Book Review - The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden

Title: The Housemaid’s Secret (The Housemaid # 2)
Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: Thriller/ Mystery
Published: 2023
 
Description: It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs. Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day, I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…
 
That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs. Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to play. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…
 
Review: This is the sequel to “The Housemaid”. In “The Housemaid’s Secret” we follow Millie again. And again, she is looking for a job. It does not take place immediately after the first book. Millie eventually finds a job as cleaning the penthouse of the Garricks. A house that doesn’t really need any cleaning, because it looks spotless. But it’s paying well and it’s easy money. And Millie can combine it with her school. Douglas Garrick is her boss, she speaks to him and he gives out the orders. He seems like a nice guy. But she never saw Wendy Garrick yet, Douglas’ wife. He says she’s ill and needs to be left alone in the guest bedroom.
 
WARNING! THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
 
The set-up of the book is very similar to the first one. Millie getting a new job in housekeeping, at first everything is perfect, but then she suspects something is very wrong. Even the narration is very similar, as in the perspective switches at the half-way point. This came as a surprise in the first book, not so much here. I kind of expected it to happen. And the intentions of this second person were also very similar.
 
Freida McFadden’s writing is very accessible, especially if you’re new to thrillers and you have just started exploring the genre. The book has very short chapters, a simple writing style and it’s in general a quick, entertaining read. It’s hard to put it down.
 
I do think, if I hadn’t read the first book, this one would have surprised me more. Because so many elements were the same. “The Housemaid’s Secret” still did have some twists here and there that did surprise me, but overall it was a lot more predictable.
 
I did have a good time reading it, it was a real page-turner. Do I think this book deserved to win the GoodReads choice award for best mystery/ thriller? No. But if you have liked Freida McFadden books before, you will probably enjoy this one as well.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5