Book Review: The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden

 “It’s astonishing how good he is at saying things that are a hundred percent untrue with a completely straight face. I’ve always known my husband is an excellent liar. It just never bothered me until I suspected he was hiding something from me.”

― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid Is Watching

The latest in the incredibly complex, suspenseful, and internationally acclaimed Housemaid series is written by Freida McFadden, a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling novelist.  You can read this book on your own, and once you get started, you'll stay up all night reading it until the thrilling conclusion.

Synopsis from Goodreads...

"You must be our new neighbors!" Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter's hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I'll do anything to keep it that way…

I used to clean other people's houses―now, I can't believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.

Even though I'm wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it's our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it's like to be in her shoes. But her cold stare gives me chills…

The Lowells' maid isn't the only strange thing on our street. I'm sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.

Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here?

I thought I'd left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?

My reaction to this novel...

When I first heard about The Housemaid Is Watching, I was so excited. After all, the first two books in the series titled The Housemaid and The Housemaid’s Secret were such page-turners for me. They had everything I love in a thriller: fast pacing, sharp twists, and that heart-racing feeling of not being able to put the book down. So naturally, I had really high expectations going into this third installment.

This time around, we follow Millie again, but in a very different setting. She’s no longer the same woman we met in the first book. Life has changed for her, and in many ways, it feels like this story is supposed to show us how she’s trying to move forward. The problem, though, is that the direction of this book felt very different from the tone and style of the first two.

I’ll be honest: I struggled with this one. While the setup was intriguing, I didn’t feel the same excitement that I had while reading the earlier books. The suspense wasn’t as gripping, and the plot didn’t pull me in the same way. There were moments where I found myself waiting for a big twist or something shocking, but it didn’t quite deliver in the way I hoped.

The writing style is still very much Freida McFadden, short chapters, easy to read, and fast to get through. That’s one thing I appreciate, because even if the story didn’t fully hook me, the format made it less of a struggle to finish. I also liked that the book still has that eerie, unsettling vibe. It gives you that feeling of “something isn’t right here,” which is one of McFadden’s trademarks. But compared to the first two books, this one didn’t hit the same. For me, it felt slower and less impactful. I didn’t connect as much with the story, and honestly, I found it a little boring in parts. It almost felt like I was reading a completely different type of thriller.

That being said, I know reading is a very personal experience. Just because this one didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Some readers might really enjoy the change of pace, the new setting, or the fresh type of suspense explored here. But if you’re going into it expecting the same thrill and shocking moments as the first two books, you might find yourself a bit let down like I was.

Overall, I’d say The Housemaid Is Watching is worth checking out if you’re curious to see where Millie’s story goes next. But for me personally, it didn’t live up to the first two books. It’s not a bad read, but it just wasn’t the exciting, can’t-breathe thriller I had hoped for.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐(2/5)