Best-selling Author Freida McFadden Reveals Real Name as Sara Cohen
Freida McFadden, the pseudonym of a highly successful American author known for thrillers like The Housemaid, has revealed her true identity is Sara Cohen. A practicing doctor specializing in brain disorders, McFadden had kept her real name secret to maintain professional boundaries with patients and due to social anxiety. She chose the pen name 'Freida' as an inside joke referencing a medical residency database. After achieving massive commercial success, including being the UK's second best-selling author of 2025, she decided to step back from full-time medical practice. This reduction in clinical duties allowed her to end the secrecy, which was further necessitated when a hospital colleague recognized her. Despite revealing her legal name, she expressed a desire for fans to continue using her established pen name.
Wire timeline
Best-selling Author Freida McFadden Reveals Real Name as Sara Cohen
Freida McFadden, the pseudonym of a highly successful American author known for thrillers like The Housemaid, has revealed her true identity is Sara Cohen. A practicing doctor specializing in brain disorders, McFadden had kept her real name secret to maintain professional boundaries with patients and due to social anxiety. She chose the pen name 'Freida' as an inside joke referencing a medical residency database. After achieving massive commercial success, including being the UK's second best-selling author of 2025, she decided to step back from full-time medical practice. This reduction in clinical duties allowed her to end the secrecy, which was further necessitated when a hospital colleague recognized her. Despite revealing her legal name, she expressed a desire for fans to continue using her established pen name.
BBC News