Book Review: The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secrets by Freida McFadden

 

Book: The Housemaid 

Author: Freida McFadden 

Pages: 329 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~3 hours 

Plot Summary: Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

Review: Long-time readers of this blog know that we enjoy and read a lot of crime fiction! Most of the tropes and twists become predictable after a while and so, one's enjoyment of the genre reduces. So, it is always nice when a book series tries to do something new in the genre! 

This is an interesting book with a twisty storyline and a few interesting twists. Some you may see coming if you are an avid crime fiction reader, but some might pleasantly surprise you! 

This series has a very interesting protagonist. Millie is not the lost, broke and innocent young woman that you might think she is. As a reader, you see all the red flags about Millie's employer- Nina, a spoilt, mean and rich housewife- and you start fearing for what might happen to Millie. 

The book is fast-paced and well written and the ending is highly satisfying! 

Rating: 4/5 

Book: The Housemaid's Secrets 

Author: Freida McFadden 

Pages: 319 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~3 hours 

Plot Summary: “Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.

It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…

That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.

Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go… 

Review: The second book in the Housemaid series is a bit similar but still sort of different from the first. It is still fast-paced and crisp and has a few good red herrings. 

However, I had guessed what was going on for the most part and only one twist took me by surprise. It is good but not as good as the The Housemaid. 

Rating: 3.5/ 5