Author guide

Freida McFadden Books in Order

Freida McFadden is a physician and bestselling author of psychological thrillers and medical-humor novels. Her books have appeared on major bestseller lists, won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best Paperback Original and the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Thriller, and been translated into more than 45 languages.

psychological thrillermedical thrillerwomen's fictiondomestic thrillersuspensemysterysatire

Catalog record updated August 25, 2026.

Freida McFadden's Newest Book

Dear Debbie

novel · First published 2026

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did. These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person. She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice. And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

The Housemaid

The first and best-known entry in the central domestic-thriller series.

The Devil Wears Scrubs

The beginning of the Dr. Jane McGill medical-humor series.

The Wife Upstairs

A representative standalone psychological domestic thriller.

Read in order

Books by series

series · complete

Dr. Jane McGill

A medical-humor women's-fiction series following physician Jane McGill through hospital life and personal misadventures.

Series guide →

1
The Devil Wears Scrubs
Book 1 · novel · 2013

Newly minted doctor Jane McGill is in hell.Not literally, of course. But between her drug addict patients, sleepless nights on call, and battling wits with the sadistic yet charming Sexy Surgeon, Jane can't imagine an afterlife much worse…
2
The Devil You Know
Book 2 · novel · 2017

Dr. Jane McGill is in heaven.She's got a great job at a VA Hospital, an adorable daughter, and a loving husband. Granted, it would be wonderful if her preschooler wouldn't wake her up at three in the morning, and it would be a miracle if…

series · complete

Prescription: Murder

A medical-thriller series connecting suspicious deaths at medical school with a later mystery involving brain injury and memory.

Series guide →

1
Suicide Med
Book 1 · novel · 2014

There's a reason Southside Medical School has been nicknamed "Suicide Med." For the last six years, every year one student has taken his own life. Except for last year. Last year was a murder-suicide. The press has pointed to the heavy…
2
Brain Damage
Book 2 · novel · 2016

After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check.Then one night, a bullet rips through…

series · complete

The Housemaid

A psychological domestic-thriller series following Millie Calloway and the dangerous secrets surrounding the households she enters.

Series guide →

1
The Housemaid
Book 1 · novel · 2022

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor. I try to ignore how…
2
The Housemaid's Secret
Book 2 · novel · 2023

“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…
3
The Housemaid's Wedding
Book 2.5 · short_story · 2024 Optional

Stehst du vor dem Altar, kannst du nicht mehr entkommen Es soll der schönste Tag in Millies Leben werden. In wenigen Stunden wird sie ihre große Liebe Enzo heiraten. Es gibt nur ein Problem: Jemand will nicht, dass sie diesen Moment noch…
4
The Housemaid Is Watching
Book 3 · novel · 2024

“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a…

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

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Novels (22)

Baby City
novel · 2015
The Surrogate Mother
novel · 2018

"One of the best thrillers I've ever read!" --Amazon customer Abby wants a baby more than anything. But after years of failed infertility treatments and adoptions that have fallen through, it seems like motherhood is not in her future.…
The Ex
novel · 2019

"This is an absolute must read. JUST GO OUT AND READ THIS BOOK!" --Goodreads Cassie thinks she has met the perfect man. Joel is sweet, handsome, romantic, and best of all, he's crazy about Cassie. She thinks she's found the guy she'll…
The Perfect Son
novel · 2019

"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..." Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door. A high…
The Wife Upstairs
novel · 2020

Victoria Barnett has it all. A great career. A handsome and loving husband. A beautiful home in the suburbs and a plan to fill it with children. Life is perfect -- or so it seems. Then she's in a terrible accident... and everything falls…
One by One
novel · 2020
Want to Know a Secret?
novel · 2021

Influencer and baking sensation April Masterson knows the secret to the perfect gooey brownies. Or how to make key lime squares that will melt in your mouth. But if you keep watching her offline, you may find out some other secrets about…
The Locked Door
novel · 2021

A twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Housemaid! Some doors are locked for a reason... While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her…
Do Not Disturb
novel · 2021

To avoid spending her life in prison, Quinn makes a run for it. She leaves behind her home, her job, and her family. She grabs her passport and heads for the northern border before the police can discover what she’s done. But when an…
Do You Remember?
novel · 2022
The Inmate
novel · 2022

There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men’s maximum-security prison: 1) Treat all prisoners with respect. 2) Never reveal any personal information. 3) Never EVER become too friendly with the…
Never Lie
novel · 2022

"Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. They think they've found it when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace years ago.…
Ward D
novel · 2023

"Medical student Amy Brenner is spending the night on a locked psychiatric ward. Amy has been dreading her evening working on Ward D, the hospital's inpatient mental health unit. There are very specific reasons why she never wanted to do…
The Coworker
novel · 2023

Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.…
The Teacher
novel · 2024

"Eve has a good life. She gets up each day, gets a kiss from her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except… Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a…
The Boyfriend
novel · 2024

Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She's seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers.…
The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie
novella · 2024

I attended his funeral. I watched his casket be lowered six feet into the ground. (Actually, it may have been only five feet, but that still seems like more than enough.) And then we ate an array of finger sandwiches and deviled eggs and…
The Crash
novel · 2025

A brand new psychological thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden! The nightmare she's running from is nothing compared to where she's headed. Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put…
The Tenant
novel · 2025

Blake Porter is riding high, until he's not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone he shares with his fiancée, he's desperate to make ends meet. Enter Whitney.…
The Intruder
novel · 2025

There's someone at your front door - should you let them in? Find out in a riveting new thriller from global sensation and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Housemaid, Freida McFadden! Who knows what the storm will blow in...…
Dear Debbie
novel · 2026

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women…
The Divorce
novel · 2026

Naomi was living the quintessential love story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love, get married, buy a dream house, start a family… Then―he kicks her out, hires the city’s best divorce lawyers, drains their accounts, and takes up with a…

Short fiction (3)

The Gift
short_story · 2022

"It’s Christmas Eve and Stella Hansen is broke. She is so broke that despite working two jobs, she can’t even afford a present for her husband on their first Christmas as man and wife. But then a mysterious storekeeper at a pawn shop…
Death Row
short_story · 2025
The Dinner Party
short_story · 2026

Frequently asked questions about Freida McFadden

Who is Freida McFadden?

Freida McFadden is the pen name of an American physician and bestselling author known for psychological thrillers and medical-humor fiction. Her books have been translated into more than 45 languages.

Sources: freidamcfadden.com (opens in a new tab)washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)

What is Freida McFadden’s real name?

TIME reported in 2026 that Freida McFadden’s legal name is Sarah Cohen.

Source: time.com (opens in a new tab)

Is Freida McFadden really a physician?

Yes. McFadden confirms on her official FAQ that she is a physician, and she has said her medical experience helps her write medically accurate scenarios.

Source: freidamcfadden.com (opens in a new tab)

How did Freida McFadden begin her writing career?

Writing was a hobby for McFadden from childhood. She began self-publishing while working in medicine, and the early response to her books encouraged her to continue writing professionally.

Source: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)

Which authors have influenced Freida McFadden’s reading and writing?

She has cited Robin Cook, Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King, F. Paul Wilson, and Sophie Kinsella as authors she read at different stages of her life.

Source: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)