I devoured this book, I listened to it in one day. I just had to know what was going to happen and it didn't disappoint, the drama, the twists and turns and i kind of guessed what was going to happen but it still didn't take away from the story. Amazing

Definatly a solid 3-3.5. I will round up to a 4 just because I do feel like my opinion and "shock" value was a bit tainted because I have previously read . All 3 of these books had very similar vibes, however each author has made the story unique in its own way. McFadden's ending is probably one of my favorite renditions of this tale. Having said that I figured out what was going to happen when we are first introduced to Nina.



Millie desperate to escape her past (Wich is not revealed until the end of the book) and secure a job takes a job as a nanny/housekeeper for Nina and Andrew Westchester and their daughter Cece. (*Note about Cece, how old was she? At times I felt like she was 4 and other times she was like 8...not sure) . Millie takes the job in the rich couple's home and even gets to live there. Millie quickly learns that Nina is slob. her life is falling apart and her kid is pretty creepy. Andrew, the loving husband seems so compassionate. The gardener suspects something and warns Millie that there is danger and she should leave while she can.

Millie does some snooping/stepping over her boundaries and discovering what secrets are hidden within the walls of the Westchester's home....will she survive? Will her past come to light?

The book is very fast paced and enjoyable. I did get a little bored because I knew where the book was heading, but McFadden is a great writer who knows how to keep the story going. I definatly wanted to know what the twist at the end would be, she is good at that. Throwing a very unique spin on a story you think you have all figured out.

While I did not love Millie, or really any of the characters I found myself cheering for her. The first 1/2 of the book Nina is just well, horrible. Again since I Had a hunch of where the book was going I was like well......I know her motives behind her actions. I got kinda bored when the book switched to Nina's point of view and basically had to reread part 1 but from Ninas perspective. I know it sounds like I am hating it, I really am not! I was entertained and the ending is worth it all.
McFadden writes so it is super easy reading, nothing that will challenge you. But is really easy to fly through....The time line of the book was also confusing I am not sure.....McFadden doesn't capture the age of Cece very well...anyway. Need a quick read....this one is for you!
I would like to thank Netgalley for this advanced copy of this book. I was not paid or enticed in anyway to give my review. Thank you to the publisher and Freida McFadden for the opportunity to give this honest review.

Millie has been down on her luck and living in her cramped car when her luck finally seems to turn around. She becomes a live in house maid for a very elegant family. Once she moves in and starts working, Millie begins to notice her new boss, Nina, is a little off. Nina starts to anger easily, flipping her switch throughout the day, asking for something then refusing to acknowledge she asked for it. Millie and Andrew, the husband, begin to understand each other a bit better and try to handle Nina and Cecelia, nine year old daughter, together.

I enjoyed this book, it feels similar to other psychological thrillers you've read, but Freida McFadden throws in some twist and turns to keep you on your toes. The end came very quickly after a long build up of the plot, it almost seems like we were missing part of the ending.. Overall, I enjoyed the story and it kept me wants to know what was going to happen.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. Many thanks to Bookouture and Freida McFadden for the opportunity.

Whoa! I would categorize this as a cross between Gone Girl and The Wife Upstairs (not the one you think, but her other novel). Holy Gaslighting, Batman! The first half of this book will have you cringing with the amount of abuse our protagonist Millie has to deal with as a household manager (that’s what her title should have been). It’s diabolical. But Millie has to take it—she cannot afford to speak out for herself and risk getting fired because she’s run out of opportunities for employment as a former inmate.

It’s because it was so diabolical that I had 99% of the plot figures out before the halfway mark. But I kept going because I was intrigued by the, “why”. It was fun to see it unfold and the last scene is everything.

This is my first novel from Freida McFadden, so I was generous with a 4.5 rounding up. In all honesty, I’d probably give a 3.5-4 after knowing that all of her novels have the exact same titles of many other popular books. I’m thinking the premises are different enough because her library is extensive, so she’s doing something right.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This book publishes tomorrow on 4/26/22! Happy almost Pub Day!

4.5 stars

Millie is stoked when she gets the job as housemaid working for the Winchester's. But she soon realises that things aren't as good as they seem. Her room is tiny and on the top floor and her boss, Nina Winchester makes it a point to make a mess just so Millie will have to clean it up. Biting her tongue, Millie does everything that is asked of her, as she needs the job and has her own secret past. But how long will she let it go on and who will crack first?⁣⁣
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I've heard great reviews about Fredia McFadden's books so I was really happy when I was approved to read The Housemaid. I was lucky enough to get both the ebook and audiobook copy and I have to say, listening to this book definitely added to the excitement. The narration was superb! Those thrillers that surprise you are the absolute best. When the twists started kicking in, I was blown away. I didn't see so many things coming but I was loving it! And that ending, wow! I will definitely be reading more by this author.

I received a free review copy from the publisher, via Netgalley - thank you!

