WHAT just happened? Freida McFadden is a master of twisty murder mystery plots! Several twists along, and I thought I figured it out. But then....wham! OK -- there are several tropes in here that aren't very realistic. And, there should be trigger warnings because of "grooming" that predators often do. But somehow it works to keep me interested and reading all night!

Well it’s hard to rate this book because I do love Freida McFadden books but this one just didn’t sit good with me.

The student teacher relationships are not my cup of tea. I got past the first student teacher relationship and kept reading because yes the book is binge worthy but the epilogue was NOT what I wanted to read because turns out that was another student teacher relationship!! I would of loved it just with no epilogue because let’s be honest it didn’t need it.

I only recommend reading it if you don’t mine student teacher relationships.. & the student is 16 years old.

& I read a lot of dark romance but this just rubs me the wrong way.. maybe add forward saying what to expect?

Lesson #1: Trust no one

Fredia McFadden's novel starts with the promise of a suspenseful and potentially dark story centered around a teacher and her students. Eve, a math teacher at Caseham High, appears to have a good life with her husband, Nate. However, the shadow of a recent scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with Addie as the central figure, still lingers over the school.

The story hinges on the idea that Addie is not as innocent as she seems, with a hidden side that could destroy her. As the narrative unfolds, it delves into the dynamics between Eve and her students, particularly Addie, and the secrets they hold.

While Fredia McFadden has garnered both fans and critics, this book unfortunately falls into the latter category for me. The central dynamic between the teacher and students, especially in a high school setting, gave me a strong sense of discomfort throughout the story. The teacher-student boundary crossing was inappropriate and unsettling.

Additionally, the writing style felt more geared towards a young adult audience, even though the story primarily involves adults. The tone and narrative style gave the impression of a much younger target audience, making it challenging to connect with the characters and take the story seriously.

Although the book had moments of suspense and intrigue, particularly in the later chapters, it couldn't overcome the initial discomfort and the overall young tone of the story. The ending did provide some redemption, but the epilogue, in my opinion, undid much of the progress made in the narrative.

In conclusion, "The Teacher" may have potential for some readers, but the problematic dynamics and youthful tone made it a difficult and uncomfortable read for me. I would hesitate to recommend it to others.

This is another Popcorn Thriller from Freida McFadden. I was hoping for a little more of a creative plot, but this has a typical teacher/student dynamic. Never fear, it has some twists and typical touches of Freida crazy. Overall, the story was an entertaining listen. Leslie Howard and Danny Montooth do a wonderful job in narrating this book and bringing the characters to life. This story reads more like a young adult novel full of drama and chaos. The Teacher is like watching reality tv....it's so ridiculous, but you can't stop watching or reading in this case. 3.5 stars

Another fabulous popcorn thriller from the twist master Frieda McFadden. What a bingeable story! I seriously could not stop listening to The Teacher. Both narrators were new for me and I thought that they did a great job bringing Nate, Addie and Eve to life. Clear your diaries and press play and get ready for a wild and crazy ride.

You really don’t want to know too much about the story, going in blind is the way to go with this. All you need to know is that it the story of 2 teachers who are married to each other, and a 16 year old student who is no stranger to scandal. Things get out of control quickly and you so believe where it goes. And that ending 😱😱

Thanks so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. Highly recommend. Released on February 6th.

Every book I have read from this author I have loved. She has a way of drawing you in with clever, addictive plots and nefarious characters. This one was no different.

Best to go in blind with this one. Grab some popcorn, whatever drink you fancy and be prepared for a wickedly entertaining ride.

Do you have to suspend belief for a moment or two? Sure, but Frieda books are known for their over the top, entertainment - a popcorn thriller at its finest.

Many thanks to @netgalley @dreamscape media for an ALC - The narrators were both fantastic.

Pub date 2 February

This might be my new favorite by Frieda McFadden! I’m a teacher so it was easy and fun to connect to the school setting even though, thankfully, my school does not have the drama that Caseham High has!

This thriller is told from two perspectives, Eve, a high school teacher whose husband is cheating on her, and Addie, a student who was part of a scandal the previous school year. Reading about their interactions from both Eve’s and Addie’s perspective made this hard to put down. I was trying really hard to piece things together and while I was right about a few things, there were still SO many twists that I never saw coming.

