Thanks to the Republic Day sale at our local mall, I decided to buy books. Incidentally, the books which were dead cheap had some obsolete titles, ones that bookworms like me, never ever heard about. I bought 10 books and will complete them one by one.
The first one of the lot that I wanted to read is The Intruder. Let me review it for the fellow bookworms, waiting to get their hands on a book!
Published on : October 2025
QB read on : 26th January 2026, (Republic Day of India)
Author : Freida McFadden (my latest favourite)
Review :
The story starts with Casey, who is living in the middle of nowhere, but still within the reach of basic necessities.
The cabin that Casey rented has a questionable roof. The weather forecast warns of a heavy storm in the horizon. What’s more, even the tree in her yard is dangerously old and may fall on the house anytime soon.
Either the storm or the fallen tree may kill Casey. But then, she finds a pale face looking through her bedroom window!
Is it a hallucination caused by the fear of facing a storm alone or is it a shadow caused due to weird angle of flickering light?
Casey is well prepared for any adversity, thanks to her father, who trained her well. I love how she keeps thinking about her father and what he would have done at different situations. It shows the deep friendship she had with her dad. (I love a good father daughter bonding story)
Then there is her lone neighbour, Lee Traynor, who is concerned for Casey’s safety. He may or may not be the one who is trespassing her property!
Who is Lee? Does he have secrets of his own, like Casey?
During the blackout, Casey manages to find out the tool shed in her property is suddenly lit up. She decides to check out who it is! (Why go to all the trouble of facing the intruder?)
Who is the intruder?
Is it wise to face an intruder on your own, when alone?
As we read through the story of the Casey and the intruder, we also alternate to the life of Ella.
Who is Ella?
Then there is Ella’s mother. This is the first instance where I have read about a character who is in severe depression. I could only pity Ella. Such a pitiful childhood.
Ella finds respite in the friendship of Anton. (Anton is one such character which is good inspite of the circumstances around him. He is a good guy but flawed.)
Finally, when the story unfolds, it brings chills down my spine.
It shows the plight of a kid who has an irresponsible parent.
Scary and sad!
If you had a good childhood with loving parents, then count yourselves lucky instead of taking things for granted. Some kids are not so lucky.
P.S :
1. True to her style, Freida McFadden has some twists up her sleeves and she uses them well at some places.
2. I hate staying alone in a cabin, but if at all I was, I wouldn’t go ahead and search who the intruder was, in the tool shed, that too during a storm!
3. Worth a read. It gives some valuable lessons of how parenting should be done and how important parenting is.
Till the next post, ciao!
