The writer behind one of the world’s most successful thriller series has finally revealed her true identity, stepping into the spotlight after more than 20 years of secrecy.
Freida McFadden, known for The Housemaid and several bestselling domestic thrillers, disclosed to USA Today that she is actually Sara Cohen, a medical doctor specializing in brain disorders.
The revelation, made public on Wednesday, 8 April, brings an end to years of speculation over whether the author was even a real person.
“I’ve reached a point in my career where I’m tired of keeping this a secret,” Freida McFadden said in an interview with USA Today. “I’m tired of people questioning whether I exist or imagining I’m multiple people. I am real, I have a real identity, and I have nothing to hide.”
For over two decades, she maintained her anonymity by wearing a wig and glasses during public appearances. While she noted that the glasses are part of her everyday life, she admitted the wig was simply because she didn’t know how to style her hair.
Interestingly, many of her patients were fans of her books without ever realizing she was the author behind them. She added that her colleagues had been “really nice” in helping her keep the secret.
Her decision to finally reveal herself comes after a shift in her professional life. Explaining her reasoning, she said she had always planned to keep her identity hidden until she stepped back from her medical career, so it wouldn’t affect her work environment. Now, she only works occasionally—about once or twice a month.
Balancing both careers had also become overwhelming. “I realized I was completely exhausted trying to manage both,” she admitted.
The timing of the reveal also aligns with a major milestone for her work. The film adaptation of The Housemaid, released last year and starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, introduced her stories to a much wider audience, with a sequel already in development.
Despite revealing her real identity as Sara Cohen, she shared that she still prefers to be known by her pen name in the literary world. She also emphasized that, aside from her name, everything she has shared with readers has always been genuine.
“Even though I hadn’t revealed my real name until now, I feel like I’ve always been my true self with readers,” she said. “The name might be new, but everything else is exactly who I’ve always been.”
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