The globally bestselling author of The Housemaid, Frieda McFadden finally has revealed her true identity after two decades of writing under a pseudonym. "I'm at a point in my career when I'm tired of this being a secret," she told USA Today.
It has long been known that the author pens her novels under a nom de plume, owing to her work in medicine specialising in brain disorders. Now, it has been revealed that her name is actually Sara Cohen. "I'm tired of people debating if I'm a real person or if I'm three men. I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don't have anything to hide,” she added.
The author has grown a cult following thanks to her pacy plots, thrilling twists and beloved characters. Under her alias, she has written more than 30 books, including the hugely popular The Housemaid series, the Dr Jane McGill series and chart-topping standalone novels such as Never Lie, The Teacher and The Boyfriend.
Last year, The Housemaid was adapted for the big screen with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried in the starring roles. A huge commercial success, the movie has only bolstered the status of Cohen, who has been slowly scaling back her work as a doctor.
“My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was [ready to] step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn't be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do my job," she told USA Today.
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The author published her first psychological thriller in 2013, The Devil Wears Scrubs, which was a fictionalised account of her life as a doctor. "At work, I want to be a doctor," she told the New York Times in 2024. "A lot of my books have medical stuff in them, and I don't want people saying, 'Is this based on me?' It feels unprofessional."
Whether you’re looking to dive into Frieda McFadden’s books for the very first time or revisit her most popular titles, these are her bestselling novels to add to your TBR pile.
'The Housemaid' by Frieda McFadden, published by Bookouture
Released in 2023, the chart topping psychological thriller follows Millie Calloway, a young women who takes a job as a live-in housemaid for a wealthy family. At first, the job appears perfect, particularly given the luxury dwellings. But, while hiding her own criminal past, she soon uncovers family secrets, dark truths and unsettling dynamics. Like all the best thrillers (think Gone Girl or The Girl On The Train), the novel is packed with twists and tension.
Cohen has since written three sequels, The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid Is Watching and The Housemaid’s Wedding. A film sequel is also in the works.
Buy now £11.99
Dear Debbie by Frieda McFadden, published by Poisoned Pen Press
Released in January this year, Frieda McFadden’s latest novel, Dear Debbie, is a thriller with feminist themes. Our protagonist is Debbie, who writes an advice column ‘Dear Debbie’ and deals daily with women who are abused, condescended and demeaned by their husbands.
Offline, she’s lost her job, her husband is keeping secrets from her and her teenage daughters are acting off – so, she decides to take her own advice for once and do something about it.
Buy now £4, Amazon.co.uk
'The Inmate' by Frieda McFadden, published by Poisoned Pen Press
One of Cohen’s most popular standalone thrillers, The Inmate follows a new nurse practitioner in a maximum-security prison. Despite being told to never be too friendly with inmates, Brooke soon discovers that her high school sweetheart Shane is one of the prisoners. To make matter’s worse, he’s serving a life sentence for a series of murders – and Brooke was the one who testified against him.
Buy now £7, Amazon.co.uk
'The Teacher' by Frieda McFadden, published by Poisoned Pen Press
The Teacher is, you guessed it, set at a school. Eve is a maths teacher who works at Caseham High, and is married to the popular – and handsome – English teacher Nate. When a scandal is unearthed, Eve’s pupil Addie – a student with a dark part – is thrust into the spotlight. The other students believe she was romantically involved with a teacher that was fired the previous year – but was she? Twisty and shocking, The Teacher explores the weight of secrets.
Buy now £5, Amazon.co.uk
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