Never Lie is a 2022 bestselling novel by Freida McFadden, a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has written multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humour novels.
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. They’re scheduled to meet their real estate agent at a remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier. But when they arrive, their agent is nowhere to be seen, and a violent winter storm traps them at the estate. With no chance of leaving until the blizzard ends, the two make themselves at home and prepare to stay the night. When in search of a book to keep her entertained, Tricia happens upon a secret room. In the room are hundreds of audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale ever interviewed. Unable to keep her curiosity at bay, Tricia listens to the cassette tapes and learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance. Without her husband knowing, Tricia plays dozens of the tapes late into the night. With each tape she listens to, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s lies and secrets are slowly revealed. When Tricia reaches the final cassette, she discovers what happened on the night Adrienne went missing. At the same time, strange sounds are heard in the house, and Tricia realizes that there might be someone else in the house with them. Without any means of escape and her husband believing her to be overreacting, Tricia prepares for anything to keep herself safe.
This is an engrossing thriller from start to finish. Similar to McFadden’s other thriller novels, this book is simply written but draws in listeners with compelling storytelling and keeps them engaged throughout. The setup of the story has many possibilities, and you may think you’re in for a creepy ghost story. Despite this not being the case, there are many creepy scenes that will have you wondering what paranormal activity is at work in the spooky house. Tricia is a very well-developed character in the novel. She’s first presented as a pleasing housewife whose main concern is revealing her pregnancy to her husband, but as the story progresses, we see a much more clever, independent woman ready to tackle anything that comes her way. True to McFadden’s typical style, the story culminates with unexpected twists that are most definitely worthwhile. There are deceptive clues throughout the novel that may have you believing you’ve figured it all out, but in the end, the rug will be swept from right under you!
Narrator Leslie Howard, who has performed in several of McFadden’s most popular thrillers, doesn’t disappoint in this one. Her narration is so engaging, easy on the ears, and full of delicious suspense and expression that you won’t be able to stop listening for an instant. This was one of the quickest books I have been able to devour in a while, partly because of the captivating story but more so because of the masterfully executed narrative delivery. If you haven’t read or listened to any of McFadden’s books before, this is a great option to begin with. Don’t expect a complex, thought-provoking thriller, but instead be prepared to be fully entertained and impressed by the story’s dramatic conclusion!