Best Freida McFadden Books
If you’re a thriller fan, odds are you’ve read at least one Freida McFadden book. One of the most popular Kindle Unlimited authors, her books routinely top the bestseller list and I’m not the only one who stops everything for the newest release. Her output is also competitive, with over 25 books released thus far. Known for fast paced, easy-to-read psychological thrillers that you can’t put down, I’ve been a fan of her writing for years. Her twists polarize fans, and I’ve loved talking to others about our favorite Freida McFadden books - we love discussing which are the best Freida McFadden books, which inspired this post.
Today I’m ranking Freida McFadden books from best to worst, sharing the best Freida McFadden book to start with, my personal favorite, and which are great book club picks. Just a note: I am omitting her general fiction books (like The Devil Wears Scrubs) because they really don’t fit in with what she’s known for - page-turning thrillers - as well as the short stories/ novellas. This post focuses strictly on her full-length thrillers, including The Housemaid series (each book ranked separately).
I read over 100 books a year, many of which are thrillers, so it’s hard to surprise me at this point, but some of her twists get me good and I anxiously await her newest release each year. That being said, this list is purely my opinion, so feel free to disagree. Do you have a favorite Freida McFadden book? Let me know in the comments down below.
the best Freida McFadden books ranked
the housemaid
5/5 stars
The Housemaid is an all-around fan favorite for a reason, this is twisty, suspenseful, and nearly impossible to put down. You’ll fly through this book and be able to finish it in a couple days (or overnight).
This is a roller coaster from start to finish, and the ending really knocks this out of the park. Some of her other books fall flat and get predictable the more you read her works, but The Housemaid is McFadden at her best. If you liked Verity by Colleen Hoover, I think you will like this book, and this one has a bit more depth and detail to it than I thought Verity did.
Read it here.
never lie
4/5 stars
One of Freida McFadden’s signatures is writing a psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat without being too graphic, violent, or racy. Never Lie is a book you could read with your mom without cringing over too-intense scenes, yet it’s such a complete novel that it doesn’t need any of that to get you hooked on the story- definitely one of her better, well-thought-out plots.
Full of clever bait-and-switch twists, you’ll think you have it all figured out just to be surprised again. If you prefer a psychological thriller, I recommend Never Lie because it highlights her personal experience within the medical field because you get little tidbits about human behavior spread throughout that make the book more believable.
Read it here.
the inmate
4/5 stars
My biggest criticism of Freida McFadden is that the more of her books you read, the more formulaic they can seem. That being said, The Inmate is one of her best books. It’s twisty, makes you second-guess everything, and the ending is genuinely shocking. You’ll want to discuss it with a friend afterwards!
The Inmate alternates storytelling between present day and the past, so you get a mix of psychological thriller and young adult thriller without it being juvenile. It’s easy to follow, but is a little far-fetched, so if you like realistic thrillers, this won’t be your favorite.
Read it here.
the housemaid’s secret
4/5 stars
It is really hard to make a sequel that lives up to its predecessor. With how much I loved The Housemaid, I was nervous the second book wouldn’t live up to the hype, but I was pleasantly surprised by this!
The Housemaid’s Secret is full of endless twists and turns like the OG book, and it was fun to spend more time with Millie, a character we all grew to love, especially since McFadden’s books are so fast-paced that they sometimes feel over just as they’re getting started.
That being said, The Housemaid’s Secret is definitely a popcorn thriller. Some will love how true it is to the original, while others will find it to be too repetitive. I knocked a star off because nothing compares to The Housemaid, but it was still an enjoyable read.
Read it here.
ward d
4/5 stars
One of the my favorite psychological thrillers, Ward D gives off major creepy, unsettling vibes. It takes place during the overnight rotation of the mental health unit of a hospital, and you feel trapped alongside everyone else as you read. While it’s not a realistic thriller, Ward D finds the thin line between reality and insanity and I finished it in one sitting.
Ward D is intense, dramatic, and stressful to read. The pacing is excellent, and the twists are keep going until the very end. It’s not flawless, but still has all the makings of a great, page-turning thriller. Also, it would make a great movie someday down the road - fingers crossed.
Read it here.
want to know a secret?
4/5 stars
I’m a sucker for a book that includes an influencer/ YouTuber type of character because social media feels like one big experiment in a way, so Want to Know a Secret? immediately caught my attention. The main character is a baking YouTuber, which reminded me of A Simple Favor right away. The multi-POV and dual timeline structure keeps this book interesting, yet it’s not hard to follow.
