The Housemaid's Secret

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of physical abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did your experience reading The Housemaid’s Secret compare to the first book in the series, The Housemaid? What elements from Millie’s character development or McFadden’s writing style felt familiar or surprised you this time around?

2. At what point in the story did you begin to suspect that Wendy wasn’t telling the truth about her situation? Looking back, which clues feel most obvious now?

3. Millie’s determination to help others despite her own troubled past drives much of the plot. How did you feel about her as a protagonist, and did your opinion of her change as the story unfolded?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel explores the tension between intervening when you suspect that someone needs help versus minding your own business. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you weren’t sure whether to get involved? How did you handle that uncertainty?

2. Millie struggles with telling Brock about her criminal past, fearing that he’ll reject her. Think about a time when you’ve had to decide whether to share something difficult about yourself with someone important to you. What influenced your decision to speak up or stay silent?

3. Wendy’s childhood experiences with poverty shape her adult obsession with wealth and status. How do you think your own early experiences with money and social status have influenced your current values and goals?

4. Throughout the story, Millie repeatedly makes excuses to avoid spending time with Brock while being drawn to thoughts of Enzo. Have you ever stayed in a relationship that felt safe or “right” even when your heart wasn’t fully in it? What made you recognize that disconnect?

5. The Kitty Genovese case motivates Millie to take action rather than be a bystander. Has there been a news story, historical event, or real-life situation that fundamentally changed how you approach helping others or standing up for what’s right?

6. Millie’s criminal record creates barriers to employment and housing, even though she was defending someone else. How do you think society should balance protecting public safety with giving people second chances after they’ve paid their debt?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel references the Kitty Genovese case from 1964, which became a symbol of bystander apathy despite later being revealed as largely inaccurate reporting. What parallels do you see between that media distortion and how social media or news coverage today might oversimplify complex situations?

2. Wendy weaponizes the real issue of domestic violence to manipulate Millie into committing murder. How does this misuse of a serious social problem reflect broader concerns about false allegations undermining legitimate victims?

3. Economic inequality appears throughout the novel, from Millie’s struggle to find work with a criminal record to Wendy’s desperate pursuit of wealth. Which aspects of these financial pressures feel most relevant to current economic realities?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. What role does the shifting point of view play in building suspense throughout the novel? How does learning Wendy’s perspective in Part 2 change your understanding of earlier events?

2. McFadden uses several red herrings to misdirect readers, from Xavier’s stalking to the mysterious black Mazda. Which false clues did you find most effective in steering you away from the truth about Wendy’s scheme?

3. The bracelet with its inscription serves multiple symbolic purposes throughout the story. How does its meaning evolve from representing Douglas’s control to becoming evidence of Millie’s supposed affair, and finally revealing itself as part of Wendy’s manipulation?

4. Both Millie and Wendy experienced childhood poverty, yet they respond to wealth and security in completely different ways. What specific choices in their character development highlight these contrasting approaches to money and morality?

5. Domestic violence becomes a central theme that’s both genuine concern and manipulative tool. How does McFadden balance acknowledging real abuse while also showing how the appearance of abuse can be manufactured for personal gain?

6. The novel’s title suggests secrets within a household, but nearly every character harbors hidden truths. How do these various secrets function differently in terms of protecting versus harming others?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Picture yourself as a casting director for a film adaptation of The Housemaid’s Secret. Which actors would you choose to play Millie, Wendy, and Douglas, and what qualities would you want them to bring to these complex roles?

2. The story hinges on Wendy’s elaborate deception, but what alternative plan could she have used to get Douglas’s money without involving Millie? Which approach do you think would have been more or less likely to succeed?

3. Suppose you were writing a prequel focused on Millie and Enzo’s work helping women escape abusive relationships. Which case from their past would you choose to explore, and how might it connect to the events in this novel?