# Freida McFadden

> The pen name of a Harvard-trained brain-injury physician who self-published for a decade before *The Housemaid* made her one of the best-selling thriller writers in the world.

- Thriller writer · The Housemaid · Never Lie · The Teacher
- Known for: Twisting domestic thrillers, above all *The Housemaid* (2022) and its sequels, filmed in 2025 with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.[1][2]
- Last updated: 2026-11-14
- Editorial review: approved 2026-11-14
- Web page: https://authorbackstories.com/authors/freida-mcfadden/
- Reading list (PDF): https://authorbackstories.com/authors/freida-mcfadden/reading-list.pdf

## Featured book: Newest book

*The Witch* (2026). A thriller set on a haunted estate, about two women, one in the past and one in the present; Poisoned Pen Press published it on October 6, 2026.[11][12]

## At a glance

- The name: A pen name; "Freida" comes from FREIDA, an online database of medical residency programs[4][1]
- Education: Harvard University[1][8]
- Before writing: A physician specializing in brain injury; she stepped away from medicine in late 2023[1][5]
- First book: *The Devil Wears Scrubs*, self-published in 2013[3][1]
- Publishers: Bookouture, then Poisoned Pen Press (Sourcebooks)[3][4]
- Major award: International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Original Novel, 2023, for *The Housemaid*[1]

## Freida McFadden's Backstory

### Medicine and a pen name

The writer known as Freida McFadden grew up in New York City and studied at Harvard, then trained as a physician specializing in brain injury, practicing in the Boston area.[1][8] She chose a pen name to keep her writing separate from her work as a doctor; "Freida" comes from FREIDA, an online database of medical residency programs.[4][3]

### Ten years of self-publishing

While training she wrote a blog about medicine, and in 2013 she self-published *The Devil Wears Scrubs*, a comic novel about a first-year resident.[6][3] For the next decade she self-published medical comedies and, increasingly, psychological thrillers, among them *The Wife Upstairs* (2020) and *The Locked Door* (2021).[1][4]

### The Housemaid

The ebook publisher Bookouture persuaded her to let it publish *The Housemaid*, about a woman with a secret past who takes a live-in job with a wealthy family; it came out in April 2022 and won the International Thriller Writers award for best paperback original.[4][7][1] Two sequels followed, and Poisoned Pen Press, an imprint of Sourcebooks, acquired print rights to 15 of her books.[1][3] Paul Feig's film of *The Housemaid*, with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, opened in December 2025 and grossed about $396 million worldwide.[2]

### Recent years

She stepped away from medicine in late 2023, and in April 2026 she disclosed her real name in an interview with *USA Today*, while saying she would keep publishing as Freida McFadden.[5] She published four new books in 2026, ending with *The Witch* in October.[1][13][14][11] She lives outside Boston with her family.[1]

## Fun facts

- Her first book grew out of a blog about her training; she wrote it about her intern year of residency and, she says, published it "just for fun."[6]
- When Bookouture offered to publish one of her books, her first impulse was to say no, because self-publishing was going well.[7]
- Poisoned Pen Press bought print rights to 15 of her books, a mix of new and backlist titles, and interleaves the old ones with new releases.[3]
- In *The Wife Upstairs* (2020), a character lives with a severe brain injury, the kind of patient she treated as a doctor.[8]
- Stephen King has called her books engrossing and her sense of humor sharp and dark.[11]

## Books

In order of first publication; each series is kept together in reading order.

Titles, series and dates from the bibliography in McFadden's Wikipedia entry, with her 2026 books from publisher and retailer announcements; the Housemaid short story is left out.[1][13][14][12]

- **Dr. Jane McGill** (series, 2 books, 2013–2017)
  - 2013: Book 1, *The Devil Wears Scrubs* (Novel). Her first book, self-published in 2013.[3][1] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Devil%20Wears%20Scrubs%20Freida%20McFadden)
  - 2017: Book 2, *The Devil You Know* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Devil%20You%20Know%20Freida%20McFadden)
- **Prescription: Murder** (series, 2 books, 2014–2016)
  - 2014: Book 1, *Suicide Med* (Novel). Revised and reissued as *Dead Med* in 2024.[1] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Suicide%20Med%20Freida%20McFadden)
  - 2016: Book 2, *Brain Damage* (Novel). ISBN 9781464249617. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464249617) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464249617)
- 2015: *11 out of 10* (Anthology (editor)). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=11%20out%20of%2010%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2015: *Baby City* (Novel). Written with Kelley Stoddard.[1] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Baby%20City%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2018: *The Surrogate Mother* (Novel). ISBN 9781464247484. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464247484) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464247484)
- 2019: *The Ex* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Ex%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2019: *The Perfect Son* (Novel). ISBN 9781464227295. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464227295) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464227295)
- 2020: *One by One* (Novel). ISBN 9781728296197. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781728296197) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781728296197)
- 2020: *The Wife Upstairs* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Wife%20Upstairs%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2021: *Do Not Disturb* (Novel). ISBN 9781464238826. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464238826) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464238826)
- 2021: *The Locked Door* (Novel). ISBN 9781464221354. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464221354) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464221354)
- 2021: *Want to Know a Secret?* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Want%20to%20Know%20a%20Secret%3F%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2022: *Do You Remember?* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Do%20You%20Remember%3F%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2022: *Never Lie* (Novel). ISBN 9781464221361. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464221361) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464221361)
- 2022: *The Gift* (Novella). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Gift%20Freida%20McFadden)
- **The Housemaid** (series, 3 books, 2022–2024)
  - 2022: Book 1, *The Housemaid* (Novel). Won the International Thriller Writers' 2023 award for best paperback original.[1] ISBN 9781538777930. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781538777930) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781538777930)
  - 2023: Book 2, *The Housemaid's Secret* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Housemaid's%20Secret%20Freida%20McFadden)
  - 2024: Book 3, *The Housemaid Is Watching* (Novel). ISBN 9781464280245. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464280245) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464280245)
- 2022: *The Inmate* (Novel). ISBN 9781464221385. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464221385) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464221385)
- 2023: *The Co-Worker* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Co-Worker%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2023: *Ward D* (Novel). ISBN 9781464227271. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464227271) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464227271)
- 2024: *The Boyfriend* (Novel). ISBN 9781464231681. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464231681) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464231681)
- 2024: *The Teacher* (Novel). ISBN 9781464221378. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464221378) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464221378)
- 2024: *The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie* (Novella). A satire.[1] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Widow's%20Husband's%20Secret%20Lie%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2025: *Death Row* (Novella). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Death%20Row%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2025: *The Crash* (Novel). ISBN 9781464228636. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464228636) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464228636)
- 2025: *The Intruder* (Novel). ISBN 9781464260919. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464260919) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464260919)
- 2025: *The Tenant* (Novel). ISBN 9781464238819. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464238819) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464238819)
- 2026: *Dear Debbie* (Novel). ISBN 9781464249624. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464249624) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464249624)
- 2026: *The Dinner Party* (Novel). Published first in paperback and ebook.[13] [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Dinner%20Party%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2026: *The Divorce* (Novel). [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=The%20Divorce%20Freida%20McFadden)
- 2026: *The Witch* (Novel). Set partly in the past; one early reviewer called it her move into historical fiction.[11] ISBN 9781464249648. [Bookshop](https://bookshop.org/a/131187/9781464249648) · [WorldCat](https://www.worldcat.org/isbn/9781464249648)

