Audiobook Review: Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Never Lie
Author: Frieda McFadden
Narrator: Leslie Howard
Published: September 19, 2022
Audiobook: 7 hours 22 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: November 22- 26, 2022
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams.
But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end.
In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance.
Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels.
And then Tricia reaches the final cassette.
The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth.
Jessica’s Review:
Frieda McFadden is an author who is getting a lot of attention lately, and Never Lie is the first I have read by her.
We have two time periods: Present day with Tricia and Ethan and the recent past with Dr. Adrienne Hale. We also have two narrators: Tricia and Dr. Hale.
Tricia and Ethan are looking for their dream home, and are visiting a very secluded house. They are supposed to be meeting their realtor, but there is also a snow storm coming. When it becomes obvious that the realtor is not coming and they will not be able to leave for some time due to the storm, they make themselves at home in the house. After some time they realize whose house they are inside: Dr. Adrienne Hale, a psychiatrist who vanished and made the news several years ago. Exploring the house Tricia comes across cassette tapes of the doctor’s sessions with her patient. And she decides to listen to them to pass the time.
In Dr. Hale’s POV we learn about her and she is far from perfect herself! She has her own issues that slowly get even more out of hand as the novel progresses. She herself needs a psychiatrist at the least!
There are several twists that I didn’t see coming and then how the two time periods come together really pulls the reader in. I had to suspend my belief in reality quite a bit to get in the world of this novel. Two prospective home buyers can’t just go inside a house by themselves, let alone go to the secluded house with no cell service in the middle of a snow storm! And then be stuck in there for days!
There is the creepiness of the house itself with its sounds unfamiliar to Tricia and Ethan, along with who the previous owner is and her mysterious circumstances. Over time the house gets even creepier, and are they even alone?
I listened to the audiobook version and I firmly believe that audio is the best way to ‘read’ this book. Leslie Howard is superb in her narration! As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, Howard just pulls you in to the story even more! I will be on the lookout for more audiobooks narrated by her. I will also look into more novels written by McFadden.
Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for granting me an audio copy to listen to and review. It was a pleasure as always to listen to one of your books!