A Never-Ending Hike: A Disappointing One by One Review

This is my third Freida McFadden book review, and I am left feeling disappointed. The Crash left me annoyed, while The Teacher was a much more fun read. What drew me to One by One was the cover and its premise. I recently read And Then There Were None and am really into the trope of a group of people getting picked off by a mysterious murderer. Given that vibe, I decided to give it a try. Let’s jump into the review.

The Setup: A Doomed Couples Retreat

Like other McFadden books, this one is structured from multiple viewpoints, with only two this time, Claire and “Anonymous.” We start with Claire Matchett, who is sick of her marriage to Noah and is only staying for the kids. She’s also having an affair with her husband’s best friend, Jack, who is also on this couples retreat with his wife.

The third couple is Lindsay and her new boyfriend, Warner. The three couples travel in Claire’s minivan, which conveniently breaks down in the middle of nowhere, leaving them stranded without a cell signal.

The “Anonymous” POV details a childhood of abuse from a cruel mother, with the narrator’s identity kept ambiguous. I felt it was obviously someone in the group, but there were tiny doubts making me think there might be a seventh person … until everyone started acting super suspicious.

The Hike (and My ‘Boy Scout’ Problems)

After the breakdown, the group decides to hike the “two miles” to the resort. This is where I had my first issues with the book.

I’m a former Boy Scout who has done plenty of hiking. I’ll admit, I’m over that stage of my life, but I wouldn’t bring a compass to a remote retreat, as Jack does. Also, Warner’s map is very suspicious. Why wouldn’t the driver, Noah print their own map? And why does Claire estimate it will take two hours to hike two miles? How slow do you walk?

As they hike, Lindsay gets hungry and eats some “blueberries” that turn out to be nightshade. She becomes the first casualty. Warner reacts callously, and they eventually leave her body behind.

Where the Tension Should Be

The group eventually camps for the night, and when they wake up, Jack’s wife is gone. They find blood and claw marks, but no body. The other deaths happen “off-screen,” which completely removes the tension from the book. At this point, Claire is getting conflicting stories from Noah and Jack, who are both acting suspiciously.

They finally find a cabin, but it’s run-down, and the owner is dead in his truck with a stab wound, which conveniently hints at Noah, who we know brought a knife. 

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The Final Twist (Spoilers Ahead!)

Things finally climax when Claire finds Jack dead and assumes Noah and Warner are working together

… only to discover it’s Lindsay, holding a gun on Noah, working with Warner.

Yes, Lindsay faked her death. She was “Anonymous” and is a serial killer who likes to murder bad partners. Claire and Noah escape and find a new spark in their relationship.

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Final Verdict: A Fast but Frustrating Read

I was a little disappointed in this book, especially given the And Then There Were None premise. It took forever for the group to get to the cabin, and there was very little payoff.

I was looking for a claustrophobic book where characters were trapped, just like Dead of Winter. Instead, it was a never-ending hike that failed to build any real tension. Lindsay’s death was a good red herring, but the other deaths were off-screen. And why should I care about the twist of Lindsay framing Noah (did I mention that?). The potential twist of Noah actually planning to kill Jack was far more interesting.

It was a fast read; it only took me two days. But it felt like a story McFadden busted out in the same amount of time. I think it would make a much better Netflix movie. If you’re a McFadden completist, go for it. Otherwise, you can probably skip this one.

What were your thoughts on this book? Let me know in the comments below.