The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden Summary
Overview of The Boyfriend
When a perfect boyfriend meets a string of murders targeting daters, Sydney Shaw's love life becomes a deadly gamble. #1 NYT bestseller by physician-author McFadden delivers jaw-dropping twists that left 57,000+ readers voting it 2024's must-read thriller. Dating apps just got deadlier.
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Key takeaways
A Deadly Obsession Unfolds
The moment Tom first saw Daisy at age four, he knew she was special-a "golden-haired angel" who made his knees weak. But beneath his seemingly innocent crush lurked disturbing thoughts. While other boys collected baseball cards, Tom preserved Valentine's notes from Daisy in plastic sleeves, building a shrine to his obsession. Most chilling was his confession: his greatest fear wasn't rejection but that if they were finally alone, he might "wrap his fingers around her pretty white neck and squeeze the life out of her." This duality defines Tom-a young man fighting his own nature while being drawn to violence. During quiet moments in class, he sketches detailed anatomical drawings in his notebook margins. When he finally kisses Daisy, he notices "how delicate she is" and thinks disturbingly that he "could easily break her neck with a twist." His attempts to channel these impulses into medical studies only provide him with more detailed knowledge of human fragility. Can someone overcome their darkest impulses? Is Tom's attraction to vulnerability innate, or was it shaped by his violent home environment? His father's history of domestic abuse and his mother's enabling behavior suggest environmental factors, yet Tom's obsession began before he could fully comprehend these influences. His leather-bound journal-his "confession box"-reveals someone desperately trying to understand his own nature.
Sydney's Dating Nightmare and the Mystery Rescuer
Violence Begets Violence
Murder Investigation Closes In
Unraveling Deceptions
The Truth Behind the Mask
The Moral Gray Area
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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