One by one, they will get what they deserve...
Claire Matchett needs this trip. It will be a break from work and raising children. A chance to repair her damaged marriage. A week of hiking and hot tubbing with friends at a luxurious hotel in the woods, disconnected from the pressures of real life.
Then, on a lonely dirt road, Claire's minivan breaks down. With no cell reception, the group has no choice but to walk the rest of the way to their remote accommodation. But the forest is dark and difficult to navigate and, hours later, they are lost. Hopelessly lost.
As they venture deeper into the woods, the members of their party are struck down mysteriously, one by one. Are they being hunted? And by what - or who? As Claire's dream vacation descends into a nightmare, something becomes clear: only one of them will return home alive.
This is the first novel I have read by Freida McFadden and it certainly won't be the last. For me, personally, there is something so incredibly frightening and eery about being lost in the woods, especially at night. It's always been a huge fear of mine although I've no idea why. Probably all of the horror movies and books I watched and read when I was far too young. Nevertheless, this story absolutely bought my fear to life for me, and Freida McFadden did an excellent job of placing me right there in those woods alongside Claire and the gang.
One by One by Freida McFadden opens with an insight into Claire and husband Noah's marriage, and it becomes clear pretty quickly that all is not well between the two. There is talk of secrets almost immediately, which sets a very intriguing tone and it kept me on the look-out for clues as to what could be happening here. It also was not a great basis for Claire and her husband to be heading out on a trip together with their friends, so I was very interested to see how this relationship was going to play out with an audience. There was a lot of angst and frustration simmering between Clair and Noah, and it certainly seemed like things were only going to get worse as their trip progressed.
Once the group have met up, they set out on their adventure and head to their destination. Except, before they arrive, their vehicle breaks down and they are left to walk the rest of the way. With the help of a compass and a map, the group head into the woods, sure that their hotel isn't too far to go.
Honestly, this would be my absolute worst nightmare. Woods hold a certain level of 'the unknown' that unsettles me because you have no idea of what's nestled within. This is where the novel really picked up its pace for me, and the nervous energy I'd already gained from the tension between Claire and Noah only seemed to intensify, because very quickly, things start to go wrong for the group of adults, when they realise that they are, in fact, lost.
From here, it's a crazy game of cat and mouse, it seems. Members of the group begin to go missing, maps aren't being read properly, and it appears they are going round in circles. Not only that, but claw marks found on tree trunks point towards something even more sinister and dangerous following the group as they trek through the thick forest in hopes of finding a safe space.
This was a nerve-wracking read, to say the least. The setting was excellent, the tension was unbearable and progression of the plot had me tearing through this book as though my own life depended on it. It was punchy, pacy and full of deceit, which had me guessing and guessing again. Such an enjoyable novel and I can't wait to read more from Freida McFadden.
With thanks to the publisher for an advanced reading copy.
You can pre-order/purchase your copy here.
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