The Housemaid: An absolutely addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist

According to Detective Connors, the case is closed.

I’ve already put the house Andy and I shared on the market.

“I always wondered what exactly Andrew Winchester did to my daughter.” He presses his lips together until they form a straight line. “So when I transferred out here about a year ago and started poking around, I thought it was interesting that you claimed he had been locking you up in the attic, but nobody could verify your story was real. Although truthfully, it looks like nobody did very much to try. The Winchesters used to have a lot of pull out here before they moved down to Florida, especially with some of the cops.” He pauses. “But not me.”

He lowers his voice several notches until I have to strain to hear. “The breakup was rough on her. She wouldn’t talk about it. Still won’t. She moved far away after that and she even changed her name. She hasn’t been out on a date with a man since.”

I never knew him personally,” Connors says. “But my daughter did.”

“Your… daughter?”

He nods. “Her name is Kathleen Connors. Actually, small world—she and your husband were engaged a long time ago.”

“There are deep purple bruises all over his lower belly,” Connors says. “And all over his… genitals. They’re almost black.”

“Do you know anything about the bruising on your husband’s body?”

“You’re going to leave here. I’ll tell the police I was here all week. I’ll say I gave you the week off.”

“But—”

“It’s the only way,” I say sharply. “I have a chance. You don’t. I… I’ve already been hospitalized for mental health issues. Worse comes to worst…” I take a deep breath. “I’ll go back to the psychiatric hospital.”

My eyes drop down to the phone. And then something moves on the screen. I let out a slow breath. Andrew is in the room after all. He’s under the covers on the cot.

When I wake up in the guest bedroom the next morning, the first thing I do is reach for Andrew’s phone.

I bring up the app for the camera in the attic. Right away, the room jumps into focus. I stare at the screen and my blood turns cold. The room is deathly still. Andrew isn’t in there anymore.

He’s gotten out of the room.