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A review by penguinna
The Housemaid Is Watching by Freida McFadden
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I spent my entire childhood reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street Saga, filled with plot twists and thrills for teenagers. Perhaps that’s why The Housemaid Is Watching by McFadden fell flat for me: I managed to predict the plot twist in the first book, and I guessed the twist in detail in this one.
Millie and Enzo, from the previous Housemaid books, are now a decade older. They have two children and have just bought a house on Long Island. However, their neighbors give them the creeps.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝:
▪️ From Part 2 onwards, the book is super fast-paced and impossible to put down.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐝:
▪️ Everything else. Part 1 was so extremely boring I couldn't stand it. It was just everyday life with NOTHING happening.
▪️ I lost count how many times Millie mentioned how sexy her husband is and how many biceps-triceps-velociraptors he has. Eye rolling 25 times per second.
▪️ The portrayal of women as enemies to each other is just eeew 🤢
▪️ The most boring characters ever, I felt NOTHING about them.
▪️ Millie’s reaction to suspecting Enzo of cheating was a mere “okay”. Seriously, Millie?
▪️ Many facts are mentioned several times throughout the book, like yeah, I got it the first six times, can we move on? Please??
▪️ Ada’s words to a schoolboy at the end were a huge shiny facepalm 🤦🏻
The biggest disappointment: I knew the murderer(s) from the very beginning. Despite the endless red herrings, I wasn’t confused. Maybe I’m a thriller veteran, but McFadden’s books are the only ones where I can predict the plot twist in detail.
My verdict: If you’re new to thrillers, go ahead and read the first book in the series; you’ll likely enjoy it. But the rest of the series? Better to avoid or read without thinking too much.
🔪🔪🔪 More reviews by me on instagram: @penguinna_books
Millie and Enzo, from the previous Housemaid books, are now a decade older. They have two children and have just bought a house on Long Island. However, their neighbors give them the creeps.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝:
▪️ From Part 2 onwards, the book is super fast-paced and impossible to put down.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐝:
▪️ Everything else. Part 1 was so extremely boring I couldn't stand it. It was just everyday life with NOTHING happening.
▪️ I lost count how many times Millie mentioned how sexy her husband is and how many biceps-triceps-velociraptors he has. Eye rolling 25 times per second.
▪️ The portrayal of women as enemies to each other is just eeew 🤢
▪️ The most boring characters ever, I felt NOTHING about them.
▪️ Millie’s reaction to suspecting Enzo of cheating was a mere “okay”. Seriously, Millie?
▪️ Many facts are mentioned several times throughout the book, like yeah, I got it the first six times, can we move on? Please??
▪️ Ada’s words to a schoolboy at the end were a huge shiny facepalm 🤦🏻
The biggest disappointment: I knew the murderer(s) from the very beginning. Despite the endless red herrings, I wasn’t confused. Maybe I’m a thriller veteran, but McFadden’s books are the only ones where I can predict the plot twist in detail.
My verdict: If you’re new to thrillers, go ahead and read the first book in the series; you’ll likely enjoy it. But the rest of the series? Better to avoid or read without thinking too much.
🔪🔪🔪 More reviews by me on instagram: @penguinna_books