The world-renowned author, known by the pen name Freida McFadden, is finally unveiling her true identity. McFadden, whose prolific works include "The Housemaid" and other domestic thrillers, has maintained her privacy in public by using a pseudonym, a wig, and glasses. When she first began publishing, she led a double life as a doctor, but kept the two personas separate. It may seem like a plot straight out of one of her books, but McFadden never intended it to be a secret.
However, as her popularity grew, the secret grew with her. With the release of the first "Housemaid" movie (starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried) and a second one on the horizon, not to mention a slew of new bestsellers, McFadden says it's time to reveal her identity. "I'm at a point in my career where I'm tired of keeping this a secret. I'm tired of people debating if I'm a real person or if I'm three men," McFadden says. "I am a real person with a real identity, and I have nothing to hide."
Outside of the book world, McFadden is Sara Cohen, a doctor who treats brain disorders. And though it may seem like a disguise, she really does wear glasses. The hair is a wig, but only because "I have no idea how to style my hair," she tells USA TODAY in a phone interview. "It's so much more boring than anything that happens in my books," McFadden says.
McFadden only created the pseudonym because she didn't want her writing career to conflict with her hospital job. "My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was ready to step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn't be like everyone I work with suddenly knew and it compromised my ability to do my job," McFadden says. In late 2023, she stopped working full-time. "But I have stepped away from my job. I'm only working like once or twice a month."
Despite her coworkers finding out, they were "really nice about it" and kept her secret. Many of them were fans of her books and had no idea they were working with the author herself. She's started bringing books into the hospital. "I just realized I was completely overwhelmed from trying to do both," she says.
Though McFadden is now "unmasked," she's adamant that she's still the same writer her readers know and love. She's glad to have shed the secret she never meant to keep, but she wants the book world to still know her as "Freida." "Even though I haven't told my real name until now, I feel like I have shared the real me all along and everything I've told them has been the truth," McFadden says. "Even though the name will be a surprise, nothing else will. I've always been genuine with my readers."
