Friday, July 17, 2026

THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden completely surprised me—in the best way.


I started this one with low expectations. I love a good mystery, but psychological thrillers aren’t usually my thing. A few chapters in, though, I was hooked. McFadden’s writing is so conversational and easy to read that it feels like a friend is telling you a wild story. The short chapters and constant tension make it ridiculously hard to put down.


What begins as a seemingly straightforward “troubled young woman takes a job as a live-in housemaid for a wealthy, dysfunctional family” setup quickly turns into something much darker and more twisty. Just when I thought I had the characters figured out, the story zigged and zagged with jaw-dropping revelations. The final stretch is packed with “holy mackerel” moments that left me rethinking everything.


It reminded me a lot of Verity by Colleen Hoover—same unreliable-narrator, domestic-nightmare energy—but I actually preferred McFadden’s version: tighter pacing, less sex, and more of that subtle (but not overly graphic) edge. The ending is a fantastic segue into the sequel, and I’m already tempted to dive in after a cozy mystery palate cleanser.


If you’re on the fence about psychological thrillers, The Housemaid might just pull you in the same way it did me. One leg dangling off the edge, for sure. Highly recommend!

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