The Housemaid Is Watching
by Freida McFadden
Contents
Prologue
Overview
An unnamed narrator is caught in the aftermath of a killing, standing over a corpse in a living room drenched in blood, with blood on their hands and clothes. When a familiar woman arrives and begins to enter through the unlocked door, the narrator abandons any attempt to clean up and runs. The prologue establishes immediate stakes: imminent discovery and the narrator’s fear of being linked to what happened.
Summary
An unnamed narrator stands in a living room where blood covers a cream rug, nearby floorboards, furniture, and an alabaster wall. A dead body lies in the center of the pooling blood, and the narrator’s hands and shirt are stained.
The narrator assesses the danger, realizing that while fingerprints in the house might be explainable, blood caked into fingernails and smeared onto anything touched will not be. The narrator considers washing the blood off quickly to prevent stains from setting, but knows time is limited.
A doorbell rings, and the narrator freezes as a familiar voice calls out from outside. The narrator silently begs the visitor to leave, hoping the quiet house will convince the person no one is home.
The doorbell rings a second time, and when it still isn’t answered, the doorknob rattles. The narrator realizes the door is unlocked and that the visitor is about to enter and see the scene.
Forced into a decision, the narrator chooses to flee immediately rather than waste seconds washing up, accepting the risk of leaving bloody smears and footprints behind. The narrator runs, hoping no one will discover what the narrator has done.
Who Appears
- Unidentified narratorFinds themself beside a corpse; blood on hands; flees as discovery becomes imminent.
- Unidentified visitorFamiliar-sounding woman at the door; rings twice and begins entering the unlocked house.