What do you think?
Rate this book
The Maid's Diary
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2023)12 hours, 10 minutes
A cunning, twisty, and unsettling novel of psychological suspense with a startling conclusion by Loreth Anne White, the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Patient’s Secret.
Kit Darling is a maid with a snooping problem. She’s the “invisible girl,” compelled to poke into her wealthy clients’ closely guarded lives. It’s a harmless hobby until Kit sees something she can’t unsee in the home of her brand-new clients: a secret so dark it could destroy the privileged couple expecting their first child. This makes Kit dangerous to the couple. In turn, it makes the couple—who might kill to keep their secret—dangerous to Kit.
When homicide cop Mallory Van Alst is called to a scene at a luxury waterfront home known as the Glass House, she’s confronted with evidence of a violent attack so bloody it’s improbable the victim is alive. But there’s no body. The homeowners are gone. And their maid is missing. The only witness is the elderly woman next door, who woke to screams in the night. The neighbor was also the last person to see Kit Darling alive.
As Mal begins to uncover the secret that has sent the lives of everyone involved on a devious and inescapable collision course, she realizes that nothing is quite as it seems. And no one escapes their past.
A cunning, twisty, and unsettling novel of psychological suspense with a startling conclusion by Loreth Anne White, the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Patient’s Secret.
Kit Darling is a maid with a snooping problem. She’s the “invisible girl,” compelled to poke into her wealthy clients’ closely guarded lives. It’s a harmless hobby until Kit sees something she can’t unsee in the home of her brand-new clients: a secret so dark it could destroy the privileged couple expecting their first child. This makes Kit dangerous to the couple. In turn, it makes the couple—who might kill to keep their secret—dangerous to Kit.
When homicide cop Mallory Van Alst is called to a scene at a luxury waterfront home known as the Glass House, she’s confronted with evidence of a violent attack so bloody it’s improbable the victim is alive. But there’s no body. The homeowners are gone. And their maid is missing. The only witness is the elderly woman next door, who woke to screams in the night. The neighbor was also the last person to see Kit Darling alive.
As Mal begins to uncover the secret that has sent the lives of everyone involved on a devious and inescapable collision course, she realizes that nothing is quite as it seems. And no one escapes their past.
Audiobook
First published March 1, 2023
22377 people are currently reading
150435 people want to read
About the author
Loreth Anne White
93 books7,285 followersLoreth Anne White is an Amazon Charts, Washington Post, and Bild bestselling author of thrillers, mysteries, and suspense. With over 3 million books sold around the world, she is an ITW thriller award finalist, a three-time RITA finalist, an overall Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Arthur Ellis finalist, and winner of multiple industry awards.
A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now calls Canada home. She resides in the Pacific Northwest, dividing time between Victoria on Vancouver Island, a ski resort in the Coast Mountains, and a rustic lakeside cabin in the Cariboo.
When she’s not writing or dreaming up plots, you will find her on the lakes, in the ocean, or on the trails with her dog where she tries—unsuccessfully—to avoid bears. For more information on her books please visit her website at lorethannewhite.com
Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne....
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or via Instagram: lorethannewhite
Visit her at www.lorethannewhite.com
A recovering journalist who has worked in both South Africa and Canada, she now calls Canada home. She resides in the Pacific Northwest, dividing time between Victoria on Vancouver Island, a ski resort in the Coast Mountains, and a rustic lakeside cabin in the Cariboo.
When she’s not writing or dreaming up plots, you will find her on the lakes, in the ocean, or on the trails with her dog where she tries—unsuccessfully—to avoid bears. For more information on her books please visit her website at lorethannewhite.com
Connect with her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Loreth.Anne....
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loreth
Or via Instagram: lorethannewhite
Visit her at www.lorethannewhite.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,953 reviews
March 9, 2023
Well, well, well. I might just have found another author to satiate my thrillaholic needs. The maid’s diary was dark, suspenseful and twisty in just the right way.
Synopsis:
A maid loves to snoop in the houses she cleans. When she discovers a secret the occupants of a house she is cleaning is hiding, her life is in danger. The couple living in the house might just do anything to prevent the secret from coming out.
The book has different POVs. There is the maid, writing in her diary. You also meet the couple where the maid is cleaning, and a police officer.
The story is cleverly written and I found no inconsistencies. It’s obvious that the author is well versed in writing novels. There is a perfect balance between the police investigation of the murder and the people involved in it. Already pretty early on a bombshell is dropped. I think my eyes probably bulged and my mouth was wide open as the penny dropped.
I also loved how multilayered the story was. There is so much going on. It’s about trauma, revenge and standing up for yourself. My favorite character was Kit (the maid) herself. Her diary entries are short so we really don’t know too much about her, but my heart reached out to her nonetheless.
If you’re looking for a well-crafted psychological thriller, the maid’s diary will check all your boxes.
Thanks to netgalley and montlake publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis:
A maid loves to snoop in the houses she cleans. When she discovers a secret the occupants of a house she is cleaning is hiding, her life is in danger. The couple living in the house might just do anything to prevent the secret from coming out.
The book has different POVs. There is the maid, writing in her diary. You also meet the couple where the maid is cleaning, and a police officer.
The story is cleverly written and I found no inconsistencies. It’s obvious that the author is well versed in writing novels. There is a perfect balance between the police investigation of the murder and the people involved in it. Already pretty early on a bombshell is dropped. I think my eyes probably bulged and my mouth was wide open as the penny dropped.
I also loved how multilayered the story was. There is so much going on. It’s about trauma, revenge and standing up for yourself. My favorite character was Kit (the maid) herself. Her diary entries are short so we really don’t know too much about her, but my heart reached out to her nonetheless.
If you’re looking for a well-crafted psychological thriller, the maid’s diary will check all your boxes.
Thanks to netgalley and montlake publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
February 15, 2023
The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White
Kit Darling has an addiction, a snooping addiction. That addiction is fed by the fact that she's a maid for wealthy people. Rarely do her clients want to be around when she is cleaning their houses. They'd rather believe that their houses just get cleaned without the help of a living, breathing, feeling person. As a maid, Kit is invisible to those with money and power.
Kit also has a traumatic past that has affected her greatly since she was a teen. She tries to fight down the fuzzy memories and she tries to escape her past by snooping. When she gets new clients and realizes just who the people are Kit takes her snooping to new levels, turns it into something so much more. They have what she lost and nobody is going to be safe. But is Kit safe?
We have several timelines, a very informative diary, two wealthy couples, two homicide cops, and Kit, just a hard working maid (or not). Invisible to the movers and shakers of the world. Until she's not so invisible anymore.
For me, the most likeable characters are the homicide cops. Just about everyone else can go jump off a dock into dark treacherous waters. It was interesting trying to figure out what was going on, especially because almost everyone is hiding something and some of them would kill to keep their secrets hidden.
Pub Mar 1, 2023
This was an Amazon First Reads selection.
