Brain Damage

 

 I got Brain Damage from the library and I am glad I did. It is different from Mrs. McFadden's other works I have read. It is an earlier novel of hers. For one I would not call this a popcorn thriller more like a slow paced thriller. Nor it is just a thriller but another genre as well. 

Charly was a bit of a Mary Sue but still I did see her growth as a character. Jamie was my favorite character he had a way of lightening up moments. Even the nurses and other patients seemed to be real people I knew enough about them I was not wondering more. 

The story line moved steadily but a lot slower then any other story I have read by Mrs. McFadden. The best part is reading it and realizing how much Mrs. McFadden has grown as author. It is always interesting to me to see authors realize their niche then really work there way to improving themselves in that niche and Mrs. McFadden has clearly done that. 

The Divorce

 

Mrs. McFadden is an author I always put a hold on for new books as soon as I see the announcement about the release. Luckily I was one of the first few people to place that hold at the library for The Divorce. 

It is not easy to talk about a thriller/mystery book without giving away the twist(s) and I am not one to give a synopsis of the plot (what the back or inside cover of the book is for).

Naomi was a complex character, I felt sorry for her she comes home and just is thrown out of her own house. As the story progressed I continued to sympathize with Naomi over everything happening to her. 

Even though I know Mrs. McFadden's writing style I still was not expecting the final twist(s) and more importantly I enjoyed the story. I was able to make the book last three evenings since I wanted to savor it.

The Silent Patient

 

I got The Silent Patient at a second hand store and I see why it was there. 

The writing is fine. Well done even. No grammar errors and it makes sense. The plot was so boring, slow, and drug out, the author counted on the shock factor of the last twenty to thirty pages to carry the whole story. This style did not work for me at all. 

One by One

 

I went on the library website and put a hold on all the Frieda McFadden books I have not read. One by One was the first one that came in and I read it in two days. I believe this is the shortest novel by Mrs. McFadden I have read.

Claire was not my favorite character, I did not really care if she lived or died but I did like the side characters. How each one was set up with their distinct personalities. Noah was my favorite he seemed like a normal male but Claire hated everything about him. The anonymous parts were sinister and perfectly paced. 

Despite being a shorter novel it was the perfect length for the story. No unnecessary filler or boring parts where the story drug on. The writing was fine and typical of Mrs. McFadden. I did figure out most of the mystery it was still enjoyable. 

The Wife Upstairs

 

The Wife Upstairs is the earliest work by Mrs. McFadden I have read I believe. 

Sylvia is desperate and desperate people will do what they have to do to survive even taking a job when her senses tell her that is not a good idea. Sylvia being young and gullible really worked in favor of the story line. I was able to figure out 99% of the mystery which never happens with Mrs. McFadden's books. Perhaps I have just read enough of her work to figure out her style or that this was early work of hers she had not refined her plots yet.

Despite figuring out the mystery I was entertained and enjoyed all the aspects enough to read it in about twenty-four hours.  

Lady Tremaine

 

I have not read a historical story in awhile so when I saw Lady Tremaine in a book magazine I put a hold on it at the library. As a retelling I did not like the story at all. As a historical fiction I enjoyed it a lot. I tried not to look at it from a point of view of Cinderella at all.

Etheldreda is an intense character, full of flaws, dreams, and ambition. She was a enjoyment to read about and learn about how she thought as she worked on scheming her way to the top of the social ladder. 

The writing was smooth and flowed easily. It was not in old English but I still felt like I was standing looking at a historical manner or watching ladies walk by with their fancy dresses and feathers in their hair. The story fit well and even though a loose retelling of Cinderella not ends were left loose.

The Perfect Son

 

I have had The Perfect Son for awhile but banned book club was taking up my reading time. I finally got to this and I was so happy to read a thriller again I devoured it. If I had been reading a lot of other thrillers I think I would have rated it lower. 

The story is told from several points of view but it works to keep the pacing. I liked that Courtney does not sensor her thoughts about her son or even seems to care that her son knows she sees him as different. I did have a few issues with Courtney going around and around with her thoughts, she never seems to make progress in overcoming barriers but since she was not my favorite character I can overlook that part of her. 

Normally I do not figure out Mrs. McFadden's twits but I did on this one which is alright I still enjoyed it.