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One by One
One by one, they will get what they deserve...
A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation.
She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought.
Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost.
And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them?
But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear:
Only one of them will return home alive.
A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation.
She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought.
Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost.
And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them?
But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear:
Only one of them will return home alive.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2020
About the author
Freida McFadden
42 books127k followers#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and possessed cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
Note that I am maxed out on friends, so I apologize in advance that I can't friend anyone back!
Note that I am maxed out on friends, so I apologize in advance that I can't friend anyone back!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 19,088 reviews
January 24, 2021
I really need to learn not to rely strictly on reviews for recommendations, as it seems more and more often I find myself at odds with the majority. This supposed “thriller” demonstrates my point beautifully. While most of those who reviewed the book found it to be “captivating”, I found it to be tedious and redundant, populated with characters whom I disliked from the very beginning. The story was short on detail, save the three or four specifics that were repeated ad nauseam—Claire is unhappy, Claire loves her children, Michelle is a cold fish, Warner is handsome. Over. And over. And over.
Three stars for effort and the fact that it was mercifully short.
Three stars for effort and the fact that it was mercifully short.
September 30, 2023
4.5⭐️ PLOT TWIST WOAH
April 24, 2023
That was FUN. Couldn’t put it down!
October 19, 2024
Well, I made a vow to myself to devour everything Freida McFadden writes, from post-it notes to shopping lists, captivated by her reputation as the queen of twists. I even crafted a special laughter ritual for each Housemaid book series ending.
However, this standalone novel I just finished didn't quite live up to her other works. While I'm usually all for far-fetched conclusions if they deliver a jaw-dropping twist, like the one in the ending of "Teacher," "One by One" falls a bit short in comparison. The reasoning behind the villain's actions and the entire scheme of his/her dangerous plan made me roll my eyes and question, "Is that really it?"
The characters in the book also fall flat. We have two points of view: Claire, who is not particularly likable, and an anonymous character who is the perpetrator and possibly a psychopath, albeit with some obvious reasons.
The other five characters—Noah, Claire's sullen and grumpy husband of over a decade; Jack, her husband's charming best friend; Jack's polished, cold, workaholic, and arrogant divorce attorney wife; Michelle, Claire's best friend who resembles Margot Robbie's Barbie in appearance and lack of characteristics; Lindsey and a plastic surgeon who looks like a Ken doll and has a condescending attitude, Lindsey's new boyfriend; Warner-are equally uninspiring. You find yourself indifferent to their fates, wishing the killer would finish the job quickly so you can uncover the juicy twist. Even Claire, who appears to be a good mother, struggles with her marriage problems and harbors a big secret, fails to evoke much sympathy.
All the characters behave as if they're in a B-list movie, with stereotyped backgrounds and meaningless dialogues, until their time is up and one of them disappears from sight. None of them reacts clearly to their situation, instead acting like half-witted individuals, oblivious to the danger they're in and clueless about how to save themselves.
The story centers around six adults crammed into a six-person minivan, embarking on a vacation at a luxurious inn for six days of hiking and hot tubs. However, their plans take a sinister turn when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, leaving them stranded in the woods. For suspicious reasons, each of them begins to die or disappear one by one. Is one of them the perpetrator, or is someone—or something—else hunting them down for an unknown reason?
The pacing was the saving grace of the book. Nonstop action and short, intriguing chapters held my attention until the end, despite my frustration with the characters and their nonsensical decisions. While the conclusion didn't entirely satisfy me, I didn't find myself bored, and the suspense kept me engaged throughout. That's why I couldn't give this book less than 3 stars, but I do wish I had enjoyed this thriller as much as McFadden's other works.
I'm crossing my fingers that "Inmate" will be a more enjoyable read. One thing's for sure—I won't be bored, and I'll likely finish it in one sitting. With any McFadden work, thrilling and dark fun are guaranteed.
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However, this standalone novel I just finished didn't quite live up to her other works. While I'm usually all for far-fetched conclusions if they deliver a jaw-dropping twist, like the one in the ending of "Teacher," "One by One" falls a bit short in comparison. The reasoning behind the villain's actions and the entire scheme of his/her dangerous plan made me roll my eyes and question, "Is that really it?"
The characters in the book also fall flat. We have two points of view: Claire, who is not particularly likable, and an anonymous character who is the perpetrator and possibly a psychopath, albeit with some obvious reasons.
The other five characters—Noah, Claire's sullen and grumpy husband of over a decade; Jack, her husband's charming best friend; Jack's polished, cold, workaholic, and arrogant divorce attorney wife; Michelle, Claire's best friend who resembles Margot Robbie's Barbie in appearance and lack of characteristics; Lindsey and a plastic surgeon who looks like a Ken doll and has a condescending attitude, Lindsey's new boyfriend; Warner-are equally uninspiring. You find yourself indifferent to their fates, wishing the killer would finish the job quickly so you can uncover the juicy twist. Even Claire, who appears to be a good mother, struggles with her marriage problems and harbors a big secret, fails to evoke much sympathy.