Kit Darling has an addiction, a snooping addiction. That addiction is fed by the fact that she's a maid for wealthy people. Rarely do her clients want to be around when she is cleaning their houses. They'd rather believe that their houses just get cleaned without the help of a living, breathing, feeling person. As a maid, Kit is invisible to those with money and power.
Kit also has a traumatic past that has affected her greatly since she was a teen. She tries to fight down the fuzzy memories and she tries to escape her past by snooping. When she gets new clients and realizes just who the people are Kit takes her snooping to new levels, turns it into something so much more. They have what she lost and nobody is going to be safe. But is Kit safe?
We have several timelines, a very informative diary, two wealthy couples, two homicide cops, and Kit, just a hard working maid (or not). Invisible to the movers and shakers of the world. Until she's not so invisible anymore.
For me, the most likeable characters are the homicide cops. Just about everyone else can go jump off a dock into dark treacherous waters. It was interesting trying to figure out what was going on, especially because almost everyone is hiding something and some of them would kill to keep their secrets hidden.
Pub Mar 1, 2023
This was an Amazon First Reads selection.
February 23, 2023
“Dear Diary…I’m a maid. I like to snoop.”
3.75 stars
The Maid’s Diary is a psychological thriller about a nosy maid out for revenge.
Kit, a maid with a cleaning service, has an addiction--snooping through her client’s possessions. She confides in her diary about her addiction and her dark past. When she realizes she has a startling connection to her new clients, her addiction turns into a clever game of vengeance that leads to murder.
Involved in Kit’s web are:
Daisy, a rich pregnant housewife
Jon, Daisy’s husband, and a former Olympic skier
Police Detective Mal
All of their perspectives are shared. Most of the characters were not likable, but Mal’s character is the saving grace. Kit should have been likable, but there was just something about her that felt contrived.
The novel starts with the murder, but the victim's identity isn't revealed until the end. The timeline is non-linear, as it goes back and forth, connecting the dots between the main characters.
Each chapter begins with a countdown to the murder (i.e., 2 weeks before the murder). Other chapters are told through Kit’s diary--these chapters were the least enjoyable for me, perhaps because it was obvious what was going on.
This was a fast-paced, entertaining read. I enjoyed watching the events play out, although the final act of revenge wasn’t as impactful as I hoped. There are a lot of twists and turns, including a somewhat predictable and pretty big twist. Even though it lacks the nuance of some of White’s other novels, it is still a fun and satisfying mystery/thriller.
3.75 stars
The Maid’s Diary is a psychological thriller about a nosy maid out for revenge.
Kit, a maid with a cleaning service, has an addiction--snooping through her client’s possessions. She confides in her diary about her addiction and her dark past. When she realizes she has a startling connection to her new clients, her addiction turns into a clever game of vengeance that leads to murder.
Involved in Kit’s web are:
Daisy, a rich pregnant housewife
Jon, Daisy’s husband, and a former Olympic skier
Police Detective Mal
All of their perspectives are shared. Most of the characters were not likable, but Mal’s character is the saving grace. Kit should have been likable, but there was just something about her that felt contrived.
The novel starts with the murder, but the victim's identity isn't revealed until the end. The timeline is non-linear, as it goes back and forth, connecting the dots between the main characters.
Each chapter begins with a countdown to the murder (i.e., 2 weeks before the murder). Other chapters are told through Kit’s diary--these chapters were the least enjoyable for me, perhaps because it was obvious what was going on.
This was a fast-paced, entertaining read. I enjoyed watching the events play out, although the final act of revenge wasn’t as impactful as I hoped. There are a lot of twists and turns, including a somewhat predictable and pretty big twist. Even though it lacks the nuance of some of White’s other novels, it is still a fun and satisfying mystery/thriller.
November 15, 2023
4.5 STARS
This maid has a problem. She gets a real kick out of snooping around the homes she cleans. She actually gets a dopamine rush.
One day she sees something that puts her on a dangerous path. She shouldn't have gone there! Problem is there is also a mysterious "woman in a window", she also has a snooping prob! And what did she see? Plenty!!
Lots of twists in turns in this one. I couldn't stop listening as the clock kept ticking. Lots of pieces that eventually linked together, plenty of suspense, and a scream in the night ,made this one incredibly addictive.
This was a Amazon First Reads for March 2023 and an Audible audio narrated by Jane Oppenheimer who did an amazing job. 12 hrs/10 min
I did guess one of the twists, but only because I was paying close attention to the little hints sprinkled throughout. Recommend to those who enjoy the genre!
She likes to dust, vacuum and snoop!
This maid has a problem. She gets a real kick out of snooping around the homes she cleans. She actually gets a dopamine rush.
One day she sees something that puts her on a dangerous path. She shouldn't have gone there! Problem is there is also a mysterious "woman in a window", she also has a snooping prob! And what did she see? Plenty!!
Lots of twists in turns in this one. I couldn't stop listening as the clock kept ticking. Lots of pieces that eventually linked together, plenty of suspense, and a scream in the night ,made this one incredibly addictive.
This was a Amazon First Reads for March 2023 and an Audible audio narrated by Jane Oppenheimer who did an amazing job. 12 hrs/10 min
I did guess one of the twists, but only because I was paying close attention to the little hints sprinkled throughout. Recommend to those who enjoy the genre!
March 3, 2023
“People can seem so ordinary on the surface, but scratch the veneer, and there’s always a secret beneath the gloss”
Kit Darling is a thirty four year old maid with a passion for amateur theater and SNOOPING. She is going to share the “dirt” she finds while cleaning, with you, dear reader, through the words in her diary-because she is missing.
Daisy Wentworth Rittenberg, was a Daddy’s girl, and a Mean girl, growing up, but she is now the very pregnant wife of Jon Rittenberg, a popular downhill Ski Racer who brought home two Gold medals in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in ‘02. She traded in on his fame, and now relishes her Social Media following, BUT, she was being stalked, and now she is missing.
Vanessa North met Daisy at Yoga, and they bonded over their pregnancies and similar “due dates” immediately. She and her husband Haruto live in the infamous “Glass House”, which is now the location of a violent, bloody crime scene. Both are missing-no bodies have been found.
Two “silent witnesses” saw a yellow Suburu Crosstrek and a rolled up carpet being forced over a dock into the swirling waters below-but they aren’t about to admit to being somewhere where they weren’t supposed to be.
Beulah Brown is the 89 year old witness, who made the 911 call after being awoken by a scream, shortly before midnight. Her window has a perfect view of the house and property and she witnessed two people dragging a rolled up carpet to a waiting vehicle. However, she has made several 911 calls in the past, and they will have to determine if she is reliable.
Detective Mallory (Mal) Van Alst and her partner, Benoit Salumu, of West Vancouver will be the two tasked with solving this puzzle.
The story unfolds through the alternating narratives of the “Maid’s diary”, Daisy, Jon, and Mal.
Clues found at the scene will have you wondering who may be rolled up in that carpet, and these clues will have you changing your mind about which of the three women it could be.
With the exception of Daisy’s social media posts which were a bore-since this has been so overused in recent books-the first half was VERY suspenseful.
