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De heks
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26Some secrets don't die―they wait.
When Julia Barlow loses her job and her apartment, she has nowhere left to go but Pemberton, her family's sprawling seventeenth-century estate in rural Massachusetts. Officially, she's there to check in on her aging grandmother. Unofficially, she's hoping the old house will give her a place to disappear.
Instead, Pemberton begins to unravel her.
Every night, the grandfather clock stops at exactly 3:41 a.m. The lights flicker without warning. And a disembodied voice cries for help outside Julia's bedroom door.
As Julia digs into the house's dark history, she uncovers the story of a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692―and realizes the past may not be finished with Pemberton yet. When decades of family lies begin to surface, Julia must confront a terrifying truth: Pemberton may be haunted by women whose voices refuse to stay silent.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes The Witch, a chilling, twist-filled thriller about secrets―those we inherit, those we bury, and those people will burn to keep silent.
When Julia Barlow loses her job and her apartment, she has nowhere left to go but Pemberton, her family's sprawling seventeenth-century estate in rural Massachusetts. Officially, she's there to check in on her aging grandmother. Unofficially, she's hoping the old house will give her a place to disappear.
Instead, Pemberton begins to unravel her.
Every night, the grandfather clock stops at exactly 3:41 a.m. The lights flicker without warning. And a disembodied voice cries for help outside Julia's bedroom door.
As Julia digs into the house's dark history, she uncovers the story of a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692―and realizes the past may not be finished with Pemberton yet. When decades of family lies begin to surface, Julia must confront a terrifying truth: Pemberton may be haunted by women whose voices refuse to stay silent.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes The Witch, a chilling, twist-filled thriller about secrets―those we inherit, those we bury, and those people will burn to keep silent.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Freida McFadden
99 books298k followers#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher's Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and possessed cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
Note that I am maxed out on friends, so I apologize in advance that I can't friend anyone back!
Note that I am maxed out on friends, so I apologize in advance that I can't friend anyone back!
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews
Want to Read
June 5, 2026Who is holding you hostage brah. 3 books in less 8 months 🙏🏻💔
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What a boring repetitive cover
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What a boring repetitive cover
Want to Read
March 6, 2026At this point I’m not worried about Freida using AI… I’m starting to wonder if Freida IS the AI 🤖📖 - said whilst adding to TBR 📚
Want to Read
March 7, 2026Freida, blink twice if you need help.
Want to Read
April 19, 2026ME: FREIDA... WHAT ABOUT WRITERS BLOCK!?
FREIDA: I DONT KNOW HER!
Here we go again!.. *add to tbr* 🥹🥹🥹
FREIDA: I DONT KNOW HER!
Here we go again!.. *add to tbr* 🥹🥹🥹
Want to Read
March 8, 2026At this point Frieda McFadden publishes faster than I read 😅
Want to Read
July 29, 2026how does she come up with all these book ideas?!?! anyways, I guess I know what I'm doing on October 6th.
August 19, 2026
Wow. That was mind-blowing. I’ve never been a fan of Freida, but this new book kept me up all night—for all the right reasons.
This is very different from the usual domestic thrillers she’s been putting out for years. Her classic “fast-paced chapters” are still very much effective, as I breezed through the pages, barely noticing that I was almost finished after only starting this morning. That’s how engaging it was.
The characters were all well-developed. I personally liked Caroline’s POV. She was a kind soul, a good-natured girl who was betrayed by almost everyone around her. The dual timelines also worked for me as a reader. As we go along the history of Pemberton and its masters, uncover the secrets buried in the backyard, and encounter the ghosts within its walls, we realize that human beings are far more dangerous and deceiving than ghosts.
Also, one or two characters will make your blood boil, your nostrils flare, and your teeth grit because of how cruel and malicious they are. But don’t worry—everyone will get what they deserve in the end.
To Freida: I am becoming a fan. Hopefully, my next read from you will be another win, since you seem to publish a new book every week. No rest for the wicked, indeed.
