As always: let me start with — “Why did I pick the book?”

Before I start: this is book no. 10 in 2026. As I had said, I have been lagging in reading books this year. Starting last month, I would say I have picked up a bit of speed, at least by my standard.

Back to why I picked this book: simple — I needed a break from the Middle East, geopolitics, and history, and needed something that would play in my head 24 hours a day — thus, a thriller.

And cherry on the cake: it’s free on Kindle Unlimited subscription.
It goes by the name Never Lie by Freida McFadden. My favourite author for whodunits.

A blizzard, and a couple stuck in a gigantic house where a missing shrink once lived. The house holds secrets that unfold slowly — a giant portrait, an attic, a secret room of tapes. Nothing gives you a clue until you are in the end section of the book.

You can almost hear sombre background music; fear is palpable. Tricia tries to find the answers, and she is curious — she listens to the tapes. She knows some facts, but not all.

A blackmailer takes centre stage — basically a psychopath — who is more lethal: the shrink or the blackmailer? Or is there someone else lurking behind the curtains?

Riveting. Engaging. You are engrossed, and you can’t hear the clicks of the clock. This is thriller at its very best. A perfect whodunit for you and your weekend.

I became a fan of this author since I read the Housemaid series. You are always in the dark. Sometimes you feel you know — nah — you know nothing. That’s where the fun starts, and your intrigue knows no bounds.

Yes, on a lighter note — this book somewhere explains why supermarkets arrange stuff in the way they do. They entice you to buy; they elevate your endorphins. Nothing related to the plot of the book — but to me, it was a revelation.

Somewhere amidst geopolitics, history, and self-help, you need a gateway to escape from the monotony. I mean, all this history and self-help are by no means throwaways — but every now and then, you need to change genres.
I am glad I chose this one. Freida never disappoints.

A Shrink. Some patients.
A loving couple (or so?).
A devoted boyfriend.
And some tapes.
These all keep you hooked all the way through. You think you are just another chapter away from discovering the horrid happenings — nope, that’s not how it is. You are dragged till the end.

You know what — they lived happily ever after — at least, they both would like to think so.
Someone’s mother says, “The only way two people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead”!!

Without a doubt — choose a weekend and grab this one. A 350-pager on Kindle — it gets under your skin and grasps your wildest imagination. It is worth giving one weekend away.

What’s in that house?

Ciao.
Keep reading.