Thankfully, the social media aspect tapers off in the second half when the focus shifts to the mastermind crime and the VERY UNDERSTANDABLE reason for wanting revenge.
Once again, Loreth Anne White delivers an intricately plotted crime story, which kept me entertained from beginning to end…
But..
My impression was that I didn’t FEEL the emotion the author was aiming for with this denouement! 🤐
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Kit Darling is a thirty four year old maid with a passion for amateur theater and SNOOPING. She is going to share the “dirt” she finds while cleaning, with you, dear reader, through the words in her diary-because she is missing.
Daisy Wentworth Rittenberg, was a Daddy’s girl, and a Mean girl, growing up, but she is now the very pregnant wife of Jon Rittenberg, a popular downhill Ski Racer who brought home two Gold medals in the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in ‘02. She traded in on his fame, and now relishes her Social Media following, BUT, she was being stalked, and now she is missing.
Vanessa North met Daisy at Yoga, and they bonded over their pregnancies and similar “due dates” immediately. She and her husband Haruto live in the infamous “Glass House”, which is now the location of a violent, bloody crime scene. Both are missing-no bodies have been found.
Two “silent witnesses” saw a yellow Suburu Crosstrek and a rolled up carpet being forced over a dock into the swirling waters below-but they aren’t about to admit to being somewhere where they weren’t supposed to be.
Beulah Brown is the 89 year old witness, who made the 911 call after being awoken by a scream, shortly before midnight. Her window has a perfect view of the house and property and she witnessed two people dragging a rolled up carpet to a waiting vehicle. However, she has made several 911 calls in the past, and they will have to determine if she is reliable.
Detective Mallory (Mal) Van Alst and her partner, Benoit Salumu, of West Vancouver will be the two tasked with solving this puzzle.
The story unfolds through the alternating narratives of the “Maid’s diary”, Daisy, Jon, and Mal.
Clues found at the scene will have you wondering who may be rolled up in that carpet, and these clues will have you changing your mind about which of the three women it could be.
With the exception of Daisy’s social media posts which were a bore-since this has been so overused in recent books-the first half was VERY suspenseful.
Thankfully, the social media aspect tapers off in the second half when the focus shifts to the mastermind crime and the VERY UNDERSTANDABLE reason for wanting revenge.
Once again, Loreth Anne White delivers an intricately plotted crime story, which kept me entertained from beginning to end…
But..
My impression was that I didn’t FEEL the emotion the author was aiming for with this denouement! 🤐
AVAILABLE NOW!!
March 31, 2023
4.5 stars
This was my first book by this author but not my last!
The characters:
· Kit: the maid with a snooping problem, who has a traumatic history. What she finds in her client’s home sets in motion a cascade of devastating events
· Daisy Rittenberg: Kit’s wealthy client, who is expecting her first child.
· Jon Rittenberg: Daisy’s husband, an Olympic Gold medalist, who has his own checkered history
· Vanessa: Daisy’s new friend who is also expecting a baby, and who lives in the Glass House
· Mallory Van Alst and her partner Benoit: the homicide cops, who also have interesting backstories. They are investigating a bloody scene at the Glass House. There is no body, and the main players are missing, so who was murdered?
· Beulah: The elderly neighbor: the only witness, who suffers from dementia
Told in multiple POV and timelines as this twisty crime fiction/police procedural unfolds, it kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. Each chapter opens with a countdown to the murder but the victim’s identity is kept secret until the end.
There are a lot of plot threads but it all comes together perfectly. It’s difficult in this genre to deliver a unique mystery but the author pulled it off. There were a lot of bread crumbs that I missed along the way, and I was completely shocked at the final reveal – well done, Loreth Anne White!!
I particularly enjoyed the characters of Mal & Benoit, the only likable characters, and hope to see more of them in future books.
I’ve been deliberately vague because to do otherwise would reveal surprises best discovered for yourself.
A read with my reading buddy, Marialyce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
* I received a digital copy of this title via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
This was my first book by this author but not my last!
The characters:
· Kit: the maid with a snooping problem, who has a traumatic history. What she finds in her client’s home sets in motion a cascade of devastating events
· Daisy Rittenberg: Kit’s wealthy client, who is expecting her first child.
· Jon Rittenberg: Daisy’s husband, an Olympic Gold medalist, who has his own checkered history
· Vanessa: Daisy’s new friend who is also expecting a baby, and who lives in the Glass House
· Mallory Van Alst and her partner Benoit: the homicide cops, who also have interesting backstories. They are investigating a bloody scene at the Glass House. There is no body, and the main players are missing, so who was murdered?
· Beulah: The elderly neighbor: the only witness, who suffers from dementia
Told in multiple POV and timelines as this twisty crime fiction/police procedural unfolds, it kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. Each chapter opens with a countdown to the murder but the victim’s identity is kept secret until the end.
There are a lot of plot threads but it all comes together perfectly. It’s difficult in this genre to deliver a unique mystery but the author pulled it off. There were a lot of bread crumbs that I missed along the way, and I was completely shocked at the final reveal – well done, Loreth Anne White!!
I particularly enjoyed the characters of Mal & Benoit, the only likable characters, and hope to see more of them in future books.
I’ve been deliberately vague because to do otherwise would reveal surprises best discovered for yourself.
A read with my reading buddy, Marialyce, do check out her review and see what she thought.
* I received a digital copy of this title via NetGalley. All opinions are my own
February 7, 2025
We follow Kit Darling, a maid who has a habit of snooping into the lives of her wealthy clients. When she witnesses something shocking in the home of the Rittenbergs, a married couple expecting their first child, she becomes entangled in a web of secrets, lies, and murder.
The author does a great job of creating suspense and tension with her fast-paced writing and vivid descriptions. The characters are complex and flawed, each with their own motives and agendas. You will feel sympathy for Kit, who is an outsider in both her job and her personal life, but also fear for her safety as she gets closer to the truth.
I really enjoyed the characters and the fast paced, punch writing. While I didn't guess any of the twists, it did feel a little predictable. Does that make sense? It was one of those - 'well, because of course' type moments. I still really enjoyed it, but there was no real gotcha moment for me in this one.
Thank you to my girl Meagan for putting me on to this author - I'll be checking out many more in the near future.
I definitely recommend - great thriller for when you need a change of pace and something exciting and full of rage and vengeance!
All of her books are rated so high and they're almost all on Kindle Unlimited with the option for complementary audio as well. Yeeee I struck gold! 😍🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
The author does a great job of creating suspense and tension with her fast-paced writing and vivid descriptions. The characters are complex and flawed, each with their own motives and agendas. You will feel sympathy for Kit, who is an outsider in both her job and her personal life, but also fear for her safety as she gets closer to the truth.
I really enjoyed the characters and the fast paced, punch writing. While I didn't guess any of the twists, it did feel a little predictable. Does that make sense? It was one of those - 'well, because of course' type moments. I still really enjoyed it, but there was no real gotcha moment for me in this one.
