Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity

Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity

A longstanding enigma in the publishing world has finally been resolved as the acclaimed US author Freida McFadden unveiled her real name to the public. Known to readers globally for her gripping thrillers, including The Housemaid, the mystery surrounding her identity has now been lifted, with McFadden confirming she is Sara Cohen.

Cohen, who has maintained the pseudonym for years, shared her decision with USA Today, stating, “I’m at a point in my career when I’m tired of this being a secret.” She expressed frustration with the speculation about her true self, saying, “I’m tired of people debating if I’m a real person or if I’m three men. I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don’t have anything to hide.”

Under the name Freida McFadden, the author achieved remarkable success in 2025, becoming the second highest-selling in the UK with 2.6 million books sold. Her home country saw even greater figures, with six million print copies sold. These numbers were largely driven by the popularity of The Housemaid, which debuted in 2022 and was adapted into a film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried the previous year. Only Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo, surpassed her in UK sales for that year.

Cohen initially adopted the pen name to conceal her identity when self-publishing her debut novel, The Devil Wears Scrubs, in 2013. The name was inspired by a medical term, referencing the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. She continued writing while working as a doctor specializing in brain disorders in Boston, Massachusetts, and her literary career took off after shifting focus to psychological thrillers.

“I’m only working like once or twice a month,” Cohen told USA Today. “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.”

At one point, she worried her patients might feel uneasy being treated by someone who writes best-selling thrillers. “A lot of my books have medical stuff in them, and I don’t want people saying, ‘Is this based on me?'” she said in a 2024 interview with the New York Times. “It feels unprofessional.”

“I don’t like to be the centre of attention,” she added in a 2024 conversation with the Washington Post. “I love that people are reading my books, but the spotlight on me specifically is hard… It’s not just about privacy but also about social anxiety.”

Cohen’s decision to reveal her identity followed growing challenges in maintaining her dual life. In a January 2025 interview, she mentioned a colleague at the hospital who recognized her in a Freida photo, spreading the news. Despite this, she praised the colleague’s discretion, saying, “They’ve been really respectful about not posting anything about me on social media, and I tried to repay them with a book signing at work.”

While still using her pen name for public appearances, Cohen wears a wig during interviews, citing her lack of confidence in styling her own hair. She emphasized her desire to keep her readers connected to the Freida McFadden brand. “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,” she said. “Nothing else will change for them—only the name.”