BOOK REVIEW: THE HOUSEMAID – FREIDA McFADDEN

Book Review: The Housemaid – Freida McFadden

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband. 

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

All I can say is Oh My God. This book absolutely blew me away. I was in a bit of a reading slump, and this book changed it for me. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden indeed marked my love for thrillers deep in my brain. It was a fantastic book with an even better twist. I say this for most books, but this book is a 5/5 for me. I devoured It in literally under 24 hours, with breaks… obviously; anyway, all I have to say is a chef’s kiss.

The book starts by introducing the readers to Millie, the main character. She is at a job interview applying to be, you guessed it, a housemaid. The immensely wealthy Nina Winchester hires her. She is employed on the spot and proceeds to move into the massive mansion. But instantly, Millie feels a sense of unease. The Italian landscaper, Nina’s bipolar attitude, Nina’s perfect family, the small attic room with a lock on the outside that Millie lives in – it’s a web of secrets, even entangled with some of the ones Millie will keep at any cost.

Freida’s writing pulled me in like a gravitational force from the first page. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the book. Her writing is hypnotizing; it puts you on the edge of your seat—not daring to move. Freida’s writing style is very easy to read, and that’s the beauty of it. Her books have banger plots, but the catch is that they are written in an uncomplicated way, making the plot more enjoyable. I didn’t look at previous chapters to recall something because every point was laid out in smooth transitions.

I love, love, LOVED the constant plot twists Freida served us. My mouth was hanging open probably 99% of the time—the story changes were just so completely unexpected! I also really enjoyed how the plot twist wasn’t at the absolute end of the book; Freida revealed the secret and then continued to unravel more of the story’s mysteries. I really appreciated that, as I tend to dislike abrupt endings where the twist is given in the last chapter or so.

“I could just barely make out the word he said. Pericolo. Whatever that means.” – Freida McFadden, The Housemaid, Book 1

The Housemaid also wasn’t a very gory thriller, which I really preferred. Sure, there were a few uncomfortable parts here and there, but the essence of the story came from the fact that the readers were kind of like a fly on the wall, just watching the narrative unfold. Sometimes, we know more than the characters; sometimes, we don’t. And it all depends on the unreliable narrator who can decide to give us a joyride or make the road bumpy.

The fast-paced plot, engaging characters, and exhilarating twists make this book one of my absolute favorites. However, if I had to point out one critique, it would be the presence of some plot holes that didn’t quite add up if you’re thinking practically. Since it’s a fiction novel, most of these issues flew under the radar, but some moments lacked explanation or simply didn’t make much sense upon closer inspection.

Overall, The Housemaid was the perfect thriller to pull me out of a reading slump. It checked all the boxes: fast-paced, gripping plot and unforgettable characters. Snuggling up with this book on a stormy afternoon sounds like pure bliss. If you’re looking for a heart-pounding, page-turning adventure, this book is for you!