Freida McFadden’s The Teacher is a dark, twisty thriller that keeps readers on edge. While the plot is gripping and full of surprises, the characters were deeply unlikable for me. Eve is whiny and self-absorbed, Nate is morally corrupt and untrustworthy, and Addie comes across as manipulative and deceptive. Some elements, like Eve’s odd shoe fetish, feel out of place and unnecessary. Kenzie’s affair with a teacher was predictable, but the buried alive scene was shocking, and the revelation that Jay and Hudson were the same person left me completely stunned. I was convinced Jay was messing with Nate, but that twist changed everything. Up until the ending, it was a solid 4-star read, but the clever conclusion elevated it to 4.5 stars. Despite the unlikable cast, the story is undeniably addictive.