Thank you to my girl Meagan for putting me on to this author - I'll be checking out many more in the near future.
I definitely recommend - great thriller for when you need a change of pace and something exciting and full of rage and vengeance!
All of her books are rated so high and they're almost all on Kindle Unlimited with the option for complementary audio as well. Yeeee I struck gold! 😍🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
April 16, 2023
3.5 rounded down. I know, I know. See spoilers.
Writing: 3.5/5 | Plot: 3.5/5 | Ending: 3.5/5
SYNOPSIS
A maid and rich people behaving badly.
MY OPINION
I've seen lots of great ratings about this book from everyone – even the more "harsher" critics on Goodreads, so I was excited to pick it up. This wasn't a BAD book by any means but one aspect (see spoilers) really pissed me off, so I rounded down. I can appreciate why a lot of people like this and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others, but it just wasn't THEE banger of the year for me.
This book was giving me Look Closer vibes but kinda the Great Value version. While this story certainly had layers, I found it predictable and I didn't want anyone to win. Like I really did not give two fks if they all ended up sentenced 25-to-life, and that's really saying something given Kit's harrowing backstory. Usually, I'm all for women's rights AND wrongs, but in this case, everyone was just *eye roll*. In Look Closer, the author writes a unique male MC who you end up cheering for, even though you shouldn't. Here, I found that the characters' personalities were bogged down by identity politics.
Anyways, along this line, let me tell you what really rubbed me the wrong way. SPOILER ALERT... SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM
So part of Kit's motivation for revenge is the fact Jon and his buddies gang r@ped her at a party and one of them (she suspects Jon) impregnated her during the act. Kit's mom agrees to a pay out from the mom of Jon's gf, which also stipulates that Kit will have an abortion. Somehow Kit gets an infection during the abortion and is infertile (<1% chance of this happening FYI). Her infertility is the other big piece of her motive; she resents that Daisy gets to have a child, while she cannot, all due to Daisy's husband (allegedly – no DNA test was done on the fetus).
This is the second time I've read a book where the baddie goes off the rails because they became infertile after an abortion. Can we just STOP with this? First, abortion is an extremely polarizing topic and I don't want to read about it in thrillers because when is it ever absolutely 100% necessary for the book to be bangerlicious? Kit being gang raped was more than enough reason for her to seek revenge (although now that I think of it – why was her revenge solely fixated on Jon? What happened to the other guys involved?). We did not need this extra infertility due to abortion razzle dazzle.
Also, you don't need to give birth to be a mother. If Kit wanted a baby that damn bad, maybe use that 900k to adopt one instead of traversing around southeast Asia. Lastly, for all the thinly-veiled liberal messaging, it was weird that the author would use terms like "kill the baby" when referring to an abortion, and choose infertility caused by abortion as part of the motive?? Strange vibes.
Unrelated to the above, but I was disappointed that after Kit did THEE most to get away with revenge, she posts a pic on her Instagram account showing where she's scampered off to just so Boon can link up with her. Ya'll can't communicate through email or something? Not even a lil dm? C'mon now.
Lastly, the whole theatre group thing was a dead giveaway. Linwood Barclay has used this multiple times in his books so as soon as this fun fact was dropped, I clocked the twist right away. Tbh you don't need to read any Barclay books to realize theatre = acting = actors are involved and people aren't who you think they are.
SPOILERS DONE.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: entertaining (if you don't think too much about it and don't mind politics in your thrillers), diverse characters, set in my home-country Canada
Cons: predictable (the theatre thing is a Linwood Barclay special), part of Kit's motive rubbed me the wrong way (see spoilers), some math didn't quite mathulate
______________________
Btw if you like shocking plot twists (who doesn't?) tune into EP.5 of Novels & Nonsense to hear us discuss books with jaw dropping plot twists! Streaming everywhere you can listen to podcasts + YouTube! Tysm for listening 🩷
Writing: 3.5/5 | Plot: 3.5/5 | Ending: 3.5/5
SYNOPSIS
A maid and rich people behaving badly.
MY OPINION
I've seen lots of great ratings about this book from everyone – even the more "harsher" critics on Goodreads, so I was excited to pick it up. This wasn't a BAD book by any means but one aspect (see spoilers) really pissed me off, so I rounded down. I can appreciate why a lot of people like this and wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others, but it just wasn't THEE banger of the year for me.
This book was giving me Look Closer vibes but kinda the Great Value version. While this story certainly had layers, I found it predictable and I didn't want anyone to win. Like I really did not give two fks if they all ended up sentenced 25-to-life, and that's really saying something given Kit's harrowing backstory. Usually, I'm all for women's rights AND wrongs, but in this case, everyone was just *eye roll*. In Look Closer, the author writes a unique male MC who you end up cheering for, even though you shouldn't. Here, I found that the characters' personalities were bogged down by identity politics.
Anyways, along this line, let me tell you what really rubbed me the wrong way. SPOILER ALERT... SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM
So part of Kit's motivation for revenge is the fact Jon and his buddies gang r@ped her at a party and one of them (she suspects Jon) impregnated her during the act. Kit's mom agrees to a pay out from the mom of Jon's gf, which also stipulates that Kit will have an abortion. Somehow Kit gets an infection during the abortion and is infertile (<1% chance of this happening FYI). Her infertility is the other big piece of her motive; she resents that Daisy gets to have a child, while she cannot, all due to Daisy's husband (allegedly – no DNA test was done on the fetus).
This is the second time I've read a book where the baddie goes off the rails because they became infertile after an abortion. Can we just STOP with this? First, abortion is an extremely polarizing topic and I don't want to read about it in thrillers because when is it ever absolutely 100% necessary for the book to be bangerlicious? Kit being gang raped was more than enough reason for her to seek revenge (although now that I think of it – why was her revenge solely fixated on Jon? What happened to the other guys involved?). We did not need this extra infertility due to abortion razzle dazzle.
Also, you don't need to give birth to be a mother. If Kit wanted a baby that damn bad, maybe use that 900k to adopt one instead of traversing around southeast Asia. Lastly, for all the thinly-veiled liberal messaging, it was weird that the author would use terms like "kill the baby" when referring to an abortion, and choose infertility caused by abortion as part of the motive?? Strange vibes.
Unrelated to the above, but I was disappointed that after Kit did THEE most to get away with revenge, she posts a pic on her Instagram account showing where she's scampered off to just so Boon can link up with her. Ya'll can't communicate through email or something? Not even a lil dm? C'mon now.
Lastly, the whole theatre group thing was a dead giveaway. Linwood Barclay has used this multiple times in his books so as soon as this fun fact was dropped, I clocked the twist right away. Tbh you don't need to read any Barclay books to realize theatre = acting = actors are involved and people aren't who you think they are.