I loved that the twists in Want to Know a Secret? were believable and realistic, and it’s a classic whodunit with lots of twists and turns. A fun yet exciting read, I recommend Want to Know a Secret? if you are new to the thriller genre or want something more lighthearted in between some of the darker books out there.
Read it here.
the intruder
4/5 stars
When it comes to thrillers, the isolated cabin in the woods setting with this book isn’t new, but McFadden’s psychological themes make The Intruder feel fresh. There are a few clever twists, but others are predictable.
I’d consider The Intruder to be one of her darker novels overall. It focuses more on emotional gut punches than jump scares and I found it to be more sad than suspenseful. I wanted a little more from this (it was a straight-shot type of plot), but with how quick her books are, it was to be expected.
If you want a crazy winter-y cabin thriller, I highly recommend The Girl in Cabin 13 by A.J. Rivers - one of my all-time favorite thrillers.
Read it here.
dear debbie
3.5/5 stars
McFadden’s newest release, my best recommendation is to go into this with an open mind. I’ve ranked Dear Debbie higher than other books with higher ratings purely because I went into this knowing it was fun, and that made it enjoyable for me as a reader. It’s over-the-top, unhinged, and a true popcorn thriller. If you like dark thrillers, this won’t land for you, but if you like a little drama a la A Simple Favor, you’ll love it.
True to form, Dear Debbie is fast-paced yet a slow build, with the twists coming quickly at the end. McFadden did a great job developing the relationship between the main character, Debbie, and her daughters; it was believable and authentic, and kept this novel from being too cheesy.
Dear Debbie is an easy read that will entertain you for a weekend, but you won’t necessarily think about it later on. It’ll sustain a quick coffee chat with a friend, but is too one-note for book club.
Read it here.
the tenant
3.75/5 stars
The more books I read by Freida McFadden, the more I find them to be hit or miss. I’ve found that I love one and then hate the next release - it really feels like an on-off pattern. The Tenant is good; it’s better than some of her recent releases, but not her best. I think those that are new to the thriller genre will enjoy it, but her books also seem to grow in predictability the more of them that you read. This also felt more stressful than suspenseful. The idea of having a horrible tenant is a nightmare, but the plot isn’t new or fresh.
It was interesting to see her write from a male's POV this time around, something she doesn’t do much of. Overall, The Tenant is true to her formula: short chapters, multi-POV, and a last-minute twist. It’s also an easy read; I finished it in about 2 hours, so it’d be a great pick to read over the weekend.
Read it here.
the coworker
4/5 stars
Here’s what I love about McFadden’s books: the first twist might be predictable, but it’s oftentimes followed by a second and third you never saw coming. That’s the thrill; that’s what turns her readers into avid fans. The Coworker has some of McFadden’s strongest characterization; both main characters are so distinct and well-developed that even with a fast-paced novel, you feel fully engaged and immersed in their world.
The turtle aspect is slightly overdone and I can see where it would annoy some readers, but this thriller infuses a few heartwarming moments, which is easier said than done. If you love an unreliable narrator and emotional roller coaster, give The Coworker a read!
Read it here.
the wife upstairs
3.5/5 stars
The Wife Upstairs is the McFadden book I always put off reading because it’s the only book of hers that is not available to read with Kindle Unlimited. I buy a lot of books and want to support authors, but her books are so hit-or-miss I was hesitant, especially with mixed reviews.
That said, The Wife Upstairs is entertaining. I saw reviews saying it copied Verity but I was surprised to find out The Wife Upstairs was published first. Both novels are VERY similar and I’m side-eying Colleen Hoover as a result. If you’ve read Verity, McFadden’s book won’t feel fresh to you, but if you haven’t, definitely check this out.
The Wife Upstairs builds slowly, with the twists coming like a one-two punch at the end. The final twist surprised me and I found the last 1/4 to be slightly rushed, almost like literary whiplash. One of McFadden’s more intriguing plots, it’s a shame that Verity is so similar.
Read it here. It’s not available through Kindle Unlimited, but worth the purchase.
the boyfriend
3/5 stars
Compared to her other novels, The Boyfriend has a slower pace - though it’s still quicker than thriller novels in general. If you want a good thriller you can put down, especially if you’re in a busy season of life, I recommend this one.
The Boyfriend follows a single 30-something dating in NYC; I feel like we don’t get too many books about that age range that aren’t centered around marriage/ children, so I thought this was refreshing and wish we had more books from this POV.
