April 09, (THEWILL) — Bestselling author Freida McFadden, known for thrillers including “The Housemaid”, has revealed her true identity as physician Sara Cohen.
She said she decided to go public after years of speculation about who she really was.
“I’m at a point in my career when I’m tired of this being a secret. I’m tired of people debating if I’m a real person… I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don’t have anything to hide,” Cohen told USA Today.
Cohen, who specialises in brain disorders, had kept her identity private to separate her medical career from her writing.
“At work, I want to be a doctor,” she said. “I don’t want people saying, ‘Is this based on me?’ It feels unprofessional.”
Writing under the McFadden name, she has become one of the world’s most popular authors in recent years.
She has authored over 20 psychological thrillers, many of which have topped global bestseller lists.
Her books have sold millions of copies, and she was among the top-selling authors in the UK in 2025.
Her breakthrough novel, “The Housemaid”, was published in 2022 and later adapted into a film in 2025 starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
Cohen said she waited until she reduced her medical workload before revealing her identity.
“My whole goal was to keep it a secret until I was ready to step back from my doctor job,” she said.
She added: “I just realized I was completely overwhelmed from trying to do both.”
Despite the revelation, she will continue to publish under the pen name Freida McFadden.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
