Last Updated on April 22, 2026
It’s very hard to resist the lure of a book that currently has a 4.5 score from 369,260 ratings on Amazon. After all, how can that many people be wrong? And, to clarify, they are not wrong.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden has to be one of the most addictive books that I’ve read in a long time.
To put that statement into context, I brought it with me on a girls’ weekend away, and by the time both the book and the weekend were over, not only was I blown away, but three of my friends had downloaded it based on how much I had raved about it.
As somebody who is not usually at a loss for words, all I can say is that The Housemaid is spectacular so if you’re looking for your next crime mystery make it this book.
That said, it is a tad above cozy level, and while it isn’t particularly gruesome, it is more of a psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.
Meet Millie Calloway
Sometimes life doesn’t turn out as planned, and case in point is the story of Millie Calloway.
Millie is 27 years old and has just been released from prison following a ten-year stint. We don’t know why she was there, only that she is now on parole and needs a job desperately.
Living in her car and with no income, she responds to an advert for a housekeeper and does her utmost to impress Nina Winchester, the lady of the house, during her interview.
Nine is impeccably dressed, the house is fabulous, the salary will change Millie’s life and best of all, it’s a live-in position.
Millie gets the job and is delighted despite the fact that her room is practically hidden away in the attic. But it’s a small price to pay for the security and Millie is just relieved that her life might finally be turning a corner.
But nothing is quite as it seems and soon Millie is going to find herself in a situation that even she may not be able to get out of.
The Winchester Family
The Winchester’s are Nina, her daughter Cecelia and her gorgeous husband Andrew. Nina is a little highly strung, to begin with, dressing from head to toe in white every single day and demanding the highest of standards from Millie.
Andrew is the more relaxed of the two, and it quickly becomes apparent that while they are happily married, Nina is in somewhat of a downward spiral, becoming increasingly erratic the longer Millie is in the house.
Nothing is good enough, the demands pile on, her behaviour swings from bet friend to tormentor and all Millie can do is suck it up because, after all, she has no where else to go.
If she leaves, she won’t get a reference or another job, violating her parole and ending up with her back inside.
The only bright light for Millie is the kindness of Andrew who she grows increasingly close to. When it looks like Nina has finally crossed the line, Andrew’s patience with her finally runs out.
Finally, Millie is within touching distance of her dream life, but Nina won’t give up that easily.
The Twist
I’m not actually going to tell you what the twist is. Suffice it to say that this is a book of two halves.
The first being Millie’s story, the second being Nina’s and believe me when I tell you that the twist in this book will blow your mind.
We know from the outset, in fact the opening page of the book, that things do not end well – we just don’t know for who so the whole way through it could literally be any of them.
It’s a genius way to open a book – a snippet of the police detective trying to establish what exactly went on in the house – before slowly revealing the entire story to the reader.
And just when you’ve caught your breath and your entire perspective has been upended, another twist is waiting around the corner.
I would go so far as to say that even the last line is an ‘oh my God’ moment. Certainly enough to have you running to your nearest bookshop to get the next instalment in the series!
Two More To Get Stuck Into
The Housemaid was published in 2022 and in the time since, Freida McFadden has penned two more novels in the series.
They are The Housemaid’s Secret (2023) and The Housemaid Is Watching (2024) and both have been equally as successful as the first book.
I really don’t want to tell you what they are about suffice to say that Millie survives her ordeal and these books continue with her story as she tries to escape from her past.
Will The Housemaid Be Made Into A Movie?
The great news is that The Housemaid will be made into a movie. Lionsgate, knowing a good thing when they see it, acquired the film rights to the book after a four-way auction.
Todd Lieberman’s newly formed production company, Hidden Pictures, will produce the film, and Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys and The Vampire Diaries) will write the screenplay for the adaptation.
Unfortunately, no casting details or release date have been announced yet, but Freida McFadden has stated that she is so grateful to all the readers who helped make The Housemaid a success and that she is incredibly excited to see how the Hidden Pictures team will bring her book to life.
Neither can we, Freida, neither can we…
