Freak by Jennifer Hillier
A decent follow-up, but not the dark, gripping thriller I’m chasing.
I’m working through a book a day for the rest of July to salvage my 100-book reading goal, so I listened to Freak during my shift at work and finished it on the drive home. This continues the story from Creep, and shifts the spotlight to Abby—Ethan’s girlfriend from book one. And honestly, I wasn’t a fan.
In Creep, I assumed Ethan was the mastermind. Turns out, Abby was pulling the strings all along. That could’ve been compelling, but the way she relied on her so-called feminine wiles to manipulate everyone around her just annoyed me. Her jailhouse scheming felt more performative than dangerous, and I couldn’t buy into her as a real threat.
The pacing is solid and the plot keeps moving, but like Creep, Freak left me wanting more. I’m on the hunt for a truly kick-ass, creepy thriller—something with real psychological teeth, Dexter-level darkness, and a romance that adds tension instead of checking a box.
This was fine for a workday listen, but I’m still waiting for that book that makes me uncomfortable in all the right ways.
