It’s been so long since I read a novel and while I was busy with my usual online window shopping, I came across these books and bought them without second thought. I always buy the books of authors I know about or read about, this is the first instance I bought books without knowing anything about the author or without reading the preview!
The best thing about having no expectations is that, if it’s good, then I will be mighty happy with my choice of book, but if it turns out bad, I never really had any expectations to begin with, so I won’t be sad either! It is a win-win!
That’s what I had in mind, when I started reading the book…..
Let’s get the review started.
Written by: Freida McFadden
Published in : April 2022
Read on : 14 August 2025
Genre : Psychological Thriller
The novel starts with the police entering an attic and finding a corpse and a woman is being questioned….
Then the narrative shifts to Millie Calloway, who is at the Winchester house, attending an interview for the job as a housemaid. She is an ex- convict, who is out on a payroll and has been fired from her last job.
Nina Winchester, an amiable and lovable person, wearing a full white attire is the interviewer. She hires Millie as a housemaid, even without references and that sets the pace of the story.
During the interview, Millie is taken to the attic at the top of the house, through creaky stairs, where she is to stay, while working as an stay-in housemaid. Although she loves the house, Millie finds the attic disturbing. It feels claustrophobic, there is only a tiny window, which can’t be opened and the door can only be locked from outside!
After the interview, the muscular, over 6 foot something tall gardener Enzo gives Millie a foreboding message, Danger!
Millie suspects that the house must be haunted, but even then, she decides to work there. She has no prospects at any other jobs, she is an ex-convict, who served 10 years in prison!
While she is attending interviews and awaiting call backs, Millie is living in her old and beaten car, as a home! Nina Winchester hires Millie, which in itself is suspicious.
She enters the house and is again warned by the Italian gardener, Enzo. The room in the attic gives off weird vibes, but then, it is better than the car home, anyway. Millie decides to save up as much as she can and leave.
The house, which had been spic and span during her interview, is now in bad shape and needs serious cleaning.
Millie soon learns thar Nina is borderline neurotic and her moods are as bad as an oscillating pendulum. One minute she is charming, and another minute she is menacing and scary. Nina, is the wife of Andrew Winchester, a handsome uber rich young business man, who is apparently in love with his wife, inspite of the trouble she keeps causing him daily.
As Millie starts living with them, she learns that Nina Winchester had been to a “loony bin” and even tried to drown her own baby Cecelia!
Why is Nina always dressed in white? Why do the Winchester’s have peanut butter in the house if little Cecelia is allergic to it? Why does Cecelia always dress in uncomfortable frocks ? Why did Andrew marry Nina? So many questions intrigued me….
There is also a scene where Andrew and Nina fight at night, a loud crash is heard and Millie suspects Nina hurt Andrew! Even the blood on Nina’s night dress is suspicious. Luckily, he is unhurt.
At one point in the story, even I was scared about what Nina Winchester might do to Millie, since she is young and beautiful and it is clear as day that Andrew seems to be attracted to her ( by the end of 3 months) Nina is obviously a jealous wife.
Turns out plain looking Nina is older than Andrew and was a working single mom, before she met and married him.
The first part of the story ends with Nina being thrown out of the house by Andrew and Millie is promoted from a housemaid to a girlfriend!
Just when I was scared for the safety of Millie, Freida McFadden throws a juggernaut and demolishes the theory I had in my mind, while reading the book. (Like any reader, I was trying to guess what happens next)
She manages to turn the story on its head and how!
I am stopping at this. You have got to read the book to know the clever writing and memorable characters. For once I was happy reading about both the female characters Nina Winchester and Millie Calloway.
This is one of those novels which gets a 5 out of 5 from me. Good going Freida McFadden!
P.S:
I also bought two other novels in the Housemaid series.
Fingers crossed!
