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

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I turn away from the window to look at Mrs. Winchester’s smiling face. I still can’t quite put my finger on what’s bothering me. There’s something about this room that’s making a little ball of dread form in the pit of my stomach. But I soon realise I've made a mistake. The strict housekeeper, Mrs Huxley, watches my every move, emerging from the shadows when least expected. Lord Howard's son, Alex, takes an interest in me, and as a former addict, I find myself drawn to him because I know he's bad for me.

“The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden (Review. Psychological

What at first seemed like a blessing slowly turns into something akin to a living nightmare. Her mistress Nina, our second main character, seems to take delight in driving her insane, apparently creating messes only to watch Millie clean them up. What’s more, she keeps telling strange lies about her own nine-year-old daughter Cecelia, all while driving her husband Andrew to the brink of total despair. So, if you are looking for your next thriller for lazy afternoons in a warm early summer weather with a glass of cool lemonade nearby, here’s a good option. The simple narration, good pacing and the general vibe – all perfect to kill some time with, especially if you don’t expect from your thrillers to be perfectly plausible, life changing experiences. She's applied for the of housekeeper and to her delight she is hired. The job comes with a great pay, a room of her own, and in a stunning stately home owned by the Howard family.

The Howard family all have their own if not somewhat warped personalities. Alex in particular and you feel early on that this is someone who is dangerous and things can’t possibly end well where he is concerned. Mrs Huxley, the house keeper, is also someone who creeped me out. In some ways she is your stereotypical house keeper that you come across in the sense that she is extremely strict with a no nonsense attitude that comes across as very unfeeling. It just added to the already tense atmosphere of the story. Plus that prologue featuring a police investigation that clearly suggests a dead body has been found. Trying to make a life on her own after being abandoned by her mother when she was a child, a young woman is accepted as a housemaid for a rich family of Highwood Hall after years of battling addiction and rehabilitation. But Ruby receives a box on her first day at work. A mysterious box wrapped in red ribbon and white paper that reveals a grotesque scene of her as a doll lying in a pool of blood at the foot of the stairs. But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don't know who I really am. They don't know what I'm capable of...

The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil | Goodreads The Housemaid by Sarah A. Denzil | Goodreads

But she soon realizes she's made a mistake. The strict housekeeper, Mrs Huxley, watches her every move, emerging from the shadows when least expected. Lord Howard’s son, Alex, takes an interest in her, and as a former addict, she finds herself drawn to him. There’s a general atmosphere of unease at Highwood Hall, from the narrow tunnels laced throughout the sprawling house, to the abandoned north wing, rumored to be haunted. It’s easy to imagine the secrets hidden within these walls, like the secrets she holds close. 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...She gets disturbing mail threats depicting her dead. And more disturbing mails which depict threats to the rest of the Bertie family. And things about the family has so many secrets to uncover. The house just haunts it seems. The Bertie family members are quite interesting but quite bizarre.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden | Bookclubs

As Nina ups the ante in an attempt to drive Millie into total despair and insanity, the latter isn’t ready to go down without a fight. As a matter of fact, she has a bit of a trump card up her sleeve, one she was hoping never to reveal again. The Winchesters don’t truly know who she is or what she’s capable of, and she’s about to show them how deep her claws can really cut. The Complex Rivalries of The Housemaid Still broke and homeless, Millie is not exactly in a position to quit. And with her growing attraction to Nina’s handsome husband Andrew, she’s not even sure she’d wanted to. I also like when my thrillers have some of that rich-people-problems element. Hey – if a murder is about to occur, why not place it in a beautiful villa? And I was so sure I knew where this was going! Don’t you just love when a good twist slaps you right in the face!But then I saw the ARC of her newest book, The Housemaid, and it seemed like just the kind of thriller I usually prefer – chill and intriguing, dramatic and surprising. Just something you can relax and have fun with without overthinking everything.

The Housemaid Series by Freida McFadden - Goodreads

Freida McFadden was a name that kept popping up to me, especially since I’ve gotten much more into thrillers lately. I always had a vague plan to maybe probably see what she’s all about sometime, when I had more time. And when Millie first steps into that place, even being a maid in that household seems like a dream came true. But too soon it gets painfully clear everyone in that house are somewhat broken in one way of another. Highwood Hall is a huge mansion lived in by the Howard’s. Lord Bertie is the Patriarch of the family, his mother in law Margot and two children, the creepy Alex and the somewhat strange Lottie. Ruby interviews with the formidable housekeeper Mrs Huxley and moves in ready to work the next day.

Ghost is another word for maid. No matter how close you believe you are to your family, one day you will mean nothing to them. I really appreciated how everything was wrapped up in the end. It didn’t real-world make sense, but as far as mysteries and thrillers go, I thought it was done really well. But offers that seem too good to be true are usually exactly that, as Millie is about to discover. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden – My Review