Okay, I am finally jumping on the Freida McFadden popularity bus. Only a little bit though, okay? I’m usually not the biggest fan of reading mysteries, thrillers, or even authors/books that are the most popular at the moment. However, after going to see the film “The Housemaid” in theatres over winter break, I decided to give McFadden a try since I did, in fact, really enjoy the film.
If you’re not familiar with “The Housemaid“, it is a 2022 novel written by Freida McFadden. To summarize the book, it is a psychological thriller that is set on Long Island following Millie Calloway, a young woman with a very troubled past who becomes a live-in housemaid for the Winchester family (Nina, Andrew, and Cece). However, Millie soon discovers that this household is far from ideal and is hiding a big secret. She encounters manipulative schemes, abuse, and ultimately must come up with a clever strategy to get out of this encounter. This novel is part of a series, The Housemaid’s Secret (2023) and The Housemaid Is Watching (2024), which follows Millie several years after the Winchester family.
I am a big advocate for reading the books before seeing the movie; however, I did watch the film first and never had the desire to read the series because of the mixed reviews on McFadden’s writing. After watching the film, I went ahead and picked up the series, which I am not mad about. The first novel follows very closely with the movie, with a few changes for cinematic purposes. I was a big fan of the first book; however, the following novels fell very short. My expectations for them were very high in comparison to the first book and even the movie. I felt as though McFadden’s writing was repetitive and lacked creativity.
In comparison, the film was great. I have seen it twice now in theatres. The 2025 film adaptations star Sydney Sweeney as Millie, Amanda Seyfried as Nina, and Brandon Sklenar as Andrew. As mentioned before, the film follows the book very closely but introduces more intense and visualized violence for cinematic purposes. In the film, it expands the role of Andrew Winchester’s mother, Evelyn. The movie also introduces a smaller role for Enzo in the movie. In the novel, Enzo was a vital side character for how the book unfolded. In the movie, there are more dramatic punishments compared to the book, which really elevated the movie and the stakes at hand.
Overall, the novel and film maintain the core narrative of how Millie navigates the dangers of a manipulative household. The novel provides a more psychological depth with gradual character development. Whilst the movie provides a heightened sense of drama, violence, and tensions, I would recommend not only the film but also the novel (at least the very first one). I unfortunately do not think I will be jumping onto any other Freida McFadden books since I was disappointed with the rest of the series, but it is safe to say that I enjoyed this popular series.