Booze & Book Reviews
The Locked Door
By Frida McFadden
Book Rating: 4.5 out of 5 boozy stars
Nora Davis is an affluent surgeon in her own practice who works long hours cutting and healing patients. She has made a good life for herself doing what she loves. If her patients and coworkers knew who she really was, things would be very different...
Twenty-six years ago Nora's father, Aaron Nierling, was arrested for murdering nearly thirty women in the basement of her childhood home. Nora has changed her last name and put her past behind her, but what happens when her female patients start to go missing? When they are found murdered with their hands severed, the same way her father used to commit his crimes, Nora cannot ignore the similarities. Neither can the detectives who come knocking at her door.
Someone knows who Nora really is, and now they want her to take the fall for these unspeakable crimes. But Nora is innocent. The police cannot pin these murders on her... As long as they don't look in her basement.
This novel was a new plot line for me, and I really enjoyed it. There were a few chapters in the middle that were relatively uneventful, but the great thing is that many of them are short and still add to the story's pacing. I enjoyed the characters, even though I was suspicious of everyone at different times throughout the book. The ending was shocking and very well written. McFadden does well with plot twists and surely does not disappoint when it comes to ending her novels. If you're looking for a page turner that will leave you mind blown at the end of the book, this is the one for you!
What booze pairs well with this novel?
Classic Old Fashioned
(From "A Couple of Cooks")
Ingredients
1 sugar cube (1 teaspoon sugar)
4 dashes Angostura bitters
½ teaspoon water
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) bourbon or rye whiskey
Orange peel
Cocktail cherry, for garnish (optional)
Large CLEAR ice cube for serving
Recipe
Place the sugar cube in a lowball glass and add the bitters. Add the water and mash and swirl it with a muddler or wooden spoon until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
Add the whiskey and swirl to combine. Add a large ice cube.
Use a knife to remove a 1″ wide strip of the orange peel. Squeeze the orange peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the glass. If desired, garnish with a cocktail cherry for additional sweetness.
Booze Rating: 4 out of 5 boozy stars
My husband rated this drink. Personally, I'm not a fan of whiskey so my rating would have been a low 1. Maybe lower if possible. So to give the drink a fair chance, my husband rated it. This drink is the perfect pair for The Locked Door because not only is it the main character (and her father's) favorite drink, but it is also mentioned a few times throughout the book. Enjoy sipping on an Old Fashioned while you read!