Freida McFadden’s The Sleepwalker: Release Date, Plot and What We Know

By Ahaqir Ishaq
News | Information checked October 10, 2026

Freida McFadden’s The Sleepwalker is scheduled for release on March 23, 2027. The upcoming psychological thriller follows a nurse whose attempts to control her sleepwalking become entangled with murder.

For readers interested in morally complicated protagonists, the setup offers an immediate question: how much can you trust someone who believes her victims deserve what happens to them?

Here is what has been confirmed about the release, story and preorder options.

When Is The Sleepwalker Coming Out?

Sourcebooks lists March 23, 2027 as the publication date for The Sleepwalker. As of October 10, 2026, the book is forthcoming and available to preorder.

Edition details can differ by country. Penguin Books New Zealand lists a trade paperback through Poisoned Pen Press, also dated March 23, 2027. Check the edition attached to your retailer listing before ordering.

What Is The Sleepwalker About?

The story centers on Samantha, a nurse who has experienced sleepwalking since a traumatic incident in adolescence. Her nights leave her with injuries and missing memories.

According to the description on McFadden’s official website, Samantha believes she has found a way to quiet those episodes: killing men she regards as dangerous or abusive.

That belief becomes harder to sustain when bodies appear that she cannot remember killing. The publisher’s regional listing also introduces a compelling stranger who enters her life.

These are details from the announced premise. They do not reveal who is responsible for every death or how the mystery ends.

Why the Premise Stands Out

The most interesting part of this setup is Samantha’s certainty that she can distinguish justified violence from wrongdoing.

A protagonist who knows she kills creates a different reading experience from someone who simply fears an unknown attacker. Readers must consider both the danger around her and the explanations she offers for her own behavior.

The memory gaps introduce another layer. Evidence might challenge Samantha’s account of a particular night, but it could also challenge the larger story she tells herself about being in control.

That makes the premise appealing for readers who enjoy questioning a character’s judgment as much as solving a crime. The suspense can come from asking what happened, why it happened and whether the person explaining it has any incentive to tell the truth.

This is an interpretation of the synopsis, rather than a review of the unpublished novel. The announcement does not establish the book’s narrative structure, final twist or explanation for Samantha’s experiences.

Is The Sleepwalker Part of The Housemaid Series?

No. McFadden includes The Sleepwalker in the standalone thrillers section of her official website.

Readers therefore do not need to finish The Housemaid trilogy before picking it up. It introduces Samantha’s story rather than being presented as another installment in Millie’s series.

If you want to explore McFadden’s other novels while waiting, our Freida McFadden books in order guide explains her separate series and standalone titles.

Readers specifically interested in Millie can follow our Housemaid reading order.

Can You Preorder The Sleepwalker?

Yes. Sourcebooks provides preorder options through major booksellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent bookstores.

The publisher highlights a deluxe hardcover with designed edges. Readers interested in collecting a particular edition should compare listings carefully, especially when ordering from another country.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Want to read Samantha’s story when it arrives? Preorder The Sleepwalker on Amazon

Will Signed Copies Be Available?

Sourcebooks lists signed-edition availability through Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million beginning October 8. It also schedules signed copies through U.S. independent bookstores for January 6, 2027, at 9 a.m. Central Time.

The publisher says independent-bookstore launch parties will be announced on January 6, 2027.

Those announcements do not guarantee that any particular retailer still has signed copies available. Check the individual listing for stock and edition information.

What Is Still Unknown?

The announcement establishes the release date and central conflict, but it leaves the mystery’s answers open.

The stranger’s full role, the source of the unexplained deaths and the reliability of Samantha’s beliefs remain questions for the novel itself. The presence of sleepwalking also does not establish a supernatural explanation.

Readers should approach theories about these elements as speculation. For now, the book is officially presented as a psychological thriller.

What Can You Read While Waiting?

McFadden’s The Witch is already available, making it an option for readers who want a recent release before March 2027. Our guide to The Witch covers its premise and publication details.

For The Sleepwalker, the hook is already clear: Samantha believes she understands both her actions and her victims. The mystery begins when that confidence no longer fits the evidence.

Would you rather follow a thriller protagonist hiding a crime or one who cannot remember whether she committed it?

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