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Quick answer: If you loved The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, try Never Lie by Freida McFadden, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, Verity by Colleen Hoover and The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine.
The Housemaid became one of the most talked-about thrillers of recent years, and its sequels have kept readers hooked. If you’re looking for more fast, twisty domestic thrillers with secrets behind closed doors, the books below are a great place to start. They’re adult thrillers, and several include violence, abuse and sexual content, so they’re best for adult readers. We’ve noted what makes each one similar.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Housemaid
The Housemaid is pure page-turning fun: short chapters, a heroine with a secret past, a creepy employer and a twist that flips everything you thought you knew. Freida McFadden writes in a fast, conversational style that makes it easy to read in one sitting. Readers love the feeling of being fooled, and the satisfying sense of justice when the truth comes out. If that’s what hooked you, look for unreliable narrators, domestic secrets and big reveals.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Housemaid: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Housemaid’s Secret | Freida McFadden | Psychological thriller | Continuing Millie’s story |
| Never Lie | Freida McFadden | Psychological thriller | More McFadden |
| The Silent Patient | Alex Michaelides | Psychological thriller | A jaw-dropping twist |
| The Wife Between Us | Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | Psychological thriller | Nothing is what it seems |
| The Perfect Marriage | Jeneva Rose | Legal thriller | Courtroom twists |
| Verity | Colleen Hoover | Psychological thriller | Dark secrets |
| The Last Mrs. Parrish | Liv Constantine | Domestic thriller | Scheming women |
| The Inmate | Freida McFadden | Psychological thriller | Prison secrets |
| The Coworker | Freida McFadden | Psychological thriller | Office obsession |
| Behind Closed Doors | B. A. Paris | Domestic thriller | Perfect couples with secrets |
| The Couple Next Door | Shari Lapena | Domestic thriller | Missing child mystery |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Psychological thriller | The classic marriage thriller |
| The Woman in the Window | A. J. Finn | Psychological thriller | Unreliable narrators |
| None of This Is True | Lisa Jewell | Psychological thriller | Creepy strangers |
| The Teacher | Freida McFadden | Psychological thriller | School scandals |
1. The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden
Millie takes a new job cleaning for a wealthy couple in a Manhattan penthouse, and the wife who never leaves the guest room may be in danger. It’s just as twisty.
2. Never Lie by Freida McFadden
Newlyweds snowed in at a remote house find hidden recordings of a missing psychiatrist’s patients. It’s quick and full of reveals.
3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A famous painter shoots her husband and never speaks again. A psychotherapist is determined to make her talk. The ending is famous.
4. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
An ex-wife seems obsessed with her husband’s new fiancée, but the truth is very different. It’s full of misdirection.
5. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
A defense attorney represents her husband after his mistress is found dead in their lake house. It’s fast and surprising.
6. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A writer hired to finish a famous author’s books finds a disturbing manuscript in her house. It’s very dark and explicit.
7. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
A con artist sets out to steal a wealthy woman’s husband and life, but the wife has secrets of her own.
8. The Inmate by Freida McFadden
A nurse practitioner takes a job at a prison where her high school boyfriend is serving time for murder.
9. The Coworker by Freida McFadden
When an office worker disappears, her strange coworker becomes the prime suspect, and the truth is twisted.
10. Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
Everyone envies Jack and Grace’s perfect marriage, but Grace is never allowed to be alone. It’s chilling.
11. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
A baby disappears while her parents are at a dinner party next door. Everyone in the story has secrets.
12. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
On their anniversary, Amy Dunne disappears, and her husband becomes the main suspect. It’s the modern classic of the genre.
13. The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn
An agoraphobic woman believes she’s witnessed a crime in the house across the street.
14. None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
A podcaster meets a woman who shares her birthday, and the new acquaintance seems to want to take over her life.
15. The Teacher by Freida McFadden
A married teacher and a troubled student are at the center of a scandal, and nothing is as it seems.
How to Pick Your Next Thriller After The Housemaid
- Want more Millie? Read The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching.
- Love a big twist? The Silent Patient and The Wife Between Us are famous for theirs.
- Like marriage secrets? Gone Girl and Behind Closed Doors are classics.
- Prefer quick reads? Freida McFadden’s books are fast and short-chaptered.
- Check content notes. Many of these include abuse and violence.
- Avoid spoilers. Thriller twists are best unspoiled.
Related: The Housemaid book club discussion questions and what age The Housemaid is appropriate for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I read after The Housemaid?
Try The Housemaid’s Secret, Never Lie, The Silent Patient or The Wife Between Us.
What books are similar to Freida McFadden’s?
B. A. Paris, Shari Lapena, Liv Constantine and Jeneva Rose write similar twisty domestic thrillers.
Is there a thriller with a twist like The Housemaid?
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides and The Wife Between Us are known for their shocking twists.