The Housemaid (McFadden)
Short summary
Contemporary America. Millie Calloway desperately needed employment and housing after being released from prison.
She secured a live-in housemaid position with the wealthy Winchester family, concealing her criminal record. Nina Winchester, her new employer, proved erratic and demanding, making messes and blaming Millie, while Andrew Winchester, Nina's husband, showed kindness toward her.
Millie discovered Nina took antipsychotic medication and learned from other mothers that Nina had once attempted to drown her daughter. The landscaper, Enzo, repeatedly warned Millie of danger. Despite these warnings, Millie developed romantic feelings for Andrew, and they attended a Broadway show together, spending the night at a hotel. Nina exposed Millie's prison past to Andrew, but he declared his love for Millie and asked Nina to leave.
The narrative then shifted to Nina's perspective, revealing the truth: Andrew was a sadistic abuser who imprisoned and tortured Nina in the attic room.
Nina had orchestrated an elaborate escape plan by hiring Millie to seduce Andrew and ultimately kill him. She carefully selected her housemaid based on specific criteria:
First of all, she has to be beautiful... She has to be younger than meâyoung enough to give Andy the children he so badly wants. She has to look good in white... And most of all, she has to be desperate.
Millie, now trapped by Andrew, turned the tables and tortured him until he died. Nina took the blame for Andrew's death, but a detective who knew Andrew's past let her go free. In the epilogue, Millie interviewed for another housekeeping position, realizing Nina had recommended her to help another abused woman.
Detailed summary by parts
Titles for prologue, parts, and epilogue are editorial. Division of parts into sections is editorial.
Prologue. A body discovered
The protagonist sat trapped in a house while police officers swarmed the premises after discovering a body upstairs. A detective pressed her for a confession, but she refused to speak.
If I leave this house, it will be in handcuffs... Now my shot is gone. Now that the police officers are in the house and theyâve discovered whatâs upstairs, thereâs no turning back.
The situation grew more tense when a younger officer urgently called the detective upstairs, his voice betraying shock at what he had found.
Part 1. Three months earlier: Millies new position
Desperate circumstances and an unexpected opportunity
Three months earlier, a woman arrived at an opulent Long Island mansion for a job interview. She presented a false resume to the wealthy homeowner, concealing her true circumstancesâshe was homeless, living in her car, and desperately needed employment.
The homeowner led Millie through the luxurious house, showing off expensive furnishings and artwork. During the tour, Millie encountered the woman's daughter, who gave her an unsettling look. The interview seemed to go well until the homeowner mentioned conducting a background check, which filled Millie with dreadâshe knew her secrets would be exposed. As she left, the landscaper gave her a silent, chilling warning.
That night, Millie returned to her car, her temporary home. She struggled with unemployment and crushing loneliness.
Three days after I was evicted... I discovered a rest stop that had showers. Yes, the showers have very little privacy and smell faintly of human waste, but at that point, I was desperate to be clean.
After being rejected from even a fast-food job, she received an unexpected phone callâNina Winchester was offering her the live-in housemaid position. Millie accepted immediately, grateful for the opportunity despite her fears about her decade-long prison past being discovered.
Ninas psychological games and erratic behavior
Millie moved into the Winchester home, struggling with the gate code and encountering the landscaper, who mysteriously uttered a single Italian word. Nina welcomed her warmly, revealing the house was a mess and giving Millie a new iPhone. Millie then met Nina's husband, who seemed unaware of her hiring.
Nina questioned Millie about missing glasses she claimed to have mentioned. When Millie explored her attic room, she discovered disturbing detailsâa lock on the outside of the door and a window painted shut. Translating the landscaper's word, she learned it meant 'Danger.'
As Millie worked, Nina's behavior grew increasingly erratic. She accused Millie of nearly poisoning her daughter with peanut butter, claiming she had warned about the severe allergyâthough Millie had no memory of such a warning.
Nina destroyed the kitchen, blamed Millie for trashing important PTA notes, and forced her to clean the mess. Andrew witnessed the chaos and revealed Nina's volatile nature, though he seemed sympathetic to Millie. While snooping in Nina's bathroom, Millie discovered bottles of haloperidol, an antipsychotic medication.
Haloperidol is an antipsychotic medication... And thatâs just *one* of at least a dozen pill bottles... Part of me is burning with shame that I looked in the first place. And part of me is scared at what else I might find.
This discovery both shamed and frightened her. She attempted to question Enzo about Nina's mental state, but he refused to divulge information. A week into the job, Nina gave Millie a bag of old dresses with subtle criticism of her wardrobe, revealed she and Andrew were trying for a baby, and dismissed Millie's concern about the painted-shut window.
Forbidden attraction and escalating manipulation
Nina sent Millie to pick up Cecelia from school with vague, incorrect instructions. After a chaotic scramble and confrontation with gossiping parents, Millie learned from another mother that she regularly picked up Cecelia for karate. A call to Nina revealed the instructions were indeed wrong, leaving Millie questioning Nina's sanity. At a PTA gathering, Millie overheard Nina's friends gossiping about Nina's past mental health issues, a restrictive prenup, and warning about hiring a 'pretty young maid.' Millie began to reconsider Nina's behavior, realizing her struggles ran deeper than she had perceived.
