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Brain Damage
"I couldn't put it down!" --Readers' Favorite After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check. Then one night, a bullet rips through the right side of her skull and she loses everything. As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her... before he finishes the job he started.
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2016
20924 people are currently reading
91166 people want to read
About the author
Freida McFadden
61 books230k 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!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,970 reviews
April 30, 2023
I feel so torn about this book. At times it was a five-star read, but unfortunately I just got so mad in the last 5 chapters. Why? Because Charly simply annoyed me with how she acted before the brain injury. It took forever for her to realize how bad her husband was, and it annoyed me that she was always moaning about how bad she looked and that no one would ever care for her. It also felt unsatisfying how the medical glasses magically made her better, and if they were so amazing, why did they not present her with them earlier in her rehabilitation? The first half of the book however, was amazing. It kept me engaged, and McFadden even made me laugh. So overall a mostly enjoyable read until the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2021
Brain Damage by Freida McFadden
About the book:
After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check.
Then one night, a bullet rips through the right side of her skull and she loses everything.
As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her... before he finishes the job he started.
My take:
The book has been described on Amazon as a twisted psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. Well, I was certainly left guessing till the end about what I was reading!
After reading amazing five-star reviews, I purchased this book. And after reading two other psychological thrillers from the same author which I loved reading, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind. But I was in for a very big disappointment. This is easily one of the worst books I have read.
The story is about Dr. Charlotte Mckenna, a dermatologist, who has a great practice and owns a plush apartment overlooking the central park. She marries Clark, a handsome lawyer, who was once her patient, and pursued her till she agreed. One day, she gets shot in the head and develops hemispatial neglect on her left side of the body, along with loss of memory.
I had expected it to be a nice thriller where the story builds to the climax where she gets shot, and we are left wondering who did it and why. However, right from page 1, you easily guess who did it and why.
The main character, Charlotte, is hardly likable in the part before she was shot. She has absolutely no self-esteem and probably that is how she tolerates the jerk of a husband she married without even getting to know him better. Her cat seems to have better intelligence and instincts. Even in the part after she was shot, he is absent from her life for the majority part, and then reappears to make a deal with Charlotte about taking care of her in return for using her disability payments to sponsor his and his girlfriend's stay at Charlotte's apartment, humiliating and insulting her in every way possible. The same girlfriend he was cheating on with before she got shot. And yet Charlotte puts up with him just because she feels she has no other option! This was too spineless for my taste!
There are hardly any other characters to make us even suspect anyone else, and none of the characters is well developed. Almost 80% of the story is like a memoir of a person who is recovering from severe brain injury and focuses on unnecessary details of speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy that lead the story nowhere.
The only character I really liked was Jamie, but again, his character seemed very sporadic, he wasn't any valuable addition to the story, and the way his relationship with Charlotte was stretched till the very end was irritating.
The author being a physician, I can say she has written this part brilliantly, giving us a real picture inside a rehabilitation centre for the brain-damaged. But that is not why I picked this book for. It is very depressing to read and doesn’t add anything to the story at all.
So even though I like the author and the way she writes, this book could have been promoted as a diary of a brain-injured person, and not as a psychological thriller that keeps us guessing till the end. The only thing I kept guessing was when the book would actually end.
I rate it one star, the lowest I have ever rated.
About the book:
After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check.
Then one night, a bullet rips through the right side of her skull and she loses everything.
As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her... before he finishes the job he started.
My take:
The book has been described on Amazon as a twisted psychological thriller that will keep you guessing. Well, I was certainly left guessing till the end about what I was reading!
After reading amazing five-star reviews, I purchased this book. And after reading two other psychological thrillers from the same author which I loved reading, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind. But I was in for a very big disappointment. This is easily one of the worst books I have read.
The story is about Dr. Charlotte Mckenna, a dermatologist, who has a great practice and owns a plush apartment overlooking the central park. She marries Clark, a handsome lawyer, who was once her patient, and pursued her till she agreed. One day, she gets shot in the head and develops hemispatial neglect on her left side of the body, along with loss of memory.
I had expected it to be a nice thriller where the story builds to the climax where she gets shot, and we are left wondering who did it and why. However, right from page 1, you easily guess who did it and why.
