Another great read in the Housemaid series by Freida McFadden. Her books are always an interesting, quick read but the Housemaid series has grown into something special by keeping us involved in Millie's life. Without giving away too much, I loved the jump in time and the characters it introduces (and re-introduces) to the story. If you loved the first two you will of course enjoy this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

Thank you @hachetteaudio and @netgalley for my complimentary audiobook. My thoughts are my own.

I always love a good Freida McFadden mystery and this one does not disappoint! This is the third installment in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥 series. I read the first book, but somehow missed the second book. However, I had no problem catching up in this one, so you can definitely read this as a stand-alone.

Millie and her very handsome Italian husband, Enzo, finally move into their dream home! Millie is looking forward to providing a happy home life for her two children. But the neighbors are a bit difficult to deal with! One has the hits for Enzo and pursues him relentlessly, while another neighbor seems to watch their every move.

Millie keeps hearing strange noises in the house; Enzo keeps disappearing, and Millie’s son has difficulty with one of the neighbor’s sons. When one of the neighbors is brutally murdered, things start to fall apart for Millie and Enzo; and Millie begins to think her dream home is just that, a dream.

The story moves quickly and is told primarily from Millie’s viewpoint. I enjoyed the storyline, Millie’s sarcastic humor, and the mystery. @Lauryn.Allman does a fantastic job narrating the story as Millie, and providing the voices/accents for the other characters. I really enjoyed this audiobook!

The Housemaid is watching takes place quite a number of years after the second book The Housemaids secret. I’m not going to say too much about the actual book as I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I found the first half of this book a bit of a slow burn if I’m being honest. But it didn’t bother me in the slightest as having read all of Frieda McFaddens books I just knew she would have a number of twists thrown in. And boy I sure wasn’t wrong. The second half of the book had me feeling at times that I was on a roller coaster with all the twists and turns. The characters are all excellent and as with all her previous books I am recommending this one to all fans of psychological thrillers.. The audible narrator was excellent and I found this book to be a superb listen.

In this book, Millie is no longer a housemaid and is married to Enzo with two children. She is looking forward to settling into their new home and getting along with her neighbours while forgetting about her past. One neighbour, Suzette, seems especially friendly, notably with Enzo only. As she shamelessly flirts with him, Enzo tries to placate Millie, telling him her position will help his business grow. How will Millie take this?

Frieda is back with the next Housemaid installment and wow, what a doozy it was! I didn't expect this book to be as good as it was but I zoomed through, finding it so hard to put down. The audiobook narration was fantastic and I highly recommend it if you plan to read this one. Millie is such a great character, I really hope we see another book in the series. All the stars from me!

Rating: 5 ⭐️
Pub Date: June 11, 2024
How I Read It: 🎧

Synopsis
Millie is back! If you read the second book in this series, fast forward eleven years from then and Millie and Enzo are now married with two children (Ava and Nico) and have just bought a house ON Long Island. Millie is no longer a maid, so you start wondering where this book is going, but creepy and annoying neighbors make for a great story, and there you have it - the third book in The Housemaid Series.

My Thoughts
I loved the direction this book took and how it was different from the last two books. Without giving away too much, I feel like the story line would have gotten old and unrealistic if Millie kept finding crazy people to work for, so this book was a refreshing surprise! I was really wondering where this book was going, so I was listening like crazy to run into all those twist and turns FM is known for, and she kept them coming as usual! I loved how Millie had a family and all of the family dynamics; it was fun seeing her in a different time in her life, being a concerned parent, when previously she had always been concerned for or tried helping others.

Final Thoughts
I listened to the audio version of this book and was so happy Lauryn Allman was back! She is one of my favorite narrators, if not my favorite! I highly recommended listening to the audio version if you like audio books. This book makes you crave more FM books, so I’m off to continue my audio book Freidathon!

❗️Of Note
📝 Murder / Death
📝 Child Abuse

Themes:
🔍 Mystery / Thriller

Ratings
Characters: 5⭐️
Pace: 5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 5 ⭐️
Narrator: 5 ⭐️

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

The Housemaid is backkkkk! But much later in life! Almost a decade later, married with two kids! Millie isn't a housemaid anymore, but social worker with a hot Italian landscaper of a husband that just moved to Staten Island in a house that they can barely afford. The neighbors all seem to have something to hide and of course, true to McFadden fashion I was captivated enough to finish all in one sitting! I quite enjoyed the audio version as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I am a HUGE Freida McFadden fan. I have read/listened to every book she has written . I was very excited to read the third installment of a the Housemaid. Unfortunately, this story fell a little short. I was able to listen to to the story, and I honestly had a very hard time with the narration. I also felt that the story didn’t live up to the hype of the other two books.

