Dear Debbie is one of the latest thrillers by Freida McFadden. I had never read anything by this author before, but I was really curious: after all, her name keeps popping up whenever people talk about domestic thrillers (and not only that: recently she’s also been widely discussed because of the reveal about her true identity).

I had actually already seen and enjoyed the fun movie starring Sydney Sweeney, based on The Housemaid. From what I know, it’s a fairly faithful adaptation, so I can say right away that Dear Debbie follows a similar formula, while also delivering a novel that is both pure entertainment and an irreverent parody of Western suburban life.

Plot

Enough is enough…

Debbie Mullen is losing her mind. For years, she has collected her best advice in her “Dear Debbie” column, where countless New England wives turn for understanding and friendly guidance. Through her work, Debbie has listened to women who feel ignored, belittled, or even mistreated by their husbands—always trying to steer them in the right direction.

Or at least, she used to.

Lately, her life seems to be spiraling out of control: she’s just lost her job, her teenage daughters are acting increasingly strange, and her husband is hiding something from her… at least according to the tracking app she secretly installed on his phone. Debbie is no longer the calm, reasonable, pragmatic person she once was.

For the first time, she’s ready to follow her own advice.

Review of Dear Debbie

Debbie’s Mission

If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that’s engaging but relatively “soft” and family-friendly—never quite reaching truly disturbing levels of tension—Dear Debbie might be exactly what you’re looking for.

The story follows a multi-POV structure, an almost inevitable choice for a plot that openly plays with the idea of the unreliable narrator and constant shifts in perspective.

Harley and Connor are fairly forgettable characters, but the protagonist truly stands out. Debbie—a stay-at-home mom by vocation and advice columnist by hobby—is a sharp-edged antiheroine with an irresistible narrative voice, capable of drawing more than a few complicit smirks from the reader.

I absolutely loved how her character was constructed, as she challenges classic gender stereotypes. At first glance, Debbie embodies every cliché of the perfect American housewife, from school fundraisers to petty neighborhood rivalries. But beneath the surface lies a hidden side that is both unexpected and—at times—simply hilarious.

The Sleight of Hand

I recently came across the trope “suburban mom gone dark” and, honestly, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting description for this novel. Debbie’s clever moral ambiguity is definitely one of the story’s most successful and surprising elements.

The One Who Got Away With Murder by Trish Lundy is definitely one of those YA thrillers you should pick up if you loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson.

Partly because it shares the same small-town mystery vibes—a tight-knit community full of secrets and shocking twists—but also because, according to Deadline, the book may soon be adapted into a TV series, following in the footsteps of Jackson’s successful adaptation.

So here’s my review of The One Who Got Away With Murder: what works, what doesn’t quite land, and what we can expect from what could become one of Hulu’s most anticipated upcoming shows.

Plot Summary

Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have a long history of deaths behind them… the murderous kind.

Rich, privileged, and seemingly untouchable, the Cresmont brothers have enough money to stay above suspicion—even though everyone in Happy Valley believes they’re responsible for their ex-girlfriends’ deaths. First, there was Victoria Moreno, a soccer star and Robbie’s ex, who mysteriously drowned at the family lake house. Then, a year later, Trevor’s girlfriend died of a suspicious overdose.

But the Cresmonts aren’t the only ones hiding secrets.

Lauren O’Brien may be the new girl at school, but she’s far from a “good girl.” Haunted by a dark past, she’s desperate for a fresh start. However, when she begins a no-strings-attached relationship with Robbie, her chance at a new life is put at risk.

During what’s supposed to be their final weekend together, Lauren stumbles upon disturbing evidence that could incriminate him.

As danger closes in, she no longer knows who to trust. And when a third death rocks the town, Lauren must decide whether to walk away from Robbie… or risk becoming his next victim.

Review: The Perfect Summer YA Thriller

Adapting The One Who Got Away With Murder for the screen shouldn’t be too much of a challenge: this book already reads like a binge-worthy series. It’s a true page-turner, driven by the urgent need to uncover/confirm the killer’s identity.

The premise may be fairly classic, but it’s undeniably effective. The tense, slightly claustrophobic atmosphere keeps the suspense high throughout, while the constant twists and red herrings keep readers guessing.

And the pacing? Well, it is fast, thanks to the straightforward and accessible writing, and the story flows effortlessly from start to finish.

The Weak Point: Character Development

If Hulu moves forward with the adaptation, the real challenge will likely be deepening the characters and their relationships.

The opening scene sets expectations for stronger romantic development and familiar tropes that the story ultimately doesn’t fully deliver on.

But the most noticeable issue lies in the protagonist.

Lauren fits perfectly into the “new girl” archetype and, thanks to her rebellious streak, she often pushes the plot forward. However, she lacks the strength and charisma of some of the most iconic YA amateur detectives.

