The Housemaid’s Secret (The Housemaid #2) by Freida McFadden – tense and mind-blowing household psychological thriller

The Housemaid’s Secret is a thrilling, tense and mind-blowing household psychological thriller with a tightly woven plot and fantastic characters.

Previous Books in Series –

The Housemaid

Synopsis

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

I enjoyed The Housemaid’s Secret more than the first, as I found it far less predictable. In The Housemaid, I saw the first big twist coming, but that wasn’t the case here—I couldn’t guess a single twist, and there were plenty of shocking and intriguing surprises.

Set a few years after the first book, The Housemaid’s Secret follows Millie, now in her thirties. She has spent years helping women escape abusive marriages with Enzo’s support, but ever since he left for Sicily, she’s been on her own.

Still working as a housemaid, she’s employed by the wealthy Degrew family until Amber Degrew finds her daughter calling Millie “Mom” and promptly fires her. Struggling to find work, Millie jumps at the chance when Douglas Garrick hires her to work in his stunning penthouse—filled with antique furniture that barely needs cleaning. Her only real duty? Cooking for him and his wife, who, according to Douglas, is unwell and must not be disturbed.

Millie keeps her head down, but when she hears sobbing from the guest room where Mrs. Garrick stays and notices blood on her clothes and the floor, she knows she has to act. The moment she turns the knob to that locked door, everything changes.

I loved the deeper insight into Millie’s life. She’s still barely scraping by, yet she remains diligent, trusting her instincts—which have never failed her. But the Garricks are different. They are dangerous, and from the moment I read that prologue, I had a sinking feeling something terrible was about to happen to her. Someone is following her, her neighbor attacks her, the police refuse to believe her, and things at the Garrick household keep spiraling.

She does have a boyfriend, a lawyer, but since she’s never told him about her past, she can’t confide in him now. I had a feeling their relationship wouldn’t last once the truth comes out, so I wasn’t particularly invested in their romance.

What I admired most about Millie was her ability to protect herself. She’s bold, daring, and resilient. I loved how she planned escape—even though it felt almost too easy—and how she confronted Douglas before the end of the first part.

The second part was full of jaw-dropping moments. I despised a certain character, but I had to admit, the plan was clever. Parts three and four had me on edge with one twist after another. At one point, I nearly lost hope, convinced things wouldn’t end well—but the author managed to surprise me yet again.

I loved the ending. The culprit got exactly what they deserved, proving they messed with the wrong person.

Overall, The Housemaid’s Secret is a thrilling, tense, and mind-blowing household psychological thriller with a tightly woven plot and fantastic characters.

What to Expect-

Mysterious & Suspicious Household
Dark & Tense Atmosphere
Fast-Paced, Addictive Writing
Unpredictable Twists & Turns
Satisfying Ending

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Have you read this or wish to read?
What are your books by this author or a household psychological thriller?

Just in case you missed,,,

• The Valley of Fear (Sherlock Holmes #7) by Arthur Conan Doyle – a gripping classic mystery
• The Return of Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes #6) by Arthur Conan Doyle – 13 classic mystery collection
• The Lady Sparks a Flame (The Damsels of Discovery #2) by Elizabeth Everett – touching and joyful historical romance

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