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| Categories | Genre Fiction |
| Author | Freida McFadden |
| Publisher | Poisoned Pen Press (June 11, 2024) |
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 400 pages |
| Item Weight | 11.5 ounces |
| Dimensions |
5 x 1 x 8 inches |
I. Book introduction
A twisting, pulse-pounding thriller from Freida McFadden, the New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid and The Coworker
“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?
From New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Freida McFadden comes the next installment of the unbelievably twisty, tension-packed and globally bestselling Housemaid series. This book can be enjoyed as a standalone read: and once you start, it will have you up all night racing through the pages until the final explosive twist.
About Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden is the pen name of an American thriller author and practicing physician specializing in brain injury who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida’s work has been selected as one of Amazon Editors’ best books of the year, she is the winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for best paperback, and she is a Goodreads Choice Award winner. Her novels have been translated into 40 languages.
From New York City, McFadden attended Harvard University as an undergraduate. She practices medicine in the Boston area. McFadden self-published her first book through Amazon KDP in 2013. Her 2022 book The Housemaid was an international bestseller. A movie adaptation of the book is set to be adapted for Lionsgate with Rebecca Sonnenshine to pen the screenplay, and Hidden Pictures’ Todd Lieberman and Alex Young to produce.
Freida McFadden lives with her family and black cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
II. Reviewer: The Housemaid Is Watching
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1. CLACE reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
4.35!
I had managed my expectations for this one and it paid off so well. The writing was good and interesting and enough to keep you captivated and the way she thought of that plot twist 😭 like ik everyone including me predicted the main plot twist because it was expected but that epilogue?? 🤯 Had me screaming because I had no idea that it was going to happen.
I had heard that Millie was going to be act like Nina and be annoying but tbh I get what she was going through and whatever she did or how she acted was 💯 valid. I also heard that Enzo’s character was being ‘butchered’ I didn’t feel that way either I think she had set up Enzo’s character in such a way in the past two books that I knew even if he was the one there would be a valid reason and that he would never do anything to hurt Millie.
Overall, I had sm fun with this book, it really took me out of the problems I was facing and I could just rely on it to take me away on a journey.
___
Praying that Millie isn’t annoying or naive in this one (considering the time jump) I’ve also heard she reminded people of Nina…..which is not the best thing but lets go!🤞
2. CHANTAL reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
I have so many thoughts about this book, but I’ll keep it short and spoiler-free.
Let’s start with Millie—she’s still the same after a couple of years, no big changes there. Enzo, on the other hand, felt a bit different this time. We all know he’s super sensitive and practically worships the ground Millie walks on, but I only really felt that in the first few chapters. After that, he seemed a bit disconnected from his family.
The kids? They were awesome! And that twist? Oh, the twist in the epilogue was classic Freida—totally unexpected and brilliant.
Now, the first half of the book was a bit slow, setting up the plot and all, but it was still addictive and kept me turning the pages. Overall, I really liked this book. I wouldn’t mind another installment in this series at all!
3. L.A. reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
What a fun series!! The Housemaid is watching is the 3rd book in the series and I would definitely read one and two before enjoying this one.
“My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way.” As Millie continues her story in Long Island, her and her husband Enzo have bought a beautiful home in a charming cul-de-sac away from their small apartment. They now have room for their two kids to play and enjoy separate bedrooms. Once they are there, Millie thinks they have made a terrible mistake. Her nosy neighbors are always watching. One neighbor suggests to Millie “Be careful of your neighbors.”
Suzette and Jonathan Lowell live across the street and it appears Suzette has her eyes on Enzo, who is extremely handsome and Millie is used to other women staring at him, but Suzette takes it to another level.
There are several story-lines going on that are addictive, page turning and riveting. The twists appear rapidly at the end and some surprises along the way. I was unsure of one of the decisions the author made at the end that didn’t give reasoning, but she is so talented I decided I missed something. It doesn’t take away from the mystery unfolding and is well worth the fun experiences that Millie is still innocently elusive of everything she does that will make you laugh aloud. Enjoy it and just know there is another maid, Martha, that enters the story and she is watching also.
Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
4. SUSAN reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
The Housemaid is Watching is a fun popcorn thriller with the right amount of twists without being over the top. Although it’s book three of a series, this could be read as a stand alone (as I did) without feeling that I missed anything.
I love domestic drama – especially the neighborhood type and Suzette in particular will be that person next door you’ll love to hate. That said, there are several other odious characters capturing my ire as made my way through the story.
My only small and I admit, picky, critisisms are that the first half seemed slow and the forboding attempts at the end of nearly every chapter felt forced. Otherwise, an enjoyable and quick read!
5. JENNIFER FINKEN reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
Damn good book!
Wow. I can’t believe how she keeps these great books coming! Its really amazing that someone can have these crazy stories in their brain and put them on paper the way she does. It’s really fun and slightly addictive to keep reading these novels. I have not had a mediocre one yet and don’t expect to. Can’t wait to start the next one.
6. STEPHENEE reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
I hope the series is done now!
This is my least favorite series by this author – book 1 was EH, book 2 a little better, but book 3 was the best of them all. I am hoping that they are done with this character as there can’t be anymore that can be written about her or her husband, Enzo. The reader needs to read the previous books in the series to understand what is happening (and even then they have questions)…
The plot is unique, it is fast moving (mostly) and at times it is entertaining, but it is just not this reader’s cup of tea. It needs more drama, angst, twists…it doesn’t wow me like her other books. Overall a decent read and one that a true fan of the author should read, but again, not my favorite series or characters by the author.
7. BROOKE reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
This is my 6th book completed by Freida McFadden, obviously 3rd of the Housemaid’s and I have to say, she’s really outdone herself. By far my favorite of the 3 and that’s saying a lot because I have said that after every single one. The twists, turns and utter shock has been outstanding to experience as a true lover of all things psychologically thrilling. I cannot recommend her books enough. The slow (for a lack of better words at 1am… because that’s how late I have stayed up to finish this, even though I have to be up in 4 hours for work) build up that is somehow just as grabbing as the page flipping frenzy of the last few chapters is my favorite part. She somehow makes it the perfect combination of informative and daunting without being too wordy and descriptive. READ THEM ALL! Onto my next tomorrow evening.
8. ERIN reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
Twisty, but a Little Underwhelming
After how amazing the first two books were, I couldn’t wait to read this one! While I thoroughly enjoyed the read, I didn’t blow through it as fast as the previous two books. I didn’t see most of the twists coming, although I figured out part of one of them, but when they did hit, they were slightly underwhelming. I just wanted a little bit more! It was interesting and kept me entertained. I’m definitely glad I read it. It just wasn’t as good as the first two books in my opinion. Looking forward to seeing what Freida throws at us next!
9. CALLIE reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
I was a little hesitant to read this one since the second book in my opinion wasn’t as good as the first in the series, but McFadden proved me wrong and gave us another great thriller!
This takes place 11 years later and Millie is married to Enzo with 2 kids, Nico and Ada. The whole story line is based on how their relationships with their neighbors turn from cordial to problematic. I loved the ending of this book and honestly all the connections to the first book is probably what sold me on making this another 5 star. McFadden outdid herself again and I am eager to see if she will continue the Housemaid series.
10. MAREN’S READS reviews for The Housemaid Is Watching
4.5⭐️ As Millie and Enzo move into the house of their dreams, two kids in tow, they are met by some very nosy neighbors, all of whom take more of an interest in their family then they would like.
Oh, say it isn’t so – I am so sad that this series has come to an end. However, Freida McFadden did an excellent job bringing it full circle and leaving us both wanting more and feeling satisfied with this binge-worthy conclusion to the Housemaid Series. I fell in love with Millie and Enzo in The Housemaid, and my fondness for these two quirky, beautifully nuanced characters only grew throughout the remaining books.
What I love most about The Housemaid is the how dynamic each of these pivotal characters are. Millie is a complex, morally grey heroine, and Enzo the perfect counterpart. It was fascinating to learn more about their children and how they are similar or dissimilar to each of their parents. The overall plot of this one was engaging with great pacing and a whodunnit conclusion I did not see coming, or in other words it was the perfect Freida twist.
