It seems to be the year of Freida McFadden, and not because the bestselling thriller author has multiple books out in 2026 — though that’s exciting, too. McFadden’s getting lots of attention this month after unveiling her true identity to the world. In a USA TODAY piece, it was revealed that the woman behind the pen name is Sara Cohen — and that she has a day job as a doctor specializing in the brain.
That McFadden has such a prestigious career is impressive, especially given the number of books she manages to release each year. She’s been using the pseudonym to keep her two lives separate, but she told USA TODAY she’s “tired of this being a secret” and is no longer working full-time as a doctor.
And on the heels of McFadden’s real identity coming out, Time Magazine has named her as one of its 100 Most Influential People of 2026. It’s a big accomplishment for the author, and Time Magazine‘s reasoning is quite the compliment: “McFadden is a writer at the top of her game — and the undisputed mistress of the psychological thriller.”
We can’t argue with that, as her career just keeps getting bigger and bigger. That seems poised to continue, as McFadden has more new releases to look forward to later this year, as well as another film adaptation on the horizon.
Freida McFadden’s Career Just Keeps Growing
Freida McFadden’s writing career has positively exploded in recent years, with The Housemaid‘s virality hugely contributing to that. And the author’s following is poised to keep growing, as she’s now getting movie adaptations — The Housemaid debuted in 2025, and its sequel is slated for 2027 — and regularly releasing multiple novels per year.
In 2026, she’s already published Dear Debbie and The Dinner Party, and there’s still The Divorce (out May 26) and The Witch (out October 6) to look forward to. Needless to say, its an incredible time to be a fan of McFadden’s thrillers.
Are you excited for Freida McFadden’s upcoming releases? Keep an eye on Backtalk Books for more news about the author!
