With The Housemaid’s film adaptation hitting big screens on December 19th, we felt it would be the ideal time to spotlight and revisit this gripping psychological thriller, as well as its New York Times bestselling author, who has captivated millions. We’re thrilled to share our conversation with thriller heavyweight, Freida McFadden. Freida discusses all things Housemaid, her newest book, The Intruder, her highly anticipated release, Dear Debbie, and her go-to works that inspire just the right amount of unhingedness your readers know and love.
About Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden is a New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She is a writer and former physician who has written multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor/women’s fiction novels. Freida is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback and a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Her novels have been translated into over 45 languages, and her bestselling novel, The Housemaid, has been adapted into a film by Lionsgate Entertainment.
Freida lives with her family and cat in a three-story, centuries-old home. You can keep up with her on her official website, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.
Thank you for joining us, Freida. Let’s begin!
First things first: congratulations on The Housemaid’s film adaptation! We are all incredibly excited to watch it on December 19th. For readers that may be unfamiliar (or, may be in need of a refresher), could you give us your elevator pitch for The Housemaid?
Thank you! My one-liner is that The Housemaid is about a down-on-her-luck ex-con who gets a second chance when she lands a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family, but this perfect family is more than it seems to be…
The Housemaid is filled with memorable twists, turns, and jaw-dropping moments that many readers are highly anticipating to see play out on screen. Did you have a favorite scene from the book that you were most excited to see brought to life on screen? Which one was it and why?
I was most excited to see the way the daughter, Cece, was portrayed, because I based her on my own child, and I knew she’d get a kick out of seeing Cece repeating the same lines she said to me. I was so glad that Cece was a big part of the movie, and the young actress who played her was amazing.
As many of your fans know, The Housemaid is only the first book in its series. It’s followed by The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid’s Wedding, and The Housemaid is Watching. Are you open to adapting the rest of the series for film/TV? If so, which book from the series would you love to see adapted next?
I would love to see more of the series adapted for the screen! Chronologically, the next in the series is The Housemaid’s Secret.
According to a post on your Instagram, you said watching a preview of The Housemaid “almost made [you] want to write another Housemaid book.” If you were to write another instalment of The Housemaid series, what kind of murderous mystery would you like Millie to face next?
Perhaps since Millie now works at a hospital as a social worker, she could come across a murderous situation there, just to mix things up a bit! Although, I don’t actually foresee writing another Housemaid novel. I felt the last book in the series tied things up exactly the way I wanted!
Speaking of follow-ups, before your foray into Thriller with your 2019 novel, The Ex, you had gotten your start by writing the Women’s Fiction novel, The Devil Wears Scrubs. This novel was then followed by The Devil You Know, which picks up 10 years later. If you were to write a third instalment to the Dr. Jane McGill series, picking up 10 years later, where would Jane be now?
Haha, obviously, Dr. McGill would be a New York Times bestselling author by now!
Shifting gears, your October release, The Intruder, is described as a “taut, deadly tale of survival.” Many ARC readers reviewing it on Goodreads have raved about how much “darker” The Intruder is than your previous works. What prompted you to take a darker turn in your writing of this novel? Were there specific works you looked to for inspiration while writing The Intruder? If so, what were they?
Actually, I disagree that it’s darker than my other books. It’s somewhat more character-driven, involving a tween girl dealing with a mother who is a hoarder. For inspiration and research while I was writing it, I watched several TV programs about real-life hoarders.
Your upcoming release, Dear Debbie, is hitting bookshelves on January 27th, 2026. According to your interview with USA Today, you described the book as “an ode to unhinged women reclaiming their power,” and cited its protagonist, Debbie Mullen, as “one of [your] favorite protagonists.” How did you approach developing Debbie and her complex motivations? And why is she one of your favorite protagonists?
Debbie is someone I relate to more than most of my other protagonists. I consider myself a people pleaser who is very quick to back down in order to keep everyone happy. Debbie is someone who has been doing that her entire life, and one day she decides: Enough! She finally gains the courage to right the wrongs in her life in a way that most people only wish they could. In general, I love giving my readers the satisfying payback that is never possible in real life.
With an upcoming film adaptation releasing soon, a recent book release, as well as an upcoming one, it’s no secret you’ve got quite the schedule! Across social media, your fans are always asking, “Does Freida ever sleep?” Now, we won’t ask the same question, but we will ask: How do you incorporate writing into your day-to-day routine?
After my previous life as a full-time doctor with two kids, multitasking has become a way of life for me. Back when I started publishing in 2013, it was a constant struggle to sneak time to write. Now that I’ve stepped back from medicine, my kids are much older, and all I have to do is write, I sometimes don’t know what to do with myself! (I’ve started painting.)
To close out, could you please recommend three books your fans should read while they wait for Dear Debbie’s 2026 release?
I’m not sure if you mean my books or not! I’ll recommend three of each:
Freida’s recommendations:
General recommendations:
- Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier
- Ask for Andrea by Noelle Ihli
- Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent
A huge thank you to Freida for taking the time to sit down and chat with us about her upcoming releases, thrilling film adaptation, and everything in between. You can watch The Housemaid in theaters on December 19th and grab your copy of the book — or any of Freida’s fantastic titles — at your local bookstore, right now.
Looking for more author interviews? Check out our interview with acclaimed thriller author E. Lockhart, right here.
Check out our Heart Racingly Good Thrillers and Mysteries Bookshelf on our Bookshop for The Housemaid and similar titles!