SPOILERS DONE.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: entertaining (if you don't think too much about it and don't mind politics in your thrillers), diverse characters, set in my home-country Canada
Cons: predictable (the theatre thing is a Linwood Barclay special), part of Kit's motive rubbed me the wrong way (see spoilers), some math didn't quite mathulate
______________________
Btw if you like shocking plot twists (who doesn't?) tune into EP.5 of Novels & Nonsense to hear us discuss books with jaw dropping plot twists! Streaming everywhere you can listen to podcasts + YouTube! Tysm for listening 🩷
April 22, 2023
4.5🌟
Have you ever hired someone to clean your home or stayed in a hotel with daily maid service? Did it ever cross your mind that maybe they rifled through your personal items?😬
Then you should meet Kit. she’s a maid with a slight problem. Kit has sticky fingers and enjoys nothing more than going through all the homeowners belongings…clothes, computers, even safes! Nothing is off limits, and she will find any secret you think you have well stashed.
We also have Daisy and Jon. The “golden couple” of Vancouver. Jon is a former Olympic down-hill ski champion, while Daisey’s family own luxury ski resorts world-wide. A match made in fresh powder heaven.
Then we've got Vanessa and her husband. Vanessa and Daisy are close friends. They’re thinking it’s time for a dinner party for the men to meet.
And lastly, it’s Mal and Benoit. The team of detectives who’ll be on the case of a crime that’s about to occur. (Notice how vague I’m being.)😉 I loved both these characters, especially Mal. Juggling her duties at work, while constantly worrying about her husband at home with his health crisis.💔. She’s an amazingly strong woman.
That’s as much detail as I can provide without giving anything away. This is a brilliantly crafted thriller that’ll keep you turning the pages as the puzzle starts to take form.
Loreth Anne White is such a thoughtful, talented writer and I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read of hers. I still have a few older ones on my shelf that I am looking forward to diving into!
If you enjoy layered thrillers that blend effortlessly then don’t miss out on this latest!
Have you ever hired someone to clean your home or stayed in a hotel with daily maid service? Did it ever cross your mind that maybe they rifled through your personal items?😬
Then you should meet Kit. she’s a maid with a slight problem. Kit has sticky fingers and enjoys nothing more than going through all the homeowners belongings…clothes, computers, even safes! Nothing is off limits, and she will find any secret you think you have well stashed.
We also have Daisy and Jon. The “golden couple” of Vancouver. Jon is a former Olympic down-hill ski champion, while Daisey’s family own luxury ski resorts world-wide. A match made in fresh powder heaven.
Then we've got Vanessa and her husband. Vanessa and Daisy are close friends. They’re thinking it’s time for a dinner party for the men to meet.
And lastly, it’s Mal and Benoit. The team of detectives who’ll be on the case of a crime that’s about to occur. (Notice how vague I’m being.)😉 I loved both these characters, especially Mal. Juggling her duties at work, while constantly worrying about her husband at home with his health crisis.💔. She’s an amazingly strong woman.
That’s as much detail as I can provide without giving anything away. This is a brilliantly crafted thriller that’ll keep you turning the pages as the puzzle starts to take form.
Loreth Anne White is such a thoughtful, talented writer and I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read of hers. I still have a few older ones on my shelf that I am looking forward to diving into!
If you enjoy layered thrillers that blend effortlessly then don’t miss out on this latest!
September 19, 2023
SO GOOD. My head is spinning. Definitely excited to read more from this author because this was so hard to put down!!
March 10, 2023
I dare you to put this book down.
And I double-dare you to guess this book's ending.
Move over "maid/housekeeper" psychological thrillers.
"The Maid's Diary" is in a league of its own.
This dark, powerful, twisty, and intricately plotted thriller sizzles and soars and is NOT for the faint-hearted.
TO BE NOTED:
"The Maid's Diary"is not just about the diary pages penned by an "invisible" maid with an obsessive-compulsive "snooping" addiction.
Instead, it's a diabolical and emotionally pulverizing tale of entitlement, lost dreams, despair, and the devastating trauma of sexual assault.
Betrayals, obsessions, privilege, sociopathic minds, and revenge are also brilliantly showcased.
TO BE NOTED #2:
Nobody does revenge better than talented author Loreth Anne White.
The book featured many plot strands unfolding from multiple POVs in different timelines which, in the beginning, was borderline confusing.
Yet, as the book quickly progressed, there was clarity and it became impossible to remove my headphones.
I especially enjoyed the author's vivid and poignant characterizations of unlikeable protagonists as well as the book's riveting and compelling police procedurals.
TRUE CONFESSION: I relistened to some portions of the book because I missed some of the author's cleverly and carefully seeded "breadcrumbs".
I listened to the audiobook read by narrator Jane Oppenheimer.
Although Jane Oppenheimer did a superb job with the narration, I felt that this book would have benefited from multiple narrators.
5 enthusiastic stars!
And I double-dare you to guess this book's ending.
Move over "maid/housekeeper" psychological thrillers.
"The Maid's Diary" is in a league of its own.
This dark, powerful, twisty, and intricately plotted thriller sizzles and soars and is NOT for the faint-hearted.
TO BE NOTED:
"The Maid's Diary"is not just about the diary pages penned by an "invisible" maid with an obsessive-compulsive "snooping" addiction.
Instead, it's a diabolical and emotionally pulverizing tale of entitlement, lost dreams, despair, and the devastating trauma of sexual assault.
Betrayals, obsessions, privilege, sociopathic minds, and revenge are also brilliantly showcased.
TO BE NOTED #2:
Nobody does revenge better than talented author Loreth Anne White.
The book featured many plot strands unfolding from multiple POVs in different timelines which, in the beginning, was borderline confusing.
Yet, as the book quickly progressed, there was clarity and it became impossible to remove my headphones.
I especially enjoyed the author's vivid and poignant characterizations of unlikeable protagonists as well as the book's riveting and compelling police procedurals.
TRUE CONFESSION: I relistened to some portions of the book because I missed some of the author's cleverly and carefully seeded "breadcrumbs".
I listened to the audiobook read by narrator Jane Oppenheimer.
Although Jane Oppenheimer did a superb job with the narration, I felt that this book would have benefited from multiple narrators.
5 enthusiastic stars!
February 16, 2023
This book was entirely too long. Way too much character/scene building and every little detail thoroughly explained. By the time I got to the “twist” I was uninterested, bored and just ready for the book to be over.
May 23, 2023
All the shiny ⭐️ stars for Loreth Anne White.
Kit Darling works as a maid for wealthy families, she dusts, makes beds etc but there is something else she is good at snooping into her rich clients private lives.
Kit is like the invisible girl no one notices her she is like a ghost roaming in & out each day, until her snooping finds out something about Daisy & Jon Rittenburg that she is not supposed to see, this turns Jon & Daisy’s life upside down, at first it’s small things but she gets in too deep & can’t stop Daisy is pregnant with their first child.
A body turns up in the water in Vancouver a well dressed woman the police have no idea who she is? How long she was there?
This is a very twisty novel that takes you in all directions you never know where to turn it keeps you on your toes for sure.
What secrets are Daisy & Jon keeping that they don’t want revealed?
All I can say if you are looking for a twisty psychological thriller then this is it you won’t be disappointed.
