The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: Plot Summary, Characters, Reviews & Themes

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: Plot Summary, Characters, Reviews & Themes | Psychological Thriller Novel

The Housemaid - Novel by Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden's novel The Housemaid is a bestselling psychological thriller published in 2022 that became a viral success on TikTok. The novel follows a young woman with a troubled past who takes a job as a live-in housekeeper for a seemingly perfect, wealthy family, only to uncover the dark secrets they have hidden away. It is the first book in The Housemaid series, which continues with The Housemaid's Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching.

Plot summary

The story is told primarily from the perspective of Millie Calloway, who has just been released from prison. Desperate for work, she is hired by the wealthy Winchester family: Nina, the elegant but unhinged wife; Andrew, the charming and handsome husband; and their daughter, Cecelia.

The first half:

Millie moves into a tiny attic room that oddly locks only from the outside, but she accepts the strange condition, grateful to have a roof over her head.
The job quickly becomes unsettling. Nina's behavior is erratic and cruel; she alternates between being kind and accusing Millie of wrongdoing, creating chaos in the house just to watch Millie clean it up.
Meanwhile, Andrew appears to be a kind, appreciative man who is trapped in a marriage with his difficult wife. He develops a connection with Millie, which quickly turns into a secret affair.

The second half: The twist

In a shocking turn, the novel switches perspective, revealing Nina's harrowing and abusive past with Andrew.
Nina, not Millie, was the victim of manipulation. She and the groundskeeper, Enzo, had set up the entire situation to trap the abusive Andrew, knowing his patterns of preying on vulnerable young housekeepers.
Millie discovers the chilling truth when she finds herself locked in the attic room by Andrew. However, having learned from Nina's experiences, Millie is able to outsmart Andrew, trap him in the attic, and escape.
The novel concludes with Nina and Millie, now friends, walking away from the house, leaving Andrew to his fate.

Movie adaptation

A film adaptation of The Housemaid, based on McFadden's novel, is scheduled for release by Lionsgate on December 19, 2025.

Director: Paul Feig.
Cast:
- Millie Calloway: Sydney Sweeney.
- Nina Winchester: Amanda Seyfried.
- Andrew Winchester: Brandon Sklenar.
Plot changes: The filmmakers have stated that the movie will be "true to the book" but will also include additional twists and surprises.
Is it based on a true story? No, but it's important to distinguish it from a 2010 Korean film also called The Housemaid, which is based on a real-life case.

The series

Freida McFadden has expanded the story of Millie Calloway into a series.

The Housemaid's Secret (Book 2): Millie takes on a new job with a wealthy couple in a penthouse, only to find another house full of dark secrets.
The Housemaid Is Watching (Book 3): Millie and her husband move into a new house in the suburbs and hire their own housemaid, but unsettling events from their past begin to resurface.

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