If you’ve been following along here, you already know I’m a big fan of Freida McFadden. I loved The Housemaid and the way it kept me guessing right to the end. So when I finally picked up The Boyfriend, I was curious to see what she could do outside of that world. Turns out, quite a lot. This psychological thriller kept me reading long past when I should have put it down — and the ending genuinely surprised me.

What Is The Boyfriend About?

The story alternates between two timelines. In the past, we follow a teenager named Tom, who is head over heels for a girl named Daisy. He claims he has loved her since they were four years old. Meanwhile, in the present, we follow Sydney, a single woman navigating the world of online dating through an app called Cynch. After a forgettable date with someone named Kevin, she bumps into Tom on the way home and feels an instant connection. Months later, they start dating.

Before Sydney met Tom, though, her close friend Bonnie was murdered by her doctor boyfriend. The police never caught him. Nobody even knew his name. So Sydney is dating this charming new doctor, and we as readers are left watching the pieces slowly fall into place, even when Sydney can’t quite see them yet.

The Dual Timeline Keeps You Engaged

I really enjoyed how McFadden structured this book. Switching between Tom’s past and Sydney’s present gave me just enough information to stay one step ahead, but not so much that the story felt predictable. In fact, I found myself picking up on small hints dropped throughout the book that made me pause mid-sentence to think. For example, there’s a line early on where Tom reflects on having only kissed a girl once and not wanting to. It’s subtle, but it planted a seed that stuck with me.

Furthermore, the dual timeline kept the pacing interesting. The present-day story pulled me in emotionally through Sydney’s perspective, while the past chapters built up a slow sense of dread through Tom’s.

Is It a Mystery? Not Exactly

Here’s where my experience was a little different from a typical mystery read. From very early on, we know a lot. We know Tom killed a girl named Brandi in high school. We know he killed his own father. We know, or strongly suspect, that he killed Bonnie. So in that sense, this isn’t a “whodunit” in the traditional way, at least not at first.

Instead, the tension comes from watching events unfold and waiting for Sydney to connect the dots. It’s more of a psychological thriller in that way. You’re not solving a puzzle so much as watching a slow, uncomfortable collision you can’t stop.

However, the story does shift. About halfway through, I started to question everything I thought I knew. Suddenly, other characters became suspects in my mind. Maybe Tom wasn’t who I thought he was. Maybe the real killer was someone else entirely. That uncertainty is where McFadden truly earns her reputation as a master of suspense.

The Ending Is Where It All Comes Together

I’ll be honest. The beginning felt a little slow to me. There wasn’t much mystery in the traditional sense, and I found myself wondering when things would really take off. But then the final act arrived, and I genuinely could not put the book down.

I did figure out the killer’s identity before the reveal. Even so, the ending still surprised me. McFadden clearly knows how to stick a landing, and she delivered something I didn’t see coming, even after I thought I had it all figured out. That’s no small feat.

Final Thoughts on The Boyfriend

What I Liked

The Clues and Subtle Hints

One of the things I enjoyed most about The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden was picking up on the small hints throughout the story. For example, lines like a character mentioning a past kiss that “only two people knew about” made me stop and think. These moments made the reading experience more interactive because I was constantly trying to connect the dots.

The Alternating Timelines

The shift between Tom’s past and Sydney’s present kept the story moving. It also gave early insight into Tom’s character, creating a different kind of suspense. Instead of wondering if something would happen, I found myself wondering how everything would unfold.

The Ending Pace

While the beginning felt more like a setup, the book really picked up toward the end. At that point, I did not want to put it down. The pacing improved significantly, and the tension finally matched what I expect from a thriller.

What Didn’t Work for Me

Not Much of a Mystery at First

At the start, The Boyfriend did not feel like a traditional mystery. We are shown early on that Tom has committed violent acts, including multiple murders. Because of this, it felt less like solving a puzzle and more like watching events play out.

However, this shifts later in the book. As more characters are introduced and more details come to light, multiple people start to feel like possible suspects. That helped bring back some of the mystery element.

Predictability in Parts

I was able to figure out who the killer was before the end. That said, the story still managed to surprise me with how everything wrapped up. So even though the reveal itself was not shocking, the ending’s execution still felt unexpected.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed The Boyfriend. It may not start as a strong mystery, but it builds into a more suspenseful and engaging story as it goes. The final portion of the book is where it really shines.

If you like psychological thrillers with shifting perspectives and hidden clues, this is worth picking up. It is especially a good choice if you already enjoy Freida McFadden’s writing style and want to explore something outside of her Housemaid series.

If you are expecting a traditional whodunit from the very beginning, this might feel a little different. However, if you stick with it, the payoff at the end makes it worthwhile.

If you loved the Housemaid series, I’d absolutely recommend giving this one a try. It’s a different kind of story, but it has that same McFadden quality: sharp writing, unsettling twists, and an ending that lingers with you. Additionally, if you enjoy psychological thrillers where the tension comes from watching a character in danger rather than piecing together clues, this book will hit the spot.