Addie Severson is dreading having to go back to high school for her sophomore year... after what happened last year. Even her best friend, Hudson, has been avoiding her for the last six months, so now she has nobody in her corner. On the other end of the spectrum, math teacher Eve Bennett seemingly has it all – an impeccable wardrobe filled with new designer shoes, the perfect marriage with the most popular teacher in school, and a gorgeous home. Saying that Eve is not thrilled to have Addie in one of her classes is an understatement, to say the least. Who knows what Addie is capable of, given the drama of last year? Freida McFadden’s THE TEACHER sets out to deliver a devilishly twisty answer to that question.  

Freida McFans know that nothing is ever truly as it seems in Freida McFadden’s psychological thrillers. McFadden packs plot twist on top of plot twist, so it comes as no surprise that the ending to any of her stories is, well, always a surprise. True to form, McFadden delivers a rapidly paced, salacious tale that will keep even the most tired of readers peeking at the clock in the wee hours of the morning while promising themselves (yet again) that this will be the last chapter they read before going to bed. Unreliable narrator? Not one, but two. Characters to root against? Check. The feeling that you’re a fly on a wall you shouldn’t be anywhere near? Check, check, check! 

If you have never read one of Freida McFadden’s thrillers before, THE TEACHER is likely not your best bet for a first impression of the author. This is because the book does include student-teacher sexual relationships, and this will certainly be a polarizing subject matter, if not disturbing or triggering.   

On the whole, if you’re not put off by the subject matter and are looking for a fast-paced thriller that will undoubtedly elicit a visceral reaction, Freida McFadden’s THE TEACHER won’t disappoint.