, I completely disagree. Every detail, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in the narrative. Even something as so small, like how Nora likes to drink her coffee provides a deeper understanding of her character. These small details give insight into her personality and hint at her similarities with her father, a notorious serial killer.

I found Nora to be a fascinating character. Yes, she was cold and distant, and she didn't show a lot of emotions, but this portrayal was intentional and effective. It highlighted her potential psychopathic traits while distinguishing her from her father. The questioning around whether she is like her father or not added a thrilling layer to the story.

The alternating timelines between the present and the past were nice to read , offering a view of Nora's character and her relationship with her father before his capture. However, I do wish there was more exploration of Nora's childhood. There were some gaps that left me wanting more about her early years.

My one thing was that it felt like it ended too abruptly. Yes, we all want a happy ending, but we are reading about possible suspects and everything that has happened so far and BAM. We get our answer so quickly. Too quickly. That whole scene doesn’t last long and left me wanting more.

Overall, this book is an easy read with short chapters that make it hard to put down. If you're looking for an engaging and enjoyable read with a plot twist at the end, I highly recommend "The Locked Door."

I've been making my way through Freida's blacklist and this is the first book of hers out of the five that I have read so far that actually qualifies as a psychological thriller. I'm not saying that this was a great one but it is miles better than her recent ones.

There was an actual twist that was satisfying and made a lot of sense, although it would have made more sense if we had more of a sense of the timeline. However, the epilogue really tries too hard to round-up every little loose end up and I really wish that some things were left open ended.

I enjoyed the pacing and the red herrings were a bit too obvious but it was written well. I still don't appreciate that all of Freida's Female main characters are inevitably saved by a male charcter. It is a tired trope and she needs to retire it. If you have a strong, independent female character just let her be strong and independent, she can and will save herself without regret or feeling ashamed that she did what she had to in order to survive.

On to the next one... Here's hoping that Freida's older releases are better than her recent ones.