Read Freida McFadden‘s The Housemaid Books in order 2026. Get full summaries, reading timeline, and movie updates in this complete guide.
The Housemaid Books have gripped readers by throat with their chilling psychological twists and admirable storylines. It has bagged some of most prestigious awards:
- TIME100 Most Influential People Recognition (2026)
- Lionsgate Feature Film Adaptation (2025)
- Amazon UK Best-Selling Book of the Year (2024)
- Gold Bestseller Award
- Silver Bestseller Award
- 2023 International Thriller Writers Award: The Housemaid won in the category of Best Paperback Original Novel.
- 2023 Goodreads Choice Award: The Housemaid’s Secret received the award for Best Mystery & Thriller.
- #1 spot on The New York Times Fiction Best Seller list in 2024
The Housemaid Series is a psychological thriller collection with heavy domestic noir and suspense elements. The series has achieved bestseller status on platforms like Amazon, The New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal.
The movie The Housemaid (released December 19, 2025), a psychological thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, was directed by Paul Feig. While the movie is based on the first book, the success of the film could potentially lead to a franchise. It got Box Office Success grossed over $400 million worldwide against a $35 million budget.
The movie won the Best Book to Screen Adaptation at the Astra Film Awards (2026).
About the Author: Who is Freida McFadden?
- Real Name: Her actual name is Dr. Sara Cohen
- Freida McFadden is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author known for writing addictive psychological thrillers
- Education & Career: She studied mathematics at Harvard University before earning her medical degree at Stony Brook University and completing her residency at Stanford University.
- Origin of the Name: The name “Freida” was inspired by FREIDA (the American Medical Association’s Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database tool)
- Global Impact: Her books have been translated into more than 45 languages and have dominated bestseller charts worldwide.
- Writing Style: Freida McFadden’s novels are renowned for their unreliable narrators, claustrophobic domestic settings, and shock twist endings
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Complete List: The Housemaid Books in Order (2026 Series Guide)
- The Housemaid (2022) (Book 1)
- The Housemaid’s Secret (2023) (Book 2)
- The Housemaid’s Wedding (2024); Novella 2.5 (Bridge Story)
- The Housemaid Is Watching (2024) (Book 3) (Series Finale)
All Freida McFadden Books Chronologically Updated for 2026
- The Witch (Upcoming 2026)
- The Divorce (2026)
- The Dinner Party (2026)
- DEAR DEBBIE (2026)
- THE CRASH (2025)
- THE TENANT (2025)
- THE INTRUDER (2025)
- DEATH ROW (2025)
- THE HOUSEMAID IS WATCHING (2024)
- THE TEACHER (2024)
- THE BOYFRIEND (2024)
- THE HOUSEMAID’S WEDDING (2024)
- THE HOUSEMAID’S SECRET (2023)
- WARD D (2023)
- THE COWORKER (2023)
- THE HOUSEMAID (2022)
- DO YOU REMEMBER? (2022)
- THE INMATE (2022)
- NEVER LIE (2022)
- WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? (2021)
- THE LOCKED DOOR (2021)
- DO NOT DISTURB (2021)
- THE WIFE UPSTAIRS (2020)
- ONE BY ONE (2020)
- THE EX (2019)
- THE PERFECT SON (2019)
- THE SURROGATE MOTHER (2018)
- THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (2017)
- BRAIN DAMAGE (2016)
- BABY CITY (2015)
- DEAD MED (2014)
- SUICIDE MED (2014)
- THE DEVIL WEARS SCRUBS (2013)
There’s no official announcement yet of a fourth book in The Housemaid series, but given the series’ popularity and the upcoming movie adaptation (2026), it’s possible short follow-ups or spin-offs could come.
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Key Themes in The Housemaid Books by Freida McFadden
The Housemaid Books are psychological thriller collection with heavy domestic noir and suspense elements.
- Psychological Manipulation & Power Dynamics
- Class Divide & Social Injustice
- Secrets, Trauma & Reinvention
- Female Empowerment & Survival
- Deception and Hidden Identities
- Revenge and Justice
- The Illusion of Perfection
Tone & Style in The Housemaid Books
- Reading Pace : Extremely Fast
- Complexity Level: Accessible, fast moving prose
- Violence & Gore: Moderate
- Narrative Voice: 1st Person
- Tone Match: Similar to The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Summaries & Ratings: The Housemaid Books in Order
1. The Housemaid (2022) (#1)
Book Ratings:
- Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 / 5.0, Over 1.2M Ratings)
- Amazon Rating: ★★★★½ (4.6 / 5.0, Over 450k Reviews)
- Barnes & Noble: 4.6 out of 5 stars, based on 96 customer reviews.
- Page Count: 330 pages
It’s the First book in The Housemaid Books In Order.
Millie, is a woman with shadows clinging to her past, mysterious, solitary, and scarred by a life that’s been anything but kind. Recently released from prison, she’s desperate for a fresh start.