All the characters behave as if they're in a B-list movie, with stereotyped backgrounds and meaningless dialogues, until their time is up and one of them disappears from sight. None of them reacts clearly to their situation, instead acting like half-witted individuals, oblivious to the danger they're in and clueless about how to save themselves.
The story centers around six adults crammed into a six-person minivan, embarking on a vacation at a luxurious inn for six days of hiking and hot tubs. However, their plans take a sinister turn when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, leaving them stranded in the woods. For suspicious reasons, each of them begins to die or disappear one by one. Is one of them the perpetrator, or is someone—or something—else hunting them down for an unknown reason?
The pacing was the saving grace of the book. Nonstop action and short, intriguing chapters held my attention until the end, despite my frustration with the characters and their nonsensical decisions. While the conclusion didn't entirely satisfy me, I didn't find myself bored, and the suspense kept me engaged throughout. That's why I couldn't give this book less than 3 stars, but I do wish I had enjoyed this thriller as much as McFadden's other works.
I'm crossing my fingers that "Inmate" will be a more enjoyable read. One thing's for sure—I won't be bored, and I'll likely finish it in one sitting. With any McFadden work, thrilling and dark fun are guaranteed.
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October 2, 2020
Careless writing, absurd plot
How serious can this author be about her craft when she throws in ridiculous elements such as the culprits using the perfect tool to make sinister claw marks on trees - are you scared yet? - along with magnets, maps, berries etc as devious ploys? Why have everyone wandering aimlessly for days when the psychos were so eager to kill two people for the shabbiest excuse for a motive a writer has ever come up with? How can the writer care that much when the bandaged right ankle becomes a wrapped left leg a few sentences later?
This book is so silly, so bad that I am embarrassed I actually read it.
How serious can this author be about her craft when she throws in ridiculous elements such as the culprits using the perfect tool to make sinister claw marks on trees - are you scared yet? - along with magnets, maps, berries etc as devious ploys? Why have everyone wandering aimlessly for days when the psychos were so eager to kill two people for the shabbiest excuse for a motive a writer has ever come up with? How can the writer care that much when the bandaged right ankle becomes a wrapped left leg a few sentences later?
This book is so silly, so bad that I am embarrassed I actually read it.
October 31, 2024
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 2 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
I really don't understand the hype over Freida's books ya'll. I'm not even being a hater, but I truly appreciate a good thriller and so I keep trying and failing. Literally the definition of insanity, but anyway... 😵💫
We follow a group of friends who decide to go on a trip to a remote cabin but along the way get lost in some woods and then proceed to spend the next 200 odd pages scrambling around these woods as, “one by one” they’re picked off by a mysterious killer.
₊⊹⁀➴ This felt so unrealistic and corny to me... I mean berries? Some tool to make claw marks on trees? Idk. It felt kind of juvenile, like I was reading Goosebumps or something lol. The plot twists felt very lazily done, like just kinda slapped on for the sake of a twist.
There's cheating and a triangle in this - it's not something that particularly bothers me in general, but especially not in a thriller since romance isn't really a focal point. However, much of that situation never really came to a head so it felt like it was just tossed in to make the characters more unlikable.
₊⊹⁀➴ Speaking of the characters, they're all assholes. Which is fine for a thriller, but they were also all so damn stupid. So, for me, instead of getting characters that I love to hate - I just rolled my eyes in annoyance.
The plot didn't move along well enough for me and lulled in some areas with the stupid choices of these characters so it threw the pacing off for me. Ultimately, One by One dragged a bit for me, which even if I'm not loving the story, doesn't typically happen for me with a McFadden novel.
Not one I'd recommend, on to the next!
I really don't understand the hype over Freida's books ya'll. I'm not even being a hater, but I truly appreciate a good thriller and so I keep trying and failing. Literally the definition of insanity, but anyway... 😵💫
We follow a group of friends who decide to go on a trip to a remote cabin but along the way get lost in some woods and then proceed to spend the next 200 odd pages scrambling around these woods as, “one by one” they’re picked off by a mysterious killer.
₊⊹⁀➴ This felt so unrealistic and corny to me... I mean berries? Some tool to make claw marks on trees? Idk. It felt kind of juvenile, like I was reading Goosebumps or something lol. The plot twists felt very lazily done, like just kinda slapped on for the sake of a twist.
There's cheating and a triangle in this - it's not something that particularly bothers me in general, but especially not in a thriller since romance isn't really a focal point. However, much of that situation never really came to a head so it felt like it was just tossed in to make the characters more unlikable.
₊⊹⁀➴ Speaking of the characters, they're all assholes. Which is fine for a thriller, but they were also all so damn stupid. So, for me, instead of getting characters that I love to hate - I just rolled my eyes in annoyance.