After Andrew and Nina returned from a devastating fertility appointment with news that Nina could not get pregnant, Nina lashed out at Millie for a messy house. Andrew confided his disappointment and asked Millie to book Broadway tickets to cheer Nina up. One night, Millie heard shouting and crashes from their bedroom. She found Nina with blood on her nightgown, who dismissed it as a cut. Fearing for Andrew, Millie confronted Nina, only to be relieved when she heard Andrew in the bathroom. Nina then ominously ordered Millie to stay in the attic at night.
While waiting for Cecelia at school, Millie met another parent who revealed Nina's dark pastâshe had attempted to drown baby Cecelia and overdose on pills. This shocking information confirmed Millie's fears about Nina's instability and validated Enzo's warning. However, Millie's own criminal past prevented her from leaving immediately. Her feelings grew complicated when she discovered a mysterious box addressed to Andrew from his mother. When Andrew opened it and found baby items inside, he became visibly distraught, revealing Nina's false claims of pregnancy. An emotional moment ensued between Millie and Andrew, leading to an undeniable, unexpected connection.
Andrews choice and the trap revealed
Millie developed feelings for Andrew and tried to avoid him to keep her job. A misunderstanding about show dates led to Nina demanding Millie pay for non-refundable tickets and hotel, threatening her paycheck. Andrew later confessed the tickets weren't actually refunded and insisted Millie use them for a Broadway show and hotel, offering to accompany her. Despite her crush on Andrew and a bad feeling, she agreed. They attended the show and had dinner, during which Andrew expressed marital frustrations, including Nina's changing personality and their lack of intimacy since fertility issues. Too drunk to drive home, they decided to get a hotel room. In the taxi, Andrew complimented Millie's legs, and a tense, intimate moment culminated in him kissing her, which she reciprocated. They shared a passionate night together.
The next morning, they grappled with the aftermath, acknowledging their actions were due to alcohol and could not be repeated, despite lingering desire. When they returned home, Nina called asking about the house phone not being answered the previous night. Millie warned Andrew via text about Nina's suspicions. Millie experienced a tense encounter with Andrew, interrupted by Nina. Their mutual attraction was evident, but Nina sabotaged Millie by revealing her prison past to Andrew during dinner. Millie later discovered a playbill on her nightstand, realizing Nina knew about her secret outing with Andrew. Nina then orchestrated Millie being accused of shoplifting at a supermarket after a mysterious tip-off. Cleared by security, Millie suspected Nina had arranged the incident.
Despite everything, Millie found Andrew on the porch one evening. They discussed her criminal history and shared a passionate kiss. Nina confronted Millie in the hallway afterward, leading to an intense, unspoken confrontation about Andrew and Millie's deception. On Millie's day off, she returned to find Nina accusing her of stealing clothes. Andrew revealed Nina had planned to donate them, then told Nina he was leaving her, admitting feelings for Millie. Nina, enraged, was forced to leave, threatening Millie before departing. Millie and Andrew finally kissed freely. The next morning, they woke up together, solidifying their new relationship. Andrew fired Enzo, who then secretly warned Millie that she was in 'terrible danger' and must leave, suggesting Nina's absence didn't mean safety.
Millie later learned from a friend of Nina's that Nina had installed a tracking app on her phone. Feeling uneasy alone in the Nina-scented home, Millie decided to take control, moving into the master bedroom and changing the locks, which Andrew approved upon his return. One early morning, Millie woke after being intimate with Andrew and found him gone. She intended to use the bathroom and join him, but discovered her bedroom door was locked from the outside, leading to mounting panic.
Part 2. Ninas story: the perfect victim turned architect of revenge
Meeting Andrew and discovering his true nature
Nina found herself in a hotel, believing her husband was with their maid. Unable to track Millie anymore, Nina burned a photograph of Andrew, expressing relief and satisfaction at being rid of him, marking her first smile in years. She then reflected on how it all began. As a single mother and receptionist, Nina had struggled with work, childcare, and personal humiliation after a public breast milk leak. Her CEO, Andrew Winchester, showed unexpected kindness, standing up for her and inviting her to lunch, then dinner, even arranging for his mother to babysit Cecelia.
While Andy and I were engaged, he seemed so perfect. He was sweet, romantic, handsome, wealthy, and good to Cecelia. I had been searching for his one fatal flaw. I have found it.
Three months into their seemingly perfect marriage, Andrew lured Nina into a locked attic room under the pretense of finding work papers. After realizing it was a trap, Andrew admitted he intentionally locked her in, stating she needed to 'learn her lesson,' revealing his sadistic true nature and leaving her trapped and terrified.
The psychiatric hospital and years of captivity
Andrew trapped Nina in the soundproofed room, punishing her for her dark hair roots. After a night of despair and fear for Cecelia, Andrew demanded she pull out 100 strands of hair from her scalp to be released. Nina endured the agonizing task, and Andrew initially rejected one strand, forcing her to redo it. Eventually released, she was too weak to resist him. A groggy Nina later woke to find Cecelia drowning in a bathtub, evidently drugged. Despite her weakened state, Nina attempted a desperate rescue, only to be stopped by police who accused her of attempted drowning and believed she too was drugged.