The main character, Charlotte, is hardly likable in the part before she was shot. She has absolutely no self-esteem and probably that is how she tolerates the jerk of a husband she married without even getting to know him better. Her cat seems to have better intelligence and instincts. Even in the part after she was shot, he is absent from her life for the majority part, and then reappears to make a deal with Charlotte about taking care of her in return for using her disability payments to sponsor his and his girlfriend's stay at Charlotte's apartment, humiliating and insulting her in every way possible. The same girlfriend he was cheating on with before she got shot. And yet Charlotte puts up with him just because she feels she has no other option! This was too spineless for my taste!
There are hardly any other characters to make us even suspect anyone else, and none of the characters is well developed. Almost 80% of the story is like a memoir of a person who is recovering from severe brain injury and focuses on unnecessary details of speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy that lead the story nowhere.
The only character I really liked was Jamie, but again, his character seemed very sporadic, he wasn't any valuable addition to the story, and the way his relationship with Charlotte was stretched till the very end was irritating.
The author being a physician, I can say she has written this part brilliantly, giving us a real picture inside a rehabilitation centre for the brain-damaged. But that is not why I picked this book for. It is very depressing to read and doesn’t add anything to the story at all.
So even though I like the author and the way she writes, this book could have been promoted as a diary of a brain-injured person, and not as a psychological thriller that keeps us guessing till the end. The only thing I kept guessing was when the book would actually end.
I rate it one star, the lowest I have ever rated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2023
This was a re-read of a book I had chosen to read in 2020. I gave it five stars then and I give it five stars now. It is the perfect "happy" read that I've been needing, although what our heroine goes through is not happy at all. Her struggles with a dire brain injury are very sad but her charm and sense of humor make her so very likeable. Loved it!
February 16, 2022
I’m a Freida McFadden fan, but I have to say this is quite possibly one of the worst books I’ve read.
Brain Damage has a plot that is paper thin. The writing is weak and repetitive and there is zero suspense. I expected so much more, especially since this was touted as a “gripping psychological thriller.” The main character, Charly, excuses every horrible thing her husband does because he’s extremely handsome. She mentions how handsome he is at least 500 times in throughout the story, and never acknowledges anything about him other than that. Also, I found it interesting that Charly behaved exactly the same before and after her brain damage. Aside from the effects of the memory loss, which made total sense, Charly remained shallow and immature throughout the whole story. I struggled to feel empathy for her, but I give this two stars because the subject matter was interesting and it started out well.
Brain Damage has a plot that is paper thin. The writing is weak and repetitive and there is zero suspense. I expected so much more, especially since this was touted as a “gripping psychological thriller.” The main character, Charly, excuses every horrible thing her husband does because he’s extremely handsome. She mentions how handsome he is at least 500 times in throughout the story, and never acknowledges anything about him other than that. Also, I found it interesting that Charly behaved exactly the same before and after her brain damage. Aside from the effects of the memory loss, which made total sense, Charly remained shallow and immature throughout the whole story. I struggled to feel empathy for her, but I give this two stars because the subject matter was interesting and it started out well.
June 24, 2024
How did the author manage to make a serious book about a woman shot in the head so FUNNY?!
Dr Charly McKenna is a dermatologist with a successful career, a handsome husband, and an apt overlooking Central Park. Life is good until the night she’s shot in the head, leaving her with left neglect and no memory of what happened.
As she spends her days at a rehab hospital we get to know more about Charly as well as several of the patients & staff. The author is a physician, which lends authenticity to this part of the story.
I LOVED IT!! This is the most fun I’ve had listening to a book in a long, long time.
Although there is a mystery, don’t read this expecting a thriller. It is not, as the resolution is pretty obvious. Come for the characters, the charm, and the humor.
The narrator was superb. She had just the right tone and brought the characters to life. I absolutely recommend listening to those one!
Dr Charly McKenna is a dermatologist with a successful career, a handsome husband, and an apt overlooking Central Park. Life is good until the night she’s shot in the head, leaving her with left neglect and no memory of what happened.
As she spends her days at a rehab hospital we get to know more about Charly as well as several of the patients & staff. The author is a physician, which lends authenticity to this part of the story.
I LOVED IT!! This is the most fun I’ve had listening to a book in a long, long time.
Although there is a mystery, don’t read this expecting a thriller. It is not, as the resolution is pretty obvious. Come for the characters, the charm, and the humor.
The narrator was superb. She had just the right tone and brought the characters to life. I absolutely recommend listening to those one!
June 26, 2024
Meet my new favorite Freida McFadden book.
Freida McFadden is a practicing physician and prolific author who has penned over 20 books.
