Freida McFadden’s Want to Know a Secret pulls you into a thrilling mystery filled with secrets, deception, and unexpected twists. The story centers around April, a seemingly innocent baker and YouTuber, whose life starts to unravel as she becomes the target of someone with a dark agenda. But, as the truth slowly unravels, readers are in for a shocking revelation about who April truly is.
Want to know a Secret
The fictional backdrop of April being a baker YouTuber in Want to Know a Secret adds a unique flavor to the story, and honestly, it made me hungry while reading! her vivid descriptions of her culinary creations made me want to jump into baking. The story’s pacing is another highlight—things moved along smoothly, and at no point did it feel like it dragged. The twist at the end, where the point of view switches, was a particularly nice touch. As readers, we’re seeing everything from April’s point of view, wondering why on earth someone is out to get her. She looks completely innocent—until the narrative flips and we get a glimpse of just how two-faced she is.
April’s seemingly perfect life begins to crumble when disturbing events point to someone wanting to ruin her. From her perspective, everything she’s worked for is at stake, and her innocence shines through—at least at first. The story does a great job of making us feel like we’re right alongside her, trying to figure out who’s behind the threats and why. The tension builds up nicely, with the pacing keeping the story engaging.
But just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, McFadden throws in a twist by switching the narrative. At that moment, you realize April isn’t as innocent as she seems. This shift adds a whole new layer to the story, making the reveal all the more satisfying.
I enjoyed the way the characters were written in Want to Know a Secret. While it’s a short thriller, they had enough depth to make me feel invested. April, in particular, felt very relatable at first. The way her YouTuber life as a baker was described made her character feel unique and grounded in reality. It was fun to follow along and imagine her world—until things took a darker turn.
The switching of perspectives toward the end gives us a more complete picture of who April is. We spend most of the story rooting for her, but by the end, there’s this sense of betrayal—like we were deceived right alongside everyone else. That’s where McFadden’s strength as a writer shines, creating characters that keep you guessing.
One of the most intriguing themes in Want to Know a Secret is how people can seem one way on the surface and be completely different underneath. April embodies this concept perfectly. At first glance, she seems like an innocent, hardworking woman whose life is falling apart because of some unknown enemy. But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that she’s hiding something major, and we’re left questioning everything we thought we knew about her.
While the book was engaging, I had a few issues with it. First, and this is a spoiler, but that ending! Are we supposed to believe April’s mother managed to sneak out of a home with surveillance, and no one saw anything? That felt pretty unrealistic and seemed like it was added just for convenience. It took me out of the story for a moment because it didn’t make sense in the context of everything that had happened.
Also, not including April’s point of view after everything unfolded was a missed opportunity. I would’ve loved to know what she had to say after all the chaos. It felt a bit incomplete without her final thoughts or reactions. With that being said my final rating of this book is 3.5/5 stars.
• Title: Want to Know a Secret
• Author: Freida McFadden
• Publication Date: January 5, 2021
• Genre: Thriller, Mystery, psychological fiction
• Page Count: 399
