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'The Housemaid' author reveals real identity after 23 years
09 Apr 2026

Freida McFadden, the author of The Housemaid, has revealed her real identity after 23 years of writing under a pseudonym.

In an interview with USA Today, she disclosed that her real name is Sara Cohen.

"I'm at a point in my career when I'm tired of this being a secret," she said. "I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don't have anything to hide."

Cohen is also a doctor
Career balance

Cohen, 45, is not just an author but also a doctor who treats brain disorders. She has been balancing both careers for years.

All these years, she has been publicly seen wearing a wig and glasses to hide her identity. She confirmed now that she does wear glasses, but the hair was indeed a wig.

"I have no idea how to style my hair," she confessed.

How her coworkers found out about her secret
Identity concealment

Cohen initially decided to keep her identity a secret to prevent any conflict with her hospital job.

"My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was (ready to) step back from my doctor job," she explained.

However, despite her efforts, her coworkers eventually found out about her writing career.

They were reportedly "really nice about it" and kept her secret, with many not realizing they had been working alongside a famous author.

Addressing the online speculation around her identity
Online rumors

Cohen also addressed the online speculation surrounding her identity.

On the December 11 episode of Jenna Bush Hager's Open Book podcast, she said, "Some of them are just so out there. Some of it is great. I think every author gets 'AI is writing her books,' even though most of them were written before AI."

She found it hilarious that some people thought she was three men!

Will she quit being a doctor?
Career dedication

Despite the challenges of balancing both careers, Cohen has no plans to quit her job as a doctor.

"Some people go into writing hoping to quit their day job, but I didn't do it [for that reason]. I was just having fun," she said.

"I kept clinging to being a doctor because, first, I worked very hard to get there and I find it really rewarding. I love seeing patients and helping people."

Plans for future books and adaptations
Future plans

Despite revealing her true identity, Cohen plans to continue writing under her pen name.

"Even though I haven't told my real name until now, I feel like I have shared the real me all along," she said.

Her book The Housemaid was adapted into a film starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. A sequel titled The Housemaid's Secret is in the works with Sweeney reprising her role alongside Kirsten Dunst.