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Rating system:
⭐️ = Did not finish/ hate it
⭐️ ⭐️ = I did not like it, would throw tomatoes
⭐️⭐️⭐️ = I like it, probably wouldn’t double back
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = I would recommend this
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = my soul has healed, I'm enlightened, my day just got better
For updates on what I’m currently reading, follow my Goodreads!
To find out what else I plan to read this year, check out my TBR list 2024 for some inspiration and conversation.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Locked Door by Freida McFadden
Kindle Unlimited Amazon
Summary:
This psych thriller follows the perspective of Nora Davis (formerly known as Nora Nierling) as she navigates her adult life after her father was found guilty for a series of heinous murders against 30+ women …in their basement.
Her successful career lands her some version of peace, but her history haunts her. By choosing her work life over love, Nora loses hope of what a normal life could be for her. She knows that if anyone were to ever find out who she really is, the world would view her much, much differently. We learn more about Nora’s experiences as a child while her parents were in the picture and can’t help but sympathize and wonder how a child copes with such trauma…
Once her former patients start to mysteriously become murdered, things start to change for Nora. She knows she isn’t like her father, but somebody knows her past. Who can she trust? Who is watching her?
Follow the twists and turns in Nora’s journey and decide for yourself if she is a clone of her parents or independent of the horrors laid before her.
Vocabulary:
Pontificating
v. express one’s opinions in a way considered annoyingly pompous and dogmatic
**This section may contain spoilers**
Quotes and Reflections:
“Dad says that if you’re going to do something wrong, at least be smart enough not to let anybody see you do it.”
Damn. He ate with that one, I fear! But also, telling this to a child is a recipe for disaster no matter what the context is.
“Isn’t it bad enough that you’ve gotten fat like a house? Are you trying for a building?”
SPOILER: Since we know that at this time she is pregnant, that makes this comment so much worse. I mean honestly, a man chopping up women in the basement is terrible but what’s the point of having a wife? A family? To appear normal maybe….
“You need to be careful around Brady…I hear screams coming from upstairs at night. Women’s screams. Crying for help.”
This is one of those seeds of destruction that get planted - a trait that I really admire from McFadden books - and it makes you second guess Brady IMMEDIATELY. But at the end of the day we know he’s harmless… So what was this old lady hearing? That seems to never get explained…I instantly thought maybe some women were just matching his freak. *wink wink*
“But as my fingers wrap around her torso, I feel the bones of her rib cage under my palms. They’re so fragile compared to human ribs. They would snap so easily.”
She’s holding the cat. And to my understanding, serial killers start with animals before they evolve to humans - so the seed was planted that MAYBE Nora isn’t too far from her father. But clearly she is exhibiting restraint, so we trust her with caution…
I didn’t reschedule the appointment! Why would I do that after I was so desperate to get the guy to come tonight?”
And it was at that moment we knew…
THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO HEARD THAT CONVERSATION!
Chapter 45: AND WE WERE WRONG ABOUT EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT LMAO
The real hero: The cat
The real victim: Marjorie
I must say, this is my third read from Freida McFadden and I continue to be impressed with her works! These are the perfect books to get out of a reading slump of any kind. A “quick” read is up for interpretation - but for me I read it in two days. It would have been one if I didn’t spend the first day at the beach! I loved that the chapters intertwined with Nora as a child and Nora as an adult. Of course at times I was extremely eager to get through the adult moments to understand her childhood. It was like blue balls every time we got closer to the truth! I’m sure Nora has a darkness to her from what she experienced, and I hope in the fictional world she gets the therapy she needs.
At this point I’d rate the books I’ve read from Freida McFadden in this order:
I absolutely have the next two books in The Housemaid series that I look forward to reading in my next slump. What were your thoughts on this book? Are you a Freida McFadden fan? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Check out my TBR list for 2024, and stay tuned for a DNF list coming in the near future!
xoxo,
Schae
