The Locked Door

Jessica’s 11th Epilogue: The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden’s book, The Locked Door, is your mystery thriller where plot twists and the medical field intermingle, yet again. It’s an engaging storyline where the main character, Nora, is constantly teetering the edge of trying to make a name for herself as a surgeon but always on her tiptoes and looking over her shoulder for her past to finally catch up with her. The haunting truth is that while Nora was an 11 year old girl, both her mom and dad were arrested and her dad, convicted of murdering local women. He’s locked up for life and become known as ‘the handyman’ killer.

Soon, Nora finds herself reconnecting with a boyfriend from college just as a copycat serial killer begins wreaking havoc on Nora’s town. The murders are eerily similar to that of her father’s and Nora soon is at the center of it all, the web of killings all associated with prior patients of hers. Does the apple fall far from the tree or is someone setting her up?

I listened to this as an audio book and always look to a Frieda McFadden novel when I need a quick read as I can count on her to deliver a fast paced read that is certain to have a few plot twists.  As I write this review, I knew full well going into it that I was going to get light character building and multiple plot twists.

There was just enough mystery of certain ‘locked doors’ within the book that kept me engaged and wanting to read more.

Nora was an interesting character. She’s going with the flow of life, trying to make a name for herself and ultimately trying to disassociated herself from her past. At times, I had empathy for her, it felt like she was over compensating with how much she dove into work but then again, I wonder if that was her distraction. It was nice to see her open up and embrace relationships with those around her, even taking in a stray cat. What irritated me about this character was the fact that we have an obviously, smart and educated woman, she went to med-school for goodness sake! Yet she is your classic ‘run up the stairs in a murder film’ kind of lady or at times, she just does dumb things and makes stupid decisions. She knows what it takes to get convicted of murder as she watched her own father go through it. I know this was part of the storyline, but I think this is exactly the reason why I haven’t dabbled with mystery thrillers in a while. So frustrating!

The ending was satisfying, I think what would make me a little more satisfied would be to get a prequal novel that follows her father and his murderous adventure.

Overall, I gave this three stars on my Goodreads account. It’s the perfect book for someone looking for a quick read and who loves your typical murder mystery book.

Freida McFadden is your queen of psychological thriller, you can review her extensive book list on her website: https://www.freidamcfadden.com/.