Book Review: The Crash By Freida McFadden– A Tense Psychological Thriller With Shocking Twists And Sinister Secrets
Freida McFadden returns with another psychological thriller that wastes no time drawing you in. The Crash begins with 23-year-old Tegan, who’s eight months pregnant and struggling to make ends meet. The pregnancy is the result of what she believed was a drunken one-night stand. The baby’s father, Simon, a wealthy businessman, offers her a hefty settlement in exchange for her silence, facilitated by his seemingly considerate lawyer, Jackson. He even brings her food and cash to help her get by, but it’s unclear whether he’s genuinely kind or just doing his job. Tegan is drawn to him. Her brother, who runs a ski lodge, encourages her to accept the money and secure her and her child’s future.
But just before signing the NDA, Tegan gets a whiff of Simon’s scent — and in a flash, her repressed memories come rushing back. What she thought was a consensual night was, in fact, a rape: Simon had drugged her. Furious and shaken, Tegan throws both men out and threatens legal action.
To escape the chaos, she decides to visit her brother. But en route, she crashes her car in a blizzard, breaking her leg and getting pinned to a tree. Help arrives in the form of a rugged man named Hank, who takes her to his home. Tegan is wary, but her fears ease when she meets his wife Polly, a former nurse who sets her up in their basement – which was previously converted into a medical room for Polly’s late mother.
At first, it seems like she’s in good hands. However, as time goes on, Tegan begins to suspect that something is amiss. The couple's behaviour becomes increasingly unsettling, and Tegan realises that she and her unborn child may be in grave danger. Something about the couple doesn’t sit right. And the deeper she looks, the more sinister the situation becomes.
Of course, with any Freida McFadden novel, talking about the plot without giving too much away is a challenge — because the biggest bombs drop near the end. First, there’s a major revelation about the crash: it wasn’t an accident at all, but part of a chillingly well-orchestrated plan. The real shock lies in who’s behind it. And then comes the twist around Hank and Polly — classic McFadden territory, where morality gets blurred and no character is entirely black or white. You are left questioning whether they deserve punishment or pity.
The Crash is slow-paced, like McFadden’s other thrillers. It spends time establishing mood and character, which pays off as the tension gradually escalates. With a few characters, the narrative stays focused and sharp. The story is told through multiple perspectives, primarily Tegan's and Polly's, providing a multifaceted view of the events unfolding in the secluded house. McFadden skilfully blends themes of motherhood, survival, and psychological manipulation with her signature twisty flair.
Is this McFadden’s best work? Not quite. If you are looking for the most jaw-dropping twists she’s delivered, Never Lie and The Perfect Son pack a much stronger punch. Never Lie’s mind-bending finale still lingers long after the last page, while The Perfect Son delivers a killer twist that hits like a gut punch. Compared to those, The Crash feels slightly tamer — but it’s still a solid, suspenseful read.
If you are new to Freida McFadden, start with Never Lie, The Locked Door, The Teacher, or The Boyfriend. But if you are already a fan, The Crash is another dark addition to her growing shelf of thrillers — and definitely one you will want to talk about when you are done.
Book: The Crash
Author: Freida McFadden
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 384
Price: Rs 550
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