The plot didn't move along well enough for me and lulled in some areas with the stupid choices of these characters so it threw the pacing off for me. Ultimately, One by One dragged a bit for me, which even if I'm not loving the story, doesn't typically happen for me with a McFadden novel.
Not one I'd recommend, on to the next!
August 23, 2022
This is the dumbest book I’ve ever read.
March 12, 2024
Good book, but nothing new. My second book from this author, and I'm just not impressed. I'm done.
May 6, 2024
not me finishing this in 4 hours 💀
loved this book, super easy read, very engaging. the plot was great - totally different to what I expected. A few twists were predictable but others had me gagging.
I had a lot of fun with this book. Not a must-read but definitely give it a go if you’re interested, it was very entertaining.
loved this book, super easy read, very engaging. the plot was great - totally different to what I expected. A few twists were predictable but others had me gagging.
I had a lot of fun with this book. Not a must-read but definitely give it a go if you’re interested, it was very entertaining.
May 9, 2023
not my favorite but i had fun!!!!
December 22, 2020
6 people
6 days
6 person minivan
666 is the number of the devil. And so it begins ...
This was a quick, fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Six people start off on what should be an east journey and it ends up anything but. Chapters alternate between Claire and “Anonymous”. Anonymous is the problem, but we don’t yet know who that is. I guessed only part of the end. I thought Claire was a bit whiny, not the sharpest pencil in the box. I found most of the characters likable and one character I wanted to shoot myself. The pace was steady, but started a bit slow. Overall, I liked the book and I’d recommend it if you aren’t looking for a complex, intellectual thriller.
6 days
6 person minivan
666 is the number of the devil. And so it begins ...
This was a quick, fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Six people start off on what should be an east journey and it ends up anything but. Chapters alternate between Claire and “Anonymous”. Anonymous is the problem, but we don’t yet know who that is. I guessed only part of the end. I thought Claire was a bit whiny, not the sharpest pencil in the box. I found most of the characters likable and one character I wanted to shoot myself. The pace was steady, but started a bit slow. Overall, I liked the book and I’d recommend it if you aren’t looking for a complex, intellectual thriller.
May 25, 2022
If this was a satire of a scary, murder in the woods mystery thriller - 10/10, amazing. As an actual thriller, not a chance. The way this is written makes for a bad book, but potentially a good D list movie.
To be honest, this was terrible. There are so many issues - with the setting, the continuity, the motives. One moment, a character is dead from being shot in the head, but pages later he is dead from being stabbed. Another character had her sprained ankle wrapped, but not longer after her whole leg was wrapped. There are also dumb details about things such as walking 2 miles taking HOURS at a normal pace or there being mosquitoes in Colorado like they are in Louisiana that are just out of place. All the things about the bears and coyotes and claw marks. If the husband's goal was already to do whatever he could to get her back before the near death experiences, why would he have been so snappy headed out to the inn?
The writing was incredibly repetitive. I get it, Claire will do anything to get back to her kids that she misses, Warner is so handsome no matter what he does, and her almost dying, even though she didn't even eat the berries so it wasn't a near miss, gave her a second chance at life. This story did not need to be written from Claire's POV if that's all she had to offer. It would have been so much better and more suspenseful to include other character's POV and paranoia.
The plot was incredibly unrealistic. Why would this group of 6 people who didn't enjoy each other go on this trip together? How are this group of seemingly educated people with good jobs unable to perform any basic survival skills even though they were going on a trip to hunt and fish? Why would no one communicate the issues they had to see things like maybe someone had something on them to interfer with the compass? How did none of them realize there was no way this inn would be off the road you literally can't travel down or that they were walking an absolutely ridiculous amount of time to have not run into the inn? I understand they needed to keep moving, but half this group had supposedly been friends with Lindsey for years and other than Claire's short lived show of sadness, absolutely no one is phased by a member of their group, a core friend, having just "died" in front of them. Why wouldn't survivalist Jack ask to see the berries Lindsey ate?
Just way too much going on and it doesn't flow. It feels like the author just put something together from a half thought and there was no proofing or editing.
The one upside - I didn't suspect the person behind it until after halfway. I kept guessing based on people's paranoia.
To be honest, this was terrible. There are so many issues - with the setting, the continuity, the motives. One moment, a character is dead from being shot in the head, but pages later he is dead from being stabbed. Another character had her sprained ankle wrapped, but not longer after her whole leg was wrapped. There are also dumb details about things such as walking 2 miles taking HOURS at a normal pace or there being mosquitoes in Colorado like they are in Louisiana that are just out of place. All the things about the bears and coyotes and claw marks. If the husband's goal was already to do whatever he could to get her back before the near death experiences, why would he have been so snappy headed out to the inn?
