The bestselling author known to the world as Freida McFadden is revealing her true identity.
McFadden, whose prolific output includes "The Housemaid" and other domestic thrillers, uses a pseudonym, wig and glasses to maintain her privacy in public. When she first began publishing, she lived a Hannah Montana-worthy double life as a doctor but kept the two personas separate.
It may seem like a mystery ripped from one of her books, but McFadden never intended it to be. But as her popularity grew, so did the secret. On the heels of the first "Housemaid" movie (starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried) and a second one on the way, not to mention a slew of new bestsellers, McFadden says "it's time" to reveal her identity.
"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 or if I'm three men," McFadden says. "I am a real person and I have a real identity and I don't have anything to hide."
Outside of the book world, McFadden is Sara Cohen, a doctor who treats brain disorders. And though it looks like a disguise, she really does wear glasses. The hair is a wig, but only because "I have no idea how to style my hair," she tells USA TODAY in a phone interview.
