The Inmate

By Freida McFadden

A gripping, twisty thriller from Freida McFadden, the New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid and The Coworker!

The guiltiest people aren't always the ones behind bars...

As a new nurse practitioner at a maximum-security prison, Brooke Sullivan is taught three crucial rules:

  1. Treat all prisoners with respect.
  2. Never reveal any personal information.
  3. Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

But nobody knows that Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary's most notorious and dangerous inmates.

They certainly don't know that Shane was Brooke's high school sweetheart--the star quarterback, the golden boy who's serving a life sentence for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there.

But Shane knows. He knows more than anyone. And he will never forget.

The Inmate is a propulsive, mind-bending thriller about how we define guilt--and who has to pay for it, from New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden.

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Published Mar 5, 2024

336 pages

Average rating: 7.36

2,154 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Inmate* by Freida McFadden is an addictive, fast-paced thriller with clever twists and suspense that keep you engaged. Many praise it...

Mellific
Jul 09, 2026
6/10 stars
Normally I enjoy the twists in Freida's books, but in this case, I saw the twist at the end coming from a mile away. The FMC made some stupid decisions, but I feel like I say that about all of Freida's lead women. It was an enjoyable story, but it would have been more enjoyable with a few more mysteries to unravel, rather than just having the FMC question everyone, and then doubt herself immediately afterwards.
The.readrose
Jan 28, 2026
8/10 stars
I was disappointed with the ending until that epilogue.
Ginac
Jan 07, 2026
4-Star reviews
JustAnAlibi
Dec 31, 2025
5/10 stars
While predictable and repetitive, it is a unique storyline.
Charlieswife4ever!
Oct 09, 2025
7/10 stars
Cant go wrong with anything Freida

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