The Housemaid Books in Order: Freida McFadden’s Hit Series and Beyond

The Housemaid Books in Order

Millie Calloway needs a job, and she’ll take almost anything. When a wealthy woman hires her as a live-in housemaid, it seems like a fresh start. But the attic room locks from the outside, and the family hides dark secrets. That’s the setup for The Housemaid, the thriller that turned Freida McFadden into a global star.

The book became a BookTok sensation, spawned sequels, and hit theaters as a movie. Here are the Housemaid books in order, along with a full guide to Freida McFadden’s other thrillers.

Quick Facts

Who Is Freida McFadden?

Freida McFadden is the pen name of a practicing doctor who specializes in brain injuries. She started writing in her spare time, first with medical comedies and later with psychological thrillers. The Housemaid changed everything, selling millions of copies and topping charts around the world.

Many readers search for “Frieda McFadden books,” but the author spells her name Freida. Either way, you’ll find her twisty thrillers in every bookstore.

The Housemaid Books in Order

1. The Housemaid (2022)

Millie, fresh out of prison, takes a job with the Winchester family on Long Island. Nina Winchester seems moody and cruel, while her husband, Andrew, is kind and charming. Millie soon realizes nothing in the house is what it seems.

2. The Housemaid’s Secret (2023)

Millie starts a new job with a wealthy couple in a Manhattan penthouse. She’s told not to enter the guest room, where the wife is sick. When Millie sees signs of abuse, she can’t stay quiet.

2.5. The Housemaid’s Wedding (Novella)

This short story follows Millie on her wedding day. Fans can read it between books 2 and 3 or after book 3. It’s a quick, fun extra for fans of the series.

3. The Housemaid Is Watching (2024)

Millie is now married with kids and living in the suburbs. She thought her housemaid days were over. But when she meets her new neighbors, she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her family.

Do You Need to Read the Housemaid Books in Order?

Yes. Each book has its own mystery, but Millie’s life changes from book to book. Reading the Housemaid books in order lets you follow her growth and catch callbacks to earlier events.

The Housemaid Movie

The Housemaid movie came out in December 2025. Sydney Sweeney starred as Millie, and Amanda Seyfried played Nina Winchester. The film was directed by Paul Feig. Its success helped push the books back to the top of bestseller lists, and reports say a sequel based on The Housemaid’s Secret is in development.

Freida McFadden Books in Order

Outside The Housemaid series, Freida McFadden books are almost all standalone thrillers. You can read them in any order. Here are her most popular thrillers by release year.

This list covers her best-known thrillers. Her full catalog includes more than 30 books, including medical comedies and novellas from her early career.

Best Freida McFadden Books to Start With

If you’ve finished The Housemaid, try these:

• Never Lie: A couple trapped in a snowed-in house discovers a missing psychiatrist’s secret tapes.
• The Teacher: A high school scandal with layers of lies.
• The Coworker: An office mystery with a dark twist.
• The Boyfriend: A dating thriller that keeps you guessing.
• The Inmate: A nurse takes a job at a prison where her ex-boyfriend is serving time.

Her Early Medical Comedies

Before thrillers, McFadden wrote funny books about life as a doctor, like The Devil Wears Scrubs. These reflect her real experience in medicine and show a lighter side of her writing.

Why Her Books Are So Popular

Freida McFadden writes fast-paced books with short chapters and big twists. Her stories are easy to read in one sitting, and her endings often shock readers. BookTok fans love sharing their reactions, which helps her books spread.

She also releases books often, sometimes several a year. That steady flow keeps readers coming back.

Tips for New Readers

• Start with The Housemaid. It’s her most famous book for a reason.
• Avoid spoilers. Her twists are the best part.
• Read the series in order. Millie’s story builds across the books.
• Try a standalone between sequels. Never Lie and The Teacher are great picks.

What’s Next for Freida McFadden?

In 2026, McFadden released Dear Debbie in January, The Divorce in May, and The Witch in October. Fans hope for more Millie stories, and the movie’s success makes that more likely. She shows no signs of slowing down.

How Long Are the Books?

Each Housemaid novel runs about 300 to 350 pages, with short chapters that make them hard to put down. Many readers finish one in a day or two. That makes it easy to read all the Housemaid books in order over a single week.

Who Is Millie Calloway?

Millie is a former inmate trying to rebuild her life. She’s tough, smart, and willing to step in when she sees someone in danger. Over the series, she goes from a desperate job seeker to a wife and mother, but trouble always seems to find her. Following the Housemaid books in order lets you watch her change.

Content Notes

The series deals with abuse, violence, and dark themes. The books aren’t graphic in every scene, but some moments are intense. Readers sensitive to these topics may want to check content notes before starting.

Freida McFadden Books in Order: How to Approach Her Catalog

There’s no strict reading order for her standalones. Still, many fans like to read Freida McFadden books in order of release to see how her twists have grown sharper over time. Others pick titles based on the premise. Either way works.

Book Clubs and BookTok

The Housemaid has become a favorite for book clubs, since its twists spark long talks. On BookTok, readers post reaction videos as they reach the big reveals. Fans who read the Housemaid books in order often say the third book has the biggest surprise of all.

Similar Books to Try

If you finish the series and want more, try these:

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
• The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
• Verity by Colleen Hoover

Each one delivers the kind of twisty, can’t-stop-reading suspense that fans of Millie love. Readers who enjoy those can also explore more Freida McFadden books, since almost every one ends with a jaw-dropping reveal.

Final Thoughts

The Housemaid books in order follow Millie Calloway from a locked attic to a Manhattan penthouse to the suburbs. The series made Freida McFadden one of the best-selling thriller writers in the world. Beyond Millie, her standalones offer dozens of quick, twisty reads.

Whether you start with The Housemaid or one of her newer thrillers, you’re in for a wild ride.

Key Takeaways

• The Housemaid books in order are The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid’s Wedding (novella), and The Housemaid Is Watching.
• The first book came out in 2022 and became a BookTok sensation.
• The Housemaid movie, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, came out in December 2025.
• Most Freida McFadden books are standalones that can be read in any order.
• Freida McFadden is a pen name for a practicing doctor.
• Her 2026 books include Dear Debbie, The Divorce, and The Witch.
• Reading the Housemaid series in order helps you follow Millie’s story.