Dark, full of twists and turns, and extremely accessible – this is how the novels of Freida McFadden are described, the author who has managed to attract millions of readers around the world.
Known for the bestseller The Housemaid, she was the best-selling novelist in Britain in 2025, leaving behind big names such as Richard Osman, Sarah J Maas and Rebecca Yarros.
Recently, the author revealed her real identity: Sara Cohen. She had chosen the pseudonym to separate her life as a writer from her profession as a doctor in Boston, specializing in brain disorders.
Even the name "Freida" comes from a medical database - a detail that shows how connected she is to the world of science.
Since first self-publishing in 2013, McFadden has released over 25 novels, with global sales reaching around 36 million copies.
In the UK alone, she sold 2.6 million books in one year, while some of her works continue to dominate the bestseller lists.
The secret to its success? A combination of simple storytelling, short chapters, and unexpected twists in almost every chapter.
Critics compare her style to that of James Patterson: fast-paced, easy-to-read, and highly engaging stories. This makes her books ideal for readers looking for entertainment without excessive complexity.
The big hit came with The Housemaid, a 2022 psychological thriller that was adapted into a film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, generating an estimated $400 million at the box office. The film adaptations have helped expand her audience and increase her global popularity.
Her novels belong to the genre of "family thrillers," similar to works like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins - stories that play with the idea that the closest people can be the most dangerous.
Another key factor is the influence of social media, especially TikTok through the “BookTok” community, where readers share recommendations and comments. Its audience is predominantly young, with the majority of readers aged 24–34, and around 82% are women.
Although her books do not claim to be literary masterpieces – as she herself has admitted (“I am not trying to write War and Peace”) – they offer something that many readers seek: pure entertainment. Some critics call them “popcorn literature”, but that is precisely what makes them addictive and easy to consume.
Inspired by authors like Daphne du Maurier and Charlotte Brontë, McFadden has developed a style of her own that combines mystery, emotion, and dramatic twists. Today, she continues to write under a pseudonym and publish regularly, keeping readers' interest alive.
In the end, its success shows that sometimes you don't have to be "big" to be read - you just need to know how to keep the reader glued to the page. /GazetaExpress/
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