This was my second audiobook by Freida McFadden and her storytelling is easy and fast paced. Her books are like potato chips, you can’t have just one.

The blurb calls this one a “Hitchcock-style psychological thriller” and that’s very true. Right from the start, this story reminded me of the film Psycho.
Between the Baxter Motel and the woman in the window reminding me of Norma Bates, I thought someone would get stabbed in the shower next. I half expected Nick to appear dressed as his deceased mother.

Overall, this was a solid crime thriller, inspired by Psycho and full of secrets and plot twists that I didn’t see coming. ( )

Quinn has just killed her husband. In order to avoid being sent to prison - his wealthy and influential family would see to that, even though it could be argued that she'd killed him in self-defense - she decides to leave, right this instant. Unfortunately, she hasn't prepared for this at all. She doesn't have much cash, and she has no idea where she's going to go. She gets as far as she can before a snowstorm forces her to find a place to stay for the night.

The Baxter Motel is small, isolated, and cheap. Nick, the owner, is kind and makes Quinn a quick sandwich when she learns that the only nearby restaurant is closed. However, as Quinn talks to the person in the room next to hers and learns more about the motel and its history, she begins to worry that stopping here was a mistake. It doesn't help that it feels like she's being watched - it seems as though Nick's sick, homebound wife may be keeping an eye on her from their nearby home.

When I read the description for this, I immediately thought of the movie Psycho. I wondered whether this was going to be set in a universe where that movie didn't exist, and then Quinn told Nick that she didn't like to shower at motels because a movie she saw once. So yeah, it exists.

I'm guessing that the intent was to have readers worrying about details the two stories might have in common. Quinn never met Nick's wife, just occasionally saw her silhouette at the house. Then the elderly fortune teller in the room next to Quinn's told her about a murder that had happened in one of the other rooms, and Quinn started to worry about various odd little details she'd previously glossed over. I figured that it was unlikely that this book's twist would be the same as Psycho's big twist, so I tried to keep an eye out for other possibilities.

The pacing was good, and I was interested in seeing where McFadden would go with the Psycho framework. Unfortunately, things didn't come together in a satisfactory way. One character straight up got a personality transplant (with "bipolar disorder" used as the excuse), and the super-duper happy ending for another couple characters didn't quite feel real.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

It was alright. I think that I am just reading the author's books because I am in a book slump and nothing looks interesting.

2.5 Stars ( )

Quick read

The story moved in a good rhythm and flow. TWO thumbs up. Read in one sitting. Not too shabby. ( )

Over the top, mellow dramatic from the first page. Very light character development. I did like the hotel on the side of the road scenes. I also liked the elderly lady character. ( )