"Brain Damage" is one of her earlier releases (2016) and, IMHO, it's the best of the best.
The book's protagonist is a dermatologist who gets shot in the head in her Central Park West NYC apartment.
Was the shooting a burglary gone wrong or an attempted murder?
The protagonist has brain damage and is unable to identify the shooter.
The book's characterizations were ultra-compelling and the author's scintillating wit was ever-present.
I listened to the audiobook read by Megan Tusing, who gave an Oscar-worthy performance.
From start to finish, I was unable to remove my headphones.
Quite frankly, I never wanted this 10-hour audiobook to end.
One of my besties of 2024!
September 24, 2023
⭐️⭐️
there was no suspense. no thrill. no twist. it was just so underwhelming and i am EXTREMELY disappointed. i’m actually shocked this book has a 4 on goodreads.
the only reason why it’s 2 stars is solely because of jamie. he was great and deserved a happy ending. other than that this book was shit i’m sorry
there was no suspense. no thrill. no twist. it was just so underwhelming and i am EXTREMELY disappointed. i’m actually shocked this book has a 4 on goodreads.
the only reason why it’s 2 stars is solely because of jamie. he was great and deserved a happy ending. other than that this book was shit i’m sorry
July 28, 2023
Dr Charly McKenna is a successful dermatologist with a lovely apartment and a cat waiting for her at home. She feels happy about her life and is not concerned that she is not married. But one day she meets Clar, a very handsome attorney who insists to have a date with her. Soon she is married to him and life is changing at a high speed. Everything seems perfect till one day she is shot in the head, her skull and brain damaged. She cannot move, speak or even remember her name. But she is still alive and wakes first in a hospital and later is transferred to a rehab centre.
I liked the book. It has a lot of funny moments and it is interesting to read about her rehabilitation and all the things she has to deal with. She makes friends, finds true love and starts to remember things. She has on her head a helmet for protection and is called by a friend the Helmet Girl. You would think that her health and state of mind would not bring any happiness to her life, but this is not true. People get used to a lot of things in their life. And can be happy against all odds.
There is a moment in the book where Charly is thinking that being shot in the head maybe was the best event in her life.
This book was a not-put-down for me and I enjoyed it very much.
I liked the book. It has a lot of funny moments and it is interesting to read about her rehabilitation and all the things she has to deal with. She makes friends, finds true love and starts to remember things. She has on her head a helmet for protection and is called by a friend the Helmet Girl. You would think that her health and state of mind would not bring any happiness to her life, but this is not true. People get used to a lot of things in their life. And can be happy against all odds.
There is a moment in the book where Charly is thinking that being shot in the head maybe was the best event in her life.
This book was a not-put-down for me and I enjoyed it very much.
March 3, 2025
Whenever I hit a slump with my reading for whatever reason, I always come back to Freida McFadden’s books - simply because no matter what, they are engaging and quick to get through. This title, Brain Damage, intrigued me because it’s one of her early works and she is a brain surgeon.
It feels almost like false advertising though to label this as a “psychological thriller” that will “keep you guessing”, everything can easily be guessed upon reading the first few pages, and why it happens.
Still, this has an interesting and unique plot, and narrative. The story is told from the perspective of a woman named Charlotte, before and after she suffers from a traumatic brain injury. She is trying to piece together what exactly happened to her and why. Everything feels jumbled inside her head, everything is confusing to her. One thing she quickly knows for sure, is that she was shot in head.
When her husband, Clark, comes to visit she recognises him instantly even though her memories are hazy. Will he be able to help her put the pieces together of what happened to her? Or will he turn his back on her whilst she is in her current state?
3 Stars
TW:// DV
It feels almost like false advertising though to label this as a “psychological thriller” that will “keep you guessing”, everything can easily be guessed upon reading the first few pages, and why it happens.
Still, this has an interesting and unique plot, and narrative. The story is told from the perspective of a woman named Charlotte, before and after she suffers from a traumatic brain injury. She is trying to piece together what exactly happened to her and why. Everything feels jumbled inside her head, everything is confusing to her. One thing she quickly knows for sure, is that she was shot in head.
When her husband, Clark, comes to visit she recognises him instantly even though her memories are hazy. Will he be able to help her put the pieces together of what happened to her? Or will he turn his back on her whilst she is in her current state?
