“I’m starting to think she isn’t hiding from someone – she’s hiding something.”
If you’re looking for a good book to read this Halloween season, “The Intruder” by Freida McFadden is a great choice. New York Times best selling author Freida McFadden is known for her twisty, un-putdownable thrillers, and this book is no different and definitely one of her best.
The story follows Casey, a woman living alone in a slightly run-down cabin deep in the woods of New Hampshire. She prefers the peace and quiet of the woods, and the idea of living “off the grid”. When a powerful storm rolls through one night, Casey starts seeing movement in her windows, after ensuring that it wasn’t her landlord, Rudy, or her next-door neighbor, Lee. Casey ran out to her toolshed to see what was going on. In there, Casey discovers a young girl hiding, but nothing about this girl is ordinary.
The girl is underweight, covered in bruises and cigarette burns with blood stains on her shirt. Her backpack is stuffed to the brim, and she keeps a switchblade close at hand. The girl refuses to say who she is, where she came from, or what she’s running from, leaving Casey both fearful and concerned. Despite her uncertainty, Casey invites the girl in the house because she knows the storm isn’t going to let up anytime soon and she doesn’t want to put the girls life at danger. Little does Casey know, letting the girl into her home may have been the worst decision of her life.
As all of this unfolds, we are introduced to another narrator, a young girl named Ella. With Ella’s point of view, readers see the pain of a child living in an abusive home. Her mother is cruel, controlling, and a severe hoarder, creating a heartbreaking environment that no child should have to grow up in. This point of view is incredibly hard to read at times, as sometimes you’re reading about Ella being locked in closets with no food or water for hours on end, and other times you’re reading about Ella just trying to be a normal kid even through all of the abuse she puts up with at home.
As the plot thickens, the connection between Casey and Ella becomes a little clearer as the author reveals clues throughout the story about their connection.
McFadden’s twists will keep you thinking throughout the whole book, and will even leave you with a ton of questions after you’re done. “The Intruder” is eerie, emotional, and unforgettable and it’s the kind of book that stays in your mind after you’re done with it. It’s a must-read book for all fans of psychological thrillers or anybody looking for a good story to kick off the Halloween season.
So what’s the name of the girl in the house? What is she hiding? And who exactly is Ella? You’ll have to read “The Intruder” to get answers.
–Oct. 27, 2025–
