The Introverted Bookworm

Title: The Housemaid

Author: Freida McFadden

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

When Millie applies for a live-in housekeeping position with an affluent family in the suburbs, she’s not expecting to be hired. An ex-con, Millie has just been released from jail on parole. Struggling to find employment, she sleeps in her car, and hardly has enough money to buy food.

So, when Millie is hired by Nina Winchester – a demanding, tempestuous woman with a temptingly handsome (and rich) husband – she’s over the moon. However, Millie is taken aback to discover that, despite the obvious wealth of her employer, she’s expected to sleep in a tiny attic room . . . with a lock on the outside of the door. As Nina’s demands spiral out of control, Millie begins to question her employers’ motives in this tense, taut thriller.

Split into two sections told from both Millie and Nina’s POV, the reader can experience both of their perspectives. I really enjoyed this narrative structure, as it kept the book interesting and cleared up a lot of the questions that were raised in the first half of the story. This is an excellent page-turner. Not all thrillers can build tension right up until the very end, but this novel is perfectly executed, and genuinely kept me guessing all the way through. The ending didn’t disappoint, either, and left me shocked and impressed by the sheer ingenuity of the plot.

A perfect thriller and mystery, I’d recommend The Housemaid to anyone who is on the lookout for a clever book with intriguing, well-developed characters. You won’t be disappointed!