The Housemaid (The Housemaid #1)

What intrigued me to read the first one was many reviews comparing it to Reese Witherspoons pick “The last Mrs. Parrish” that came out in 2017. I happened to enjoy that book, so I thought, why not?

If you have read the last Mrs. Parrish you might recognize something in the plotline here, but these books are also very different. That book is all bling-bling and this one is more clean-clean, and imo, the latter is better executed.

The backstory: Ten years ago, Millie went to jail for manslaughter for killing a man. She’s out now, and looking for work when she sees a listing for a housemaid. She applies to the position, gets it, and then weird stuff starts happening with the family that employs her. But it’s hard to get jobs as a convicted felon, so she bites her tongue and just tries to stick it out as the situation just gets worse and worse. She starts falling for the husband of the household, while the hot italian gardener Enzo keeps trying to warn her about something.

The plot and the pacing works! We are introduced in medias res – right in the middle of the action before we go back to the beginning. The Mrs. of the house is so unbelievably annoying – and if McFadden has a talent, it’s writing these horrible characters you want to reach into the book and strangle. But there’s a fine line that some may say was crossed. If the character takes it too far – it starts becoming a bit farfetched. But those people have not met my stepmother – she says crazy and degrading things to me all the time, so I know it’s possible for people to behave out of the bounds of normal civility. But to those who may never have encountered people like that – congrats! – but you might feel the line was crossed here.

And just as you think the worst has happened, McFadden twists it all around on you again. She’s good at that. There is a reason so many people have raved about it. It’s so much fun and the ending is extremely satisfying! I laughed out loud and I rooted for Millie. Millie who is both a badass and a bit naive.

But I still enjoyed this for the same reason I enjoy watching endless episodes of law and order or B-movies – it’s just fun and relaxing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Housemaid’s secret (The Housemaid #2)

Millie is back and she has a new client that acts very suspicious. The husband informs her that the wife isn’t feeling well, so she’s not to bother her. But Millie with her background is of course starting to suspect something. But is the something she is suspecting correct?

When the wife shows signs of spousal abuse, Millies good samaritan gene kicks in and before she knows it, she has tangled herself in something hard to get out of.

It is what it is, another fun adventure with naive Millie and hottie Enzo – back for more housewife saving!
It follows the same pattern as the first book, giving us Millie’s POV first and then switching it around to surprise us.
It works for me! I enjoy the ride every time! So if you liked the previous one, my bet would be that you would enjoy this one too.

What the second book does differently from the first book, is expand on Millies own story and not just focus on the family she’s working for. Millie has always been the main character, but this time she’s giving off the energy too. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Housemaid is watching (The Housemaid #3)

Millie and Enzo are back, this time in suburbia, in a cul-de-sac with horrendous caricatures barely resembling humans.
One thing Frieda McFadden has down, it’s writing characters that are absolute dumpster fires. This time around the housemaid has wed her gardener and they have 2 kids. It’s a family affair!

Honestly, I’m not sure this one works. I was all aboard the first two, but this one feels like a reach. The first half drags out to no end, and ruined Enzo as a character that has been built up over the past two books. He’s withholding, evasive and shady af. He does a few very questionable things that I won’t spoil, because it sets up the entire twist.
Millie is just as naive as ever, and she doesn’t seem to be very observant, in spite of the title. But maybe that’s because Millie isn’t the housemaid in this one. She’s the wife that get’s a housemaid to clean her new house.
I have to give it to McFadden though, the end was satisfying – I almost want to give it 5 stars. I just wish the first half was more than a boring marriage full of jealousy and shitty neighbors, because that was no more than 3 stars, even with McFaddens easy writing and short chapters. I think we’ve come full circle here. Where the first book began, this book almost seems to end.⭐⭐⭐