The Housemaid

Book Details & Major Themes

The Housemaid (2022) is a mystery novel written by Freida McFadden. The story follows Millie Calloway, a young woman with a criminal past, who is employed as a housekeeper by a rich woman, Nina Winchester, with a seeming mental health condition. McFadden is the author of multiple bestselling psychological thriller novels, including The Inmate, Never Lie, and The Housemaid's Secret, the second entry in her collection of novels featuring a housemaid as the main character.

In The Housemaid, McFadden explores themes of The Seen and the Unseen, The Interrelationships Among Discipline, Power, and Perfection, and Notions Surrounding Victimhood and Abuse. This study guide is based on the Bookouture Kindle edition.

Film Adaptation

In 2024, Lionsgate announced they would produce a film adaptation of the novel directed by Paul Feig and starring Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway and Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester.

Content Warning

This book describes violence, domestic abuse, and attempted death by suicide. These topics are summarized and analyzed in this study guide, and references to related events may appear in direct quotation.