Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden — Full Review
Introduction
Freida McFadden built her name on unforgettable, unhinged women — and Debbie Mullen might be her boldest one yet. Dear Debbie takes the “good for her” revenge-thriller energy McFadden fans know from The Housemaid and cranks it up, following an advice columnist who finally decides to stop dishing out sympathy and start dishing out payback.
Genre, Format, Release
- Genre: Psychological Thriller / Domestic Suspense
- Format: Standalone Novel
- Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
- Release Date: January 27, 2026
Overview
Debbie Mullen writes the “Dear Debbie” advice column for a local Massachusetts newspaper, where she’s spent years counseling the wives of New England through marriages marked by neglect, belittlement, and worse. But Debbie’s own life is quietly falling apart — she loses her job, notices strange behavior from her teenage daughters, and discovers through a tracking app that her husband may be hiding secrets of his own. Done being “the bigger person,” Debbie decides it’s time to finally take her own advice and deliver payback to everyone who’s wronged her.
Highlights
- Debbie Mullen as a new McFadden antihero — early reviewers have called her one of the author’s most memorable characters yet, sharper and more dangerous than The Housemaid‘s Millie.
- A revenge-thriller with real heart — several reviewers note this book has an emotional depth that goes beyond McFadden’s usual twist-driven pacing.
- A former MIT computer science major turned suburban columnist — Debbie’s tech background becomes a key tool in how she executes her plans.
- Strong critical reception — Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly both gave it starred or highly positive coverage, with Kirkus calling it gleefully sadistic, gratifying revenge fiction.
- Endorsements from fellow thriller authors, including Shari Lapena, praising Debbie as an endearing psychopath readers can’t help but root for.
Plot (Spoiler-Light)
After being fired from the newspaper for advising a reader to leave her abusive husband, Debbie’s carefully composed suburban life starts to unravel. An old enemy from her college years resurfaces, and rather than staying reasonable and practical, Debbie decides to use her sharp computer skills to deliver twisted, calculated comeuppance to the people in her life who deserve it — from smug book club members to predatory figures hiding behind respectable reputations. As Debbie’s own moral code sharpens into something far more ruthless, the story builds toward a shocking, satisfying reckoning.
Why You Should Read It
- If you loved the “villain you can’t help but root for” energy of The Housemaid‘s Millie, Debbie takes that same appeal even further.
- It blends fast-paced thriller pacing with genuine emotional stakes around family, betrayal, and reinvention.
- McFadden’s trademark twists are present, but reviewers note the writing and character work feel especially strong in this one.
- It’s a satisfying, addictive read for fans of “revenge against toxic people” fiction — the kind of book built for a single sitting.
- Strong industry buzz, including praise from bestselling authors like Shari Lapena, makes it one of the most talked-about thrillers of early 2026.
Recommendations — If You Liked Dear Debbie, Read These Next
- The Housemaid by Freida McFadden — the book that made Millie (and McFadden) a household name in domestic suspense.
- The Housemaid’s Secret and The Housemaid Is Watching — the rest of McFadden’s Millie trilogy, for more of the same addictive tension.
- The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena — a fellow domestic thriller author whose blurb praises Dear Debbie’s plotting.
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn — for readers drawn to morally complex women taking control of their own narratives.
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn — another dark, character-driven psychological thriller with an unforgettable female lead.
Conclusion
Dear Debbie proves Freida McFadden can build a new unforgettable antihero without leaning on her previous hits. With sharp pacing, real emotional weight, and a lead character readers are already calling one of her best yet, this revenge thriller is shaping up to be one of the standout McFadden releases of the year — perfect for anyone who wants a fast, wickedly satisfying read.