Kit Darling works as a maid for wealthy families, she dusts, makes beds etc but there is something else she is good at snooping into her rich clients private lives.
Kit is like the invisible girl no one notices her she is like a ghost roaming in & out each day, until her snooping finds out something about Daisy & Jon Rittenburg that she is not supposed to see, this turns Jon & Daisy’s life upside down, at first it’s small things but she gets in too deep & can’t stop Daisy is pregnant with their first child.
A body turns up in the water in Vancouver a well dressed woman the police have no idea who she is? How long she was there?
This is a very twisty novel that takes you in all directions you never know where to turn it keeps you on your toes for sure.
What secrets are Daisy & Jon keeping that they don’t want revealed?
All I can say if you are looking for a twisty psychological thriller then this is it you won’t be disappointed.
March 9, 2023
I would like to begin this review by thanking all of my Goodreads pals that have sung the praises of Loreth Anne White. You did not steer me wrong!
Kit Darling makes her living as a maid for wealthy clients in Vancouver. She also admits to having a snooping problem. One day she is sent to a new clients home and upon entering she is stunned by who the clients are. The Rittenbergs. John Rittenberg is a two time Olympic gold medalist in skiing and his wife, Daisy, comes from an extremely wealthy family well known in the area for their ski resorts. Seeing their happy framed photos around the home has triggered many traumatic memories for Kit. Memories that trigger Kit into action. It's time to do a little snooping....
Meanwhile, a very pregnant Daisy befriends Vanessa at a yoga class for pregnant mothers. The two hit if off and become fast friends. Vanessa invites Daisy and Jon for dinner so they can meet her husband and get to know each other better. A bloody scene is all that remains of the dinner. Vanessa and her husband are no where to be found. Daisy and Jon refuse to cooperate with authorities.
I know what I just wrote isn't saying much but I'm too fearful to spill the beans. This books is Devious with a capital "D". I never once fully grasped what was happening so when the reveals came I was so very shocked and satisfied. I adored Kit and couldn't help but to root for her. The baddies were perfectly done baddies. The detectives on the case, Mal and Benoit, were also excellent. I really enjoyed watching the investigation unfold and I was practically holding my breath until the bitter end. And that ending? Perfection! 👌 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my complimentary copy.
Kit Darling makes her living as a maid for wealthy clients in Vancouver. She also admits to having a snooping problem. One day she is sent to a new clients home and upon entering she is stunned by who the clients are. The Rittenbergs. John Rittenberg is a two time Olympic gold medalist in skiing and his wife, Daisy, comes from an extremely wealthy family well known in the area for their ski resorts. Seeing their happy framed photos around the home has triggered many traumatic memories for Kit. Memories that trigger Kit into action. It's time to do a little snooping....
Meanwhile, a very pregnant Daisy befriends Vanessa at a yoga class for pregnant mothers. The two hit if off and become fast friends. Vanessa invites Daisy and Jon for dinner so they can meet her husband and get to know each other better. A bloody scene is all that remains of the dinner. Vanessa and her husband are no where to be found. Daisy and Jon refuse to cooperate with authorities.
I know what I just wrote isn't saying much but I'm too fearful to spill the beans. This books is Devious with a capital "D". I never once fully grasped what was happening so when the reveals came I was so very shocked and satisfied. I adored Kit and couldn't help but to root for her. The baddies were perfectly done baddies. The detectives on the case, Mal and Benoit, were also excellent. I really enjoyed watching the investigation unfold and I was practically holding my breath until the bitter end. And that ending? Perfection! 👌 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my complimentary copy.
June 4, 2023
Curiousity killed the cat
Kit, a maid, has developed a strong curiosity for exploring the possessions of those around her. One fateful day while indulging in her habit of poking around, Kit stumbles upon a closely guarded secret that the owners would go to great lengths to keep hidden.
The skillful use of multiple points of view enhances the narrative. I particularly appreciated the fact that the DCI's didn't overshadow the book; instead, their roles were skillfully incorporated. The story's full revelation and the ultimate revenge are withheld until its impeccably crafted conclusion.
Kit, a maid, has developed a strong curiosity for exploring the possessions of those around her. One fateful day while indulging in her habit of poking around, Kit stumbles upon a closely guarded secret that the owners would go to great lengths to keep hidden.
The skillful use of multiple points of view enhances the narrative. I particularly appreciated the fact that the DCI's didn't overshadow the book; instead, their roles were skillfully incorporated. The story's full revelation and the ultimate revenge are withheld until its impeccably crafted conclusion.
October 11, 2024
WOWOWOW
This is a brilliantly crafted thriller that’ll keep you turning the pages.
Kit, a maid, has a strong curiosity for snooping around people houses as she's cleaning. One day while she is poking around, Kit stumbles upon a closely guarded secret that the owners would go to great lengths to keep hidden.
What To Expect-
🔅Multiple POV
🔅Different Timelines
🔅Unhinged Ladies
🔅Revenge
🔅Secrets
I throughly enjoyed this one, I kept switching from audiobook to physical. I could not get this story out of my head. The multiple povs were written seamlessly. The different timelines added such a fun layer. This was such a perfect balance between police investigation, whodunnit, who is it?
I definitely recommend this one but please be sure to check the trigger warnings.
This is a brilliantly crafted thriller that’ll keep you turning the pages.
Kit, a maid, has a strong curiosity for snooping around people houses as she's cleaning. One day while she is poking around, Kit stumbles upon a closely guarded secret that the owners would go to great lengths to keep hidden.
What To Expect-
🔅Multiple POV
🔅Different Timelines
🔅Unhinged Ladies
🔅Revenge
🔅Secrets
I throughly enjoyed this one, I kept switching from audiobook to physical. I could not get this story out of my head. The multiple povs were written seamlessly. The different timelines added such a fun layer. This was such a perfect balance between police investigation, whodunnit, who is it?
I definitely recommend this one but please be sure to check the trigger warnings.
February 26, 2023
4.5 stars, rounding up!
This is my second Loreth Anne White novel and we're 2 for 2 on 4.5 stars. Like The Patient's Secret, The Maid's Diary is a complex thriller that tackles dark, disturbing themes. If sexual assault is a deal breaker for you, then I'd recommend staying away.
When the maid turns up missing and backed by an unreliable witness account to the night in question, past secrets and lies slowly start to unravel for power couple Jon (former Olympic gold medal skier) and Daisy (daughter and heir to a wealthy enterprise).
The plot unfolds perfectly balanced between past and present. We also get chapters from the maid's diary which was a nice touch. Short, crisp chapters kept the pacing swift.
The messaging here has been covered plenty of times, but I still found myself rooting for lady justice as if it were my first experience. How can you not?
The ending was a pretty epic face-to-face showdown. Get your popcorn ready and enjoy the fireworks! All in all, this was another riveting, well-executed thriller from White. I'm eager to dive more into her backlog.
Cheers!
