Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity

Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity

A major publishing enigma has finally been unraveled as the acclaimed US author Freida McFadden, known for her gripping thrillers, has disclosed her real name to the public. The revelation comes after years of speculation about her dual identity, which she had kept hidden from readers and fans. McFadden, who has become a household name through novels like The Housemaid, has long used the pseudonym, but her true identity is now confirmed as Sara Cohen.

The author, who has penned 29 novels to date, recently spoke to USA Today, sharing that she chose to reveal her name at a pivotal moment in her career. “I’m tired of people debating whether I’m a real person or three men,” she explained. “I have a real identity and nothing to hide.” Her decision follows a shift in her professional life, as she has reduced her workload as a doctor specializing in brain disorders to focus more on her writing.

“I’m at a point where I’m ready to step back from my doctor job, so it wouldn’t disrupt my work if everyone suddenly knew my real name,” she told the publication. “But I have stepped away from my job. I’m only working once or twice a month.”

McFadden’s literary success, driven by The Housemaid—a novel first published in 2022 and adapted into a film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried—has made her the second-highest-selling author in the UK for 2025, with 2.6 million books sold. In the US, her work has generated six million print copies. Only Julia Donaldson, the creator of The Gruffalo, surpassed her sales in the UK that year.

Cohen’s journey into writing began with self-publishing in 2013. Her debut, The Devil Wears Scrubs, was a fictionalized account of her life as a resident doctor. She selected the name Freida as a nod to a medical system—a reference to the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. While maintaining her medical career, she continued crafting psychological thrillers, blending her professional expertise with her creative passion.

“I worried my patients might feel awkward knowing I was a best-selling author,” Cohen admitted in 2024. “I want to be a doctor at work. My books have medical elements, and I didn’t want them wondering if something was based on them.”

Her dual identity has also influenced her public appearances. During events as Freida, she wears a wig, citing her lack of confidence in styling her own hair. Despite the change, she remains committed to her pen name, hoping to preserve the connection with her readers. “Even though I’ve kept my real name a secret, I’ve always been genuine with my audience,” she said. “Nothing else will change—only the name.”

The decision to reveal her identity was partly driven by the growing difficulty of maintaining both roles. In January 2025, a colleague recognized her in a Freida-related photo, sparking the revelation. “The cat is out of the bag,” she said, though she praised the colleague’s discretion in not sharing details on social media. Cohen’s choice to step back from her medical career has allowed her to embrace transparency, aligning her public and private personas.