Over all I will always read a Freida McFadden book and I am lucky to have been given a copy of her newest. It just missed the mark a bit.

I was thrilled to get the chance to read the third installment in The Housemaid series and it didn't disappoint.

The Housemaid is Watching follows Millie and Enzo into the future and is set around the time they are moving into a new home with their family. Millie is confident that she has put her past behind her, but she soon becomes suspicious of her surroundings. The neighbour seems over friendly, there are shadows everywhere and Enzo is sneaking out at night; maybe their new home isn't as safe as they had first hoped.

I absolutely LOVED The Housemaid and thoroughly enjoyed the second book as well; I'm pleased to say that the third book in this series was just as good. I really love the characters of Millie and Enzo, so adored hearing their story and getting to meet their children. Having read the two previous books, I was already completely invested in the characters and their story.

The story kept me hooked throughout, it was fast paced and full of action. I loved the setting of a new cul-de-sac with all of the neighbours and going ons.

Whist this book would work as a standalone novel, I think the reader would get so much more from it having read the first two in the series.

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

I enjoyed the previous in the series and thought they would be a tough follow, but I thought that the author did this really well, I really enjoyed listening to this book and liked the twist at the end. I would definitely recommend and would be great to see another book in the series.

Reading Between the Wines book review #44/130 for 2024:
Rating: 3 ½ 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book: The Housemaid is Watching
Author: Freida McFadden
RELEASES on June 11, 2024!!!

Sipping thoughts: When I heard there was a book 3 to the series that I loved and gave 5 stars to, I could not wait for it to come out. I was beyond ecstatic when I was approved for the arc. I love Millie and all of her shenanigans. This book felt so different to me. She is now married with children but still getting into mess along with her family. This was more of a slow burn, and I know it is hard to pull out 3 bangers, so while it wasn’t a banger it was interesting. It was not nearly as good as the first 2 but I enjoyed it. There were a few twists but nothing that knocked my socks off. Millie’s children are just as interesting and firecrackers as their parents. I don’t think we need a Housemaid 4, but I also would enjoy reading an entire book from the children’s POV. I think any Housemaid fans need to read book 3 and although I don’t think a book 4 is needed, I will be right in the front of the line to read it because I am a Millie fan and of course a Freida Readah!!!

Cheers and thank you to @BookoutureAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheHousemaidIsWatching.

#TheHousemaidIsWatching #FreidaMcFadden #BookoutureAudio #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Enjoyed this audio book it had lots of twists and turns and it definitely kept you guessing and a good surprise twist

Well worth a read/listen

When a hard working family move to a new area and a bigger house, where they hope for a better future, things start to go awry. Absolutely loved this murder mystery full of tension and plenty of twists and turns. Thank you to Net Galley for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Freida McFadden for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for The Housemaid is Watching coming out June 11, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this audiobook directly from NetGalley. I listened to the first book in the series, but not the second book. I don’t think it’s hard to catch up with what’s going on in this book. I don’t think this book was as plot crazy as the first book, but it did still have some twists. I thought the ending was really good. It was pretty twisted but interesting. There were parts of the book that lost my interest. I think certain things are talked about repeatedly and it felt a little too suburbia. I don’t think it was as crazy fun as the first book. But I enjoyed it overall.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers!

She did it again! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Very surprising plot and twists, I had no idea where it was going and it took me for a ride. It took me a while to get used to the narrator's voice for Millie but the other voices were great.
Enjoyed hearing more of Enzo and Millie's story as requested by many of us readers.
Keep the Housemaid sequels coming!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this book!! Absolute page turner. Once I started I couldn't stop! Book 3 in the series was beyond perfect - loved all the twists and turns!

Another pretty good installment that managed to keep my attention from start to finish. Although I have to say I liked the first two more. Now that I'm more used to Freida McFadden's writing, I've found the twist predictable and it did have a bit of that more-of-the-same feeling many series do.

