When you think of Freida McFadden, you think of the Housemaid series. And yes, I do like that series, but I wanted to broaden my horizons. I decided to give this one a try and do not regret it.
Meet Nora Davis – Saving Others by Day, Trying To Save Herself by Night
Nora Davis is a trauma surgeon trying to build a life for herself that is, on the outside looking in, a quite successful one. However, it is more than inadequate when it comes to her personal life. She is described as being an avid fan of “old fashioned” drinks which are a little sweet and a little bitter which serves as a preclude of the type of person Nora is.
Why is Nora bitter?
She unfortunately had a father in Aaron Nierling that was one of the most prolific serial killers and dubbed “The Handyman” with his MO being the severing of the hands of each victim. He sought out young women in their 20’s with dark hair and blue eyes. Nora favoring her father physically does not help her in “forgetting” the crimes of the past. Aaron Nierling is presently serving 18 consecutive life sentences in a maximum-security penitentiary. Surely, Nora is safe from him now, right?
She also can be sweet.
Various happenings occur during the chapters “26 years before” that show the sweet side of Nora . This point of view provides an interesting insight into Nora as well as her inner thoughts as a child including events that shaped her childhood prior to her father’s ultimate arrest. Nora befriends a young classmate who is being bullied. We go on to see this relationship play out with Nora’s conflicting emotions. She wants to help others but has inner dark thoughts that emerge from having a secretive father with an unhealthy obsession with the basement.
The Murders are happening again.
Two former patients of Nora’s go missing in present day and are murdered with startling parallels to Aaron Nierling. Unfortunately, Nora’s past starts to catch up with her – she changed her name to build a new life. However, evidence starts being planted (or is it?) to suggest she is the killer. Can Nora regain control of her life and finally find love and a purpose beyond saving lives as a surgeon? Or, is Nora’s grizzly past history too much to overcome and who is the real killer behind “the locked door?”
Craving companionship and “normalcy.”
Nora takes in a stray cat at one point which ultimately improves her psyche. However, this taking in of an animal is not without internal struggle to let herself love. Nora becomes frantic and has her boss come to her house to help “get the cat out.” She is anti-relationship of any kind which is understandable considering the childhood trauma she endured at the hands of her father. Anytime Nora enters her home, she calls out “Honey, I’m home!” and there is an underlying sadness and regret as she cannot bring herself to have any meaningful relationship. We also hear her inner thoughts as she second guesses herself on this decision to be isolated – “what is next “marriage? Children? And then…”
Is this a book that is worth reading?
Ultimately, this book is a quick read that has more substance beyond what I thought initially going into it. I would have liked more of a background in the 26 years earlier chapters. These chapters could have laid the foundation for what Nora and her father’s true relationship was beyond just the mention of the locked door and the strange smells and sounds coming from the basement. This would have added more character development and provided more reasoning as to why Nora makes certain decisions in her personal and professional life. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
Give it a Try: The Locked Door
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