"Sometimes people do exactly what you think they're going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you."
~ Freida McFadden
Read all great Freida McFadden quotes below ...
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Freida McFadden, a name synonymous with gripping psychological thrillers and intricate mysteries, has captured the hearts of readers worldwide with her enthralling storytelling and masterful prose. Delving into the depths of human psyche, McFadden's works transport readers to worlds where secrets lurk in every shadow and trust is a fragile commodity.
On a personal level, Freida McFadden maintains a relatively private life, preferring to let her writing speak for itself. Born and raised in New York City, McFadden developed a love for storytelling from a young age, drawing inspiration from the people and places around her, which is why so many of her books are set at NYC. With a background in brain science, McFadden brings a nuanced understanding of human behavior and psychology to her writing, adding layers of depth and complexity to her characters.
Professionally, Freida McFadden has carved a niche for herself in the realm of psychological thrillers, with her works garnering widespread acclaim and praise from readers and critics alike. Some of her main literary works include "The Teacher," "The Housemaid," and "The Wife Upstairs". Each of these novels has captivated readers with its gripping plot, well-drawn characters, and atmospheric setting.
Freida McFadden is certainly a busy woman, juggling her career as a physician specializing in brain injury with her passion for writing gripping psychological thrillers. It's fascinating to hear about her writing process and how she brings her characters to life. From her binge-writing sessions to her meticulous planning of twists, it's clear that she puts a lot of thought into crafting each story. I particularly enjoyed learning about her experiences with book titles and the challenges she faces in coming up with just the right one. It's a reminder of the importance of finding a title that not only captures the essence of the story but also stands out in a crowded market.
Among McFadden's latest literary works, she is perhaps best known for "The Teacher," a mind-bending psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the final revelation. With its intricate plot twists and complex characters, "The Teacher" has solidified McFadden's reputation as a master of the genre.
In addition to her literary accomplishments, Freida McFadden has received accolades and recognition for her contributions to the world of literature. Her novels have topped bestseller lists and earned rave reviews from publications and readers alike. McFadden's unique writing style and ability to craft compelling narratives have earned her a devoted following of fans who eagerly anticipate each new release.
What sets Freida McFadden apart as an author is her ability to create richly layered stories that delve into the darkest corners of the human psyche. With her keen understanding of human behavior and her talent for building suspense, McFadden keeps readers guessing until the very end. Readers appreciate McFadden's skillful storytelling, immersive settings, and complex characters that feel both familiar and enigmatic.
For those considering delving into Freida McFadden's books, they can expect to be transported to worlds where nothing is as it seems and trust is a rare commodity. McFadden's novels offer a thrilling escape from reality, inviting readers to unravel mysteries, confront their deepest fears, and ultimately, discover the truth hidden beneath the surface.
Overall, Freida McFadden's journey as both a physician and an author is inspiring, and her insights into the world of psychological thrillers are invaluable for aspiring writers and fans of the genre alike. It's also interesting to hear about her transition from self-publishing to working with a publishing house. While it may have meant relinquishing some control, it's clear that the collaboration has been beneficial, especially when it comes to professional guidance and cover design.
Freida McFadden is a literary force to be reckoned with, captivating readers with her enthralling tales of mystery and suspense. With her unique blend of psychological insight and masterful storytelling, McFadden has earned her place among the ranks of esteemed authors. For those seeking an escape into the shadows of intrigue and deception, Freida McFadden's books are a must-read.
Freida McFadden Best Quotes
“He has no idea this is just the beginning.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Dad always says that if you’re going to do something wrong, at least be smart enough not to let anybody see you do it.”
― Freida McFadden, The Locked Door“I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“How can you get rid of a book? That’s throwing away knowledge.”
― Freida McFadden, The Devil Wears Scrubs“How are you? The three most useless words in the universe of communication. Nobody who asks that question wants to know the answer. And nobody who answers ever tells the truth. “I’m fine, Paige.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Sometimes people do exactly what you think they’re going to do, and they still manage to disappoint you.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“Then again, plenty of men are idiots.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“What do you to read?” “Books.” “What kind of books?” “The kind with words.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“I initially wanted to hire a maid in hopes that she would become my replacement—that if Andrew fell in love with another woman, he would finally let me go. But that’s not why I hired Millie. That’s not why I gave her a copy of the key to the room. And that’s not why I left a bottle of pepper spray in the blue bucket in the closet. I hired her to kill him. She just doesn’t know it.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“My mother always says the only way two people can keep a secret,” she says, “is if one of them is dead.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“He’s almost perfect. And I hate his guts.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“There’s something about this room that’s making a little ball of dread form in the pit of my stomach.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Although isn’t there another side to everyone?”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Those are the four most beautiful words in the English language. You can go now.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“You hiding drugs up there?” “No! Definitely not!” I just murdered somebody, that’s all. Sheesh.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Digging a grave is hard work.”
