If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up way past your bedtime (I certainly did), make you gasp out loud, and leave you staring at the wall questioning your own judgment—The Inmate by Frieda McFadden is a psychological thriller and exactly what you need.
I’ll be honest, I went into this book with high expectations. I’ve read Frieda McFadden before. She has this incredible talent for crafting psychological thrillers that feel completely unpredictable. When I saw The Inmate pop up on my local Barnes and Noble shelf with its intriguing summary, I knew I had to dive in.
The Setup That Hooks You
Without giving too much away, The Inmate follows a nurse who is a single mother. She takes a job at a prison. Although she knows that one of the inmates is someone from her past, it’s the only job that will take her.
The setup alone is enough to make you curious. But McFadden takes this premise and runs with it in directions you absolutely will not see coming. The tension builds from page one. The atmosphere she creates—claustrophobic, morally murky, and deeply unsettling—is masterful.
The Plot Twists That Shook Me
Let me tell you guys that this book has not just one but two plot twists that shook me. And the plot twists aren’t what you think.
I pride myself a detective by spotting twists from a mile away. But McFadden completely blindsided me with this one. It reframes everything you’ve read up to that point. You’ll want to immediately flip back to the beginning and catch all the clues you missed.
I won’t spoil it, but I will say this: the twists are both devastating and brilliant. They make you sit back and think, “How did I not see that coming?” You’ll simultaneously appreciate just how cleverly McFadden constructed them.
Characters You’ll Love (and Question)
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Inmate is how McFadden plays with your sympathies. There’s a character in this book who should be the villain. And yet, as the story unfolds, I desperately wanted them to be innocent. I wanted them to be misunderstood, to be anything other than what the evidence suggested.
This moral complexity elevates The Inmate beyond a standard thriller. You’ll question your own judgment. You’ll wonder if McFadden is manipulating you (she probably is). And still, you’ll root for people you know you probably shouldn’t trust.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s compelling. And it’s exactly what makes this book so hard to put down.
If you haven’t read Frieda McFadden before, The Inmate is an excellent place to start. She has a gift for writing page-turners that don’t sacrifice substance for speed. Her characters feel real, her plots are meticulously constructed, and she understands how to build tension that keeps you reading “just one more chapter” until you hit the plot twist and suddenly it’s 3 AM and you’ve finished the entire book.
Should You Read This?
The Inmate is a gripping, twisty, emotionally complex thriller. It will satisfy anyone looking for a book that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. Whether you’re a longtime fan of psychological thrillers or just looking for something to pull you out of a reading slump, this book delivers.
Fair warning, you’ll probably want to clear your schedule before you start this one. It demands to be read in as few sittings as possible. The pacing is relentless. The stakes feel real. And that twist will haunt you long after you’ve turned the final page.
One of the most fascinating aspects of The Inmate is how McFadden plays with your sympathies. There’s a character in this book who, as far as we know, should be the villain. And yet, as the story unfolds, I found myself desperately wanting them to be innocent. I wanted them to be misunderstood, to be anything other than what the evidence suggested.
This moral complexity elevates The Inmate beyond a standard thriller. You’ll find yourself questioning your own judgment. You’ll wonder if McFadden is manipulating you (she probably is). And still, you’ll be unable to stop rooting for people you know you probably shouldn’t trust. It’s uncomfortable. It’s compelling. And it’s exactly what makes this book so hard to put down.
If you’re looking for your next obsession, pick up The Inmate. Just don’t blame me when you’re exhausted the next day because you couldn’t stop reading. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Rating: 5/5 stars