All Freida McFadden Books in Order (2025 Updated List + Complete Reading Guide)

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Why Freida McFadden’s Books Matter

Freida McFadden has rapidly become one of the most popular names in psychological thrillers and domestic suspense fiction. A physician specializing in brain injury by profession, McFadden combines her medical expertise with storytelling to create addictive, fast-paced novels that captivate millions of readers worldwide.

From her breakout hit The Housemaid to her 2025 new releases, McFadden’s books consistently dominate Amazon and Goodreads charts. Her works are praised for twisty plots, unreliable narrators, and shocking endings—making her a go-to author for fans of Gillian Flynn, Colleen Hoover, and Lisa Jewell.

This article provides the definitive guide to Freida McFadden’s books in order, including summaries, key themes, pros & cons, expert reviews, and their impact on readers. Updated for 2025, it includes all 20+ published works.

Complete List: Freida McFadden Books in Order

Here’s the chronological order of Freida McFadden’s books, grouped by series and standalones:

The Housemaid Series

The Housemaid (2022)
The Housemaid’s Secret (2023)
The Housemaid Is Watching (2024)

The Surrogate Mother Series

The Surrogate Mother (2017)
The Surrogate Mother’s Secret (2018)

Other Psychological Thrillers

One by One (2020)
Never Lie (2022)
The Coworker (2023)
The Coworker’s Revenge (2024)
The Guest (2024)

Medical & Legal Thrillers

Brain Damage (2017)
The Ex (2018)
The Perfect Son (2019)
Ward D (2021)

Early Works & Standalones

The Wife Upstairs (2020)
The Inmate (2021)
The Locked Door (2021)
Do Not Disturb (2021)
Such a Good Mother (2022)
Want to Know a Secret? (2022)

(2025 update: McFadden has confirmed in interviews that she is working on another standalone thriller expected late 2025.)

Book-by-Book Guide: Summaries, Themes, Reviews

Below is a detailed breakdown of Freida McFadden’s major works.

1. The Housemaid (2022)

Summary: Follows Millie, a desperate woman who takes a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family—only to realize her employers are hiding dark secrets.
Themes: Class struggle, manipulation, entrapment, survival.
Pros: Fast-paced, shocking twist, cinematic writing.
Cons: Some critics note predictable tropes.
Expert Reviews: Publishers Weekly praised its “taut plotting.”
Reader Impact: Over 1 million Goodreads ratings; BookTok sensation.

2. The Housemaid’s Secret (2023)

Summary: Millie returns in another high-stakes domestic thriller, uncovering horrifying truths about her new employers.
Themes: Trust, secrecy, revenge.
Pros: Strong continuation, addictive cliffhangers.
Cons: Some repetitive elements.
Reader Impact: Top 10 Amazon bestseller in 2023.

3. The Housemaid Is Watching (2024)

Summary: Millie’s past collides with her present in the third installment.
Themes: Identity, paranoia, family secrets.
Expert Reviews: Kirkus Reviews highlighted “relentless suspense.”
Reader Impact: Immediate bestseller; rumors of TV adaptation.

4. The Surrogate Mother (2017)

Summary: Explores the psychological toll of surrogacy and hidden family secrets.
Themes: Motherhood, betrayal, ethical dilemmas.
Impact: Early work showcasing McFadden’s medical background.

5. The Surrogate Mother’s Secret (2018)

Summary: Sequel that dives deeper into family betrayals.
Themes: Secrets, trust, psychological trauma.

6. One by One (2020)

Summary: A survival thriller about strangers trapped in the wilderness, hunted one by one.
Themes: Fear, trust, human survival instincts.
Reader Impact: Compared to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

7. Never Lie (2022)

Summary: A couple finds themselves snowed in at an abandoned house with terrifying secrets.
Themes: Marriage, deception, entrapment.
Impact: Viral on TikTok; over 200,000 Goodreads reviews.

8. The Coworker (2023)

Summary: A corporate thriller about a missing colleague and office secrets.
Themes: Workplace toxicity, rivalry, hidden pasts.
Reader Impact: Popular among fans of workplace dramas.

9. The Coworker’s Revenge (2024)

Summary: Follow-up exploring unresolved mysteries from The Coworker.
Themes: Revenge, guilt, manipulation.

10. The Guest (2024)

Summary: Centers on a stranger whose visit turns deadly.
Themes: Hospitality, danger of strangers, trust.
Impact: McFadden’s most chilling standalone to date.

11. Brain Damage (2017)

Summary: A medical thriller based on neurological trauma.
Themes: Medicine, memory, ethics.
Expert Reviews: Praised for authenticity due to McFadden’s medical expertise.

12. The Ex (2018)

Summary: A legal-medical thriller about past relationships resurfacing dangerously.
Themes: Betrayal, law, psychology.

13. The Perfect Son (2019)

Summary: A chilling story of a mother questioning her son’s morality.
Themes: Parenting, morality, denial.

14. Ward D (2021)

Summary: Set in a locked psychiatric ward, where medical staff face terrifying dangers.
Themes: Psychiatry, fear, institutional secrecy.

15. The Wife Upstairs (2020)

Summary: Domestic noir with echoes of Jane Eyre.
Themes: Marriage, deception, Gothic suspense.

16. The Inmate (2021)

Summary: A nurse working in a prison faces her dark past.
Themes: Crime, guilt, justice.

17. The Locked Door (2021)

Summary: A chilling novel about a surgeon whose father was a serial killer.
Themes: Inherited guilt, secrets, trust.
Reader Impact: One of McFadden’s most acclaimed standalones.

18. Do Not Disturb (2021)

Summary: A road-trip thriller where secrets unravel mile by mile.
Themes: Escape, guilt, betrayal.

19. Such a Good Mother (2022)

Summary: A dark satire of motherhood and social ambition.
Themes: Parenting pressure, perfectionism, class.

20. Want to Know a Secret? (2022)

Summary: A gripping thriller about buried secrets resurfacing.
Themes: Truth, lies, memory.

Literary Analysis

Style: Short chapters, cliffhangers, unreliable narrators.
Strengths: Accessibility, entertainment, binge-worthy pacing.
Criticism: Some reviewers argue formulaic structure; heavy reliance on tropes.
Comparisons: Often compared to Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl) and Shari Lapena (The Couple Next Door).

Cultural Impact & Popularity

Sales: Millions of copies sold globally; several titles consistently chart in Amazon Top 100.
Social Media: BookTok and Bookstagram have fueled her meteoric rise.
Adaptations: The Housemaid series rumored for streaming adaptation (as of 2025).
Reader Demographics: Popular among women 20–45, book club picks, and psychological thriller fans.

FAQs

Q1: Do you need to read Freida McFadden’s books in order?
Most are standalones, but The Housemaid series should be read in sequence.

Q2: What is Freida McFadden’s best book?
Readers overwhelmingly cite The Housemaid as her most iconic.

Q3: How many books has Freida McFadden written?
As of 2025, she has published 20 books, with another in progress.

Q4: Are her books suitable for young readers?
Her thrillers are intended for mature audiences (16+), due to violence and psychological themes.

Key Takeaways

Freida McFadden is one of today’s most in-demand thriller writers.
Her works blend medical insight, psychological tension, and domestic suspense.
She has written 20+ novels, with The Housemaid series as her flagship.
Her books dominate Amazon charts, TikTok trends, and book clubs worldwide.
2025 promises more thrillers and possible film/TV adaptations.

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