3 Stars
TW:// DV
September 17, 2025
This book felt different from Freida McFadden’s usual rapid-fire thrillers. ⚡ It's more of a slow burn 🔥 than an intense, twisty ride. If you’re expecting nonstop suspense, you may find yourself waiting a while… but what you do get is a fascinating look inside the healing human brain, 🧠 and the struggles of someone fighting to recover after a devastating injury.
The storyline was well put together and had heart ❤️, even if it wasn’t as suspenseful as I hoped. Instead of relying on shock value, it dives into resilience, recovery, and the transformative power of love 💕.
Overall, not my favorite McFadden thriller, but definitely a unique one. Thought-provoking, moving, and it made me stop and reflect on what people with severe disabilities go through 🙏.
The storyline was well put together and had heart ❤️, even if it wasn’t as suspenseful as I hoped. Instead of relying on shock value, it dives into resilience, recovery, and the transformative power of love 💕.
Overall, not my favorite McFadden thriller, but definitely a unique one. Thought-provoking, moving, and it made me stop and reflect on what people with severe disabilities go through 🙏.
May 28, 2022
This is not a psychological thriller. It is a drama in a hospital.
February 12, 2022
There is something about the writing style that kept making me pause, shake my head and then move on. The back and forth in time is usually a great suspense builder but these seemed to be big spoilers instead.
Other things that stood out to me (in no particular order):
How can Charly have been so easily conned, because Clark is handsome? At first, sure, but no job, extra week in Bahamas alone, hates her cat… peace out, pretty Clark!
Looks seem very important to everyone in this book. I can appreciate that looks might be an initial attraction, but part of me wishes Jamie were ugly or didn’t get to look completely normal once healed. And Clark was getting away with, well, attempted murder there for a minute because he was SOOO handsome. Charly entertaining the thought of letting him and his gf take care of her in exchange for her disability money? No… frickin… way… And looks aren’t what keeps a relationship going. So, Clark’s attitude should have caused a divorce WAY before she found out about Haley.
Clark: Yeah I cheated, let’s have a baby.
Charly: Sounds cool.
Me: WTAF?! Almost stopped reading right there.
Charly: Oh and by the way, I didn’t mention a major past event about having a gun pointed at me.
Me: Ummm, that’s probably a good enough reason to veto the gun. Tell the pretty husband no, Charly!
Did we know Charly was Chelsea’s godmother before the end? That seemed like an odd little bit of info. Maybe to show they were back in their bestie groove?
What happened to fungus patient guy? Were we supposed to think he was a suspect? Other than that, I am not sure why that whole -seeing him everywhere- part was added. Honestly, Clark’s inability to take no for an answer was far more creepy.
Bridget didn’t call Charly’s mom after hearing Clark give some wild excuse about Charly refusing to see anyone? I get she is a busy new mom and was trying to respect what she thought were her friend’s wishes, but I didn’t think that was believable. Maybe, but not likely since Bridget knew there was cheating and secret money. Screw you, Clark, I am visiting my bestie!
A year?! Even after Jamie sent those flowers and that note before her surgery? An. Entire. Year. Come on!
Other things that stood out to me (in no particular order):
How can Charly have been so easily conned, because Clark is handsome? At first, sure, but no job, extra week in Bahamas alone, hates her cat… peace out, pretty Clark!
Looks seem very important to everyone in this book. I can appreciate that looks might be an initial attraction, but part of me wishes Jamie were ugly or didn’t get to look completely normal once healed. And Clark was getting away with, well, attempted murder there for a minute because he was SOOO handsome. Charly entertaining the thought of letting him and his gf take care of her in exchange for her disability money? No… frickin… way… And looks aren’t what keeps a relationship going. So, Clark’s attitude should have caused a divorce WAY before she found out about Haley.
Clark: Yeah I cheated, let’s have a baby.
Charly: Sounds cool.
Me: WTAF?! Almost stopped reading right there.
Charly: Oh and by the way, I didn’t mention a major past event about having a gun pointed at me.
Me: Ummm, that’s probably a good enough reason to veto the gun. Tell the pretty husband no, Charly!
Did we know Charly was Chelsea’s godmother before the end? That seemed like an odd little bit of info. Maybe to show they were back in their bestie groove?
What happened to fungus patient guy? Were we supposed to think he was a suspect? Other than that, I am not sure why that whole -seeing him everywhere- part was added. Honestly, Clark’s inability to take no for an answer was far more creepy.