This is very different from the usual domestic thrillers she’s been putting out for years. Her classic “fast-paced chapters” are still very much effective, as I breezed through the pages, barely noticing that I was almost finished after only starting this morning. That’s how engaging it was.
The characters were all well-developed. I personally liked Caroline’s POV. She was a kind soul, a good-natured girl who was betrayed by almost everyone around her. The dual timelines also worked for me as a reader. As we go along the history of Pemberton and its masters, uncover the secrets buried in the backyard, and encounter the ghosts within its walls, we realize that human beings are far more dangerous and deceiving than ghosts.
Also, one or two characters will make your blood boil, your nostrils flare, and your teeth grit because of how cruel and malicious they are. But don’t worry—everyone will get what they deserve in the end.
To Freida: I am becoming a fan. Hopefully, my next read from you will be another win, since you seem to publish a new book every week. No rest for the wicked, indeed.
Want to Read
March 7, 2026freida won’t stop, and manas will never learn 😛❤️
Want to Read
March 11, 2026freida mcfadden needs a holiday
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Witch by Freida McFadden ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoy Freida McFadden’s books, but I’m usually left wanting just a little more depth. The Witch gave me that. It still had the suspense and twists I expect from her, but the historical fiction side added so much more to the story.
This is told in dual timelines, and I was invested in both of them. I liked the characters in both time periods, and I especially loved that the suspense kept building in both timelines instead of one feeling like filler while I waited to get back to the other.
It does start slower than most of Freida’s books, but I actually think that helped this one. There was more character development and more time to build the story, which made everything feel more meaningful when the pieces started coming together.
The historical storyline was probably my favorite part. It felt different from what she normally writes, but still very much like Freida. I loved the mix of historical fiction, family secrets, mystery, and suspense.
I really hope she keeps experimenting with this style because I would absolutely read more books like this from her.
PUBLISH DATE: October 6, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Witch
AUTHOR: Freida McFadden
PUBLISHER: Poisoned Press
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 352
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I absolutely loved this book. I really enjoy Freida McFadden’s books, but I’m usually left wanting just a little more depth. The Witch gave me that. It still had the suspense and twists I expect from her, but the historical fiction side added so much more to the story.
This is told in dual timelines, and I was invested in both of them. I liked the characters in both time periods, and I especially loved that the suspense kept building in both timelines instead of one feeling like filler while I waited to get back to the other.
It does start slower than most of Freida’s books, but I actually think that helped this one. There was more character development and more time to build the story, which made everything feel more meaningful when the pieces started coming together.
The historical storyline was probably my favorite part. It felt different from what she normally writes, but still very much like Freida. I loved the mix of historical fiction, family secrets, mystery, and suspense.
I really hope she keeps experimenting with this style because I would absolutely read more books like this from her.
PUBLISH DATE: October 6, 2026
BOOK TITLE: The Witch
AUTHOR: Freida McFadden
PUBLISHER: Poisoned Press
FORMAT: ebook
PAGES: 352
I received a complimentary digital ARC [Advanced Readers Copy] of this book via NetGalley. Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. As always, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Want to Read
March 14, 2026Can’t wait!! Freida takes no breaks!
Want to Read
March 6, 2026Atp I am tempted to kidnap fmf and send her off on a vacation myself 😭😭
Want to Read
June 11, 2026genuinely asking, freida DO YOU SLEEP??
Want to Read
June 6, 2026Freida hunny, you write faster than I blink. I think you might need a little precedex...
September 26, 2026
You know what Freida? Hell yeah, I liked this.
I’ve read 22 of her books now and I will admit, I started to think I’d be able to guess every twist etc by now, but this one felt so FRESH and different from her other books. I loved the use of dual timelines in this (of course both storylines ended up getting soooo good that I was racing through it to see each POV again) but the chapters set in the 1600’s were by far my favourite! The chapters are so short and all end with some sort of revelation so guaranteed to keep you hooked!
