Some call themselves McFans, others Freida readahs. However Freida McFadden’s loyal fans choose to define themselves, what we know for sure is that their numbers are growing, and fast. McFadden, the author behind blockbuster psychological thriller The Housemaid, was the UK’s bestselling novelist of 2025, outstripping Richard Osman, Sarah J Maas and Rebecca Yarros, and shifting 2.6m print copies in 12 months. Last week, she had six novels in the the Top 10 UK paperback fiction bestseller chart. Estimates of her global sales, including audio and ebook formats, sit at 36m . And earlier this month, McFadden finally unveiled her real name – Sara Cohen. Self-publishing her first book in 2013, she opted for a pseudonym to keep her writing life separate from her job as a doctor specialising in brain disorders in Boston, Massachusetts. “Freida” is inspired by the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database, a registry of medical placements.…