The Housemaid

Like The Housemaid, this novel features a woman infiltrating a wealthy family's life with a hidden agenda. It shares the same high-stakes manipulation, class envy, and a massive mid-point twist that changes everything the reader thought they knew.

This book captures the same 'perfect life' facade that McFadden explores. It focuses on a seemingly ideal couple where the husband is a monster, echoing the themes of domestic entrapment and the desperate need for escape.

Fans of the 'creepy house' and 'secret manuscript' elements in McFadden's work will find this equally addictive. It features a protagonist who moves into a wealthy home to complete a job, only to discover horrifying secrets about the woman who lived there before.

This thriller relies heavily on subverting reader expectations regarding who is the victim and who is the villain. Its structure and use of perspective shifts will feel very familiar to those who enjoyed the narrative 'ping-pong' of The Housemaid.

As the classic foundation for the 'housemaid' subgenre, this gothic masterpiece deals with a young woman moving into a grand estate where she is haunted by the shadow of her predecessor. It shares the themes of class insecurity and domestic dread.

This is perhaps the closest thematic match, focusing on a maid who sees too much while cleaning the homes of the elite. It mirrors McFadden's exploration of how invisible domestic workers are to their employers.

This book excels at building a sense of unease within a single, large house. It involves complex family dynamics and secrets that span decades, appealing to readers who like the 'hidden history' of a home.

If the shocking twists and psychological profiling were your favorite parts of The Housemaid, this is a must-read. It deals with a woman who refuses to speak after a crime and the therapist obsessed with uncovering her truth.

For readers who loved the specific pacing and 'popcorn thriller' style of McFadden, this is one of her highest-rated other works. It features a couple trapped in a house during a storm discovering old therapy tapes of a missing woman.

This domestic thriller uses an isolated setting and a failing marriage to build incredible tension. Like The Housemaid, it uses unreliable characters and a setting that feels like a character itself to keep the reader off-balance.