The amount of manipulation & gaslighting in this is to be expected from a Freida McFadden book, but what I didn’t see coming was the general unease I felt during some of the scenes. Everything is explained so well in the end and whilst the twists weren’t as jaw dropping as usual, I thought this was still a brilliant read!
So if you’re looking for a haunting, supernatural thriller that really leans into dark historical elements, definitely pick this up! It’s not scary, but is PERFECT for an october read.
I’ve read 22 of her books now and I will admit, I started to think I’d be able to guess every twist etc by now, but this one felt so FRESH and different from her other books. I loved the use of dual timelines in this (of course both storylines ended up getting soooo good that I was racing through it to see each POV again) but the chapters set in the 1600’s were by far my favourite! The chapters are so short and all end with some sort of revelation so guaranteed to keep you hooked!
The amount of manipulation & gaslighting in this is to be expected from a Freida McFadden book, but what I didn’t see coming was the general unease I felt during some of the scenes. Everything is explained so well in the end and whilst the twists weren’t as jaw dropping as usual, I thought this was still a brilliant read!
So if you’re looking for a haunting, supernatural thriller that really leans into dark historical elements, definitely pick this up! It’s not scary, but is PERFECT for an october read.
tbr-but-mine-bc-fck-the-patriarchy
September 18, 2026freida yk you can take a writing break, right? (pls don’t ï love yu)
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Want to Read
March 5, 2026This woman is insane.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Freida McFadden and Poisoned Pen Press for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.
This was truly so different from any of her other books, and I feel like I’ve been saying that for so many. But I really mean it with this one! The dual timeline between present day and 1692 was so good. It was your typical quick-paced (short chapter) thriller that you can expect from Freida. I would love to see her continue to write stories in this manner. It was overall a fantastic read!!
This was truly so different from any of her other books, and I feel like I’ve been saying that for so many. But I really mean it with this one! The dual timeline between present day and 1692 was so good. It was your typical quick-paced (short chapter) thriller that you can expect from Freida. I would love to see her continue to write stories in this manner. It was overall a fantastic read!!
Want to Read
September 10, 2026Is Freida in some sort of hostage situation where she has to keep writing...? And don't worry about letting her out anytime soon, I'm gonna need a lot more of her trashy thrillers pls nd ty.
September 22, 2026
The Witch is exactly the kind of compulsive, popcorn style read I expect from Freida McFadden, with one fun difference: part of the story takes place in the late 1600s. The dual timelines alternate between present day and the era of the Salem witch trials, adding a historical and supernatural element that made this one stand out from her usual thrillers.
This was such an easy book to binge. The chapters are short and snappy, the pacing moves quickly, and there are constantly new questions popping up that made me want to keep reading. In typical McFadden fashion, you know there are twists coming, but figuring out exactly what is happening at Pemberton—and what happened there centuries ago—is half the fun.
The setting was probably my favorite part. A creepy seventeenth century estate, strange noises in the middle of the night, possible ghosts, old family secrets, and a connection to a woman accused of witchcraft in 1692? It has such a great spooky atmosphere without becoming outright horror. The supernatural elements added another layer of mystery and made this feel especially perfect for fall.
If you already enjoy McFadden’s fast, twisty thrillers, this delivers plenty of what she does best while offering something slightly different with the historical timeline and witch trial storyline. And if Salem, witchcraft, haunted houses, ghosts, and centuries old secrets immediately grab your attention, this is a really fun seasonal binge.
Perfect for readers who love:
* Short, snappy chapters
* Fast paced popcorn thrillers
* Dual timelines
* Salem witch trial history
* Witchy fall reads
* Creepy old houses
* Ghostly and supernatural elements
* Twists, secrets, and family mysteries
Want to Read
March 7, 2026...at this point idk what to even say
Want to Read
June 5, 2026frieda...I thought we talked about this. when do you sleep?
