MediumNEVER LIE (Book Review). Freida McFadden | by Anjali Balakrishnan | Medium
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Anjali Balakrishnan

Anjali Balakrishnan

Meet Anjali: Crafting Tales that Transcend your imagination with every pen stroke.

NEVER LIE (Book Review)

2 min readJun 27, 2025

Freida McFadden

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source: pinterest

A psychiatric journey into the afterlife, a suspenseful and deeply human story.

The narrative explores the state of mind of each character as the plot slowly unfolds and shifts perspectives.

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It’s a slow-paced tale, centered around a house and the people connected to it. The story unfolds in sessions, with thought-provoking moments and psychological mind games between characters.

It’s truly a great read for readers of all levels. The book opens up a layer of mindset that exists in certain individuals, which directly or indirectly affects the people around them.

The main character is Dr. Adrienne Hale, a psychiatrist, who enters the story when a couple visits a real estate property listed by their agent. What awaits them is a layered mystery tied to the house.

Initially, the story progresses steadily with a simple introduction to the present. But soon, Tricia (one half of the couple) finds tapes belonging to Dr. Hale’s patients. What she uncovers leads her down a path into the hidden life Adrienne once lived. Tricia begins to realize that the story behind the house and Adrienne is very different from what she read in the news.

Never Lie is a great read. The story’s progression and twists were completely different from what I expected, which made it all the more engaging. Each character’s journey is written in a unique, personal way. Once you finish the book and reflect on the people you have met and their emotional development, the story feels whole.

This may not be a shocking read for everyone, but as I always believe, art is subjective, and we can only receive it to the extent that we’re open to it. The book is written in a way that connects deeply with the reader. It is not just Dr. Adrienne’s story; it is the story of everyone she touched. In many ways, it is a story for Adrienne.

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Anjali Balakrishnan
Anjali Balakrishnan

Written by Anjali Balakrishnan

Meet Anjali: Crafting Tales that Transcend your imagination with every pen stroke.