Bridget didn’t call Charly’s mom after hearing Clark give some wild excuse about Charly refusing to see anyone? I get she is a busy new mom and was trying to respect what she thought were her friend’s wishes, but I didn’t think that was believable. Maybe, but not likely since Bridget knew there was cheating and secret money. Screw you, Clark, I am visiting my bestie!
A year?! Even after Jamie sent those flowers and that note before her surgery? An. Entire. Year. Come on!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2025
Totally engrossing!
Dr. Charly McKenna, a skilled dermatologist, is beloved by most of her patients. She lives alone with her cat until a new patient, a lawyer, asks her out. Charly has a strict rule against dating patients, but when he asks again months later, she agrees. A few months after that, they’re married. Then her world shatters: she wakes up in a rehab hospital after being shot. Facing a grueling recovery, she must relearn to eat, talk, and move her body—made harder by the sensation that one side of her body is no longer there.
Charly knows her situation is dire. She can’t recall who shot her or why. A recurring dream haunts her, with someone whispering in her ear after the shooting, but the face remains elusive.
Is the person who attacked her still out there? Is she still in danger?
I loved this audiobook. Freida McFadden masterfully portrays Charly’s struggle as a patient to reclaim her body and mind. Her ordeal was well portrayed. Though a suspense novel, it weaves in a touch of romance.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Dr. Charly McKenna, a skilled dermatologist, is beloved by most of her patients. She lives alone with her cat until a new patient, a lawyer, asks her out. Charly has a strict rule against dating patients, but when he asks again months later, she agrees. A few months after that, they’re married. Then her world shatters: she wakes up in a rehab hospital after being shot. Facing a grueling recovery, she must relearn to eat, talk, and move her body—made harder by the sensation that one side of her body is no longer there.
Charly knows her situation is dire. She can’t recall who shot her or why. A recurring dream haunts her, with someone whispering in her ear after the shooting, but the face remains elusive.
Is the person who attacked her still out there? Is she still in danger?
I loved this audiobook. Freida McFadden masterfully portrays Charly’s struggle as a patient to reclaim her body and mind. Her ordeal was well portrayed. Though a suspense novel, it weaves in a touch of romance.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
July 14, 2025
Save your reading time and skip over this one. Such a slow read with an almost non existent plot. The amount of repetitions and the slobbering of Grant, was a turn off for me. I have to think I have read this all before.
dnf
October 9, 2025Dnf @ 32% I love you Freida but this one had me falling asleep.
February 27, 2024
This was a very different style compared to the Freida McFadden books I am used too. I didn’t not enjoy this book, but I don’t think it was her best and I prefer her more suspenseful twisty thrillers! Of all of her books I wouldn’t recommend this one as readily and certainly not if the person had read her other books first!
July 17, 2025
3.5 stars. Better review to follow.
July 13, 2025
2.5 rounded down.
Dr Charly (if I was Freida I wouldn’t have spelt it that way, it doesn’t look right!) McKenna has it all. A great career as a dermatologist and a wonderful apartment overlooking Central Park. She’s also, via her work, acquired a handsome husband in Clark. Then one fateful night, a bullet shreds the right side of her skull from which she miraculously survives. The road to recovery is long and slow but will give her the time to figure out who wants her dead.
To my GR friend Jayne - I’ve tried, I really have BUT in my opinion the plot is paper thin and it ain’t that hard to figure it all out early doors. In fact, I think the all over the place timelines help to make it VERY obvious. It’s full of extraneous details to pad out the thin nature of the novel with the result that a lot of things go nowhere except to fill the pages.
Repetitive. Gosh, if we were told once how handsome Clark is we are told 100 times. (An exaggeration to make the point.)Guess what colour Charly’s eyes are? We are told a gazillion (another exaggeration!) times so my green eyes roll. Big yawn.
Short sentences, short chapters. Now, some authors can use that to great effect to build tension and suspense - such as James Patterson, Adrian McKinty and Steve Cavanagh - but I’m sorry to say, not our Freida. It’s just choppy. Just my opinion - don’t shoot me.
I’ll give the very popular Freida McFadden ONE MORE GO but then that’s it. I’m done.
Kindle Unlimited.
Dr Charly (if I was Freida I wouldn’t have spelt it that way, it doesn’t look right!) McKenna has it all. A great career as a dermatologist and a wonderful apartment overlooking Central Park. She’s also, via her work, acquired a handsome husband in Clark. Then one fateful night, a bullet shreds the right side of her skull from which she miraculously survives. The road to recovery is long and slow but will give her the time to figure out who wants her dead.