The writing was incredibly repetitive. I get it, Claire will do anything to get back to her kids that she misses, Warner is so handsome no matter what he does, and her almost dying, even though she didn't even eat the berries so it wasn't a near miss, gave her a second chance at life. This story did not need to be written from Claire's POV if that's all she had to offer. It would have been so much better and more suspenseful to include other character's POV and paranoia.
The plot was incredibly unrealistic. Why would this group of 6 people who didn't enjoy each other go on this trip together? How are this group of seemingly educated people with good jobs unable to perform any basic survival skills even though they were going on a trip to hunt and fish? Why would no one communicate the issues they had to see things like maybe someone had something on them to interfer with the compass? How did none of them realize there was no way this inn would be off the road you literally can't travel down or that they were walking an absolutely ridiculous amount of time to have not run into the inn? I understand they needed to keep moving, but half this group had supposedly been friends with Lindsey for years and other than Claire's short lived show of sadness, absolutely no one is phased by a member of their group, a core friend, having just "died" in front of them. Why wouldn't survivalist Jack ask to see the berries Lindsey ate?
Just way too much going on and it doesn't flow. It feels like the author just put something together from a half thought and there was no proofing or editing.
The one upside - I didn't suspect the person behind it until after halfway. I kept guessing based on people's paranoia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2023
Three couples decide to go on a week-long trip together. It sounded like bliss; but it became a deadly nightmare! Gripping, shocking, and tense, One By One was a page turner for me from the very first page.
Claire Matchett's minivan broke down on a dirt road in the country. There is no cell service, the compass isn't working, and tension is mounting. They decide to walk through the woods to their hotel, where they will laugh about this later. But they can't seem to find the hotel, they are lost, and have no idea where they are. Sounds like the making of a horror film, right?
Making matters worse, one by one they go missing!
Freida McFadden has done it again. Consider me wowed! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration. There is an unknown narrator which had me guessing but never figuring out whose POV it was. This book had several twists and turns and shocked me in the end! This was a fun, fast paced book which kept me on my toes!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Claire Matchett's minivan broke down on a dirt road in the country. There is no cell service, the compass isn't working, and tension is mounting. They decide to walk through the woods to their hotel, where they will laugh about this later. But they can't seem to find the hotel, they are lost, and have no idea where they are. Sounds like the making of a horror film, right?
Making matters worse, one by one they go missing!
Freida McFadden has done it again. Consider me wowed! I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration. There is an unknown narrator which had me guessing but never figuring out whose POV it was. This book had several twists and turns and shocked me in the end! This was a fun, fast paced book which kept me on my toes!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
November 19, 2023
Freida have you lost your ever loving mind? 😂🤯😳
What was this book please?
I’m sure all reasoning and logic went out the window when she wrote this one!
I’m all for her nonsensical twists, but this one was just outright dumb!!!?
Genuinely the only good things about this was the short chapters and it was a very quick read. Also I must say it garnered more than a few Laugh out Loud moments from myself!
Oh Freida you are my guilty pleasure so I will continue to go through her backlist 😏
2.5 ⭐️
What was this book please?
I’m sure all reasoning and logic went out the window when she wrote this one!
I’m all for her nonsensical twists, but this one was just outright dumb!!!?
Genuinely the only good things about this was the short chapters and it was a very quick read. Also I must say it garnered more than a few Laugh out Loud moments from myself!
Oh Freida you are my guilty pleasure so I will continue to go through her backlist 😏
2.5 ⭐️
September 25, 2022
ONE BY ONE is a psychological thriller by bestselling author Freida McFadden. This is the sixth book I have read from this author, and having loved her novels, I was eager to start reading One By One. As an avid reader of psychological thrillers, I can only say, treat yourself and read all of her books! Her books are so good!
Her Standalone Books Include:
Baby City (2015)
The Surrogate Mother (2018) (Read)
The Ex (2019) (Read)
The Perfect Son (2019) (Read)
The Wife Upstairs (2020) (Read)
One By One (2020) (Read)
Want to Know a Secret? (2021)
The Locked Door (2021)
Do Not Disturb (2021)
Do You Remember? (2022)
The Housemaid (2022) (Read)
The Inmate (2022)
Never Lie (2022)
This is my review of One By One.
This is an intense drama where six friends head to a big cabin in the woods for a relaxing week-long vacation. Claire thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage.
The first group consist of Claire and Noah who met in college, have two kids, and are only staying together for the kids. Claire doesn’t feel that their damaged marriage will last through the trip.
The second group consists of Lindsey who has just met Warner, and will introduce him to the other groups.
Jack, Noah’s best friend who both went to college together, and Jack’s wife, Michelle, a divorce attorney, are the third couple in the group.
The chapters alternate between Clair’s POV and Anonymous.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel.
They are soon lost in the woods, and as they steer deeper into the woods, one by one of the members are struck down mysteriously.
One by one, they will get what they deserve...
One of the six is responsible for the twists and mishaps in their trip.
