June 2024 FBR - KU Buddy Read: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Welcome to the June "Kindle Unlimited" Buddy Read!
starts 1-Jun-2024, ends 30-Jun-2024

Our theme this month is Mystery and we're reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden.

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

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 Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!

When using this Buddy Read to get Bonus Points for a Challenge, please check with the mod running the Challenge for any posting requirements not listed below!
✨(Impossible) Disney Challenge - to receive bonus points for this challenge, you must read the book and participate (at least 3 meaningful comments) in discussions.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

R

[Angie ☯]

Well, I got wrapped up in this one and forgot to give my thoughts on sections!

First, the book blurb doesn't reflect things that actually happened in the book. I wonder if that was written before the book was written or completed? It's just small things.
Examples:(view spoiler)[
1. "I collect their daughter from school." This rarely happens, if it happens at all.
2. "I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out" She wore one of her dresses once to go out.
3. "and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late." She realized this immediately upon starting work there - she even asked about it. (hide spoiler)]

[Angie ☯]

Part 1 is about Millie becoming a housekeeper/maid for a mega rich couple.... (view spoiler)[and the crazy woman that hired her. Man, did I buy into everything!! I really thought Nina was batshit crazy. She is a little crazy obviously, but not at all in the way we are made to believe! (hide spoiler)] There was a LOT happening in this section.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but I wasn't expecting any of what happened. I guess it really is true that you never really know what anyone is capable of....and I'm still only talking about the first section!!!

[Bernadette]

This will be the month of Freida McFadden for me. I read 2 of her books earlier this month because my holds became available. I liked The Inmate more than The Wife Upstairs. I listened to both of them. I didn't like the narrator of The Wife Upstairs.

I'll be starting The Housemaid (paper book) tomorrow after I finish other challenges "required" readings.😉

[Angie ☯]

I'm going to wait to add more comments until you read some Bernadette!

I thought I had read some of her books, but apparently they are all just on my TBR!

[Bernadette]

Angie ☯ wrote: "I'm going to wait to add more comments until you read some Bernadette!

I thought I had read some of her books, but apparently they are all just on my TBR!"

Angie, you don't need to wait for me. I still have 2/3 of a book to read before I start this one. Just hide your comments if you think you need to.

[Angie ☯]

Oh, I've finished it. So no worries! I do not want to spoil anything for you!!

[Angie ☯]

Part 2 - (If you haven't read the entire section - don't read the spoiler!)

(view spoiler)[This section is about Nina. Did not see that coming!! How horrible to change your entire personality to try to survive! Okay, I had pegged her mostly wrong. She wasn't batshit crazy - just a little crazy - because she'd have to be to offer up a substitute/replacement to your husband. How could you have no remorse at all for even planning that!?! And then to choose the person that you hope will kill him as well!!! No words!

Then there is Enzo, who all along has understood everything that is being said and only pretending not to speak English. Okay, I did suspect that he could, but I thought he was a bad guy. He may be the only good guy in the book!! (hide spoiler)]

Whew!! What a reveal!!

[Angie ☯]

Part 3 & Epilogue - (Don't read if you haven't finished the book!!)

(view spoiler)[
Millie in this section is "punished" but finds things in the room that she can use to help possible free herself. Andrew deserves everything that he got.

I liked that Enzo convinced Nina to go back and help Millie and then all that happened there was a surprise too. Kind of predictable that Andrew's ex-finance would play into the outcome.

Millie probably won't have to worry about "work" again as she seems to have developed her own career with Nina's help and recommendation to others that need "housekeepers" to sort our their affairs!

Nina and CeCe escaped with their lives and will probably be okay. I wonder if Nina will continue to help Millie with jobs or if it will be her new employer that pays it forward.

It was a nice setup for the next book in the series. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to reading the next book.

[Bernadette]

Starting now!

[Bernadette]

What distinguishes this novel from others I’ve read is McFadden's ability to create tension and introduce characters with some depth, who are easy to understand. It’s a very addictive read that is so hard to put down.

Done Part 1

(view spoiler)[Millie was recently released from prison for a crime - we don't know what kind of crime she got involved in. She was homeless and living in her car. She was “lucky” get a job as a housemaid at Winchester by Nina Winchester: a stay-at-home wife, a bit overweight, dressed only in white, a sophisticated woman who seems friendly at first sight.

However, when she starts the job, her life quickly becomes a nightmare. And the worst of all, she has a room in the attic where she's sleeping, and the door locks ONLY locks from the OUTSIDE.

Nina seems to know everything though. She also begins a series of manipulation, verbal abuse, and gaslighting and as does her nine-year-old she-devil daughter, Cece. Nina becomes increasingly unhinged, and the strange occurrences multiply. She is crazy and everyone seems to know it. Apparently, she tried to kill her annoying, spoiled daughter Cece as an infant. Nina makes up stories. Did she try to kill herself when she found she was infertile?

I’m intrigued by Enzo, the gardener – why does he warn her on numerous occasions that she is danger? Why does he think that Nina hasn’t actually left? (hide spoiler)]

I did have to laugh when Nina saw that Millie let Enzo into the house and she asked Millie not to let that happen again - Nina said “I work so hard to keep the house clean”

[Bernadette]

Well Part 2 was certainly a change in the story.

(view spoiler)[Nina is the definition of an abused woman/wife. I'm glad she was able to get away, with the help of the Italian gardener who can actually speak English. There was a hint of that in Part 1.

Andrew is a horrible human. Is Nina's story the true one? I'm assuming yes. Nina setup Millie to get together with Andrew but does that make her bad as well if she doesn't go back to help her knowing what he is like?

Angie, I agree with everything you said. Are we sure at the end of Part 2 she goes back help Mille? Did I miss something in "Kind of predictable that Andrew's ex-finance would play into the outcome." (hide spoiler)]

[Angie ☯]

Oh dang!! I was trying so hard not to spoil anything. Let me go see if I messed that up! I'm so sorry!!

[Angie ☯]

So, in part two (view spoiler)[ Enzo tells Nina that they can't leave Millie with Andrew. That it isn't right and he won't allow it. He keeps insisting that they have to tell her and if Nina won't do it then he will warn her. I thought Nina agreed, but I guess I made that up in my head!!

The ex-finance is in part 3, but I didn't tell how that came into play! I move those two comments into my comments on part 3. (hide spoiler)]

[Bernadette]

Angie ☯ wrote: "Oh dang!! I was trying so hard not to spoil anything. Let me go see if I messed that up! I'm so sorry!!"

You didn't spoil anything! I just finished and the comment about the old girlfriend now makes sense.

I agree with everything you said about Part 3. I really liked this book. Best book of her's I've read so far. Looking forward to the reading to next one.

[Bernadette]

Angie, not related to this book, I posted this in the Informal Buddy Reads chat

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Angie ☯]

Oh, yes, I would join in on the continuation of the Langdon series.