To my GR friend Jayne - I’ve tried, I really have BUT in my opinion the plot is paper thin and it ain’t that hard to figure it all out early doors. In fact, I think the all over the place timelines help to make it VERY obvious. It’s full of extraneous details to pad out the thin nature of the novel with the result that a lot of things go nowhere except to fill the pages.
Repetitive. Gosh, if we were told once how handsome Clark is we are told 100 times. (An exaggeration to make the point.)Guess what colour Charly’s eyes are? We are told a gazillion (another exaggeration!) times so my green eyes roll. Big yawn.
Short sentences, short chapters. Now, some authors can use that to great effect to build tension and suspense - such as James Patterson, Adrian McKinty and Steve Cavanagh - but I’m sorry to say, not our Freida. It’s just choppy. Just my opinion - don’t shoot me.
I’ll give the very popular Freida McFadden ONE MORE GO but then that’s it. I’m done.
Kindle Unlimited.
June 1, 2023
Another perfect book by Freida McFadden!!!! Dr. Charly McKenna is a dermatologist. She gets shot in the head but by who? She has her whole life ahead of her and now this? Rehab, lots of rehab! Holy heck was this mind blowing and oh so great! The ending was just perfect!!! Another great book of hers to add to my list of now 16 books by Freida, the psychological queen herself!!!! Onto my new next Freida book while I’m vacationing in Costa Rica.
April 10, 2024
I’m about halfway through my quest to read every Freida McFadden book, and this was my latest - it’s also the one I knew would trigger me the most. Having suffered a traumatic brain injury ten years ago (luckily, NOWHERE near as bad as our main character’s) the blurry days of “brain rehab” and the fear I had that “this is forever” came rushing back to me as I read along.
Charly, aka Dr. Charlotte McKenna, is a successful dermatologist married to a gorgeous lawyer. The book starts with her being shot in the head by an intruder, then the story weaves back and forth between past and present events. In the parts before the shooting, we learn how she met her husband and how the dynamics of their relationship worked. In the present, you’re along for the ride as Charly begins the very slow process of recovery.
The mystery in this one is simple: who shot her, and why? The rest of the book is a complex look at the way brain damage affects people of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll meet some people who are also at the rehabilitation facility, and each has their own story and struggles. This one hit differently for me, because I’ve been there. It’s a great mystery/thriller, but because of the author’s medical background, it’s also a pretty honest look at what TBI survivors go through and feel. I have to give it five stars for that alone.
Charly, aka Dr. Charlotte McKenna, is a successful dermatologist married to a gorgeous lawyer. The book starts with her being shot in the head by an intruder, then the story weaves back and forth between past and present events. In the parts before the shooting, we learn how she met her husband and how the dynamics of their relationship worked. In the present, you’re along for the ride as Charly begins the very slow process of recovery.
The mystery in this one is simple: who shot her, and why? The rest of the book is a complex look at the way brain damage affects people of all ages and backgrounds. You’ll meet some people who are also at the rehabilitation facility, and each has their own story and struggles. This one hit differently for me, because I’ve been there. It’s a great mystery/thriller, but because of the author’s medical background, it’s also a pretty honest look at what TBI survivors go through and feel. I have to give it five stars for that alone.
May 12, 2023
Great Read!
Dr. Charly McKenna suffers a gunshot wound to her head upon entering her apartment one day. It leaves her brain damaged and in a rehab center. No one knows who the shooter is. Her husband Clarke makes himself scarce and raises her suspicions.
This was a great book that I hated to put down. It had some really interesting twists!
Dr. Charly McKenna suffers a gunshot wound to her head upon entering her apartment one day. It leaves her brain damaged and in a rehab center. No one knows who the shooter is. Her husband Clarke makes himself scarce and raises her suspicions.
This was a great book that I hated to put down. It had some really interesting twists!
May 13, 2022
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I hadn’t heard of Freida McFadden until I read The Housemaid last month (which I absolutely LOVED) and was delighted to learn she has a back catalogue of books so when a member of THE Book Club posted a glowing review of Brain Damage I immediately purchased it and started to read it.
Dr Charlotte Mckenna (Charly) is a doctor specialising in skin conditions. She’s successful, lives in a very prestigious address in New York and at the age of 37 has accepted she will remain single and childless until a patient starts to show interest. Clark is a very handsome lawyer and despite Charly never getting involved with a patient, his determination and good looks eventually win her over.