Only one of them will return home alive…and Claire must figure it out if she wants to ever see her kids again.
This suspenseful mystery novel had me hooked from the very first page. It kept me guessing all the way to the end.
Her Standalone Books Include:
Baby City (2015)
The Surrogate Mother (2018) (Read)
The Ex (2019) (Read)
The Perfect Son (2019) (Read)
The Wife Upstairs (2020) (Read)
One By One (2020) (Read)
Want to Know a Secret? (2021)
The Locked Door (2021)
Do Not Disturb (2021)
Do You Remember? (2022)
The Housemaid (2022) (Read)
The Inmate (2022)
Never Lie (2022)
This is my review of One By One.
This is an intense drama where six friends head to a big cabin in the woods for a relaxing week-long vacation. Claire thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage.
The first group consist of Claire and Noah who met in college, have two kids, and are only staying together for the kids. Claire doesn’t feel that their damaged marriage will last through the trip.
The second group consists of Lindsey who has just met Warner, and will introduce him to the other groups.
Jack, Noah’s best friend who both went to college together, and Jack’s wife, Michelle, a divorce attorney, are the third couple in the group.
The chapters alternate between Clair’s POV and Anonymous.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel.
They are soon lost in the woods, and as they steer deeper into the woods, one by one of the members are struck down mysteriously.
One by one, they will get what they deserve...
One of the six is responsible for the twists and mishaps in their trip.
Only one of them will return home alive…and Claire must figure it out if she wants to ever see her kids again.
This suspenseful mystery novel had me hooked from the very first page. It kept me guessing all the way to the end.
November 25, 2022
This was a thrilling read for sure. I was a bit annoyed by some of the language and thought processes, like when the main character thought ‘da’ like a little child. I didn’t see the twist coming at all!
December 3, 2023
Some thoughts:
No grown ass woman on earth needs a man to tell her how to squat and pee behind a tree.
Even if your car isn’t running, it still works as shelter.
Why are these people wandering in a 2 mile circle, sleeping on the ground and dying? Why would they not turn around and walk back to the paved road? Back to where they last had cell signal? Why would they ever leave the road and frolic off into the woods on foot in the first place?
These characters are so terrible. If even one of the innocent ones had a brain cell, the whole Scooby-Doo-esque villainous plan would have gone ass up in about 5 minutes.
Also, in no way do blueberry bushes (or blueberries) resemble belladonna. Google it. Then again, we’re talking about someone who can’t figure out how to pee without instructions so, I guess it’s whatever.
No grown ass woman on earth needs a man to tell her how to squat and pee behind a tree.
Even if your car isn’t running, it still works as shelter.
Why are these people wandering in a 2 mile circle, sleeping on the ground and dying? Why would they not turn around and walk back to the paved road? Back to where they last had cell signal? Why would they ever leave the road and frolic off into the woods on foot in the first place?
These characters are so terrible. If even one of the innocent ones had a brain cell, the whole Scooby-Doo-esque villainous plan would have gone ass up in about 5 minutes.
Also, in no way do blueberry bushes (or blueberries) resemble belladonna. Google it. Then again, we’re talking about someone who can’t figure out how to pee without instructions so, I guess it’s whatever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2023
my jaw is on the FLOOR. WHEN I TELL YOU I SCREAMED WHEN I FOUND OUT WHO ANONYMOUS WAS….THE ENDING... OH MY FUCKKKKKKKKKK. If I could give this a million stars I would
April 5, 2024
EXCERPT: PROLOGUE - ANONYMOUS
There will be six of us.
Six adults. Stuffed into a six-person minivan like sardines, with all the luggage we felt we couldn't possibly live without during our vacation at a swanky luxury inn. Our reservation is for six days. Six days of hiking and hot tubs. Six days away from civilization.
My mother was a religious woman. That's how I know that on the sixth day, both man and serpent were created. You know - the snake that eventually convinced Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and got them kicked out of the Garden of Eden forever? That's why the number six represents both man and the evil that weakens him.
In Revelation, 666 is the number of the devil. The sixth commandment is thou shalt not kill. Six is not a nice number.
I'm not religious. I don't go to church. I don't believe in a higher power. Six is just like any other number to me. But I know that every single one of these six people has a secret they don't want anyone to know.
I can tell you my secret right now: At the end of this week, only one of us will make it home alive.
ABOUT 'ONE BY ONE': One by one, they will get what they deserve...
A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation.
She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought.
Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost.
And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them?
But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear:
Only one of them will return home alive.
MY THOUGHTS: Wow! Talk about intense! This kept me enthralled from beginning to end, and it was a one sitting read!
Claire is the main narrator with occasional insertions from 'Anonymous'. Try as I might, I couldn't guess who Anonymous was. Was it one of the group? Or was someone following them? Why couldn't they find this luxury hotel which should have, let's face it, been clearly signposted? Why did the reasonably new van break down? And why didn't they, following the first death, just head back to the van and sit on the horn until someone came looking for them? Yeah, okay - it's easy to be completely sensible when you're sitting on the deck in a comfy chair reading; but put yourself in their place . . .
