The Witch Audiobook Review: Freida McFadden's Haunting New Thriller

The Witch is Freida McFadden's standalone psychological thriller about secrets that survive across centuries. The story moves between a 1692 witch-trial past and a present-day family mystery, giving the audiobook an eerie historical frame without abandoning McFadden's familiar taste for compact, twist-led suspense.

Quick verdict: This is a promising fit for listeners who want a short Freida McFadden thriller with a supernatural atmosphere, two contrasting time periods, and a dual-narrator production. It is a standalone, so no previous McFadden book is required.

Author: Freida McFadden
Narrators: Saskia Maarleveld and Marin Ireland
Length: approximately 9 hours 31 minutes
Format: dual narration
Genre: Psychological thriller

Best for: Freida McFadden fans, listeners who like family secrets with an eerie edge, and anyone looking for a compact thriller that can be finished quickly.

What is The Witch about?

The premise links a historical thread set around the Salem-era witch trials with a contemporary family mystery. That structure gives the book two kinds of tension: the immediate danger of a present-day secret and the lingering question of what the earlier events have left behind.

The historical material is atmosphere rather than a promise of conventional fantasy. Listeners choosing this for McFadden's work should expect psychological suspense, family pressure and revelations first, with the witch-trial setting supplying the unsettling backdrop.

Narration and listening experience

Saskia Maarleveld and Marin Ireland provide the audiobook's clearest audio advantage. Two voices help distinguish the story's perspectives and make the movement between past and present easier to follow than a single performance might. Their presence also suits a thriller built around withheld information: the listener can track emotional shifts while still questioning what each thread is hiding.

The approximately nine-and-a-half-hour runtime keeps the commitment manageable. That makes The Witch a practical choice for a focused weekend or several commutes, although listeners who prefer expansive historical fiction may find the historical world-building intentionally compact.

What works

• The standalone format makes it an easy entry point for new Freida McFadden listeners.
• The historical and contemporary timelines give the suspense a distinctive atmosphere.
• Dual narration should make the shifts in perspective clear and add contrast to the production.
• The compact runtime supports a fast, plot-led listening experience.

Possible drawback

The Witch is best approached as a psychological thriller with a witch-trial frame, not as a deep historical novel or a fully supernatural fantasy. Listeners who want extensive period detail, a slow-burn literary structure or a long series commitment may prefer another title.

Worth the credit?

Worth considering for fans of Freida McFadden and short, twist-led psychological suspense. The strongest reasons to choose it are the standalone premise, dual narration and manageable runtime. Before spending a credit, confirm the current edition, narrator and account-specific terms shown on Audible.

Next listen: If you want more Freida McFadden, continue with our ranked Freida McFadden guide or use the Freida McFadden audiobook order guide to start The Housemaid sequence.

Check Audible's current offer for The Witch →

Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. Offers, pricing, availability and any complimentary audiobook benefit vary by country and account.