Audiobook Review: The Coworker by Freida McFadden
The Coworker
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Alyson Krawchuk
Published: August 29, 2023
Audiobook: 8 hours 12 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 20-22, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can’t be taken back
Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.
So when Dawn doesn’t show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…
It turns out Dawn wasn’t just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who’s the real victim?
But one thing is incredibly clear: Somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.
Jessica’s Review:
This is McFadden’s newest book and I listened to it on audio. We have two very different narrators who tell their side of the story: Natalie and Dawn Schiff:
We have Natalie, the office place ‘golden girl’ who can do no wrong. She’s a beautiful blonde, knows it and uses it to get what she wants (which she always does). She’s also the top sales representative for the company. Her best friend Kim and boyfriend Craig also work for the company called Vixed.
We also have Dawn Schiff who is a complete 180 of Natalie: She is plain, awkward, extremely observant and a stickler for being punctual: You can know exactly what time it is based on when Dawn does certain things like eat and even using the restroom. Dawn Schiff seems to have signs of the Autism Spectrum but McFadden never says if she actually is.
Oh and… Dawn really loves turtles. This love is to an extreme. Turtles are constantly mentioned throughout the book. If you made it a drinking game and took a shot every time turtles were mentioned, you wouldn’t live through to make it to the end of the book! I do say this with humor. I knew turtles were mentioned a lot before I listened to it, but damn it really was a lot! It didn’t bother me though since the love of turtles is part of Dawn’s character. Just be prepared for extreme turtle usage!
This time around McFadden takes on the office workplace and deals with office bullying. We see both sides of what is happening through both Dawn Schiff and Natalie’s narrations. Dawn’s perspective is given through emails to her longtime best friend who writes her back.
Dawn is always at work at 8:45 am and Natalie just kind of comes in whenever she wants. I know where I work that would just not happen! But I also work with the public and we have those set hours. One day Dawn doesn’t come in and Natalie is surprised, and maybe just a little worried about her. Then she answers a phone call where the caller says ‘help me’ and hangs up. This starts with a roller coaster that Natalie can’t get off of and it just keeps going and going! And not in a good way either!
For most of the book it was going to be a three star for me: I wasn’t really attached to either character and it was just really an average read for me. Once it does get moving, I was really into it over halfway. I had a theory and I was actually mostly correct with it! Usually, I hate when I figure out a big twist but this time around, I actually enjoyed it because there was still more to figure out as I didn’t have the smaller details figured out. At about 65% in I was fully invested. Of course, we do have a final twist that I wasn’t shocked with it.
The narrator Alyson Krawchuk did a good job with this one. I have now listened to three of McFadden’s books and all of the narrators have northern accents which make me think this is where the author lives. I did enjoy The Coworker and plan on reading or listening to McFadden’s complete book line up. Her books are quick reads/listens so they can be finished quickly. I just wish I had the time to read her books in one sitting!
Audiobook Review: The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden
The Housemaid’s Secret
Series: The Housemaid #2
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Lauryn Allman
Published: February 20, 2023
Audiobook: 9 Hours 44 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 15-19, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
“Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…
It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.
It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…
That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.
Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…
Jessica’s Review:
I started this one the next day after I finished the first and they are both amazing! After listening to both of The Housemaid books, I can not wait to read/listen more by McFadden! If you enjoy thrillers and haven’t read anything by her first, then go pick up something written by her!
The Housemaid’s Secret picks up a few years after the ending of The Housemaid and Millie is still trying to find her way. She is starting to get a reputation as well ( I hate to use the hashtag in a review but I have to: #IYKYK because that is so true!!!), but she finally lands a job with the Garrick’s and things are not what they seem. It is similar to The Housemaid, but also totally different! It is also similar to another popular thriller, but I can’t say the title without ending up giving a spoiler away, but my reaction was “NOOO! She went (book title)! This reaction was in a good way! All I will say that the mystery book made me want to throw my kindle across the room all those years ago when I read it… But this one I was listening to! Listening to both The Housemaid and The Housemaid’s Secret made for intense driving to and from work!
I do have to say this now, I do actually like Millie now! She had to grow on me, but I am totally #TeamMillie now! (I know.. another hashtag in this review….)
Lauryn Allman is the narrator again and there is not much more I can say about her. She is a perfect Millie and just gets that accent down 1000%!
These two books are definitely going to be in my Top 10 of 2023. I have a feeling, it might be the year of the thrillers for me. I am excited about what thriller I will pick up and listen to/read next!
I joined a Freida McFadden group on Facebook shortly after finishing this one and was excited to find out that McFadden is writing a third Housemaid book. I am ready for it now! Please Lauryn Allman be the narrator again!!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
The Housemaid
Series: The Housemaid #1
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Lauryn Allman
Published: April 26, 2022
Audiobook: 9 hours 46 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 11-14, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…
Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.
I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.
I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.
But I reassure myself: The Winchesters don’t know who I really am.
They don’t know what I’m capable of…
Jessica’s Review:
Freida McFadden is another author who is getting a lot of attention since last year, so I was leery of reading her. The first book of hers I listened to was Never Lie and I gave it four stars, but I wasn’t blown away like people were saying about her books. But I love my thrillers, and decided to give The Housemaid a try and see if the book lived up to the hype for me.
What I can say is WOW. It is a very quick read and if I had been reading it I would not have wanted to put it down, but I listened to the audiobook during my commute for work. For most of the book I would say that I was very engrossed in the novel. I figured some things out along the way, but wasn’t sure where it was going to ultimately go. In fact, I texted my friend Devin when I had about 3 hours left that I wasn’t sure about it. Her answer was, “Let me know at the end!” It wasn’t that I wasn’t enjoying it, but none of the characters was likeable!
THEN… I get to the ending and whoa: Mindblown! I loved it so much that I started the second one right away! It has a lot of everything that thriller lovers enjoy. Even if you start it and are not sure about it… keep going! This one does definitely deliver!
It’s got the thriller/ suspense to it along with some dark humor as well.
The narrator is Lauryn Allman and she is remarkable! I would have thought we had two narrators, but she was able to distinguish between Millie and Nina in distinct voices. She really showed how Nina is just a nightmare to work for! Her narration of Millie with that ‘Yankee/ New York/ New Jersey accent was spot on for me!
Here’s to going into book two!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK