The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden. Some unsavoury character.

Synopsis

“Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife… she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe…

It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.

It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…

That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.

Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…

Audiobook Review

4 stars. First part was worth a 4,5 stars, the second part 2 stars (purely because I despised the character narrating that part) and the last pert/ending was a 5 stars with all the twists and turns!

This is my second book by Freida Mc Faddan. The first being The Housemaid.

And in each book the author had her character make a choice that didn’t work with me. Or rather that I found hurtful and selfish. Hence I skimmed some parts in both books.

But now I know that it’s a very deliberate choice from the author and that what does not sit well with me in fact always serves a purpose and propels the story in a new direction.

So, respect for the author, even if she makes me uncomfortable at some point in her stories.

As this is a mystery I will just sum the story up.

Millie, our housemaid, needing a new job to pay college. As she has a criminal record, finding a job is not easy.

So when Douglas Garrick asks her to clean for him and his wife, she readily agrees.

But soon, Millie will realize that the door she can’t open hides Douglas’s wife and that he is abusing her.

If there is one true thing about Millie it’s that she can NEVER let someone being abused without trying to save them.

After all, that’s what landed her in jail for years.

So this will be us following Millie trying once more to help an abused woman.

We have a first part, told by Millie where we see that she not only will try to save Wendy but she also has a boyfriend, Brock, ready to marry her. Millie is constantly toying with him, standing him up when Brock was a really great guy in a “golden retriever” kind of way.

Seeing Millie stringing him along had me FURIOUS!

The second part is told through someone else’s POV and that’s the part I refer to as very maddening to read because I despised that character!

And the third part is told through both POV, full of shocking twists and unexpected reveal. Brilliant really! I was on edge the whole time!

I can’t wait to read more about Millie’s adventures!

Thanks for reading!

Sophie