I had a lot of options to choose from, and based on Libby audiobook availability, I chose “The Coworker.” The story centered on two coworkers, Natalie and Dawn. Natalie is the beautiful, popular, and successful sales representative. In the eyes of her coworkers, she can do no wrong. Dawn is the quiet, awkward accountant in the next cubicle with an all-consuming obsession with turtles. She always arrives to work every day at exactly 8:45. Every day. Without exception. Until she doesn’t.

            One day, Dawn doesn’t show up to work at all and the only one who seems remotely concerned is Natalie who besides noticing Dawn’s uncharacteristic absence, answers a call at Dawn’s desk to hear a voice sounding suspiciously like her missing coworker fearfully uttering a single word, “help.”

            Natalie investigates and soon comes to understand that not only is Dawn missing, but something horrible has happened to her and whether she wants to be involved or not, Natalie is at the center of the investigation.

            I quickly understood why Freida McFadden’s books are so popular. If the rest are like this one, there are a lot of twists, and truths are slowly revealed as you go along. I found myself realizing quickly not to believe everything I was reading and the truth might quickly change. It played with my mind a bit and there were definitely reveals I didn’t see coming. That said, there were a few pieces to the puzzle that were a bit predictable.

            If you enjoy reading a typical mystery/thriller, you will probably like this one. The characters were well-written, the reveals were well-timed so the reader is able to gradually put it together as the story goes, and the ending is wrapped up neat with the reader fully understanding the result and events. It was told with a comedy that I found myself giggling to, as well as giving the characters my own sarcastic commentary out loud as I listened.

            If you would describe yourself as an avid mystery/thriller reader, I still think you might enjoy this one, but you would probably piece it together a lot faster than I did, which, if that bores you, might be problematic. I would call it a typical mystery/thriller read which will mean that while it might be worth-while reading, you probably won’t be talking about it weeks or months later. It is also told with a bit of a comedic element, so if you prefer your mysteries more on the darker side, this one isn’t for you.

            There are a few adult themes including some references to sex (close door) and death/murder and suicide. With that in mind, I would probably recommend this one for a mature 15-year-old.

            All in all, I enjoyed this one and found it a good mind-twisting, yet comical mystery with plenty of twists and mind games that kept me guessing. I will probably read another of Freida McFadden’s books the next time I need a good mystery.