I have a new addiction, and it’s Freida McFadden’s psychological thrillers. Her latest effort, THE BOYFRIEND, boasts her great pacing and a twisty plot that is often difficult to predict. I did catch the big twist in this one…or at least I thought I did, only to realize that she once again was two steps ahead of me.

The Prologue introduces us to Tom Brewer, a high school student from upstate New York. He talks about being in love with Daisy since he first spotted her at the age of four. He now has a burning desire to tell her how he feels --- and to put his hands around her white neck and squeeze the life out of her.

"McFadden is easily one of the most clever authors working today, and I hope her dynamic imagination does not slow down any time soon."

We then jump to present-day New York City, where Sydney Shaw has been looking for Mr. Right on the popular dating app Cynch. Now in her early 30s, she is no where close to finding love, and her next prospect will continue that streak. Not only is Kevin inappropriate and callous during their first dinner date, he comes on way too strong while walking her home afterwards. Sydney lies about her apartment building, not wanting him to know where she lives. When she attempts to enter the bogus location, he gets physical with her and tosses her into a garbage can. She has a bleeding disorder and thus begins to bleed profusely from her head.

A young man witnesses the incident and puts a stop to it. He chases Kevin off and sees to Sydney’s head as he tells her he’s a doctor. She gets home in one piece but realizes she never found out who this mystery man was.

Sydney’s best friends are Bonnie and Gretchen. Bonnie lives in the same building as Sydney. The three of them attend yoga classes and generally hang out together. Gretchen is about to move in with her boyfriend, Randy, while Sydney remains single. Bonnie is dating a hot doctor and getting serious with him. But tragedy strikes when Sydney and Randy enter Bonnie’s apartment and finds her lifeless body. She has been murdered in her own bed.

It turns out that the lead detective is Sydney’s ex, Jake. She gets past that initial awkwardness to help with the case as much as she can. Jake and the NYPD are unable to locate Bonnie’s boyfriend as it turns out that all of his texts came from a burner phone. Sydney continues to be stalked by the extremely creepy Kevin while she moves forward looking for other suitable partners on Cynch. When she goes out with a nice guy named Travis, he literally faints at the table when she gets an extremely bloody nose. Fortunately for them, the man who saved her from Kevin happens to be there and gets her a replacement shirt after the squeamish Travis bails on the date. At least now Sydney can get his name: Tom Brown.

You might be nodding your head at this point believing you have it all figured out. Trust me, you don’t. The chapters set in the past with Tom Brewer are intense and involve murder, missing high school girls, and a creepy friend with an affinity for bugs. I will not reveal anything else because everything in this story is vital to the plot that McFadden has laid out for us. Sydney continues to see Tom, but slowly the aura of his perfection begins to fade, starting with the fact that his last name is Brewer, not Brown. Don’t jump to any conclusions as there is so much more at play here.

I must marvel at how enjoyable Freida McFadden’s novels are, and THE BOYFRIEND is no exception. McFadden is easily one of the most clever authors working today, and I hope her dynamic imagination does not slow down any time soon.