Tension packed, thrilling and definitely recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#OneByOneFreidaMcFadden #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of One by One by Freida McFadden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
There will be six of us.
Six adults. Stuffed into a six-person minivan like sardines, with all the luggage we felt we couldn't possibly live without during our vacation at a swanky luxury inn. Our reservation is for six days. Six days of hiking and hot tubs. Six days away from civilization.
My mother was a religious woman. That's how I know that on the sixth day, both man and serpent were created. You know - the snake that eventually convinced Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and got them kicked out of the Garden of Eden forever? That's why the number six represents both man and the evil that weakens him.
In Revelation, 666 is the number of the devil. The sixth commandment is thou shalt not kill. Six is not a nice number.
I'm not religious. I don't go to church. I don't believe in a higher power. Six is just like any other number to me. But I know that every single one of these six people has a secret they don't want anyone to know.
I can tell you my secret right now: At the end of this week, only one of us will make it home alive.
ABOUT 'ONE BY ONE': One by one, they will get what they deserve...
A night spent sleeping on dirt and leaves is not how Claire Matchett expected to spend her vacation.
She thought this would be a break from the stresses of work and raising her young children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubs with two other couple friends. It sounded like heaven.
Then Claire’s minivan breaks down on a lonely dirt road. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to hike the rest of the way to their hotel. But it turns out the woods aren’t as easy to navigate as they thought.
Hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost.
And as they navigate deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously one by one. Has a wild animal been hunting them? Or is the hunter one of them?
But as more time passes, one thing becomes clear:
Only one of them will return home alive.
MY THOUGHTS: Wow! Talk about intense! This kept me enthralled from beginning to end, and it was a one sitting read!
Claire is the main narrator with occasional insertions from 'Anonymous'. Try as I might, I couldn't guess who Anonymous was. Was it one of the group? Or was someone following them? Why couldn't they find this luxury hotel which should have, let's face it, been clearly signposted? Why did the reasonably new van break down? And why didn't they, following the first death, just head back to the van and sit on the horn until someone came looking for them? Yeah, okay - it's easy to be completely sensible when you're sitting on the deck in a comfy chair reading; but put yourself in their place . . .
Tension packed, thrilling and definitely recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#OneByOneFreidaMcFadden #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of One by One by Freida McFadden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
July 23, 2022
One by One is a murder mystery that tells the story of six friends who get lost in the woods and begin being picked off one by one.
These day, it's very hard to get lost in the woods. And it's even harder to stay lost ....Um, nope, that is not true.
This was my first Freida McFadden novel and I really enjoyed it. The six friends were a little on the dumb side when it came to basic survival. A few times I rolled my eyes as they seemed to eager to get themselves more and more lost. But I chalked that up to people who've never been out of the city and manipulation.
The writing was addictive. Once I picked it up I didn't want to put it back down. I'm definitely going to grab more of McFadden's work the next time I'm at the bookstore.
These day, it's very hard to get lost in the woods. And it's even harder to stay lost ....Um, nope, that is not true.
This was my first Freida McFadden novel and I really enjoyed it. The six friends were a little on the dumb side when it came to basic survival. A few times I rolled my eyes as they seemed to eager to get themselves more and more lost. But I chalked that up to people who've never been out of the city and manipulation.
The writing was addictive. Once I picked it up I didn't want to put it back down. I'm definitely going to grab more of McFadden's work the next time I'm at the bookstore.
June 25, 2024
You know when you ‘ discover’ a new author and you have to read everything they’ve ever written immediately? That’s where I’m at with McFadden.
A group of friends go on a trip, but they never make it to their destination. One by one they get killed while trying to navigate from their car to their destination. McFadden is amazing at writing twisting/thrilling tales that are full of surprises, turns, misdirection and unpredictable endings. So grab a McFadden book , your emotional support blanket, favorite pet, and a glass of your favorite beverage before buckling up and enjoying the ride!
A group of friends go on a trip, but they never make it to their destination. One by one they get killed while trying to navigate from their car to their destination. McFadden is amazing at writing twisting/thrilling tales that are full of surprises, turns, misdirection and unpredictable endings. So grab a McFadden book , your emotional support blanket, favorite pet, and a glass of your favorite beverage before buckling up and enjoying the ride!
June 13, 2024
Entertaining and twisty! 3 couples head off in a minivan on vacation together. The minivan breaks down and they get stranded in the woods. One by one, the 6 of them die or disappear. This one kept me guessing till the very end. It was very fast paced which I enjoyed. The characters were all very unlikeable, but it worked well for the book. Overall, pretty enjoyable! 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for a copy in return for my honest review.
Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for a copy in return for my honest review.
