My latest book recommendation is 'The Teacher' by Freida McFadden. It is a disturbing and cautionary story about a manipulative male teacher who takes advantage of a young, vulnerable female pupil.

The Teacher

By Freida McFadden

(Published by Holywood Upstairs Press)

Freida McFadden is a physician who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humour novels. She is a No 1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Sunday Times, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author, and her work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors' best books of the year. She is the winner of the International Thriller Writers' Award for best paperback, as well as being a Choice Award winner and a Goodreads author. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages.

THE AUTHOR

PLOTLINE  

It is the first day back at school for Addie Severson and she is dreading it. Last year, her maths teacher had recognised she was struggling and went out of his way to try and help her. Unfortunately, his attentions were misconstrued by the school, leading to him being unfairly dismissed. Although nothing inappropriate had happened, Addie is now being shunned by her fellow students and labelled as a troublemaker.

With everyone avoiding her, Addie feels alone and unhappy, despite her mother's attempts to reassure her. However, since the death of her alcoholic husband, she is now a single mother with a demanding job as a nurse, and therefore not always able to give Addie the attention she craves. So, when her handsome English teacher, Nate Bennet, starts to pay her compliments, she soon falls under his spell, naively believing his declarations of being in a loveless marriage and finally finding his soulmate.

Unfortunately, Nate's wife is Addie's new maths teacher, Eve, who seems to have no patience with Addie's inability to get to grips with the subject. Hating her and convinced she is the only reason keeping her and Nate apart, Addie suddenly finds herself drawn into a dangerous and lethal situation she is totally unprepared for.

MY REVIEW

'The Teacher' is a well-written rollercoaster of emotions. Written from the alternating points of view of Addie, Eve and Nate, the story deals with inappropriate abuse of power, obsession and a young girl's vulnerability at the hands of a manipulating adult. Both Eve and Nate are responsible in their own way for destroying Addie's innocence, albeit for different reasons: Nate for his own selfish gratification and Eve to alleviate the fact that her marriage is falling apart. Either way, the result is Addie being caught up in their machinations as she hurtles towards a terrifying conclusion.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this novel. I found it totally engrossing as well as disturbing. It highlights the potential hazard male teachers face every day. Young girls seem to mature much faster nowadays than they used to, and while it is not uncommon for them to become attracted to the opposite sex, most teachers know how to keep a professional distance from their pupils. However, there is always the odd exception to the rule, which this novel makes full use of. The ending is both unexpected and shocking and is well worth the read.

Freida lives with her family and cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream very loudly ... maybe.

'The Teacher' is published by Hollywood Upstairs Press and is available in eBook, paperback, and audio formats from Amazon.