Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity
Best-selling The Housemaid author Freida McFadden reveals true identity
A long-standing publishing enigma has been unraveled as the acclaimed US author Freida McFadden, behind the hit thriller The Housemaid, disclosed her real name to the public. Known to readers globally for her gripping narratives, McFadden has now confirmed she is Sara Cohen, a doctor who has maintained a dual life for years.
Cohen, who has authored 29 novels, recently spoke to USA Today about her decision to reveal her identity. “I’m tired of people debating whether I’m a real person or if I’m three men,” she said, emphasizing her comfort with transparency. “I have a real identity and nothing to hide.” Her revelation came after years of keeping her medical background separate from her literary success.
The Secret Behind the Pseudonym
McFadden’s pen name originated as a clever nod to her profession. When she first self-published The Devil Wears Scrubs in 2013, a fictionalized account of her life as a resident doctor, she chose “Freida” as a medical inside joke referencing the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database.
While working as a neurologist in Boston, Cohen continued writing, eventually shifting focus to psychological thrillers. She maintained the dual identity to avoid confusing her patients, who might have felt uneasy about being treated by a best-selling author. “At work, I want to be a doctor,” she explained to the New York Times in 2024. “My books have medical elements, and I don’t want people asking, ‘Is this based on me?’ It feels unprofessional.”
A Career in Two Hats
Her success as an author, which included The Housemaid becoming the second-highest-selling UK author in 2025 with 2.6 million copies sold, led to a career pivot. By 2023, Cohen had reduced her medical workload to part-time, and now works only once or twice a month. “I was completely overwhelmed trying to juggle both roles,” she admitted. “It’s time to step away and share my true self.”
Even after revealing her identity, Cohen aims to keep her pen name alive in readers’ minds. “I still want my McFans and Freida Readahs to know me by the name I’ve used for so long,” she said. “Nothing else has changed—everything I’ve shared has been genuine.” Despite the surprise of her real name, she remains committed to her creative persona.
“I have no idea how to style my hair,” Cohen joked to USA Today, explaining her habit of wearing a wig during public appearances as Freida. “But I don’t want to let my fans down by showing up as a different person.”
Her anonymity was recently challenged when a colleague spotted her in a Freida photo and shared it with others. However, Cohen noted the situation has been handled respectfully, with no social media exposure. She even repaid the favor by hosting a book signing at the hospital, blending her two worlds seamlessly.
With her medical career now secondary, Cohen has embraced her literary identity. The transition, she said, was necessary to ease the burden of maintaining a secret. “I’ve always been honest with my readers,” she reflected. “Even if the name is a surprise, the rest of who I am isn’t.”