March 28, 2024
⊹ ˚. ✦ ╮
pre read: 27/03/24
being converted into a freida mcfadden girlie because i know i'm not clever enough to figure things out anyway, so i can just turn off my brain and act surprised at every plot twist. i am the death of critical thinking
being converted into a freida mcfadden girlie because i know i'm not clever enough to figure things out anyway, so i can just turn off my brain and act surprised at every plot twist. i am the death of critical thinking
December 11, 2020
Well, I suppose I could say that this had a little twist that I didn't really see coming and it tries to be clever, but it's bogged down by things that throw you out of the story:
Repetition, repetition, repetition. Really, Claire, we get it. Your marriage is awful, you miss your kids, Warner is a GQ model, even covered in dirt. Even though we all may be about to die, we have to hear how hot he is. You can stop telling us.
Continuity errors: example--Michelle's telling about a rich banker client. Warner says he's a surgeon. Michelle immediately says, yes, just like my client!
They're all idiots. Look, I know it's a trope that in horror and thrillers, ditzy characters abound. But seriously, you can make a smart thriller! In this book, we supposedly have among these characters the best lawyer in Colorado, a special ed teacher, a surgeon, a contractor, and a physicist. They should not all be as dumb as they act:
-there are huge claw marks on the tree and they wonder if it's something bigger than a bear. What do they think is prowling around, big foot?
-You don't know what a blueberry looks like?
-You can't tell the difference between a wolf and a coyote?
-You're all starving in the woods (after like, half a day) and you're aghast that someone suggests they should shoot a rabbit to eat?
-(near the end) Really? You think THIS is the time and place to have sex??
Not to mention, the whole plot hinges on me having to believe that all these supposedly brilliant people would agree to a week's stay at some supposedly ten-star resort that a random guy they never met suggested. That's in the middle of the woods? That's only accessible by a broken down road that you can't even fit a car down? No one thought to research this place beforehand, to, I don't know, check out Yelp reviews or amenities pictures?
Ugh. Just so exasperating. These people had no survival skills and by the end I didn't even care what happened to them.
Repetition, repetition, repetition. Really, Claire, we get it. Your marriage is awful, you miss your kids, Warner is a GQ model, even covered in dirt. Even though we all may be about to die, we have to hear how hot he is. You can stop telling us.
Continuity errors: example--Michelle's telling about a rich banker client. Warner says he's a surgeon. Michelle immediately says, yes, just like my client!
They're all idiots. Look, I know it's a trope that in horror and thrillers, ditzy characters abound. But seriously, you can make a smart thriller! In this book, we supposedly have among these characters the best lawyer in Colorado, a special ed teacher, a surgeon, a contractor, and a physicist. They should not all be as dumb as they act:
-there are huge claw marks on the tree and they wonder if it's something bigger than a bear. What do they think is prowling around, big foot?
-You don't know what a blueberry looks like?
-You can't tell the difference between a wolf and a coyote?
-You're all starving in the woods (after like, half a day) and you're aghast that someone suggests they should shoot a rabbit to eat?
-(near the end) Really? You think THIS is the time and place to have sex??
Not to mention, the whole plot hinges on me having to believe that all these supposedly brilliant people would agree to a week's stay at some supposedly ten-star resort that a random guy they never met suggested. That's in the middle of the woods? That's only accessible by a broken down road that you can't even fit a car down? No one thought to research this place beforehand, to, I don't know, check out Yelp reviews or amenities pictures?
Ugh. Just so exasperating. These people had no survival skills and by the end I didn't even care what happened to them.
July 25, 2024
Actual footage of me in a room full of Freida McFadden fans . . .
Seriously. I do not get it. I’m really not trying to yuck your yum, because these are super easy for my squirrel brain to listen to while I’m getting my walk on, but why does she have such a following? These are not great books. The characters are all idiots, the plots are sort of nonexistent, the “twists” are either entirely predictable or are so lackluster that I could really give an eff by the time they come around. Whatever deal she made in order to get such a hype train behind her stuff was a brilliant business decision.
1.5 Stars. My advice if you haven't yet succumbed to the McFadden rabbit hole and this title is calling to you is to pick up the one by Ruth Ware with the same name and leave this behind.
Seriously. I do not get it. I’m really not trying to yuck your yum, because these are super easy for my squirrel brain to listen to while I’m getting my walk on, but why does she have such a following? These are not great books. The characters are all idiots, the plots are sort of nonexistent, the “twists” are either entirely predictable or are so lackluster that I could really give an eff by the time they come around. Whatever deal she made in order to get such a hype train behind her stuff was a brilliant business decision.
1.5 Stars. My advice if you haven't yet succumbed to the McFadden rabbit hole and this title is calling to you is to pick up the one by Ruth Ware with the same name and leave this behind.
January 24, 2024
Good reading.
During the book, I suspected every male character, but I wasn't ready for the final.
