The Housemaid's Secret: A totally gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist

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Then came Part Two, and there is a SURPRISING twist, but it’s very OTT and the story goes off the rails at this point. 🚂 I have gotten into the habit of listening every time I pass the guest bedroom door. It’s snooping. I know it is— I won’t deny it— but I can’t help myself.

Millie's POV is straight up "dear diary" style. As in, "I spent 7 hours cleaning the house and I thought about Andy Winchester's bangin bod the entire time. He is so dreamy. Does he like me too????" It's also giving me "rages to riches" fanfic written by a tween vibes. BUT AT THE SAME DAMN TIME... the book was legit funny in parts???? Like great dark humour throughout???? do you know those movies about the scary cult of, like, creepy kids who can read minds and worship the devil and live in the cornfields or something? well, if they were casting for one of those movies, this girl would get the part. they wouldn’t even have to audition her. they would take one look at her and be like, yes, you are creepy girl number three. I’m not going to spoil anything here for you so trust me when I say that The Housemaid’s Secret is as fantastic as The Housemaid. The first person works well in this story. While there is a little rambling (one can't escape that entirely in first person povs, unfortunately), it reveals the thoughts and intentions of the characters well and also creates a nice mystery about the speaker of the prologue. Perhaps naturally enough, this leads to the novel having a fairly huge number of twists, at least many more than I’ve seen contained with in a single book in recent memory. While this did lead to a bit of numbness in regards to the surprise inflicted upon me by certain unexpected turns, on the whole they are handled well enough to be impactful, and whenever necessary Freida McFadden raises the stakes just a little bit. The Psychology of Vengeance

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Cleverly plotted, complex and multi-layered, Millie discovers that she is not the only one whose life is built on secrets and lies and comes face to face with a master manipulator. Will she be able to turn the tables? Perfect if you are looking for a thrilling read that is book-believable even if not a hundred percent real-life-believable. Which is pretty much what I hope for entering any new thriller.

But I actually quite enjoyed this book. It had many elements I liked in the first one, like the chill atmosphere, fun plot, and it was quite immersing. But it was also different enough so that I didn’t feel like I was reading one and the same story. It all started with a simple cleaning job. And now it might end with my blood being mopped off the cabin floor. 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. 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. Now how to tell you about this one without spoiling anything. Like Freida is known for, this one is a twisty tale with many big and small twists that happen throughout the book. A few I did see coming, but not most of them. That easy writing style lulls you into the story. When I read a thriller especially when I am reading one that will be twisty, I am on high alert watching for everything little tell and suspecting everyone of being dishonest. And still Freida pulled the wool over my eyes. Kudos to her!Pros: you'll keep reading because you don't know if you like it or hate it, awesome dark humour, great ending 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.

I enjoyed The Housemaid and generally think McFadden’s books are fun popcorn reads, but this sequel was godawful. Clunky, repetitive writing. Cringey dialogue. Predictable plot with a “twisty” part 2 retelling the same boring story from another perspective. Skip this. i think these quotes sum up how i feel about this little girl. not only was she creepy, but she was such a little brat omg. The characters are not what they seem. Millie has been living in her car. Recently out of prison and fired from her job at a fast-food place. She is overjoyed to be hired as a live-in housekeeper at the lavish home of the wealthy Winchesters. Nina Winchester becomes increasingly volatile, fluctuating from sweetness to anger, blaming the innocent Millie for things, that were not her fault. Her gorgeous husband Andrew tries to diffuse Nina's hostile behaviour, causing Millie to wish she were in Nina's place with her upscale home and her pleasant, agreeable, wealthy, and handsome husband. Millie is concerned as she has learned that Nina had been confined to a mental hospital in the past. Could she be in danger from Nina? The conclusion I reached is as follows: Freida McFadden is a masterful narrator. She has this rare talent to find unpredictably impressive actions. His novels apply to complicated details. When revelations are made (and there are many), it’s like Facepalm: “I didn’t see that at all.” She is the reigning queen of the conspiracy. And she always offers a stay that did not read everything, breathless. For those among them who have not yet read the maid (what are you waiting for?), Don’t worry. The Housemaid’s Secret can be read as independent, there is nothing in this book that spoils the first, but I would not recommend it, it is too good to get lost.I read this book straight through in one sitting , and stayed up entirely too late to do so… Crazy twists and turns —I actually said “Wait, what?” out loud.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book completely fulfilled my little Nancy Drew heart. This book took a piece of my heart and gave me something in return. This is the book I didn’t know I needed in 2023. This is the author that I didn’t know I needed to dive into! If you get anything from this review, all you need to know is…. YOU NEED TO PUT DOWN WHATEVER IT IS YOU’RE READING AND GRAB THIS BOOK! 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.