Fast forward eighteen months and Charly is now in a hospital, having been shot in the head and miraculously survived. With a severe brain injury remembering her name is a struggle and suffering from Left Neglect she also can’t use the left side of her body or see anything unless its on the right side of her. Whilst this is a serious medical condition, there were moments in Charly’s rehabilitation that had me laughing out loud.
Charly is determined to get better despite the odds and also try to work out who shot her and why. The story has dual timelines taking the reader back to the past when Charly met Clark and follows their romance to the present day in the hospital.
Brain Damage ticked almost every box for me personally. I loved the narrator and her wonderful sense of humour and this was one of those books that I couldn’t put down but didn’t want to finish.
I hadn’t heard of Freida McFadden until I read The Housemaid last month (which I absolutely LOVED) and was delighted to learn she has a back catalogue of books so when a member of THE Book Club posted a glowing review of Brain Damage I immediately purchased it and started to read it.
Dr Charlotte Mckenna (Charly) is a doctor specialising in skin conditions. She’s successful, lives in a very prestigious address in New York and at the age of 37 has accepted she will remain single and childless until a patient starts to show interest. Clark is a very handsome lawyer and despite Charly never getting involved with a patient, his determination and good looks eventually win her over.
Fast forward eighteen months and Charly is now in a hospital, having been shot in the head and miraculously survived. With a severe brain injury remembering her name is a struggle and suffering from Left Neglect she also can’t use the left side of her body or see anything unless its on the right side of her. Whilst this is a serious medical condition, there were moments in Charly’s rehabilitation that had me laughing out loud.
Charly is determined to get better despite the odds and also try to work out who shot her and why. The story has dual timelines taking the reader back to the past when Charly met Clark and follows their romance to the present day in the hospital.
Brain Damage ticked almost every box for me personally. I loved the narrator and her wonderful sense of humour and this was one of those books that I couldn’t put down but didn’t want to finish.
July 10, 2023
This was alot less suspenseful and gripping than her other books, but I honestly enjoyed that aspect. It focused more on Charly, and it was beautiful to see her growth after what happened and coming into realization of what really happened. And what the heck -- why can't we all just find a guy like Jamie??? He was so perfect and caring! Absolutely loved it and how Freida wrapped it all up with a bow at the ending. Wonderfully written!
January 3, 2024
Imagine waking up with a distorted head, unable to move, speak, or remember who you are. That’s the nightmare that Dr. Charly McKenna faces in Brain Damage by Freida McFadden.
The book follows Dr. Charly McKenna, a successful dermatologist who suffers a severe brain injury after a violent attack. She is admitted to a rehab center where she has to relearn basic skills and cope with her memory loss. But as she gradually recovers her past, she realizes that her life was full of secrets, lies, and danger. She also learns that someone confessed to the crime, but she is not sure if he is the real culprit or if there is a bigger scheme behind it. And will they try to silence her again?
Brain Damage is a well-written and engaging book that blends medical facts and fiction to create a realistic and compelling scenario. The author, who is a physician herself, shows the challenges and the triumphs of patients and doctors in a rehab center, with accuracy and empathy. The book has some flaws, such as the lack of depth and development of some of the secondary characters, the predictable plot, the occasional use of clichés and stereotypes, and the convenient and unrealistic resolution of some of the issues. The protagonist’s obsession with good looks and her love-is-blind syndrome are annoying sometimes. The book also relies on lucky breaks to move the story forward, such as the culprit confessed to the protagonist and try to kill her IN PUBLIC?!?💀
I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a quick and easy read that combines medical drama and romance with a touch of mystery, or to those who are interested in the topics of brain injury, memory loss, and rehabilitation. I would not recommend this book to readers who are looking for a complex and realistic thriller, or a profound and insightful exploration of brain injury and its effects. It’s not a bad book, but it’s just not my type.
The book follows Dr. Charly McKenna, a successful dermatologist who suffers a severe brain injury after a violent attack. She is admitted to a rehab center where she has to relearn basic skills and cope with her memory loss. But as she gradually recovers her past, she realizes that her life was full of secrets, lies, and danger. She also learns that someone confessed to the crime, but she is not sure if he is the real culprit or if there is a bigger scheme behind it. And will they try to silence her again?