During the book, I suspected every male character, but I wasn't ready for the final.
March 10, 2024
Thrilling all the way through the surprising and exceedingly twisty ending.
March 24, 2024
Wow! How could you not be instantly intrigued when the first line is “I don’t know when I started to hate my husband.” This captivating, addictive thriller could easily be devoured in a single sitting. Three couples embark on a week-long getaway only to be faced with danger and possibly murder around every corner. I was completely drawn to the anonymous chapters that were disturbing and filled with clues of the impending doom faced by the horrified six who were forced into survival mode. Fast-paced, entertaining, and utterly unputdownable describe this must-read thriller. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my copy.
August 19, 2024
This book was so so good! I couldn't put it down! It kept me in suspense and at the end, I was in complete shock! After I read it, I had to take a few minutes to process what I just read! I highly recommend reading this book!
November 15, 2022
This book is ridiculously tedious, why is it rated so highly? The characters are meh, certainly not invested in who lives or dies. Claire who acts as the main narrator is dimwitted, immature, and entirely unlikeable. One minute Claire is devasted by the death of her best friend, the next her biggest issue is that she can't talk to her perfectly safe children on the phone. One minute she's going to stop cheating on her husband, the next she can't wait to get the guy she's cheating with alone. She just can't understand why her husband is acting like he's angry with her and apparently couldn't spend two seconds thinking about it.
Then there's just the whole storyline. You were driving down a road, decided to get out and walk after the car breaks down, but somehow got lost in the woods. What happened to the road? If it disappeared into the woods then it obviously doesn't end at an inn so maybe go back the way you came from? Also, why are you still following the guy with the "map" who seems to be not taking you anywhere? And why is reading a map suddenly so hard that only one person can manage it? Plot holes galore. I hate stories with inconsistencies and these seem never-ending. I'm going to keep going for now but I don't have high hopes for this one.
Lastly, I looked up nightshade berries, they don't look like blueberries unless you squint your eyes or just close them altogether. You certainly wouldn't be able to pick them and examine them and think they're blueberries as an adult who's gone blueberry picking or even just eats them on a regular basis. She should've just had her eat random berries like the moron she is. (Edit: after finishing the book this becomes even more stupid).
Update: So I finished the book and reduced my rating to 1 star but I wish I could make it negative stars. I hate Claire so freaking much, I kept hoping she'd get shot and somebody less obnoxious would take up the main narration but, alas, that never happened. Her constant observations and theories about what was going on were ridiculous and I actually laughed out loud reading the part where she assumes her husband is the murderer and runs off because I could picture the dumb a** screeching through the woods, arms pinwheeling. The whole ending sequence is just stupid. Apparently, DO bring a pocket knife to a gunfight. And why does the last part have so much emphasis on people holding guns? Claire is more afraid of picking up a gun than she is of an actual murderer, and we have to read her continued moronic thoughts about how her husband is holding a gun and she's never seen him aim a gun before. Who cares!? If you cut out all the garbage with Claire and her stupid observations/theories you'd probably be able to read this book in 30 minutes. Just don't bother with this one, the characters are awful, and the story mediocre.
Then there's just the whole storyline. You were driving down a road, decided to get out and walk after the car breaks down, but somehow got lost in the woods. What happened to the road? If it disappeared into the woods then it obviously doesn't end at an inn so maybe go back the way you came from? Also, why are you still following the guy with the "map" who seems to be not taking you anywhere? And why is reading a map suddenly so hard that only one person can manage it? Plot holes galore. I hate stories with inconsistencies and these seem never-ending. I'm going to keep going for now but I don't have high hopes for this one.
Lastly, I looked up nightshade berries, they don't look like blueberries unless you squint your eyes or just close them altogether. You certainly wouldn't be able to pick them and examine them and think they're blueberries as an adult who's gone blueberry picking or even just eats them on a regular basis. She should've just had her eat random berries like the moron she is. (Edit: after finishing the book this becomes even more stupid).
Update: So I finished the book and reduced my rating to 1 star but I wish I could make it negative stars. I hate Claire so freaking much, I kept hoping she'd get shot and somebody less obnoxious would take up the main narration but, alas, that never happened. Her constant observations and theories about what was going on were ridiculous and I actually laughed out loud reading the part where she assumes her husband is the murderer and runs off because I could picture the dumb a** screeching through the woods, arms pinwheeling. The whole ending sequence is just stupid. Apparently, DO bring a pocket knife to a gunfight. And why does the last part have so much emphasis on people holding guns? Claire is more afraid of picking up a gun than she is of an actual murderer, and we have to read her continued moronic thoughts about how her husband is holding a gun and she's never seen him aim a gun before. Who cares!? If you cut out all the garbage with Claire and her stupid observations/theories you'd probably be able to read this book in 30 minutes. Just don't bother with this one, the characters are awful, and the story mediocre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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