Big Thrill Recommends The Big Thrill Recommends: THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden

The Big Thrill Recommends: THE BOYFRIEND by Freida McFadden

Recommended by Bonnie Traymore

New York Times #1 Bestselling Author Freida McFadden knocks it out of the park with THE BOYFRIEND, which may prove to be her biggest hit since The Housemaid. Reminiscent of The Ex—this reviewer’s personal favorite—the street scenes, apartment descriptions, and dismal reality of dating in a city teaming with available men captures life as a single woman in Manhattan in a fun, Sex and the City way, with an authenticity that only a native New Yorker could deliver. I say this as a former single woman who has dated in Manhattan.

But McFadden’s signature dry sense of humor at the start of the novel quickly morphs into something darker. A Looking for Mr. Goodbar vibe creeps in early on, when protagonist Sydney is assaulted after a bad internet date, saved by a handsome doctor before it goes too far. The mystery man seems too good to be true, and Sydney feels disappointed when the dark, handsome stranger doesn’t ask for her phone number. They meet up again, of course, and as suspected, he is indeed too good to be true. At first, Tom is the perfect boyfriend. But over time, Sydney suspects he might be the serial killer who is terrorizing Manhattan and confounding the police.

Nothing is what it seems, though, and the twist is jaw-dropping yet believable, which is nearly impossible to pull off. The book meets all the expectations of a McFadden thriller: a relatable protagonist, superb suspense, well-placed medical factoids, a thrilling climax, and a clever reveal in the epilogue. But this one takes it a step further. Thoughts linger for the reader long after the last page is turned, in a manner more typical of literary fiction. How much control does a psychopath actually have over their own actions? How far would a normal person go to neutralize a threat? What would any of us do in the name of true love? You won’t be able to put this one down—and even when you’re done, you might find yourself picking it back up again. Highly recommended.