Brain Damage is a well-written and engaging book that blends medical facts and fiction to create a realistic and compelling scenario. The author, who is a physician herself, shows the challenges and the triumphs of patients and doctors in a rehab center, with accuracy and empathy. The book has some flaws, such as the lack of depth and development of some of the secondary characters, the predictable plot, the occasional use of clichés and stereotypes, and the convenient and unrealistic resolution of some of the issues. The protagonist’s obsession with good looks and her love-is-blind syndrome are annoying sometimes. The book also relies on lucky breaks to move the story forward, such as the culprit confessed to the protagonist and try to kill her IN PUBLIC?!?💀
I would recommend this book to readers who are looking for a quick and easy read that combines medical drama and romance with a touch of mystery, or to those who are interested in the topics of brain injury, memory loss, and rehabilitation. I would not recommend this book to readers who are looking for a complex and realistic thriller, or a profound and insightful exploration of brain injury and its effects. It’s not a bad book, but it’s just not my type.
October 20, 2022
Full disclosure - I love Freida McFadden. She writes characters with an inner monologue that truly makes me laugh. Almost like she has channeled me and my rando sense of humor. Additionally, being a fan of her writing, I checked out her bio. The author is a medical doctor. And an incredible writer. I am in awe.
Brain Damage was a fantastic book. Main character, Charly McKenna is a successful dermatologist, single, until she meets THE PERFECT MAN. Uh huh. You know that's never the case, right? We spend most of our time with Charly during her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head. This is the magic of the book - how interesting can days and days of rehab be for a reader? A lot. The author/doctor does a great job of making this period interesting, sad, emotional, funny....all the feels. I do not expect my heart to literally ache when reading a domestic thriller, but I became invested in Charly and the other patients.
And I loved the ending.
Brain Damage was a fantastic book. Main character, Charly McKenna is a successful dermatologist, single, until she meets THE PERFECT MAN. Uh huh. You know that's never the case, right? We spend most of our time with Charly during her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head. This is the magic of the book - how interesting can days and days of rehab be for a reader? A lot. The author/doctor does a great job of making this period interesting, sad, emotional, funny....all the feels. I do not expect my heart to literally ache when reading a domestic thriller, but I became invested in Charly and the other patients.
And I loved the ending.
April 22, 2024
5⭐️ just for Jamie alone… I love him 😩😩😩😩 I was literally shouting for helmet girl to confess her feelings the entire time, speak up sis!!!!
Parts of this book did really annoy me, like all the flack and insults she took from Clark and how it didn’t occur to her to tell ANYBODY what was going on 🤣
But we love a happy ending so that’s all that matters 🩵👏🏼🩵
Parts of this book did really annoy me, like all the flack and insults she took from Clark and how it didn’t occur to her to tell ANYBODY what was going on 🤣
But we love a happy ending so that’s all that matters 🩵👏🏼🩵
March 13, 2025
Story 3.75 stars**
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Megan Tusing
Audio 4 stars**
Narrator Megan Tusing
December 16, 2025
Charly has everything she has ever wanted, a prosperous career as a dermatologist, a good apartment overlooking Central Park. A good looking lawyer husband who loves her for who she is.
Charly's life changes forever one night, a brain injury due to a bullet ripping through the right side of her skull. The result in being memory failure, no vision at all of anything that is down her left side, no feeling down her left side. She can't walk, can't talk, can't do anything for herself at all. No memory of anything that happened to her.
Slowly through physical and mental therapy Charly starts to piece her life together, past and present until that fateful night becomes clear.
The book jumps back and forth between the present and the past a lot leading up to the actual crime, recovery and then finally present day. It was easily marked to exactly where in Charly's timeline you are.
Charly's life changes forever one night, a brain injury due to a bullet ripping through the right side of her skull. The result in being memory failure, no vision at all of anything that is down her left side, no feeling down her left side. She can't walk, can't talk, can't do anything for herself at all. No memory of anything that happened to her.
Slowly through physical and mental therapy Charly starts to piece her life together, past and present until that fateful night becomes clear.
The book jumps back and forth between the present and the past a lot leading up to the actual crime, recovery and then finally present day. It was easily marked to exactly where in Charly's timeline you are.
July 28, 2025
Brain Damage by Freida McFadden is predictable but I enjoyed the story line. It wasn’t really a whodunnit but more of a why did it. I wanted to give it a 5 but the predictably held me back.
February 19, 2020
Great story! Sad, funny and loved the ending
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