The Crash

by Freida McFadden

It does seem a bit odd to give a low rating to a book that I could not put down and that I read in less than 24 hours. “The Crash” is a thriller in the same genre of Frieda McFadden’s earlier “The Housemaid,” but the plot, character development, and prose all fall short. Following the plot requires some suspension of preconceived notions of a typical plot outline, and developing empathy with almost any of the characters requires a suspension of typical moral judgement.

Determined to reach the “safety” of her brother’s home, Tegan, alone and pregnant, risks driving through a rural area in a severe snow storm. Tegan crashes her car, severely injuring her left leg, and is not only stranded in her crushed car in freezing temperatures, but also trapped and unable to move. The terror continues. The big burley country bumpkin who stops and saves her seems suspect; his wife seems too good to be true, and the basement bedroom they offer Tegan is eerily reminiscent of Nina Winchester’s attic apartment.

In her Acknowledgements McFadden shares that she rewrote her original draft of this book more times than she had for any of her previous books, and it shows. It is as if the author is driving down Plot Road, comes to a Y, and cannot decide to go right or left. And so she goes right, and then she changes her mind, doubles back and makes the left. Meanwhile, I as the reader in the passenger seat watch the blurred scenery, try to identify familiar landmarks and figure out where we are going, and consider that I may need to grab the wheel. Or cue Carrie Underwood.

Don’t let me stop you though! It is a great diversion of a novel; dinner will burn on the stove top, and phone calls will go unanswered for 24 hours. BUT don’t forget your map and your driver’s license just in case.