Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden is an American author and physician specializing in brain injury medicine. She writes psychological thrillers and was born in New York. She attended Brown University and Boston University School of Medicine, and has practiced medicine for over two decades while simultaneously pursuing her writing career. McFadden published numerous novels before achieving mainstream breakthrough with The Housemaid (2022), a psychological thriller about a live-in maid with a dangerous secret. The novel became a massive global bestseller through word-of-mouth and social media, particularly on BookTok. Its sequel, The Housemaid's Secret (2023), won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery & Thriller in 2023, further cementing her status as one of the most commercially successful thriller authors of the decade. She has written more than twenty psychological thrillers and medical thrillers, known for their addictive plotting, shocking twists, and morally complex characters. Her books frequently appear on the New York Times bestseller list. McFadden is appreciated for combining her medical knowledge—particularly regarding neurological conditions and hospital settings—with propulsive thriller narratives accessible to a broad general readership. She lives on the East Coast with her family.