This is my second Loreth Anne White novel and we're 2 for 2 on 4.5 stars. Like The Patient's Secret, The Maid's Diary is a complex thriller that tackles dark, disturbing themes. If sexual assault is a deal breaker for you, then I'd recommend staying away.
When the maid turns up missing and backed by an unreliable witness account to the night in question, past secrets and lies slowly start to unravel for power couple Jon (former Olympic gold medal skier) and Daisy (daughter and heir to a wealthy enterprise).
The plot unfolds perfectly balanced between past and present. We also get chapters from the maid's diary which was a nice touch. Short, crisp chapters kept the pacing swift.
The messaging here has been covered plenty of times, but I still found myself rooting for lady justice as if it were my first experience. How can you not?
The ending was a pretty epic face-to-face showdown. Get your popcorn ready and enjoy the fireworks! All in all, this was another riveting, well-executed thriller from White. I'm eager to dive more into her backlog.
Cheers!
March 31, 2023
What a terrific thriller!
Attention suspense thriller writers, this is the way you write a thriller!
1. Read a copy of The Maid’s Diary
2. Plan on having your audience in the palm of your hand.
3. Make sure all your scenes have a kick
4. Pull those threads tightly together
5. Incorporate the wow factor
6. Be clever, be wild, and mostly keep your readers hinged on your every word.
To say I enjoyed The Maid’s Secret is putting it mildly. The characters, not a likable lot, were perfect in that devious sinister way that ensnares you into their twisted lies and adventures.
Lies, pregnant women, wealthy people, a glass house, blood spattered but no victim, missing people, and a maid to not only clean up a home but deliver satisfaction to herself while kicking some characters ' butts, deservedly so to the curb.
A mind seldom forgets a grievous wrong and a person often carries and delivers a one two punch to those who rightfully deserve it.
Decidedly our maid did exactly that!
Attention suspense thriller reader, read this book and enjoy!
Jan and I had a rollicking good time with this story. It sent us around the bend and back again. You did a excellent job Loreth Anne White! Keep on snooping!
Thanks to Loreth Anne White, Cheakamus House Publishing, and NetGalley for this great story which has already published.
Attention suspense thriller writers, this is the way you write a thriller!
1. Read a copy of The Maid’s Diary
2. Plan on having your audience in the palm of your hand.
3. Make sure all your scenes have a kick
4. Pull those threads tightly together
5. Incorporate the wow factor
6. Be clever, be wild, and mostly keep your readers hinged on your every word.
To say I enjoyed The Maid’s Secret is putting it mildly. The characters, not a likable lot, were perfect in that devious sinister way that ensnares you into their twisted lies and adventures.
Lies, pregnant women, wealthy people, a glass house, blood spattered but no victim, missing people, and a maid to not only clean up a home but deliver satisfaction to herself while kicking some characters ' butts, deservedly so to the curb.
A mind seldom forgets a grievous wrong and a person often carries and delivers a one two punch to those who rightfully deserve it.
Decidedly our maid did exactly that!
Attention suspense thriller reader, read this book and enjoy!
Jan and I had a rollicking good time with this story. It sent us around the bend and back again. You did a excellent job Loreth Anne White! Keep on snooping!
Thanks to Loreth Anne White, Cheakamus House Publishing, and NetGalley for this great story which has already published.
July 21, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ (closer to five since Goodreads doesn’t do half stars!)
‼️ trigger warning: sexual assault ‼️
Diabolical! I love love love her writing style. This is my second by Loreth and her multiple POVs and cast of characters are done so beautifully! Also love that everything means something and is part of the bigger picture. This book left me feeling very satisfied and when you read a bunch - that isn’t always easy. This book is best summed up as psychological warfare filled with revenge. I don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling anything 🙊 I can’t wait to read more from LAW!!!
‼️ trigger warning: sexual assault ‼️
Diabolical! I love love love her writing style. This is my second by Loreth and her multiple POVs and cast of characters are done so beautifully! Also love that everything means something and is part of the bigger picture. This book left me feeling very satisfied and when you read a bunch - that isn’t always easy. This book is best summed up as psychological warfare filled with revenge. I don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling anything 🙊 I can’t wait to read more from LAW!!!
May 6, 2023
Some steamy sex is interrupted when two people, parked under a bridge at a constructions site, witness something heavy being tossed into the murky lake water below (Hah! I thought the steamy sex might get your attention!). A car goes into the drink soon after.
Kit Darling (née Katerina Popovich) our heroine, cleans houses for a living, snoops into her client’s personal lives for her entertainment while working, and is part of an amateur theater group in her spare time – a women of many talents, who knows how to put together a great show.
Kit grew up in a ski resort town on the have-not side of the tracks. Her parents were immigrants, and for their livelihood, her mother cleaned houses and her father worked at the local sewage plant. At school the kids taunted Katarina and called her Katarina Poop-ovich, yet, despite her circumstances she was bright, and her immigrant parents expected great things from her. A particularly violent and cruel act on the part of her schoolmates (that was the understatement of the century) resulted in a major rift with her parents and her dropping out of High School - both events effectively quashing all her dreams for the future.
Imagine Kit’s surprise when she discovers, quite by chance, that her newest client turns out to be none other than the bane of her youth, the popular Jon Rittenberg, who went on from High School to become an Olympic Gold Medalist. He is now married to Daisy Rittenberg (née Wentworth) the daughter of wealthy and influential Labden and Annabelle Wentworth, and is next in line for a top promotion in the resort empire founded by his father-in-law.
The timeline moves back and forth over a period of several weeks beginning with an elderly neighbor’s call to 911. The palliative Beulah Brown’s call reports a possible crime committed in the house across the street. She tells the police that the pert, young cleaner who waves up to her whenever she shows up for work, never left the residence at the end of the day. She claims that she woke to hear a scream and then witnessed two people leaving the house, carrying a heavy rolled up rug into a BMW and then one person driving away in the BMW, followed by the second person driving off in the cleaner’s Subaru. The cleaner (Kit) was never seen again.
In the meantime, a very pregnant Daisy is anonymously being tormented for an evil act she committed in the past, an act that she has kept hidden for over a decade. Her husband, at the same time, has just been informed that the expected promotion is not in the bag and that there is a younger, talented contender in the race. The competition and his nature, brings him to act self-destructively, including failing to keep his pants zipped up (Hah! More titillation. Are you still with me?).
Kit has taken to keeping a diary for what she considers therapeutic purposes. In her diary she writes, among other things, about her experiences snooping in the Rittenberg house while cleaning.
Clang, clang! Bells are starting to ring all over the place. I can’t do justice to this plot which gets more and more delectable, and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone reading this. All of the characters (including BF, police detectives, and neighbor) are pitch perfect. Suffice it to say that the pages flipped feverishly as I raced to the finish line.
Loreth Anne White is a brilliant author. I read her book, In The Dark, three years ago on GR Friend Dita’s recommendation (oh, Dita, I still miss you so), and I have been intending to read another ever since. When I saw this on NetGalley, I leapt at the opportunity.
Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for my copy in exchange for my unbiased review. I loved this book and I love this author!