I loved this audiobook from start to finish and thought all three narrators did a fantastic job. Thank you Macmillan Audio for sharing the free audiobook with me! This is a thriller I’ll be highly recommending this year!

My goodness….Freida McFadden never ever disappoints. I try so hard to guess the endings of her books and I’m never completely right, and my jaw always drops within the last few paragraphs!!

If you’re looking for a fast paced, twisty psychological thriller, this is the book!!
Short chapters are an all time favorite as well as multiple POVs.

5⭐️ out of 5⭐️!
Hands down.

As a Freida McFadden virgin I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this author. However, her recent popularity has encouraged me to take an interest and this standalone novel seemed a good place to start.

Everyone who has ever attended high school will be able to relate to The Teacher. I'd be surprised if only a few readers can tell a story about 'someone' who has experienced anything at all similar to the characters in this book.

Fortunately, it doesn't all relate to popular high school experiences and events that provide some mystery with a dose of fear makes The Teacher a good read for those who enjoy psychological thrillers.

If The Teacher is typical of the stories that this author can weave, I'll certainly be back for more!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Teacher
By: Freida McFadden
Publisher: Dreamscape Select
Pub Date: 2/6/24
Read by Leslie Howard & Danny Montooth

Is it just me or do Freida’s twists and turns get better with every book?!
A young married couple, Nate and Eve both teach high school at the same school. Eve, the ever practical one teaches Math, and Nate teaches English. Nate is also in charge of the newspaper and a poetry newsletter. Eve has always felt Nate was more attractive than she. Most of the girls and faculty seem to have a crush on him. Which brings us to Addie. Addie is a sophomore at Caseman High who has already had one big scandal where a teacher was fired after accusations were made. Suddenly Nate begins to groom Addie. He brings her in to the poetry newsletter and praises her work until he worms his way in. She already casted out from the last incident where nothing happened but this time it’s all happening.
Eve however isn’t innocent either she’s having an affair with a man at her favorite shoe store.
When Addie, who now believes her and Nate are soulmates, shows up outside their house Eve catches her in the bushes. Eve goes to the principal. After their meeting with Addie, Eve seeks out Nate only to catch him holding Addie’s hands and then kissing her in his classroom.
Something must be done… Nate has to be punished but how? I’ll stop there so I don’t spoil anything
but the twists were so good in the ending of this one. I found myself wanting to scream at both Eve and Addie at several places along the way.
Thanks to Dreamscape and NetGalley for the audio ARC.

Confession time: I have not been on the McFadden train. The past books I've read from her have not hit the mark for me, but I am officially a convert with this book. Holy cow, this was so good. It wasn't even slightly realistic, and I hated every single character, but I did not want to put this down. I am still thinking about it days later, and desperately need to talk about it. I have questions that need answers asap.

Despite some very obvious plot holes and inconsistencies, I still very highly recommend The Teacher. If you want a twisty, disturbing, edge of your seat ride, this is for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this advanced copy and for finally getting me on board with bookstagram/booktok/booktube darling, Freida McFadden.

Oh my God, this book was so good! Just a great story with lots of actually plausible twists and turns. The narrator was great too. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was hard to listen too. It creeped me out and it was hard to root for any of these awful characters. I did enjoy the narrator. And the very last twist with Jay. 😬

Well with Freida McFadden it is either hit or miss. And for me this one was more of a miss.
Yes, I did a binge-listening-session and got kind of caught up a bit but all in all she can do so much better (for me)! I am glad that many others enjoyed "The Teacher" but it just was not my cup of tea. Maybe I'll get lucky again next time!

Let me tell you that Leslie Howard; Danny Montooth do a fantastic job in narrating this book!

Thank you #NetGalley #Dreamscape Select, Hollywood Upstairs Press for this audiobook

🎧4.5-4.75⭐️

I had the audiobook read by Leslie Howard and Danny Montooth. Leslie performs this excellently, with great input from Danny.

The main characters are Addie a troubled student, and the Bennetts teachers at her school. The authors young chatty writing style is perfect for this setting.