Want to Read
August 31, 2026a new freida mcfadden book will be released on october 6.
July 8, 2026
This one took me a little bit to get fully invested, but once I did I couldn't put it down! I liked the dual timeline of the past and present slowly building the story. Once the twists started, they just didn't stop and as always, McFadden left me with my jaw on the floor.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this one! The Witch felt refreshingly different from the other Freida McFadden books I’ve read, and I really liked that she switched things up with the time jump POVs. That was probably my favourite part of the book.
The story had me completely invested, and I found myself playing detective alongside the characters, trying to figure out what was actually going on. I did manage to figure out one of the twists around 60% in, but honestly, it didn’t take away from the story because there were still plenty more twists to come!
A really interesting and addictive read, and definitely the kind of thing I’d love to see more of from Freida in the future.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
I really enjoyed this one! The Witch felt refreshingly different from the other Freida McFadden books I’ve read, and I really liked that she switched things up with the time jump POVs. That was probably my favourite part of the book.
The story had me completely invested, and I found myself playing detective alongside the characters, trying to figure out what was actually going on. I did manage to figure out one of the twists around 60% in, but honestly, it didn’t take away from the story because there were still plenty more twists to come!
A really interesting and addictive read, and definitely the kind of thing I’d love to see more of from Freida in the future.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
Want to Read
April 9, 2026FREIDA. ANOTHER ONE. AND ITS WITCHY. OH I LOVE U AND U LOVE ME
June 24, 2026
The Witch was a very compelling tale that spanned two different lifetimes. The twists were twisty, I saw some of them coming but not all of them.
I’ve always been fascinated by the stories around the Salem Witch Trials. This story makes me curious if any of those women had attempted to do anything similar to free themselves of the claims made against them.
Thank you to the author, publisher, & NetGalley for the early access to this ARC. This will be a perfect atmospheric read in October.
I’ve always been fascinated by the stories around the Salem Witch Trials. This story makes me curious if any of those women had attempted to do anything similar to free themselves of the claims made against them.
Thank you to the author, publisher, & NetGalley for the early access to this ARC. This will be a perfect atmospheric read in October.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
**The Witch by Freida McFadden**
This book is the literal definition of **FAFO.** 😂🔥
Be careful who you trust. Be VERY careful who you piss off. And maybe, just maybe, think about the fact that your choices can come back to bite you and sometimes they don’t just bite **you**.
Because WOW. The audacity. The secrets. The bad decisions. The consequences. I was sitting here like, “Oh… you really thought that was a good idea?!” 👀
Everyone needs to remember: actions have consequences, and sometimes you are absolutely the architect of your own downfall.
Freida McFadden really said, _let me show you what happens when people play stupid games_and I was HERE. FOR. IT.
Twisty, messy, addictive, and absolutely deliciously ruthless.
**5 stars. No notes. FAFO has officially entered the chat.** 💀🔥
**The Witch by Freida McFadden**
This book is the literal definition of **FAFO.** 😂🔥
Be careful who you trust. Be VERY careful who you piss off. And maybe, just maybe, think about the fact that your choices can come back to bite you and sometimes they don’t just bite **you**.
Because WOW. The audacity. The secrets. The bad decisions. The consequences. I was sitting here like, “Oh… you really thought that was a good idea?!” 👀
Everyone needs to remember: actions have consequences, and sometimes you are absolutely the architect of your own downfall.
Freida McFadden really said, _let me show you what happens when people play stupid games_and I was HERE. FOR. IT.
Twisty, messy, addictive, and absolutely deliciously ruthless.
**5 stars. No notes. FAFO has officially entered the chat.** 💀🔥
Want to Read
April 1, 2026Can't wait! The witch is coming - Ms. Freida about to drop another spell disguised as a 'thriller'. Somebody get me sage and a bookmark.
June 21, 2026
After reading so many of her books and enjoying most of them, I’m still surprised she can produce such good stories in such a short amount of time! this was a great read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 334 reviews