Book Review | The Housemaid | Freida McFadden

 

The Housemaid (The Housemaids #1) by Freida McFadden

About Author

#1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Freida McFadden is a practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple Kindle bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. She lives with her family and possessed cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.

Main characters

  • Millie Calloway – Ex-convict trying to rebuild her life; becomes a live-in housemaid.
  • Nina Winchester – The wealthy wife who hires Millie; behaves erratically.
  • Andrew Winchester – Nina’s charming husband who appears kind and protective.
  • Cecelia Winchester – Their young daughter.
  • Enzo – The quiet gardener who senses danger.

Recap

Millie, recently released from prison, living in her car and desperate for work, takes a job as a live-in maid for the wealthy Winchester family. She lives in a tiny attic room that locks from the outside and soon notices strange behaviour from Nina, who treats her cruelly and acts unstable. Cecilia, even though only 9 years old, acts like a pyscho. Andrew is the only one who seems sympathetic and protective, and Millie begins to trust him. Around midway, everything flips when the story reveals the truth. None of the characters are who they seem they are.

Review

I went into this already knowing I loved the sequel, but The Housemaid completely held its own.

What stood out to me most was the voice. The prose is simple, almost blunt at times, and never pretentious. There’s a dry, almost throwaway humour that sneaks in between dark moments, and I loved how certain jokes or lines get recalled later. It gives the narration personality without trying too hard.

On the story front, it’s incredibly engaging. The pacing makes it hard to stop reading. The twists? Sharp and well-executed. Even when I sensed something, I didn’t see the full picture coming. 

I did guess one emotional thread early on—when Nina first mentioned how much Andy sought his mother’s approval, I had a feeling about where that dynamic would land. The final funeral scene confirmed it in a very satisfying way. It felt like the author trusted the reader enough to drop subtle hints and let us connect the dots.

Loved it. 

Final Verdict

Fast, gripping, and disturbingly fun.

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Stay tuned for more book reviews. 

Until next time, happy reading!

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