The Housemaid Books in Order: Millie’s Full Story and What’s Next

The Housemaid Books in Order

Millie Calloway just got out of prison. She needs a job, any job, and a wealthy family on Long Island offers her one. The house is beautiful. The pay is good. Her room is in the attic, and the door only locks from the outside. If that setup made you curious, you are not alone, and you probably want the Housemaid books in order so you can follow Millie from the start.

Freida McFadden turned that premise into one of the biggest thriller series of the decade. The books sold millions, the first one became a hit movie in December 2025, and a sequel film is on the way. This guide covers the right reading order for the series, where the short story fits, and how the rest of McFadden’s books line up.

Who Is Freida McFadden?

Freida McFadden is a practicing doctor who specializes in brain injuries. She writes psychological thrillers on the side, and her books are known for short chapters, sharp twists, and endings that make readers gasp.

She started out self-publishing, then broke through in a big way with The Housemaid in 2022. Since then, she has released several books a year and built a huge following on BookTok. You will sometimes see her name spelled wrong in searches, and “frieda mcfadden books” is a common typo. The correct spelling is Freida.

The Housemaid Books in Order

Here is the full series, including the short story. The order below follows the story’s timeline, which is how most fans recommend reading it.

1. The Housemaid (April 2022)
2. The Housemaid’s Secret (February 2023)
3. The Housemaid’s Wedding (November 2024, short story)
4. The Housemaid Is Watching (June 2024)

The Housemaid’s Wedding came out after book three, but it takes place between books two and three. If you are reading for the first time, slot it in right before The Housemaid Is Watching. If you already finished the trilogy, you can read it as a bonus anytime.

What Each Book Is About (No Major Spoilers)

The Housemaid

Millie takes a job cleaning and cooking for Nina and Andrew Winchester. Nina is moody and cruel. Andrew is kind and handsome. Millie tries to keep her head down, but nothing in the house is what it seems. The twist halfway through is the reason this book blew up.

The Housemaid’s Secret

Millie has a new job with a rich family in a Manhattan penthouse. She is told never to enter the guest room, where the wife supposedly stays sick in bed. Millie, of course, can’t let it go. The book brings back a character from book one and adds new layers to Millie’s past.

The Housemaid’s Wedding

This short story follows Millie as she plans her wedding. It is quick, fun, and gives fans a little more time with characters they already know. You can finish it in one sitting.

The Housemaid Is Watching

Years later, Millie has a family and a house of her own in the suburbs. Now she’s the one who lives in a nice neighborhood, and she starts to suspect her neighbors are hiding something. The roles flip, and the tension builds to a classic McFadden ending.

Do You Need to Read the Housemaid Books in Order?

Yes. Each book has its own plot, but the later books spoil the twists of the earlier ones. Book two mentions events from book one, and book three builds on both. If you read them out of order, the surprises in The Housemaid lose their punch.

The short story is the only flexible piece. Read it between books two and three for the best flow, or save it for later.

The Housemaid Movie and Sequel

The Housemaid film came out on December 19, 2025. Sydney Sweeney plays Millie, Amanda Seyfried plays Nina, and Brandon Sklenar plays Andrew. Paul Feig directed, and McFadden served as an executive producer. The movie earned about $400 million worldwide.

A sequel based on The Housemaid’s Secret is set for December 17, 2027. Feig returns as director, Sweeney is back as Millie, and Kirsten Dunst has joined the cast. If you plan to watch it, read book two first so you know what is coming.

Freida McFadden Books in Order

If you finish Millie’s story and want more, McFadden has plenty to offer. Here is her full catalog by release date. The Housemaid books are marked so you can see where they fall.

A few notes on this list of Freida McFadden books in order:

• The Devil Wears Scrubs and The Devil You Know form a short medical comedy series about Dr. Jane McGill. They are lighter than her thrillers.
• Dead Med is a rewrite of her 2014 debut, Suicide Med.
• The Witch came out on October 6, 2026. It follows a woman who returns to her family’s old Massachusetts estate and uncovers ties to a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692.
• The Sleepwalker is next, set for March 23, 2027.

Which Freida McFadden Books Should You Read After The Housemaid?

Not sure where to go next? Here are a few picks based on what you liked about the series:

• If you loved the twists: Never Lie. A couple gets snowed in at the house of a missing psychiatrist and finds her secret tapes.
• If you liked the creepy house vibe: The Inmate or The Locked Door.
• If you want a workplace thriller: The Coworker.
• If you want her newest work: The Teacher, The Crash, or The Witch.

Most Freida McFadden books are standalones, so you can read them in any order. Only the Housemaid series and the two Jane McGill books need to be read in sequence.

Why the Housemaid Series Works

A lot of thrillers have twists. What sets McFadden apart is how fast she gets you there. Chapters are short, the language is plain, and each chapter ends with a reason to read one more. Millie is also an easy hero to root for. She has a rough past, a sharp tongue, and a strong sense of right and wrong, even if her methods are not always legal.

That mix of speed and character is why the series crossed over from BookTok to the big screen.

Common Questions About the Housemaid Books in Order

Will there be a fourth Housemaid novel? As of October 2026, McFadden has not announced one. The sequel film and her steady release schedule keep fans hopeful, and any new book would slot right after The Housemaid Is Watching.

Is the Housemaid movie faithful to the book? The film keeps the main story and the big twist, though it trims some details. Reading the book first gives you a richer look at Millie’s thoughts.

How long are the Housemaid books? Each novel runs around 300 to 350 pages, with very short chapters. Most readers finish one in a day or two, so you can read all of the Housemaid books in order in about a week.

Are the books too dark for some readers? The series deals with abuse and violence, but it avoids graphic gore. It reads more like a tense page-turner than a horror novel. If you want to follow the Housemaid books in order, expect a few tough scenes but plenty of payoff.

Final Thoughts

The Housemaid books in order run from Millie’s first job with the Winchesters in 2022 to The Housemaid Is Watching in 2024, with The Housemaid’s Wedding fitting in between books two and three. Read them in order so the twists land, then branch out into McFadden’s many standalones. Keep this guide to the Housemaid books in order handy, especially with the sequel film arriving in December 2027.

Key Takeaways

• The Housemaid series has three novels and one short story, all by Freida McFadden.
• The reading order is The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret, The Housemaid’s Wedding, then The Housemaid Is Watching.
• The Housemaid’s Wedding (2024) is a short story set between books two and three.
• Reading in order matters because later books spoil earlier twists.
• The Housemaid movie, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, came out on December 19, 2025, and earned about $400 million worldwide.
• A sequel film based on The Housemaid’s Secret is set for December 17, 2027, with Kirsten Dunst joining the cast.
• Freida McFadden has 29 books as of October 2026. Her newest is The Witch, and The Sleepwalker arrives in March 2027.
• Her name is spelled Freida, not Frieda, which is a common search mistake.