This was very engaging to read, but the plot gets quite dark very fast and is a little too indulgent in cruelty and bodily harm. It was fast paced and engaged me throughout, but did not make me look forward to future sequels of this book.

Warning: Dissenting opinion ahead! If you loved The Housemaid and don’t want to listen to me talk about how much I didn’t like it, you might want to skip this review.

First, I just want to take a moment to look at the Goodreads reviews for The Housemaid. I gave the book 2 stars, which means I’m in the 1% of readers:

This honestly completely blew my mind. How is it possible that I book I disliked so much is so loved across the board?

Anyway, this book was super hyped, so I went into it with high expectations. It’s not one I would have normally picked up, but it’s my book club’s pick for January. So, I looked forward to giving it a go.

Now, there were even some comments in my book club’s Facebook group about how much this book was loved. Cue up alllll the excitement and expectations for me.

Guys. I hated this book . I apologize in advance, but here comes my rant.

First of all, can we just acknowledge the fact that the cover basically gives away what’s going to happen? And then you spend the ENTIRE first half of the book leading up to it. I almost DNF’ed multiple times in the first half, but this book was for book club and I knew SOMETHING eventually had to happen. Something that wasn’t just lead-up to said thing.

Also, Millie is the most ridiculous parolee. She should have learned some sort of “watch your back” skills in there, right? Yet she ignores repeated, hit-you-over-the-head warnings…like when the gardener straight up says “you’re in danger.” Okay, I don’t care how badly you need the money…this is a matter of self preservation. And she just ignores it like an idiot. I swear if this were a horror film, she’d die first.

Then, she puts up with the most ridiculous stuff I’ve ever seen from Nina, and just rolls with the dang punches. Because why? Because she feels bad for her mental status and thinks her husband is hot. The woman is doing things that are absolutely psychotic, Millie is being told she’s in danger, and she just keeps doing everything she’s doing, staying on with the family. I’m at a loss with this one, guys.


Finally, the stuff you know is coming starts to happen. You are completely unsurprised. Were there a few twists at this time? Sure. Did it make up for the awful first half of the book? No.

The ending…okay fine, it was good. I liked the way it ended. But I kind of hated the whole book that I had to read to get there.

That’s it, that’s all I have to say. Hopefully someone out there agrees with me.

When Millie gets a job as live-in housekeeper to Nina Winchester and her family she can’t believe her luck. As a recently released prisoner, Millie’s not had much luck with employment so she is amazed to get this job. Even though, all too soon, it seems there are some serious concerns about the mental health of her employer, Millie is determined to do her best to make this work.
What Millie doesn’t realise is that Nina had her own reasons for hiring her. Reasons that you cannot begin to guess at.
Told from the perspectives of both Millie and Nina, this seems like a rather run-of-the-mill thriller. More fool me for thinking that was it…because we soon learn that nothing about this scenario is what we think.
The plot was, to put it bluntly, preposterous. The characters were hard to like in many ways. However, it was the kind of book that had me hanging on every page desperate to see where we ended up.

This book is incredible. So many twists and turns, you will not be bored. And you will not want to put it down. Definitely recommend for a thrilling read.

This book is everywhere at the moment, so I did worry it wouldn't live up to it's hype... But I definitely wasn't disappointed.

The short chapters and exciting story meant I got through this book rather quickly. The twist was so good and was certainly not one I saw coming. I was hooked from the very first chapter to the very last - I couldn't put this one down!
I have already started the next book!

Absolutely a book I recommend !

I read this one back in January when the ARC became suddenly available to me after the publication was released. I'd seen so many glowing reviews for this one since its release and was excited to read it soon. So shall I start this review out with the best part? I devoured this amazing book!

This book was so well written I could not part with it even for a minute. The pace is breathtakingly fast and the narration is so engrossing that all you can think is "what happens next? I need to know more stat!". The chapters are short and always ends in a way that keeps you hooked, I caught myself saying "just one more chapter" many more times than I'd like to admit.

The story progresses in a way that makes it clear to the reader what might actually be happening, the thought "oh no, this isn't gonna end well" ringing in your head, but it's like watching a car crash so you can't stop yourself from reading more. And that twist? Brilliantly executed. Safe to say that I will be picking up more books by Freida MacFadden.

This book was amazing and kept me turning the pages wanting to know what was coming next. HIGHLY reccomend!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG!!! This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

this is widly popular and im sure would do well feel like this would be a good series to watch perhaps on the ott more than i enjoyed reading it

The Housemaid by @fmcfaddenauthor
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5

Waaaaaaaa that was nuts!!! And I loved it!!!