With no family, no support system, and barely a penny to her name, she’s clinging to basics, limiting herself to survival, job hunting, penny-pinching, trying to piece together a new life from the ruins of the old.
Then, as if destined, she lands a lifeline, a live-in position as a housemaid for the Winchester family. It seems simple enough ranging from cleaning, follow the rules, stay out of trouble. A job. A room. A second chance.
Andrew and Nina Winchester live in an elegant, sprawling mansion with their young daughter, Cecelia. At first glance, they appear to be, the picture-perfect family. But from the moment, Millie arrives, something feels off, like some kind of shadow lurking in the woods.
Nina is bipolar, warm one moment, cold and volatile the next. Her husband, Andrew is her opposite, calm, collected, and strangely considerate. But the house itself harbors its own secrets. Weirdly enough, Millie’s attic room is locked from the outside. And there’s one door upstairs she’s forbidden to open. Ever!
She tries to ignore the unease and strangeness that surrounds the house, focusing on her duties. But the warning signs only grow louder. Her belongings,that too in her room, are mysteriously moved. Nina lashes out with baseless accusations. Cecelia has a tendency to draws unsettling, almost haunting images. And a chilling thought begins to haunt Millie, she feels she’s being watched.
As paranoia twists into reality, Millie uncovers a dark secret buried deep within the Winchester home, one that turns her job into a nightmare and her fresh start into a fight for survival. Nothing is what it seems in this strange house of lies. And the truth? It’s far more dangerous than she ever could have imagined!
2. The Housemaid’s Secret (2023)(#2)
Book Ratings :
- Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3 / 5.0 , Over 650k Ratings)
- Amazon Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 / 5.0, Over 180k Reviews)
- Page Count: 320 pages
The Second Book in the The Housemaid Books In Order.
After the traumatic experience at the Winchester household, Millie is determined to get her life back on track.
Desperate for a fresh start, she keeps searching for a job, this time hoping that luck might finally be on her side. All she wants is a chance at a normal life, and when she’s offered another position as a live-in housemaid, she decides to take it.
Her new employers? Douglas Garrick, a wealthy tech executive, and his reclusive wife, Wendy, living in a sleek Manhattan penthouse.
Douglas, insists that Wendy is seriously ill and confined to the guest bedroom. But Millie quickly starts noticing unsettling things, bloodstains on Wendy’s clothes, muffled sobs in the middle of the night, and a creeping sense that something is very, very wrong.
With her past shaped by witnessing abuse and injustice, Millie feels compelled to help Wendy. But what she uncovers shocks her!
Wendy isn’t a helpless victim. She’s manipulative, having an affair with a man named Russell and plotting to kill her husband. Worse, she plans to frame Millie for the murder. And then it happens.
One day, the police show up. Douglas is dead, and all the evidence points straight to Millie. Arrested and betrayed, she turns to the only person she can trust, her ex-boyfriend, Enzo. Together, they dig into the truth and uncover a tangled web of lies, deceit, and betrayal.
The situation spirals when Russell’s wife, Marybeth, discovers the affair and confronts Wendy and Russell. In a dramatic and deadly standoff, the truth finally comes to light, clearing Millie’s name once and for all.
3. The Housemaid’s Wedding (Novella, 2024)(#2.5)
Book Ratings :
- Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.9 / 5.0, Over 80k Ratings)
- Amazon Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.2 / 5.0, Over 25k Reviews)
- Page Count: 68 pages
It’s not among the core books but a novella that comes inbetween book 2 & 3 in The Housemaid Books In Order.
The novella begins on the day of Millie and Enzo’s wedding day, with Millie suddenly receiving a threatening phone call in the morning. She’s determined, not to let fear overshadow their special day, she chooses to keep the calls a secret from Enzo for their his sake.
As the day progresses, Millie continues to receive these weird unsettling messages, increasing tension and stress throughout the day, to an otherwise joyous occasion. The novella delves into Millie’s internal struggle between safeguarding their happiness and confronting the looming threat.
4. The Housemaid Is Watching (2024) (#3)
Book Ratings:
- Goodreads Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.0 / 5.0, Over 350k Ratings)
- Amazon Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.3 / 5.0, Over 90k Reviews)
- Barnes & Noble: Average Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
- Page Count: 352 pages
The Third Book in The Housemaid Books In Order.
After the events of The Housemaid’s Secret, thirteen years have passed. Millie, is now married to Enzo and together they have two, beautiful children, Ada and Nico. The family has settled into a new home, in a quiet neighborhood, surrounded by serene and peaceful surroundings, a life that finally seems normal.
But fate has a strange way of following Millie, wherever she goes. Despite the years that have passed and the new life she has built, something about her neighbors Suzette and Jonathan Lowell, feels oddly familiar and unsettling.
To her dismay, Enzo begins working closely with Jonathan on yard renovations, and the closeness between them sets off alarm bells in Millie’s mind.
Then, out of nowhere, Jonathan is found dead. Enzo, who had been spending a lot of time with Jonathan, becomes the prime suspect, when his knife is discovered at the crime scene. As a former prisoner herself, Millie knows all too well what prison can do to a person. She’s desperate to protect her husband and keep her family from falling apart.