I love fast books with plenty of revelations and twists. This fits the bill 100% This is certainly a fast wild ride, buckle yourself in. This is definitely one that will leave you needing to talk about it. For much of the book it was my new favourite but there was an element that I felt was overcooked which stops it getting the full 5⭐️, but this is the Queen of twists, so latitude is given.

The audiobook rated higher than the book, due to the narrators input and that it’s my second reading so I’ve had time to reflect on my thoughts and feelings.

This would make a great movie. I’m sure Freida fans are going to love it, readers new to the author might have some reservations about the ending.

Thank you Netgalley & Dreamscape Select for an ALC of The Teacher by Freida McFadden!

I think this is my #1 Freida book now! I absolutely binged this audiobook and could not stop listening. As always, narrator is on point for the story.

Two suburban school teachers, Eve and Nate, have a happy marriage...right? Last year, their high school faced a scandal involving an affair between a student (Addie) and one of her teachers. In this suspenseful story Freida masterfully weaves in OMG WHAT moments at the most unexpected times to bring together the lives of Eve, Nate, and Addie forever.

The Teacher is another strong thriller from Freida McFadden. I would definitely say it contains some mature and strong subject matters so it might not be for everyone. It was not triggering to me, I just did not expect it! But I really did like the book a lot. It drew me in right away. I'm not a die-hard Freida fan but I do give credit where credit is due. This was pretty good and twisty! I listened to the audiobook version skillfully narrated by Leslie Howard and Danny Montooth. It was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the twists. The characters were very believable in all of there insufferable misery.

It would make a great movie. If you like some fast, good quality popcorn thrillers, I highly recommend it.

Thank you Dreamscape Select, Hollywood Upstairs Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this audiobook.

👩‍🏫 Let me pick my jaw up off the floor because the twists were twisting at the end of this book! Frieda has a way of making you judge a character before truly knowing the entire story. Caseham High was rocked by a scandal last year and this year is only going to get worse!

This book was super addictive and filled with craziness! Loved the short chapters which made it super binge-able! 🍎

This audio ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

High school math teacher Eve has what seems like a good life, but behind closed doors she feels unloved and unfulfilled by her husband and fellow teacher Nate. High school student Addie is ostracized by her peers after she got a teacher fired the previous year. As Eve and Addie’s lives slowly creep together, secrets and lies begin to unravel that could destroy everyone.

⚠️ Trigger Warning ⚠️

The Teacher by Freida McFadden, narrated by Leslie Howard, is a chilling psychological thriller deep in the world of high school drama through the perspectives of Eve and Addie.

This was my first Freida McFadden (shockingly!), so I think I was expected something more based on the hype around her. But honestly it was a very enjoyable book that contained very shocking moments.

There were quite a few twists that I saw coming, but still a couple I didn’t. The last one honestly felt like it was just shoved in there to tie everything off with a bow. I really like how every single character seems to play an important role, no matter how seemingly small.

I’d highly recommend to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with shocking twists, especially with a smaller cast.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for the audio ARC! ❤️

”Oh what a tangled web we weave/when first we practice to deceive.” A verse straight out of Marmion by Sir Walter Scott.) This should be the tagline for this book. From page one I knew it was going to be a duplicitous ride.

Eve and Nate Bennett have a great marriage, aside from the normal highs and lows of every relationship. They are both teachers at the same high school. A scandal happened with a male teacher last year and the female student involved still attends the school. However, the teacher was let go. This student is Addie and she happens to be in both Eve and Nate’s classes this year.

Addie is a troubled girl, doesn’t have a lot of friends, and has some skeletons in her closet. Nate tries to help her but Eve is a little more strict. She likes Nate Bennett better than Eve Bennett, so problems arise!

I really liked this book. There are a couple of trigger warnings that a reader should be aware of, such as graphic violence and teacher/student sexuality. There isn’t a lot of it but it exists. It is necessary for the story to make sense and shows the intensity of the situations. This is a great book for those who love mystery, murder, sex scandals and domestic thrillers. It truly delivers and will make you want to stay up all night to finish it.

The epilogue was like fastening a ton of loose ends all neatly into one big ball of closure. The narrators, Leslie Howard and Danny Montooth, were great which added to the suspense even more than reading, I’m sure. Pure Perfection!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC of this book.