I loved this story of the Winchesters, their marriage and their maid. The narrator was perfect for the role too.

The twist was a little obvious - I would have liked a few more surprises, but it was a fun read. The ending was brilliant.

"The Winchesters don't really know, who I am"

The story of a girl with a history of attending prison makes it difficult to find a suitable job. She finally finds a job with decent pay. All she has to do is - cook delicious food, clean the mess, bare with the tantrums of a baby, stay away from the Hot Mr Winchester and 'be mindful of what you are told and read under the lines'

The book is very engaging right from the start & gets even more intense & gripping as you move forward page by page. I devoured it in just 1 sitting & impressed by the depths of each character. Astonished at how the author was able to keep the book so short, considering the details of the plot that were put. I could imagine myself in there... ****

This could be a coincidence but I found the Male Protagonist in this story with traits similar to Christian Gray (from 50 shades of Gray) - a hot handsome CEO with all the wealth in the world to control every fibre existing in the city!

Overall: 🏡🏡🏡🏡/5

*Confession*
I have only discovered her now & I am thrilled by her work. Recently I have been intrigued to read a lot of psychological thrillers, and this just tapped to be another great case!


Alerts: Physical Abuse, Psychotic Behavior, Obsession

Genre: #psycologicalthriller #thriller
Thanks for the ARC: @netgalley @bookouture

Millie who is an ex-con, unemployed, and living out of her car is desperate to find a new job and a place to sleep that isn't her backseat. In comes Nina Winchester with a great opportunity: a job as a housekeeper/maid and her own room. She works hard everyday to keep Nina, her husband Andrew, and their daughter Cece happy by doing all the chores and cooking, but thats never enough for Nina who is one minute pleased and the next furious and malicious with Millie. She starts to hate working and living in the Winchester's house but she needs to make this work for her probation or it's back to prison so she'll make it work no matter what. However, things are not what they seem inside this so called happy home.

I absolutely loved this story and finished it in just one day because I needed to see how it all played out. The characters were written so perfectly that the author had me either passionately rooting for or utterly despising them. The plot twist that she threw at me in the second half of the book had my head spinning as I tried to keep up with what was going on. The books pacing was so perfect with the short yet packed chapters that had me staying up way past my usual bedtime to figure out what happens next. I loved the dark humor, crazy plot twists, even crazier characters and amazing ending. I was extremely lucky to have both the digital ebook and audiobook copy of the book and the narrator made the story just come to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the digital audio copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great book! I read it all in one day! The suspense and twists were very well laid out and I enjoyed each twist. This was my first book by this author and it won't be my last! The narrator was even amazing and definitely added to the storytelling of this book! I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for allowing me to listen to this ARC for my honest opinion.

Hold on, let me pick my jaw up off the floor…this book was amazing! I seriously think I’ve found a new favorite author! I’ve heard great things about her work, but The Housemaid exceeded my expectations. This dark and twisted psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! I literally finished the last half of the book in one day because I was glued. Every time I thought that I might just have figured it out, another twist came and showed me a whole new side of things. Seriously, stop what you’re doing and get yourself a copy of this one!
I listened to this as an audiobook which was narrated by Lauryn Allman and was blown away by her performance. None of the suspense was lost in the audio and I was so gripped by her voice.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and especially Freida McFadden for allowing me to review this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

A very quick and twisty tale that gabbed my attention right from the start! I appreciated the short chapters and the little bits of humor thrown in. The narration, done by Lauryn Allman, was especially impressive.

The writing felt a little repetitive at times and I wasn’t particularly shocked by any “twists” but I still thoroughly enjoyed this one and binged it in two days.

If you enjoyed books like The Sinful Lives of Trophy Wives or The Last Mrs. Parrish I think you’ll enjoy this!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the alc in exchange for an honest review!

(I will post to Goodreads and Instagram on pub day)

Even from the book description alone, I got major Jane Eyre vibes. Rochester-Winchester. Similar enough, right? The more I listened to this audiobook, the more I knew something wasn’t quite right. Something just fell off. Not only did I get Jane Eyre vibes, but also vibes from some other novels/stories (will leave out names to avoid spoilers). I’ll say I wasn’t disappointed how it was managed to be intertwined together to make a story. This book did not disappoint at all. I listened to it in less than 24 hours. While I was able to guess the overall premise of this story easily enough (there isn’t much that hasn’t been done in literature), the book was really well done and can we talk about that ending—the last chapter AND the epilogue. Of course…of course that’s what would happen and the reason why.

This is the first Freida McFadden book I've read and it certainly won't be the last.

The Housemaid tells the story of Millie, who takes a new job working for the wealthy Winchester family, but all is not as it seems. The book only has 3 main characters so I found it very quick to get into and was gripped in no time.

The book is well written and kept me engaged throughout. There were plenty of twists and turns and I was kept guessing right to the very end.