Overall, this book doesn’t reinvent the wheel as far as thrillers go, I did not see the big twist coming and was pleasantly surprised, especially since I thought it was blatantly revealed at about the halfway mark. My main criticism is that the main character made dumb decisions and I found the writing to be a little immature at times. Aside from that, it was really enjoyable and one of McFadden’s better books. Skip this one if blood makes you queasy, though!
Read it here.
one by one
3.5/5 stars
One by One is a divisive book among McFadden fans; some love it, some hate it, and I can see why each side feels the way they do. This is a survivalist thriller where a group’s car breaks down en route to a hotel and they’re stuck in the woods. There’s marital drama, secrets, and of course, twists. It’s one of those thrillers you don’t want to put down.
I agree with the critics that didn’t love the main character, Claire, but if you can see past it, One by One is a genuinely entertaining thriller. It leans slightly into the horror genre (without the gore or extreme violence) and some of the twists actually shocked me. I took off 1.5 stars because I found the fast pacing to be a little too quick; there wasn’t much time to process the events before something new and exciting happened. Maybe a cheap critique, but I still overall recommend reading it.
Read it here.
the surrogate mother
3/5 stars
In some ways The Surrogate Mother is a Lifetime movie waiting to be made, but it’s also twisty and not entirely predictable. If you want a thriller that you don’t take seriously (aka if some give you nightmares), this is a good option. If you’ve read a lot of thrillers or books by McFadden, you might be disappointing because this one is more cheesy than twisty.
While it’s a little over the top, The Surrogate Mother still falls under thriller territory because it’s somewhat stressful. You feel gaslit alongside the main character, yet frustrated by her naiveness at the same time. It’s predictable yet entertaining. I wouldn’t suggest this for a book club, but if you’re in a thriller slump or just want an entertaining book to get away from screen time or doom-scrolling, this fits the bill.
Read it here.
dead med
2.5/5 stars
Previously known as Suicide Med, Dead Med is a revision with 20% new material. I read both versions, and wasn’t super impressed by either. There’s a lot going on yet nothing at the same time. I recommend Dead Med if you like a multi-POV thriller; McFadden is clever in how she weaves the different perspectives together, and there’s a balance between layering the same events with different point of views while still moving the plot forward. It’s easy to keep track of the different characters, yet there’s not so much detail that it slows the story down.
There’s a time jump, which I found to be beneficial, but I ended this one thinking “What was the point of that?” There are just so many stronger novels from Freida McFadden that Dead Med gets lost towards the bottom of the shuffle. Even though it’s a rewrite, you can still tell it’s one of her earlier novels - there’s potential, but it’s not a grand slam by any means.
Read it here.
the perfect son
2/5 stars
I read The Perfect Son after reading a few of McFaddens biggest hits (The Housemaid, Never Lie), so this fell short for me in comparison to those. While I love how often we get a new McFadden book, sometimes they feel slightly half-baked and I wish she would sit with them just a bit longer to strengthen them a little. The Perfect Son is entertaining, but not thrilling. The twist was easy to predict yet far-fetched; it seems the more of her books you read, the easier they get to predict, sadly.
The writing is also on the juvenile side, and I think stronger characterization or a more layered plot would have helped a lot.
Read it here.
do you remember?
2/5 stars
Do You Remember? is about a woman who loses her memory and replays her days; the writing doesn’t feel repetitive even though she starts each day over with no recollection of the past, something I don’t love about memory-based thrillers.
Unfortunately, I did not love Do You Remember?. It felt overdramatic and the ending was predictable. The characters were one-dimensional, and the writing itself was uninspiring. Not one of McFadden’s best, and it read like a knockoff of Before I Go to Sleep.
Read it here.
the teacher
2/5 stars
One of her newer releases, The Teacher is a classic McFadden thriller, featuring multiple perspectives, short chapters, quick pacing, and characters with strong yet flawed personalities. While Freida McFadden tries to stay away from anything racy, the way The Teacher was written was way too exploitive to be anywhere near entertaining. It’s hard to see past the abuse and prevented me (and my friends) from finding this book entertaining.
Minor spoiler: I think this book falls under the “everybody here sucks” category - some characters way more than others, but I definitely felt like this was one of those scenarios that could’ve been avoided if one person made a rational decision, so if you hate horror movies where all the characters make dumb decisions, skip this book.
Read it here.
the housemaid is watching
2/5 stars
The Housemaid is Watching is the third (and final) book of The Housemaid series. The first book was SO good and what led me to subscribing to Kindle Unlimited. I liked the second book, but nothing compares to the first. Sometimes series on Kindle Unlimited can feel like they go on for too long, but I like that McFadden capped this series at three, (hopefully) rather than milk it as long as possible.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will say The Housemaid is Watching was just okay - not great, not terrible. The time jump is beneficial and helped move Millie’s story along so it didn’t feel repetitive of the first two books. The tone is moodier and less suspenseful than you’d expect, especially considering how wild The Housemaid was. The author spent more time creating doubt amongst characters than she does in her other books, which are typically page-turners that you can’t put down. If it wasn’t for the short chapters, this would have felt very slow.
The ending was a little rushed and left a few plot holes. I understand wanting to capitalize on the success of this series by releasing another title, but I don’t know if I’d read anything after this.
Read it here.
brain damage
2/5 stars
One of Freida McFadden’s earlier novels, Brain Damage is slower and more monotonous than her more recent novels. It’s also more predictable and simply written, with just one point of view. You can tell it’s one of her earlier novels because it’s a little more lighthearted in tone, with humor sprinkled throughout to add levity to the suspense.
The plot is pretty thin, yet the characterization doesn’t make up for it. If you’re a major Freida McFadden fan and want to read her entire catalogue, Brain Damage worth it, but if you’re on the hunt for your next 5-star thriller, this isn’t it.
Read it here.
the ex
2/5 stars
If I had to describe The Ex in a word, it would be mediocre. I feel so harsh saying that, but I think one of the pitfalls of a fast-paced, short thriller is that detail falls by the wayside, and that’s true with this book. You get a naive character making poor decisions, one-dimensional supporting characters, and a thin plot.
I understand the author will hold certain details back in order to create a more suspenseful plot, but reading The Ex seemed more half-baked than twisty. As a reader, it felt a disorganized rather than methodical. It’s one of McFadden’s earlier books, though, so I do cut her some slack and this book helps me appreciate her growth as an author.
Read it here.
the crash
2/5 stars
The synopsis of The Crash didn’t initially grab my attention because I feel like it’s been done within the thriller world so many times before, but because McFadden is a master of unexpected twists, I wanted to give it a chance.
No spoilers, but The Crash was so dull and predictable. Survivalist thrillers always get to me and creep me out, but this never provoked a sense of uneasiness or suspense. The characters are well-written, but quite one-dimensional. While McFadden is known for last-minute twists, the ones in The Crash were anticlimactic and ended the book on lackluster note.
Read it here.
the locked door
1/5 stars
Like most McFadden books, The Locked Door starts strong and is full of promise, but the ending was so anticlimactic that it really doesn’t stand up against her other (brilliant) novels. I found the main twist to be lazy, and the main character’s naiveness (for a lack of a better word) is what drove the plot forward, but also drove me crazy. Nora was the epitome of a dumb scary movie character that makes you yell at the screen.
The writing itself also becomes repetitive, making The Locked Door one of my least favorite McFadden books.
Read it here.
do not disturb
1/5 stars
Truth be told, I think I’m in the minority with rating Do Not Disturb so low (it has a 3.9 average on GoodReads), but I just didn’t like this book. It highlights all of McFadden’s weaknesses - predictable twists, dumb decision making, and limited character development. If you read thrillers, you’ll find this to be predictable as well.
Do Not Disturb started out strong, but the twist felt so cheap that it made me dislike the book. If you’re brand new to McFadden and thrillers in general, this may be a good entry point, but there are too many great books out there for me to recommend it.
Read it here.
books for fans of freida mcfadden
If you’re a Freida McFadden fan, these are more thrillers I would recommend:
No Exit by Taylor Adams - If you want true suspense, this is a really underrated thriller. It’ll keep you guessing and reads like a movie in your head, truly an immersive experience.
The Perfect Family by Anya Mora - One of my favorite thrillers of 2025, the cover looks cheesy but it was surprisingly so good. A domestic thriller with great characterization; I became more emotionally invested in this than I expected to.
Imaginary Strangers by Minka Kent - Incredible psychological thriller about a mother who would do anything to protect her children. Fast paced, eerie, and so hard to put down.
The Maid’s Diary by Loreth Anne White - For fans of The Housemaid, this is similar without being a knockoff. Lots of twists make it perfect for book club or buddy-reading with a friend.
Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena - A character-driven thriller with tons of secrets, the pacing is a little slower than McFadden’s, but it’s one of those thrillers where it isn’t over until the very last page, because the twists don’t stop.
The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose - A Kindle Unlimited classic thriller, this is a wild ride from start to finish. With a truly polarizing ending, you won’t be able to put it down.