I still enjoyed it and will happily read the next one if there is one. so I'm quite happy with what I've got :)

This book is the perfect example of how McFadden is unable to write a book purely on her own without ripping off someone else's work. Not only was the plot sophomoric and dumb, the language was hovering slightly above 3rd grade level. Besides the opening chapter when we are given the typical Freida opening: Someone is hovering over a dead body, absolutely NOTHING happens until you reach ~60%.
It is just Millie gushing over her new house (yes there is even a time when she kisses the wall because she loves the wallpaper-Eye roll. You are also given example over example of her neighbor Suzette being totally obnoxious in such a childish way (Taunting millie for using the wrong fork, asking her if she was pregnant, saying she was poor, her house was small....totally unbelievable behavior. Unless of course you are reading a children's book and need a "bully" character.
Then there is the fact she waste so much time belittling her husband Enzo who she claims she loves. She at one point questions if he is going to be able to keep on his dress shirt on during a dinner. She equated him with her children and treated him like a third child, yet she was no mother to the children in my opinion, at least he interacted with them. There were so many times she would say something along the lines of of "I trust my husband with all my heart.....yet at the same time is he capable of murder" then same page, "I looked into his eyes and knew he would never lie to me.....but I can't help but think he is lying" ---(those are not direct quotes but very close) This happened over and over. I wanted to pull my hair out.
Now let's talk about what is Freida's obsession with writing about sexual predators on young girls. Millie is even obsessed saying that part of the reason she wanted to move to Long Island was because workers were looking at her 11 year old daughter.....what and EW. Child sexualization is once again addressed later in the book, I do not want to read that.
Okay so all that is going on plus absolutely a total snore fest, when finally we actually get to someone being murdered.
Typical Fredia McRip style it turns into total chaos
Enzo is an idiot. How many lies can 1 human being tell. AND his lies are terrible. It is such a cheap trick for an author to lie to the reader. She thinks she is being clever and cute, but after about 7 times of the same character lying....well its just poor writing at that point

Millie is an idiot and gullible. Who goes out in the middle of the night to "investigate" in fuzzy slippers....this is just FMF trying to be funny. *This is me laughing* :/

I didn't think I could hate the book any more when she does the whole let-me-retell-everything you just read-from a-different-POV trick. [ Freida, the original author that did this was an artist and it made sense. You can't keep doing this in your books, especially when the book is horrible I do not want to reread ANYTHING about this book] May I just say that this POV is so utterly ridiculous. How can she remember things when she is 2? How can she read all these literary fiction classics but have no idea what a mortgage is? and I could say something spoil-ery here, but let's just say an 11 year old over powering a middle aged man....? No

I would not have read this book if it had not been gifted to me, the second installment in this series was just as horrible. I hope I do not receive a 4th book if this series continues. I did not enjoy it. It was not clever, it was not entertaining and I do not think Millie aged well.

Thank you netgalley for this advanced copy of The Housemaid is Watching. I was not influenced or paid for this honest review.

A third book about Millie! This one fast forwarded to a married with children Millie. And Enzo was back in this one too. It was a good story with great characters. I thought I knew where it was going, but nope! I was definitely surprised. It was fast paced and exciting. I listened on audio and there were 2 narrators. Both were excellent! I recommend the audio version. A must read for anyone who enjoyed the first two.

Whoa!! This is worth reading just for the ending!!


Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

" The end of this night, if I had not stabbed Susan with a fork, it would only be because I was not sure which one to use" 😆

The 3rd instalment of the Housemaid murder mystery was action-packed with the Long Island life of elites, secrets behind hidden doors and an eventual change of positions. Catching up with Millie after years, she is now a wife and a mother of 2, relocating to her dream home. The past is long behind her, and she is poised for a future that no longer troubles her. But the neighbourhood that seems lush and secure from the upfront has covered weird people hiding behind their high ceilings and dark curtains. And as much as she tries, Millie gets caught up in yet another bloodbath that was not her battle, to begin with.

The book interconnected the other two books of the series perfectly by hinting at just enough details for the reader to recall the connection. I enjoyed reading the fast-paced story with well-crafted grey characters. As much as I enjoyed the two non-identical sibling dynamics, I do not have any sympathy for her neighbours.

Plot twists-wise, you can be awed by some of them while predicting a few along the way, but what you may not see, is a twisted end. I did enjoy this one more than the 2nd book but less than the first (which I think will always be my favourite).
P.S: This is one of those stories that you can enjoy perfectly well on an audiobook, the voice modulations of narrators flawless.

Thank you @bookouture for the Audiobook, this has been a series I really enjoyed.
Genre: Murder Mystery, Thriller
Rating 4/5 ⭐️