This is the first book in the series I have read with my ears and I never would have imagined Millie to have had a strong New York accent, ironic since she is from the area, as am I. Just two narrators, Lauryn Allman and Ina Marie Smith, managed to narrate so many characters in such a unique way, for a moment I thought it was a full cast of narrators. As much as I prefer eyeball reading this series, I may need to go back and reread via audio just to listen to more of Allman’s pitch perfect portrayal of Millie.
Read if you like:
- domestic suspense
- cozy thrillers
- morally grey characters
- fun series
- twisty books
Thank you Bookouture for the gifted copy.
III. The Housemaid Is Watching Quotes
The best book quotes from The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
“By the end of this night, if I have not stabbed Suzette with one of these forks, it will only be because I’m not sure which one to use to do it.”
“Being ordinary has always been an impossible dream for me, so I’m happy to have achieved it.”
“The first time I heard about Wilhelmina Calloway, the girl who would become Millie Accardi, was when she was being charged with the murder of the son of my employers. I had no doubt that he deserved the justice Millie doled out, but the jury didn’t see it that way. She went to prison for his murder.”
“My mom is a really good mom. She’s, like, the kind of mom where if you forgot you were supposed to bring in a tray of Rice Krispies squares for school tomorrow and it’s already almost bedtime, she will go out and get the Rice Krispies and marshmallows, and she’ll make it for you and make sure they’re packed and ready for school the next day.”
“The third in a series usually isn’t that great, so it’s not his fault.”
“Except I can’t help but think that right now I have much worse problems than my blood pressure.”
“I mean, I don’t think I’m a psychopath, but I didn’t go to prison for picking daisies.”
“It doesn’t even occur to me that they have found something far worse.”
“I wonder what Mom would do in a situation like that. Unlike Dad, she deals with everything in a calm and rational way.”
“Everything is going to be okay,” I tell them. But even as the words leave my mouth, I know that they are not true. And that things are about to get much worse.”
“I want to trust him. I want to trust my husband so badly.”
“What if my husband really was having an affair with Suzette Lowell? What if Enzo really killed Jonathan Lowell? What if they lock him up? What the hell am I going to do? What will I tell our children?”
“I’m a social worker,” I say with a touch of pride. Even though I have been doing it for many years now, I still feel proud of my career. Yes, it can be exhausting, soul wrenching, and the pay is nothing to get excited about. But I still love it.”
“I love that I have a handsome, muscular husband. But also, sometimes I wish he would let himself get fat and out of shape.”
“But no. He would not have killed to get us that. I don’t believe it. I can’t.”
“courtesy of my husband,”
“He could have been honest. He could have told me everything. He chose not to.”
“I knew with all my heart that he would take care of us. He would do everything in his power to protect us. I’m not sure how it all went wrong. Because I feel more and more certain that Enzo has been lying all along.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to keep them from pinning this on you. I’ll fight for you.”
“Of course, if her father gets locked up in prison, that’s going to mess her up forever.”
“Well, okay, thirty years of mortgage payments and it will be all mine.”
“Okay,” I say. “I believe you.” “You swear?” “I swear,” I say softly. See? I can lie just as well as he can.”
“I want to go to sleep. I’m tired and I’ve got a long day at work tomorrow. I wish I could close my eyes and drift off the way he seems to be doing. I wish that more than anything. But it’s extremely hard to sleep when another woman’s perfume is tickling your nostrils.”
“I wish I could say that I’m relieved when they drive away. But it’s hard to ever get rid of somebody when they live right next door to you.”
“Would punching her in the face be slimming? Because that might happen today.”
“I am scared of you, Millie Accardi. And he should be.”
“He always manages to talk his way out of it. Or lie his way out of it, as the case may be. 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.”
“It’s better than the alternative, which is that my husband is lying to me.”
“But more and more, I wonder about his past. I wonder what he has done and what he is capable of doing.”
“Enzo Accardi is a good man. I believe that with all my heart. He has taken good care of our family. But more and more, I wonder about his past. I wonder what he has done and what he is capable of doing.”
Excerpted from The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
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