After eight months in a psychiatric hospital for an alleged murder-suicide attempt on Cecelia, Nina was diagnosed with depression and delusions. Her husband and therapist convinced her she was responsible despite having no memory. She prepared to return home, still feeling unease about the house, especially the attic. At home with Andrew, Cecelia, and Andrew's critical mother, Nina agreed to confront the attic for closure. Andrew then locked her in a blindingly lit room, revealing his manipulative control, imposing harsh rules and threats, stating this was for her discipline.
Orchestrating the plan: Millie as the weapon
Nina endured years of psychological and physical torment, with Cecelia used as leverage. She confided in Enzo, believing he didn't understand English, only to realize he comprehended her cry for help. Her past attempt to seek help from a friend led to further institutionalization. Nina was confined to the attic after being forced to pepper-spray herself. She tried to conceal her ordeal from Enzo, who discovered her, fearing Andrew's retaliation. Eventually, Nina confessed Andrew's abuse to Enzo, who became enraged and vowed to kill him, but Nina dissuaded him, fearing legal repercussions. Enzo promised to help her escape. Nina met Enzo to plan her escape. Enzo, revealing his own past trauma with an abusive brother-in-law, offered his help and savings. However, Andrew discovered Nina's escape preparations, forcing her to flee.
Desperate, she found Enzo, who proposed killing Andrew, leading Nina to devise her own alternative plan. Nina executed her elaborate scheme by orchestrating Andrew's affair with their new housemaid, Millie. She carefully selected Millie for her desperation and beauty, manipulated Andrew's desire for children, and created scenarios to foster mutual attraction and hatred between Millie and herself. Through a private investigator, Nina discovered Millie's violent pastâshe had served time for murder after defending a friend during an assault. Nina admitted she hired Millie not as a replacement for Andrew, but to murder him, unbeknownst to Millie.
Part 3. The tables turn: justice and consequences
Millies retaliation and Ninas return
Millie woke locked in a room, found strange books, and her phone missing. Andrew revealed he locked her in and demanded she balance the books on her stomach for three hours as punishment, revealing he could see her through a hidden camera. Andrew manipulated her parole status to force compliance, watching her suffer. After completing the task twice, she realized his true intent was to keep her prisoner and produced pepper spray in defiance.
I will never forget that day. How good it felt to smash the paperweight against that bastardâs skull until he became still. It was almost worth all those years in prison. After all, who knows how many other girls I saved...?
Millie pepper-sprayed Andrew, locked him in the room, and took his phone, disabling its security. She impersonated him to his mother via text, then forced him to lie with books on his genitals for three hours as punishment, fueled by past trauma and a calculated desire for revenge. Reflecting on past traumas and injustices, Millie asserted her distrust of others. She tormented Andrew by extending his required confinement from three to five hours and denying him water, contemplating how long he could survive without it. She later used Andrew's phone to watch him via the camera feed. After confirming he completed a prior task, she tortured him further by demanding he pull out one of his teeth with pliers, causing him immense agony.
Meanwhile, Nina picked up Cecelia from camp, planning an escape to Disneyland. However, a call from Enzo revealed Millie was in trouble, trapped in Andrew's house. Despite her initial reluctance, Nina felt responsible and, after a heated argument with Enzo, agreed to return to help Millie. Nina returned to Andrew's house, sensing trouble. She encountered a neighbor who probed about rumors. Nina denied them and entered the silent, dark house. Unable to find Andrew or Millie downstairs, she discovered the attic door ajar and proceeded to open it.
The aftermath and unexpected resolution
Nina discovered Andrew's dead body in the attic, confronted by Millie who held pepper spray. Millie admitted to killing him, fearing prison. Nina, having orchestrated Andrew's death by manipulating Millie, decided to take the blame herself and told Millie to escape, then called the police. Suspected of her husband's death, Nina made a desperate call to Enzo and Cecelia. A detective confronted her with evidence of Andrew's extensive bruising and questioned her story, before revealing his personal connection to Andrew through his daughter, who was Andrew's former fiancée.
The detective implied he would cover for Nina, leading her to realize she wouldn't be arrested. At Andrew's wake, Nina feigned grief while reflecting on his death and past abuse. Enzo declined to join her new life, but agreed to watch Millie. Andrew's parents arrived. His mother chillingly revealed her knowledge of his missing teeth and commended Nina for teaching him a 'lesson.'
Epilogue. A new assignment
Millie interviewed for a housekeeping job with a woman, having been recommended by Nina Winchester. During the interview, Millie discovered the woman had an abusive partner, indicated by a bruise and a photograph. Millie understood Nina's true intentions behind the recommendation and accepted the implicit plea for help.
I imagine that manâs fingers wrapping around Lisaâs skinny arm... And now I finally get it. I understand why Nina recommended me so highly to this woman. She knows me. Maybe even better than I know myself.