19 March 2026

I haven’t read a Freida McFadden book in a while, and I had clearly forgotten just how all-consuming her novels can be. This locked-room thriller had me completely glued to the pages.

Very early in the story, the author plants seeds of doubt about Amy. It quickly becomes difficult to trust her perspective, and at times she comes across as almost as paranoid as the patients on Ward D. I really struggled to decide whether she was a reliable narrator or not, which added an extra layer of tension to the story.

Jade was a wonderfully eccentric character and proved to be a brilliant addition to the cast. And then there’s Will… There was absolutely no reason to trust a single thing he said, yet Amy kept giving him the benefit of the doubt. I found myself constantly wondering, why?

For a large part of the book, I was convinced that Amy would ultimately be revealed as a delusional patient whom the staff were simply humouring — which, I must admit, would have been a very disappointing ending. Thankfully, that wasn’t the direction the story took.

McFadden does an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing, and when the final reveal arrives, you can’t help but admire the cleverness of the twist. It’s one of those moments that makes you realise just how skilfully the plot has been constructed.

For me, Ward D is one of McFadden’s stronger books and was very nearly a five-star read. If you enjoy a twisty locked-room thriller that keeps you guessing right until the final pages, then this is definitely one you won’t want to miss.