― Freida McFadden, The Teacher“I look I’m in college, and I feel I’m fifty. Story of my life.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“My husband is a monster,” I say aloud. “He tortures me. He holds me hostage in the attic.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Human beings don’t deal well with rejection. Back when our ancestors were hunters and gatherers, being ostracized from a tribe was akin to a death sentence. For that reason, rejection is experienced by human beings as being incredibly painful. Studies using functional MRI have shown the same areas of the brain become activated both during rejection and during real physical pain.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Whatever else you can fake, it’s hard to fake being a genuinely kind person. It’s also exceedingly rare.”
― Freida McFadden, The Coworker“Liars fidget. The tone of their voice or speech patterns changes. Liars offer too much information, babbling on with excessive detail to convince themselves or others of what they are saying.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“I always help. I can never, ever walk away, even when I should.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“As Nina and I exchange details about tomorrow, I wonder if she would feel the same way about me if she knew I spent the last ten years of my life in prison.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“I could just barely make out the word he said. Pericolo. Whatever that means.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“You know things are seriously bad when even ice cream doesn’t help.”
― Freida McFadden, The Teacher“The last thing I see when I leave the bedroom is Wendy standing over Douglas’s dead body. And she’s smiling.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“beauty is less easily perceived when it’s in an unassuming setting.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Psychological studies have demonstrated that men have more amorous feelings towards women wearing red than any other color. They are more ly to express the desire to take a woman wearing red out on a date, and are also willing to spend more money on the date. Moreover, the men in these studies could not identify the origin of these feelings. They just d the girl in red.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“If someone truly wants to reach you, there’s always a way.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“There’s something in his expression that sends a chill down my spine. And then he shakes his head, almost imperceptibly. Almost he’s trying to warn me. But he doesn’t say a word.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“And then he kisses me. And God help me, I kiss him back.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“After all, my mother always said that the only way two people can keep a secret is if one of them is dead.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“My mother would say that boys don’t do anything nice for you if they’re not expecting something in return.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“This,” he says, “is the bystander effect. It’s a social psychology phenomenon in which individuals are less ly to offer help to a victim when there are other people present”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Mrs. Winchester is only a few inches taller than I am in my flats, but it feels she’s much taller.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Sometimes he seemed to understand me better than I understood myself.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“I’ve gotten involved with my employer only one time before, and I will never, ever go down that road again. I’d rather yank my own tooth out with a pair of pliers.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“It’s funny. When it’s right, you just know it’s right.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“This perfectly demonstrates diffusion of responsibility in a group.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“I always made time to read. Whenever I pick up a book, it’s an escape. For an hour or two, I get to be part of the book world instead of my own much more boring world.”
― Freida McFadden, Ward D“Who you are is not something you did when you were a teenager.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“A mental health diagnosis is not a death sentence. All the patients in this unit are just trying to get better.”
― Freida McFadden, Ward D“It’s the very first time I’ve referred to myself as a doctor. It feels so weird. My tongue can’t seem to wrap itself around the words. I almost expect everyone to start snickering at me behind their hands that I just pretended I was really a doctor.”
― Freida McFadden, The Devil Wears Scrubs“I had to do what I did. After all, I would do anything for my mom.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“If you don't take care of your teeth," she continues, "then you lose the privilege to have teeth”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“I’ve lived thirty years, and it has been utterly exhausting.”
― Freida McFadden, The Coworker“Whenever I pick up a book, it’s an escape. For an hour or two, I get to be part of the book world instead of my own much more boring world.”
― Freida McFadden, Ward D“I have just made a dangerous enemy.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Step Eight: Find a Replacement”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“But we’re never going to be able to be friends again. Things will never be the way they used to be between the two of us. Not since Hudson helped me kill my father.”
― Freida McFadden, The Teacher“Well.” I look down at the nightgown, then back at Douglas.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to look up how to get tomato sauce stains out of fabric.” He stares at me for another moment, then thankfully nods in approval. “Good. You do that.” But I don’t need to google anything. I already know how to get blood stains out of fabric.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“He is a narcissist and a psychopath, who ly killed at least thirty women without a trace of remorse. He is insane. He is a monster. He is also my father.”
― Freida McFadden, The Locked Door“I’m not dead. Did you think I was? That I’m some corpse my husband propped up in front of the second-floor window to frighten his guests? I’m not. I’m very much alive. And I’m afraid my husband is a murderer.”
