The Bookish Ashley

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

If you’re looking for a thriller that will keep you up past your bedtime, The Inmate by Freida McFadden will absolutely do the trick. McFadden delivers a captivating, fast-paced story full of twists and tension that builds from the very first page.

The protagonist, Brooke Sullivan, finds herself working as a nurse practitioner in a maximum-security prison—except she’s not entirely new to her surroundings. One of the inmates is none other than her high school sweetheart, Shane Nelson, who’s serving time for murders that Brooke herself helped convict him of. The fact that she must now treat him as a prisoner adds an extra layer of psychological suspense that makes the story crackle with tension.

I loved the complexity of Brooke’s character. You can feel her unease as she navigates the morally murky waters of her past with Shane and the danger lurking in her present. The book forces you to grapple with some deep questions about guilt, justice, and how much of our lives are shaped by choices we make long ago.

Shane is chillingly unpredictable, and McFadden does a brilliant job of making you question whether or not he’s truly guilty. This adds a mind-bending layer to the narrative where you’re constantly second-guessing everything Brooke thought she knew about him—and everything you think you know about the story.

What I enjoyed most was how McFadden’s writing pulls you into the prison’s claustrophobic atmosphere, making you feel trapped right along with Brooke. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger that compels you to keep reading, which is exactly what I did—way too late into the night!

However, I docked one star because the ending, while shocking, felt a little rushed and left me wanting more clarity. Some of the twists were so unexpected that they bordered on unbelievable, but they didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

The Inmate is a pulse-pounding, psychological thriller that hooks you from the start. If you’re a fan of domestic thrillers and love a good whodunit with a dash of romance and danger, this one is definitely for you!

This is one of those books you’ll finish and immediately want to discuss with someone—so grab a friend, a cup of coffee, and buckle up for a wild ride.