Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a Freida McFadden thriller called Do Not Disturb. In case you couldn’t tell, I have been on a HUGE McFadden kick as of late. Some were good, some not so much but I really enjoyed Do Not Disturb! I finished it in two sittings flat and the grand reveal left my jaw on the floor. I totally did not see it coming and it made for an excellent finale. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Do Not Disturb for domestic violence and miscarriages. You ready? Let’s get to it:
Quinn Alexander just killed her husband, Derek. She stabbed him to death and she is not mad about it in the slightest. Derek abused her physically and mentally and after a brutal fight, she was the one left standing. She could call the cops and turn herself in or she could run. Option B is her choice and she quickly packs a bag and flees as a snowstorm hits. There is only one person Quinn will miss when she crosses the border into Canada – her big sister, Claudia. She’s all Quinn can think about as she begins her life as a fugitive from the law. Then, her getaway comes to an abrupt halt barely two hours in: The snowstorm has turned into a full on blizzard.
Quinn’s small car is no match for the heavy snow and she knows she must pull over for the night and start fresh in the morning. She needs a place that’s well off the beaten path and finds Baxter’s Motel, a ramshackle establishment with a sign you can barely make out from the road. It’s perfect. Although the lodging leaves a lot to be desired, the handsome owner of Baxter’s, Nick, is kind and even fixes Quinn some dinner. She eats her fill, falls into a restless sleep, and will surely be back on the road by daybreak.
Rosalie is Nick’s wife and suffers from a rare and progressive form of multiple sclerosis. She loves her husband but he is a murderer and a cheater too. As Nick goes about his day at the motel, she sits in the window and watches. Rosalie can see it all through the lenses of her binoculars and was treated to a private viewing of Nick’s infidelity. And just one day later, his other woman is stabbed to death. The police could never prove Nick’s involvement and their relationship has been more of a caregiver and patient ever since. Old feelings of jealousy constantly pester Rosalie and she grows even more resentful when she sees Nick being so nice to pretty and young Quinn.
As Quinn hunkers down in the motel, she learns from the news that she is a wanted person and is a sitting duck. She needs to make a move and fast. All the while, Claudia is searching for her as she is convinced that Quinn is innocent and the police won’t do their job correctly. She, too, ends up at Baxter’s based on Quinn’s last known whereabouts and is taken aback by Nick’s harsh demeanor and the silhouette of Rosalie in the window. Quinn is nowhere to be found and she is certain the couple knows more than they are letting on and she intends to find out. Quinn is Claudia’s baby sister after all and they love each other, right? … Right? What will become of Quinn? Will she end up in jail for the rest of her life or be able to make a great escape? Read Do Not Disturb to find out!
Do Not Disturb was giving ALL of the Psycho vibes and I was so there for it! This book absolutely drew inspiration from the cinematic masterpiece complete with the seedy motel, a skeletal women in a window, and references to the infamous shower scene. It was a tale that felt deeply familiar but was refreshed with an intriguing story line that made Do Not Disturb uniquely its own. What’s that old saying again? Steal from the best and make it your own and Freida McFadden did exactly that with this unputdownable thriller.
So as not to reveal spoilers, I have to be vague here but I will say that the plot twists left me one thousand percent shook. I think I was focusing and enjoying the Psycho angle so much that hints and clues simply slipped by without any thought to them. This was a book that I just wanted to read and delight in as the saga of Quinn progressed. Our three key players in Do Not Disturb were Quinn, Nick, and Rosalie and as their stories intertwined, a clear picture of what was going to happen next began to form. That is, until Freida McFadden incorporated a genius twist that took the book in an entirely different direction. Do Not Disturb kept me guessing and turning the pages till the very end and I loved it!
I am going to award Do Not Disturb with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This was one of the strongest McFadden books I have read and I highly recommend it if you are a thriller fan too!
How often do you read? What is your favorite book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