― Freida McFadden, Do Not Disturb“From an evolutionary perspective, females are more reproductively valuable than males. After all, we can only carry one pregnancy at a time while men can spread their seed more freely. As a result, male mammals must “earn” female reproductive access by offering gifts. It’s certainly not unique to humans, although I would say sheep or cows rarely find themselves in this particular conundrum. From a social psychological standpoin t, traditional gender roles are often internalized for men. They feel obligated to make decisions and take control while women follow. By setting a precedent such as paying for a meal on a first date, the man is establishing himself as the dominant leader in the relationship and relegates the woman to the passive role.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“—he holds up the chicken nugget—“you have to first examine the nugget for any deformities. Missing head, missing leg, or missing tail. If the dinosaur nugget has any of these critical defects, it will be rejected.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Something terrible has happened in this house.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“It’s hard to arrest a man who is entirely fictional, isn’t it?”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Life is too short to read boring books.”
― Freida McFadden, Want to Know a Secret?“Miss Calloway,” Detective Ramirez says, “Wendy Garrick is the one who told us about your affair with her husband.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“As I shut the door, I notice marks in the wood. Long thin lines running down the length of the door at about the level of my shoulder. I run my fingers over the indentations. They almost seem … Scratches. somebody was scraping at the door.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“As strange as Dawn’s schedule is, it’s even stranger that today she isn’t following it. I can’t help but think that Dawn’s absence must signify something ominous. After all, Dawn is never late. Never.”
― Freida McFadden, The Coworker“I could scream and yell all I wanted, and nobody would hear.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“After all, ten years ago, he saved my life.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“Oh, Jesus Christ. It’s not Millie.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Do you want me to… go?” “No,” he says. “I want you to stay.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“My mother always said not to leave the house in shoes you can’t walk a mile in.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“I don’t quite understand how you can love somebody so much, yet so frequently want to throttle them.”
― Freida McFadden, The Inmate“I take a sip of the expensive wine Brock poured for me. The expensive bottles are by far better than the cheap ones, but I can never detect all the subtle notes of honeydew or lavender or whatever. He keeps asking me, and now I’m lying and telling him that I can tell, but I really can’t. I’m faking wine.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“You don’t even realize you have everything until your whole life falls apart.”
― Freida McFadden, Do Not Disturb“narcissistic personality disorder—the characteristics of this diagnosis include a long-term pattern of exaggerated feelings of self-importance, cravings for admiration, and impaired empathy.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Apparently, asking him to commit murder was a deal breaker.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“My heart sinks into my stomach. I have made an incredibly bad judgment call. I have underestimated an extremely dangerous person. And now I will pay the ultimate price.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“The hardest thing about Liam is that when he says “I love you,” I can’t tell whether that’s a lie too.”
― Freida McFadden, The Perfect Son“For that reason, rejection is experienced by human beings as being incredibly painful. Studies using functional MRI have shown the same areas of the brain become activated both during rejection and during real physical pain.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“That will be the end. I’ll die in this room.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“A psychological study demonstrated that cheating or breaking rules resulted in an unexpectedly good mood afterward. As well as a brief sense of freedom from all rules. So perhaps we should all bend the rules sometimes.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Maybe we used up all our happiness. Maybe everybody only gets so much.”
― Freida McFadden, Do Not Disturb“That’s how I learned that there are earthquakes on the moon. And they’re called moonquakes.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Sei pazzo!” he yells at me. He rakes a hand through his black hair. “Che cavolo!”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid“Isolation is not necessarily dangerous.”
― Freida McFadden, Never Lie“Right in the middle of insisting that I am completely fine, I stop talking.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“I would go outside and bring a knife with me. I wouldn’t do anything with it, but it might be enough to scare off an attacker.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Two people can’t keep a secret,” she says. “Not unless one of them is dead. It’s just a fact. I always work alone.”
― Freida McFadden, One by One“He’s making a terrible mistake and he doesn’t even know it. And part of me wishes he would take his damn hand off my knee.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“Or more ly, Derek’s mother comes by for absolutely no reason at all except to count all the ways I’m an unsatisfactory wife. (To be fair, this time she would be absolutely right.)”
― Freida McFadden, Do Not Disturb“work.”
― Freida McFadden, The Teacher“I can’t say to him what I’m really thinking, which is that this house gives me the creeps. Maybe Victoria loved it here, but I don’t. And for that matter, his wife gives me the creeps too. There’s something about her and that blank expression that terrifies me. It’s an awful thing to say about a woman who has been through something horrible, but I can’t help it.”
― Freida McFadden, The Wife Upstairs“You are the one who started dating this Broccoli.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“She completely tricked me.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid's Secret“What kind of books?” “The kind with words.” Oh, so that’s how it’s going to be, Cecelia.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid