The Housemaid: An absolutely addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist

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Sure, I realize this story is meant to be taken with a grain of salt, preferably served on buttered popcorn, 🍿 but, the last two parts were too crazy for my taste!

After thoroughly enjoying the first installment, I eagerly dove into this book, hungry for another whirlwind adventure in the world of Millie the maid. I can't help but keep my hopes high for the next installment, perhaps one where we follow Millie the social worker, assisting individuals caught in tumultuous relationships and dealing with dangerous spouses who mistreat their significant others. Personally, I'd love to see the narrative shift to focus on a husband's perspective in the second half of the book. She is working in a fabulous penthouse apartment owned by a wealthy man. The home is immaculate, with little cleaning necessary, only cooking, laundry, and shopping for groceries. Her wages are generous. The man of the house has warned her never to enter his wife's room as she is ill. Of course, Millie's curiosity and contrary behaviour causes her to open that door. She encounters a badly beaten and injured wife, who she is anxious to help. If you have not read, The Housemaid, I highly recommend it. This book does work nicely as a standalone but reading the first book gives you more insight into Millie and her need to help others. Millie is an interesting and fully fleshed out character. She has a prison record and takes whatever jobs she can to make ends meat. She it tough and vulnerable at the same time. She also tends to get into some interesting and tense situations.All in all, this is still gripping enough to provide an entertaining ride. I liked the first book much better as it had plenty of dark undertones. This one offers standard fare in comparison. Millie has recently gotten out of prison and is on the hunt for a job. She lives in her car, tired of the bar, and can’t even get a job in fast food. She's in her 20s and is gorgeous, but wears glasses and clothes to lessen her appeal, so others don't think she’s too pretty to work there. She interviews with Nina Winchester for a job as their housemaid and live-in nanny. Nina is a stay at home wife/mom, seems to only dress in white, slightly overweight, and appears to be very sophisticated. 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 she cleans the home - it's gleaming and spotless. That is until Nina comes down and makes a mess and makes Millie clean it up again. Millie can't help but wonder why. Then there is the groundskeeper who warns her of danger when she first arrives. But Millie shakes it off. She can deal with one spoiled housewife. Her spoiled daughter is another issue, but Millie tries to win her over. Then there is Andrew - the achingly handsome husband who must put up with a demanding and erratic wife. Then comes Wendy, I HATED her so much. She is such a narcissist, all I wanted was Douglas to just tell her her reality and find a life of his own. I wouldn't even mind if her pathetic little gold digging arse got killed off in a brutal manner. What she got was so mild compared to what she deserved. *insert multiple swear words here*

Customer reviews

In Part One, Nina Winchester is looking for a maid to clean, help out with her daughter Cecilia, and perhaps prepare a meal on occasion. The person she hires will need to be desperate for a job, and have CERTAIN personality traits. There was a scene (without going into specifics) that was so wildly reminiscent of Kevin Smith’s movie ‘Holidays’ (the Halloween portion). It just didn’t seem very original when I felt it had major potential to be. Though he might be relegated to more of a secondary role with no chapters dedicated to him, Andrew Winchester still remains an integral piece of the puzzle, and his presence in the story is often used to maximum effect. As a matter of fact, I’d say he too is a main character, adding another layer of complexity to the dynamics between the inhabitants of the house. I was obsessed with this story… couldn’t get through the story fast enough… I was continuously gasping or saying “noooooo” out loud .” Sarah in Readerland

my mysterious italian man🦋freida knows how to write a fictional male character😋i won’t say anything else hehe you just gotta read about him😏😏Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. But her cold stare gives me chills… Our proximity to our neighbours make us certain we can ascertain whether or not they are committing some terrible crimes within the confines of their own homes. While most of us might indeed be law-abiding citizens, there are numerous enough cases throughout history of people turning their houses into dens of evil that we must admit one thing: we don’t truly know what our neighbours are up to. In Freida McFadden‘s latest psychological thriller, The Housemaid, we land into such a dwelling, perfectly normal on the outside, but hiding terrible secrets within.

I will concede the first half of the book does move a little more slowly, largely to give the author the chance to drum up the mystery to her liking, to leave clues laying about for our benefit, and naturally, to create expectations which will subsequently be shattered. The author obviously takes great pleasure in misdirecting her readers and getting them caught up on red herrings, to the point where it felt as if she was challenging me directly.My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Housemaid”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. In this new book, we find ourselves nearly five years ahead, witnessing the developments in Millie's life. The ending is excellent. While not completely unexpected (and also not completely realistic), it still offers the perfect finish to this plot. After the brief interview, Millie is overjoyed to learn that the job is hers. There’s only one rule: don’t bother the missus. Wendy, who has been staying in the guest bedroom, has been battling a chronic illness. Just needing some extra rest, Douglas says not to disturb her. But when Millie overhears crying coming from inside, her curiosity is peaked. The real star of the show is Nina though. McFadden has portrayed her personality perfectly (meaning more the further you read) as this woman who has become so comfortable in this perfect “housewife” life that she’s begun to become slightly mad.