The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

 

Author: Freida McFadden

Title: The Housemaid

Genre: Thriller

Publication Date: 1/1/2022

Number of Pages: 325

Geographical Setting: New York

Time Period: Present Day/Time of Publication

Series: The Housemaid #1

Plot Summary: Millie is an ex-con who is currently violating her parole by losing her job and living out of her car. Things finally start looking up for her though when she is offered a job by the wealthy Winchesters as their live-in maid. While Nina Winchester was friendly at the interview, the longer that Millie works for her the more she sees that Nina was not all that she had seemed. The more hostile that Nina acts towards Millie, the more Millie wonders why Andrew Winchester stays with Nina. Millie slowly starts to learn all the secrets surrounding their marriage and how dangerous living in their house really is. 

Subject Headings: 

Crime.

Psychological literature.

Abuse.

Family secrets--Fiction.

Marital conflict--Fiction.

Appeal:

Plot: While this book is a slower pace, the plot definitely drives the story. The twists and turns that are revealed throughout the story will keep readers on their toes and wanting to read more. 

Mood: Throughout the entire book, readers are kept in a type of suspense, not knowing what the characters are going to do next. The writing leaves the reader with an uneasy feeling through most of the story and you’re constantly wondering what will be revealed next. 

Writing Style: This book would appeal greatly to those who are not looking for great descriptive details. McFadden writes in a way that gives you all the important details without all the extra fluff. This type of writing style will make it a quick and easy read for many. 

3 terms that best describe this book:

Deceptive

Twisted

Plot Driven

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors

The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate Moore

Just like in The Housemaid, Elizabeth’s husband tries to destroy her reputation and her credibility by having her committed to an insane asylum. Both of these books deal greatly with deception and how the women in them have to fight for their freedom. 

Released by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard

Just like Millie and Nina, Gypsy-Rose was being controlled by someone in her life that claimed to love her. Both books contain deception, murder, and prison time. 

House of Evil by John Dean 

This is a true story of how a young girl was tortured by many people who were supposed to be caring for her. Just like the torture that occurs in The Housemaid, House of Evil contains similar torture to someone who was completely innocent. 

3 Relevant Fiction Works and Authors

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Both of these books are about a woman who goes to live with another family and then finds out that the people living there are not what they seem. Both of these novels have the same type of mood.

What Lies Between Us by John Marrs

This book contains morally gray characters, family secrets, and a very blurry line between good and bad. These are all the same characteristics of McFadden’s novel. Secrets and reasonings are slowly revealed in both of these novels.

Identity by Nora Roberts

While this book may lean a little more towards the romance genre, it has many similarities to The Housemaid. Just like in The Housemaid, the main character of this novel is fighting to get away from danger. She quickly learns that you can’t always trust the people around you and that some people are not who you think they are.