Happy Wednesday! Today, I'm writing a review of a thriller written by one of my favorite authors, Frieda McFadden. I've read four of her novels now, including The Co-Worker which is her latest story. #BookTok did recommend Freida's books, and while The Co-Worker isn't the one I read first thanks to #BookTok, I am using this one as part of my September series.
Frieda's books are known for the twists and turns that leave even seasoned thriller readers (like myself) surprised. The Co-Worker is no exception.
The synopsis reads: "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. "
What I Love About Frieda's Books
There's not much I don't love. Frieda's books are perfect for getting yourself out of a reading slump, like I have been lately. If you haven't noticed by my lack of book reviews, I haven't been reading much. The only books I've been able to read at all are Frieda's. I read the entire Cruel Prince series (review coming next week) yesterday, so it looks like I'm back to normal (as normal as possible, anyway). I've read The Housemaid, The Housemaid's Secret, Never Lie, and The Co-Worker. In my humble opinion, Frieda McFadden is similar to Colleen Hoover. Both produce very easy reads that hold your attention, but don't require much effort. Sometimes, those are exactly what I need though, so nothing wrong with that. While I've included some of what I love about Frieda's writing in general, this review is mostly about The Co-Worker.
Warning: The rest of this post contains spoilers. If you haven't read it, and you want to, come back later! I also want to add a trigger warning, for mention of suicide, bullying, and death.
What The Co-Worker is About
As always, the twists and turns are phenomenal. I did end up guessing part of it halfway through, but the fun part is that there's always more. The first part of the book is about how it appears that Natalie has murdered Dawn, her co-worker. The two weren't close friends, but they sat next to each other in the office. Natalie is a very likable person. She is great at sales, and has a boyfriend, Caleb, who also works part-time at Vixed. Dawn comes off as "weird", though I assume she has autism spectrum disorder, judging by her extensive knowledge and obsession of turtles, strict routines, social awkwardness, and innate sense of justice.
Because Dawn always sticks to her routine, when she doesn't show to work on time, Natalie gets worried. After answering a call from Dawn's desk phone where she hears a disturbing voice, Natalie tries to talk to their supervisor, Seth, but he blows her off. She decides to take matters into her own hands and visit Dawn's home. Natalie knocks, but no one answers. When she tries the backdoor instead, it's unlocked. As she walks in, she notices some things are strange: a broken wine glass on the floor, a half-empty bottle of wine-uncorked, and when she investigates further, a bloodstain on the floor. Natalie does what any normal person would do: scream and call the police.
The police arrive and immediately start asking Natalie questions about how she knows Dawn and why she's in her home. Natalie answers the best she can, but she picks up quickly on the detective's thoughts of her-and they're not good. The detective also questions Caleb, who was convinced by Natalie to lie about where she was last night. Emails turn up with evidence of Natalie bullying Dawn, and her reputation begins to tank. Her co-workers tell the detective that Natalie was bullying her, and he finds out she was sleeping with their boss, Seth. Another source tells police that Nat was embezzling money as well. As the investigation continues, the police gather more and more evidence that Natalie murdered Dawn, and when a dead body similar to Dawn's shows up, the police are near certain Natalie did it.
But some other strange things are happening. Natalie receives many calls from a blocked number. A turtle keeps showing up on her desk, despite her disposing of it multiple times. One day, she returns home from work with her door unlocked, but nothing is missing. Later on, she finds what could be a murder weapon in her laundry basket. A few days later, Natalie is taken into custody, while being interviewed during the 5K run she organized to raise awareness for Cerebral Palsy. The arrest is all over the news, and Caleb sees it all unfold.
The beginning of part two starts in Dawn's perspective, so you immediately know she isn't dead. I'd already guessed that part and knew Caleb was involved somehow. It turns out, Caleb and Dawn are lovers. The woman called Mia, who she sent emails to as if she were alive, turns out to be the same woman Natalie calls a friend Amelia. Amelia (Mia) is the reason she organizes are 5K every year, out of guilt. Mia is also Caleb's sister. Mia committed suicide after being bullied by Natalie and her friend Tara in high school. Caleb and Dawn both blame Natalie for it and want to make her pay. Between the planted emails and evidence, the dead body and a visit to the police station by Caleb, their perfect plan is falling into place.
But, after a few days, the police discover the body isn't Dawn's which makes the murder investigation harder. No body, no crime. Seth bails Natalie out, and drives her home, where Caleb is waiting for her. He tells her Dawn is alive, but he thinks she's planning on killing herself so Natalie will go to jail for life. They search for Dawn on beaches, where Natalie finds her. Dawn was planning to drown herself, but instead turns on Natalie and tells her she's going to kill her as she picks up a cinderblock. Nat began carrying mace after the apartment incident, and sprays Dawn to make her stop. Caleb and Seth arrive then, and tells the women the body they found belonged to Natalie's friend, Tara, who also bullied Amelia. Dawn agrees that it's a strange coincidence.
Thoughts on The Co-Worker Ending
Overall, I liked the book. Frieda's writing was enjoyable as usual. It wasn't my favorite book I've read so far. The plot was easier to guess than The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secret, and definitely not as involved. The ending felt a little rushed, and it wasn't satisfying. None of the characters had any appeal, expect maybe Seth. Everyone was on the morally gray side between the lying, cheating, and, of course, murdering.
I would recommend this book, or any of her others, to anyone who needs to get out of a reading slump or is new to the thriller genre. They're a fantastic introduction, and as I said before, very easy to get into the plot. As I've heard and experienced myself, don't start any of her books before bed. You won't be able to sleep until you find out what the plot twist is.
Conclusion
I give The Co-Worker four stars. I know that doesn't seem low, and it isn't. But I would give the other three I've read five stars. As a bonus, here are the rankings of what I've read so far:
Never Lie
The Housemaid's Secret
The Housemaid
The Co-Worker
I'm excited to read more of her books, and expand on my list. Will you give Frieda's books a try? Let me know in the comments. Happy reading!
-xx Alycia
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