The comparison to characters like Pip Fitz-Amobi is inevitable… and, unfortunately, Lauren doesn’t quite measure up.

This Incidents Around the House review is about the novel that pulled me out of the worst reading slump I’ve had in over a decade. For an entire month, the only books I managed to finish were the ones I had to read for work—until Josh Malerman came along and broke the spell. For that alone, I’m incredibly grateful. Now I’m also eagerly waiting to see how the upcoming film adaptation starring Jessica Chastain will turn out.

Incidents Around the House Review: Plot Overview

For eight-year-old Bela, her family is her entire world: her mom, her dad, and Grandma Ruth. But there’s also Other Mommy—a dark presence that asks her the same question every day:

“Can I come into your heart?”

When a series of disturbing incidents around the house makes it clear that Other Mommy is growing tired of repeating herself, Bela realizes that if she doesn’t give her consent, her family will soon suffer the consequences.

As Other Mommy becomes more restless, powerful, and bold, Bela’s only protection lies in her family bonds. But new events begin to strain her parents’ marriage, threatening the sense of safety Bela desperately clings to.

And still, Other Mommy wants an answer.

Incidents Around the House Review: Why You Should Never Deny a Good Author a Second Chance

Years ago—long before the Netflix adaptation starring Sandra Bullock—I read Bird Box, arguably Josh Malerman’s most famous and widely praised novel.

None of its elements truly worked for me. I remember finishing it with a lingering sense of dissatisfaction. The prose felt overly pretentious and moralistic, and the characters left no emotional mark on me whatsoever.

This Incidents Around the House review, however, tells a completely different story. The novel delivers a gripping, fast-paced, deeply unsettling reading experience that is also, quite unexpectedly, emotionally resonant. What I appreciated most is that the entire story is filtered through the perspective—and unmistakable voice—of Bela herself, an eight-year-old child.

I always knew V. E. Schwab would one day write the book of my heart. And now that moment has finally arrived: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is that book, at last!
A dark, magnetic, provocative novel… intense enough to pull you in by the gut and refuse to let go.

As a longtime Schwab reader, I can confidently say this is—at least for me—her most complex, ambitious, and mature work to date. Not just because of the beauty of her prose, always elegant and languid like a melancholy ballad, but also (and above all) because of the emotional and moral depth woven into every theme, and the level of introspection that permeates each chapter.

The Story

This is a story about hunger—an insatiable hunger.

1533, Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up cunning and free, her beauty eclipsed only by her longing to escape. But María knows men will always see her as a prize or a pawn. When a mysterious widow offers her an unexpected way out, María makes a desperate choice: she will live a life without regret.

This is a story about love—love that transforms and destroys everything it touches.

1827, London.
A sheltered young woman lives quietly on her family estate… until one stolen moment with the wrong person forces her to move to London, where she’s expected to become the perfect wife. Sensitive, dreamy Charlotte finds her world upended by the arrival of a stunning red-haired woman; yet the price of freedom turns out to be higher than she ever imagined.

This is a story about anger—deep, feral anger—and a grief that refuses to die.

2019, Boston.
College was supposed to be Alice’s chance to start over, to reinvent herself. That’s why she moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life in Ireland behind. But one uncanny night forces her to confront past, present, and future all at once. Determined to uncover the truth, Alice sets off on a journey for answers… but also (perhaps above all) for vengeance.

This is a story about life itself: how everything ends, and how everything eventually begins again.

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Review

Three wild roses, hiding razor-sharp white teeth…

This isn’t the first time V. E. Schwab has written about vampires and sapphic love. If you watched the (unfortunately short-lived) Netflix series First Kill, you might already know it was inspired by one of her short stories, published in the anthology Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite.

This new novel, however—longer, deeper, and aimed at a more adult audience—rests on the incredible strength of three unforgettable narrative voices. Each one carries a powerful, distinct identity, rich not only in force but in vulnerability.

It’s rare to find multi-POV stories where every character truly leaves a mark. And yet, here, Victoria succeeds beautifully. The differences aren’t just stylistic; they are differences in worldview, in the way each woman listens to the world—and, of course, in the subtle echoes and mirrored themes that highlight both their contrasts and their undeniable connections.

What struck me most is how easy it is to find some small piece of yourself in each of these characters.

There’s Alice, with her aching urban melancholy and invisible wounds.
There’s Charlotte, delicate and sensitive, tinged with a hint of hedonism.
And then there is her… Sabine: larger-than-life, audacious, electric, seductive as sin. Her hunger is visceral, her thirst for life boundless, her centuries-old heart desperate for a kind of love willing to brush against worship.

An Unstoppable Hunger

These three captivating protagonists intertwine in a gothic narrative that echoes Interview with the Vampire, Carmilla, and Let the Right One In.