## Latest news

- Oct. 6, 2026: Poisoned Pen Press published *The Witch*, set partly in the past, which one early reviewer called her move into historical fiction.[11][12]
- Apr. 8, 2026: In an interview with *USA Today* she disclosed her real name, saying she was tired of the secret, and said she would keep writing as Freida McFadden.[5]
- Jan. 6, 2026: Lionsgate announced a film of *The Housemaid's Secret* after *The Housemaid* grossed $133 million worldwide in its first 17 days.[9]

## Adaptations and other media

### Film

- *The Housemaid* (2025). Based on *The Housemaid*. Paul Feig directed Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar for Lionsgate; made for $35 million, it grossed about $396 million worldwide.[2]
- *The Housemaid's Secret* (Announced 2026). Based on *The Housemaid's Secret*. Lionsgate's sequel, with Feig and Sweeney returning and Rebecca Sonnenshine writing, is scheduled for December 17, 2027.[9][10]

## Timeline

- 2013: Self-publishes her first book, *The Devil Wears Scrubs*.[3][1]
- Apr. 26, 2022: Bookouture publishes *The Housemaid*.[1]
- 2023: *The Housemaid* wins the International Thriller Writers award for best paperback original.[1]
- Late 2023: Steps away from practicing medicine.[5]
- Dec. 19, 2025: Lionsgate releases the film of *The Housemaid*.[2]
- Apr. 8, 2026: Discloses her real name in a *USA Today* interview.[5]
- Oct. 6, 2026: *The Witch* is published.[11]

## What's next

*The Sleepwalker*, a thriller about a nurse, is scheduled for March 23, 2027, and the film of *The Housemaid's Secret* for December 17, 2027.[15][10]

## Sources

1. [Freida McFadden](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Freida_McFadden). Wikipedia (via Wikiwand). (reference)
2. [The Housemaid (2025 film)](https://wiki.krisyotam.com/content/wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2026-03/The_Housemaid_(2025_film)). Wikipedia (March 2026 snapshot). (reference)
3. [How Freida McFadden became a best-selling author](https://artdaily.com/news/171983/images/close.gif). Artdaily (The New York Times). (news)
4. ['Deliciously dark': how Freida McFadden's twisty thrillers gripped millions of readers](https://www.inkl.com/news/deliciously-dark-how-freida-mcfadden-s-twisty-thrillers-gripped-millions-of-readers). The Guardian (via inkl). (news)
5. ['The Housemaid' author Freida McFadden reveals her true identity: 'It's time'](https://nbcmontana.com/news/entertainment/the-housemaid-author-freida-mcfadden-reveals-her-true-identity-its-time). NBC Montana. (news)
6. [A Reader's Guide to Freida McFadden](https://bookriot.com/who-is-freida-mcfadden/). Book Riot. (news)
7. [Who is hiding behind the name Freida McFadden?](https://en.ara.cat/misc/who-is-hiding-behind-the-name-freida-mcfadden-the-new-queen-of-literary-thrillers_1_5479343.html). Ara. (news)
8. [Who Exactly Is Freida McFadden?](https://younghollywood.com/scene/who-exactly-is-frieda-mcfadden.html). Young Hollywood. (news)
9. [Sydney Sweeney box-office hit 'The Housemaid' to get a sequel](https://digital-release.newsnationnow.com/?p=3687924). AP (via NewsNation). (news)
10. [The Housemaid's Secret](https://runpee.com/?p=52500). RunPee. (website)
11. [The Witch](https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-witch-9781464299452). Penguin Random House Australia. (primary record)
12. [The Witch](https://www.thenile.com.au/books/9781464249648). The Nile. (website)
13. [Award-winning author reveals intriguing new book](https://www.aol.com/articles/award-winning-author-reveals-intriguing-140446992.html). AOL. (news)
14. [The Divorce](https://newbooksalert.com/?p=24377). New Books Alert. (website)
15. [Freida McFadden's The Sleepwalker: release date](https://booksofbrilliance.com/2026/10/10/freida-mcfadden-the-sleepwalker-release-date/). Books of Brilliance. (news)