I loved this book and can't wait to discover more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic! I loved this book. This book was very atmospheric right from the beginning, with wonderful descriptions of the setting and the characters, and it kept my interest at every moment. Although the twist wasn't entirely unexpected, it was so well done and added some great layers on top of it. Very satisfying in every way. I listened to the audiobook and it was first-rate, with the narrator assuming different accents/attitudes, though never in an annoying, over-the-top way. Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for an e-ARC of this fabulous book. Highly recommended!

This book was easily a five-star read. An absolute page-turner and I sped through it, although it'll be difficult to review without giving anything away.

The book starts with Millie, a maid employed by Nina, who at first appears like a lazy, spoilt rich wife who wants a slave of sorts to order around, cook and clean for her and her husband Andrew.

As a listener, the narration is on point, we start to hate Nina who appears cruel and at times unhinged however we can't quite understand why, until the book switches and we hear directly from Nina.

I don't want to say too much more, as I'd hate to spoil it for anyone, but it's full of twists and turns and I found it unputdownable. I can't wait to read more of this author's books. It really is a fantastic thriller.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy of The Housemaid.

The Housemaid
Freida McFadden
OMG This is a must read. If I could give it 10 stars I would. I found myself glued to my e-reader as I listened to the audio book.
In this tale we meet Millie Calloway an ex-con out on parole. She was fired from her last job and must find a new one before her parole officer discovers she is unemployed and living out of her small car. She applied for a job as a “live-in maid” but had no illusions she would be hired once a background check was completed. Surprisingly Millie was offered the job and accepted although something didn’t feel quite right. Nina Winchester was very nice during the interview but once Millie started working, her behavior was erratic. Cecelia the nine-year-old daughter was aggressive spoiled and rude. Nina’s husband Andrew was very handsome and very sexy; he was extremely kind to Millie; she felt sorry for him, he is stuck in a bad situation. The small attic room not much larger than a closet was better than living out of her car. The room had a lock on the door…on the outside of the door and there were claw marks on the inside of the door. After 10 years in prison Millie wanted “satisfaction” and came on to the gardener but yearned for Andrew.
What a read! The twists in this tale took me by surprise and kept me eagerly listening. This tale is told from two points of view: Millie’s POV reads much like a journal, straightforward and uncomplicated, Nina’s POV is mostly in part 2. The ending of this tale was not realistic but definitely entertaining. Kudos to author Freida McFadden!

The Housemaid
By Freida McFadden

Wowzer - Hooly Dooly❗️❗️❗️

This book is pure brilliance! By pure brilliance I mean in EVERY aspect. From the clever plot to loveable and evil characters to superb dialogue, to just everything!!

Millie is down on her luck, living out of her car and is hiding a dark secret from her past. She applies for a job as a housemaid and starts working for the glamorous and wealthy couple Nina and Andrew Winchester. However, not all is as it seems …

Milly soon realises that Nina suffers from extreme mood swings and mental health issues. Her daughter CeeCee is a total brat and poor Andrew is trying to navigate peace and harmony in the house.

Told in alternating POV’s from unreliable narrators Nina and Millie, we uncover a storyline full of dark twists and sinister secrets that had me gobsmacked and an epilogue that was mind blowing!

I can’t believe I haven’t read a book by Freida McFadden before, but I absolutely will be now! A wonderful, fast, psychological thriller that I highly recommend! Total 5 stars from me
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many kind thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for an early advanced reading copy 🙏🥰
Publication date 26 April

Audiobook Review
Title: The Housemaid
Author: Freida McFadden
Narrator: Lauryn Allmen

Blurb:
“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…

Review:
First off, I thought the narrator did a fantastic job. The book is told in three parts. The first from from Millie’s POV, the second from Nina’s, and the fourth a combo of them both. I thought the plot was good but predictable. The ending was a little far fetched, but it still worked.

OMG! Thank you, thank you, thank you Netgalley for the copy of this audiobook. I listened to this one in one sitting. The plot is great, the characters are awesome. Twists, turns, and surprises on every corner. This is a domestic thriller with a dark tone.

Millie Calloway is looking for a fresh start, giving interviews but being rejected - then surprise surprise she gets hired by Nina Winchester as the housemaid. Millie Calloway has spent last 10yrs of her life in prison and is thankful that she got the job.
When she meet Nina for the 1st time she really admires how well put together she is - but when Millie joins her job, and enters the Winchester residence she cannot believe her eyes because she finds that Nina is a slob, she makes a mess anytime and anywhere.
While Nina is finding new ways to trouble Millie, her daughter Cecilia is not easy to deal with. The only person who seems to be ok is Nina's husband Andrew Winchester.

Whatever Millie does, Nina always knows - why is Nina doing this? This story is told from the POV of Nina & Millie, this audiobook was very nicely narrated by Lauryn Allman.

Thanks to Netgalley & Bookouture Audio for the advanced listener's copy