Soon, it’s revealed that Ada had confronted Jonathan after learning about his abuse toward her younger brother, Nico, an altercation that turned violent. But the truth goes deeper. With the help of Officer Ramirez, a figure from her past, Millie forces Suzette into confessing, ultimately clearing Enzo’s name.
But one question still haunts her, If Suzette took the fall, who was the real killer?
Buy Books by Freida McFadden: Complete Buying Guide & Best Deals
FAQs
What is The Housemaid about?
It is a psychological thriller, where in a woman named Milie, working as a Housemaid after a long prison break, encounters multiple mysterious families and intriguing circumstance.
How many books are there in The Housemaid series?
There are 4 books, including 3 core novels and 1 novella in The Housemaid Books in order.
1. The Housemaid (Book 1)
2. The Housemaid’s Secret (Book 2)
3. The Housemaid’s Wedding (Novella, 2024)
4. The Housemaid is Watching (Book 3)
Is Housemaid Books a psychological thriller?
Yes, The Housemaid Series is a psychological thriller including mystery, challenges and more.
Do the Housemaid books have strong plot twists?
The Housemaid series have definitely quite strong plot twists with each chapter ending in a clip hanger. The entire text revolves around twists and turns, mysterious circumstances and psychologically challenge families.
Do The Housemaid books connect, or are they standalone?
The Housemaid books are connected through the protagonist Milie, who’s the central character in all the books in the series. The best recommendation is to read the series in order of its publication but readers can read individually as well as every book has a different case to solve and a different story.
Are there themes of abuse or violence in The Housemaid?
Yes. The series explores domestic abuse, manipulation, psychological trauma, and more. It’s intense but adds to the thriller element.
How to read The Housemaid books in order?
The best way to cherish the books to their most is to read in the publication order.
1. The Housemaid (Book 1)
2. The Housemaid’s Secret (Book 2)
3. The Housemaid’s Wedding (Novella, 2024)
4. The Housemaid is Watching (Book 3)
Is there a sequel to The Housemaid by Freida McFadden?
Yes, there are several sequels to The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.
1. The Housemaid (Book 1)
2. The Housemaid’s Secret (Book 2)
3. The Housemaid’s Wedding (Novella, 2024)
4. The Housemaid is Watching (Book 3)
Will there be a 4th housemaid book?
As of now, Freida McFadden has not officially announced a fourth full-length novel in The Housemaid series. In fact, a Q&A on Goodreads with the author indicates that there won’t be a fourth full-length book in the series. But given the series’ popularity and the upcoming film adaptation starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried , it’s quite likely that McFadden may continue the series.
Is The Housemaid based on a true story?
No, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden is not based on a true story. It’s a psychological thriller and a work of fiction, entirely created from the author’s imagination.
Is The Housemaid scary to read?
The Housemaid series is not considered gruesome or related to the genre of horror but it does contain some dark themes along the lines of psychological thriller.
Is The Housemaid an easy read?
The vocabulary in the Housemaid series is not high end and quite accessible to readers. The sentences are short with a moderate vocabulary level.
Can a 13 year old read The Housemaid?
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden is a psychological thriller with mature themes, including abuse, manipulation, and violence. It’s intended for an adult audience and, although it isn’t overly explicit like some thrillers, it does explore dark and intense themes that may be unsettling.
Is The Housemaid appropriate for teenagers?
Not recommended for younger teens. The books have mature and disturbing themes like manipulation, abuse, and psychological trauma. Best suited for ages 16+ depending on the reader’s maturity.
Is the book violent or graphic?
There is some violence and psychological abuse, but it’s not overly graphic. Being psychological thriller, it focuses more on tension, manipulation, and emotional stakes.
Is The Housemaid part of Kindle Unlimited?
Yes, The Housemaid is part of Kindle Unlimited.
What new books is Freida McFadden releasing?
She has two standalone thrillers scheduled for release:
1. The Intruder (October 7, 2025)
2. Dear Debbie (January 27, 2026)
What are the recent books by Frieda McFadden?
Some of Frieda McFadden’s recent and upcoming releases include:
The Crash (January 2025)
The Tenant (May 2025)
The Intruder (October 2025)
Dear Debbie (January 2026)
What does the name Freida mean?
The name Freida derives from Old High German roots (specifically friþuz) and means “peace,” “tranquility,” or “peaceful ruler”.
What is the author’s real name who wrote housemaid series?
Her real name is Dr. Sara Cohen. In April 2026, she publicly revealed her identity in an interview with USA Today, putting an end to years of fan theories and speculation.
Why did Freida Mcfadden use a pen name?
She originally chose “Freida McFadden” to separate her literary work from her clinical practice as a physician specializing in brain injuries.
Will Mcfadden change the name on future books?
No. She confirmed that she will continue to publish all future thrillers under the pen name Freida McFadden.
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