Ok so I'm a total dozzy Dora ... I thought I'd already read this!.... But I'd confused it with The Maid by Nina Prose 🙈....

So when I realised I hadn't read it I gave it a go! Omg this is such a "grab you by the balls" book ... The characters are just totally ace! Full on nuts! The twists were absolutely brilliant... Start to finish.. a pure work of genius!!.. and this week, as luck would have it, I stumbled across a copy of the second book in the series so I can't wait for more far out thriller mayhem from this author.

Tanked this in no time at all...and considering I've got no time to spare at the mo the addictiveness of this book speaks for itself!

Thank you to netgalley for this ARC

This book was not what I was expecting. This is good in a thriller as often they can be predictable. There were some parts that were guessed but there were twists in twist which I enjoy..

However I didn't like or connect to any of the characters at all. As a book about flawed people this is sometimes ok but I felt there were some odd moments and interactions. Some of the actions just don't make sense in the context and there is a way too wrapped up in a bow placed character at a point which seemed totally implausible.

It was an easy style of writing and quick to read

This kept me on the edge of my seat! A very quick read

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was a great one to pull me out of a reading slump. I was turning pages at a rapid pace and found it to be very fun. The author turns the story on its head with a whiplash inducing twist. This was my first book by Freida McFadden and now I'm eager to grab more by her. The writing is not Pulitzer quality but definitely provides a fun reading experience.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn't see the twist coming! I couldn't put this book down. If you're looking for a book that will keep you up, this is it.

Synopsis:

Working as a housekeeper for the Winchesters is my last chance to start fresh. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own… Every day I clean their house, cook and take care of their daughter before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how Nina is unpredictable, and how her husband seems more broken every day. 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. I only try on one of Nina’s 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.

Review:

This book was a crazy rollercoaster read. It is packed with action and you are wondering how everything is going to unravel as you read. I could not put this book down. The characters are all awful and unredeemable but somehow I wanted to find out more. I did find some of it a bit gruesome / cringeworthy and had an idea of where things were headed but it was very well done overall. I was literally on the edge of my seat!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

I received a free copy as a host for The Gloss Book Club.

Whatever took me so long to read this book!!! It was fast paced, and so amazing... I could not put the book down once I started. And luckily the next book is on Kindle Unlimited, so I'm grabbing that soon too.

Gripping secrets lurk beneath a seemingly perfect life in Freida McFadden's "The Housemaid," a fast-paced thriller perfect for fans of domestic suspense. Cut-off from her family and living in her car, ex-convict Millie seeks redemption by taking a live-in housekeeper job, unaware of the tangled web of lies and manipulation she's entering. With Nina, a seemingly privileged but deeply troubled wife of loving Andrew, Millie navigates a household fraught with tension and hidden agendas.
Millie's desperate determination and Nina's unpredictable facade create a constant sense of unease that will keep the reader engaged until the final page turn. McFadden masterfully ratchets up the suspense with unexpected twists and cliffhangers, keeping you guessing until the very end. While some plot elements might echo "The Last Mrs. Parish," "The Housemaid" stands on its own as a thrilling exploration of secrets, power, and the masks we wear to protect those that we love.
If you crave pulse-pounding suspense and enjoy unraveling domestic mysteries, "The Housemaid" is a must-read. Just be prepared to lose sleep, as this addictive page-turner will hook you from the first chapter.

Millie has been living in her car and urgently needs to find a job and a place to stay. Fortunately, she secures an interview for a nanny position. The interview with Nina goes well; she seems nice and easy to please. Furthermore, the house is beautiful and appears easy to maintain. It almost seems too good to be true, but Millie desperately needs this job.

Going into this, I had no idea what to expect, knowing only that it was a thriller. I decided to read it without delving too much into the details, and I'm glad I did. Having more background information might have lessened my enjoyment. It's a quick read – not a sophisticated or prolonged thriller, but one that captured my attention and kept me hooked until the end. You'll definitely have fun reading this one!

THIS WAS SO GOOD! I am always unsure about over hyped authors, but I read this, was shocked and it really stuck with me. Then, I picked up a load of her backlist (and her other housemaid one) and think I may have just found one of my new favourite authors. Totally gripping, full of twists and turns and just, brilliant!

I read this book a long time ago and not sure how it ended up on my list. This was one of my first favorite books from the author. Looking forward to her third book as I have read the first two.