For KU Subscribers, this book is currently available with audible – nab it while you can!
Kit Darling (née Katerina Popovich) our heroine, cleans houses for a living, snoops into her client’s personal lives for her entertainment while working, and is part of an amateur theater group in her spare time – a women of many talents, who knows how to put together a great show.
Kit grew up in a ski resort town on the have-not side of the tracks. Her parents were immigrants, and for their livelihood, her mother cleaned houses and her father worked at the local sewage plant. At school the kids taunted Katarina and called her Katarina Poop-ovich, yet, despite her circumstances she was bright, and her immigrant parents expected great things from her. A particularly violent and cruel act on the part of her schoolmates (that was the understatement of the century) resulted in a major rift with her parents and her dropping out of High School - both events effectively quashing all her dreams for the future.
Imagine Kit’s surprise when she discovers, quite by chance, that her newest client turns out to be none other than the bane of her youth, the popular Jon Rittenberg, who went on from High School to become an Olympic Gold Medalist. He is now married to Daisy Rittenberg (née Wentworth) the daughter of wealthy and influential Labden and Annabelle Wentworth, and is next in line for a top promotion in the resort empire founded by his father-in-law.
The timeline moves back and forth over a period of several weeks beginning with an elderly neighbor’s call to 911. The palliative Beulah Brown’s call reports a possible crime committed in the house across the street. She tells the police that the pert, young cleaner who waves up to her whenever she shows up for work, never left the residence at the end of the day. She claims that she woke to hear a scream and then witnessed two people leaving the house, carrying a heavy rolled up rug into a BMW and then one person driving away in the BMW, followed by the second person driving off in the cleaner’s Subaru. The cleaner (Kit) was never seen again.
In the meantime, a very pregnant Daisy is anonymously being tormented for an evil act she committed in the past, an act that she has kept hidden for over a decade. Her husband, at the same time, has just been informed that the expected promotion is not in the bag and that there is a younger, talented contender in the race. The competition and his nature, brings him to act self-destructively, including failing to keep his pants zipped up (Hah! More titillation. Are you still with me?).
Kit has taken to keeping a diary for what she considers therapeutic purposes. In her diary she writes, among other things, about her experiences snooping in the Rittenberg house while cleaning.
Clang, clang! Bells are starting to ring all over the place. I can’t do justice to this plot which gets more and more delectable, and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone reading this. All of the characters (including BF, police detectives, and neighbor) are pitch perfect. Suffice it to say that the pages flipped feverishly as I raced to the finish line.
Loreth Anne White is a brilliant author. I read her book, In The Dark, three years ago on GR Friend Dita’s recommendation (oh, Dita, I still miss you so), and I have been intending to read another ever since. When I saw this on NetGalley, I leapt at the opportunity.
Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for my copy in exchange for my unbiased review. I loved this book and I love this author!
For KU Subscribers, this book is currently available with audible – nab it while you can!
February 22, 2023
Maid Kit Darling has become rather obsessed with snooping on her brand-new clients. After all, their world is laid out right before her. It’s almost too easy. But one day she sees something she’ll never be able to unsee. Something that strikes rather close to home and could prove to be dangerous to know. That knowledge, however, could be just as damaging towards her clients: a couple expecting their first child. Despite Kit recognizing that this deep, dark, disturbing secret is just waiting to destroy everything in its wake, it could also be rather fruitful information to have. But will she be able to use this secret without getting burned herself? Only time will tell.
Late one night, elderly Beulah Brown is awoken by a scream. Hobbling over to her second floor vantage point she sees through her binoculars a terrifying sight. One that prompts her to immediately dial 911. When Detective Sergeant Mallory Van Alst arrives the next morning, she is met with a bloody and gruesome scene at the affluent home of Vanessa and Haruto North that is straight out of a horror film. Blood coats the furniture and floors and surely the victim couldn’t have survived. But there’s no body. On top of that, the homeowners and their maid, Kit Darling, are missing. What happened the night before? Are they looking at a murder scene? And where on earth are Kit and the Norths?
As Mal unwinds the secrets at the center of the case, she discovers that no one can ever truly escape their past. Sometimes it even leads to inescapable collisions that will leave devastation in its wake.
Holy mother of a story! Only Loreth Anne White could craft such a nearly perfect plot! From the get go, I was instantly transported to the luxury suburbs of Vancouver and the rather twisted world of the Norths and Rittenbergs. And once the twists began this story turned from one thing into something else altogether (yes, that might seem a little too vague, but if I say any more it could easily ruin an absolutely brilliant twist).
Told in multiple points of view and dual timelines (or more as the diary entries are from an ambiguous time period), it was far from confusing despite the back and forth nature of the storyline. Addictive and filled with unrelenting suspense, the character development surrounding Kit was first-rate even if the others tended to lack that special something. I’m not saying, however, that any of the characters are even a tiny bit likable, but sometimes I thoroughly enjoy reading a book filled with villains. Don’t you?
But as I alluded to, there was one glaring aspect to this book that I really didn’t care for. The method that one part of the revenge entailed. Again, I can’t say too much, but it left a bad taste in my mouth as sexual assault is nothing to sneeze at and this plot ploy bothered me. Let me know if it bothered you as well.
Despite that, this novel completely lived up to what I expect from White. A crime fiction/police procedural with a definite domestic thriller slant, it provided a wild, fast-paced rollercoaster ride. Even better, I guarantee that you won’t be able to unwind this plot and guess the ending before it’s cleverly delivered for you. And, as an added bonus, The Maid’s Diary proffered a refreshingly multicultural cast of characters and swirling paranoia, all through incredibly relevant topics in our current state of affairs. Currently being offered as part of Amazon’s First Reads, you should run out and grab your copy today! Or, if you must, wait with the average Joe to buy this one on its publication day (March 1, 2023). But pick one because you have to read this book ASAP! Rating of 5 stars.
**Thank you to both Loreth Anne White and Montlake for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
Trigger warning: racism, stalking, social media trolling, controlling relationship, infidelity, dementia, gaslighting, drugging with rohypnol, rape, abortion, blackmail, bullying, cancer
Late one night, elderly Beulah Brown is awoken by a scream. Hobbling over to her second floor vantage point she sees through her binoculars a terrifying sight. One that prompts her to immediately dial 911. When Detective Sergeant Mallory Van Alst arrives the next morning, she is met with a bloody and gruesome scene at the affluent home of Vanessa and Haruto North that is straight out of a horror film. Blood coats the furniture and floors and surely the victim couldn’t have survived. But there’s no body. On top of that, the homeowners and their maid, Kit Darling, are missing. What happened the night before? Are they looking at a murder scene? And where on earth are Kit and the Norths?
As Mal unwinds the secrets at the center of the case, she discovers that no one can ever truly escape their past. Sometimes it even leads to inescapable collisions that will leave devastation in its wake.
Holy mother of a story! Only Loreth Anne White could craft such a nearly perfect plot! From the get go, I was instantly transported to the luxury suburbs of Vancouver and the rather twisted world of the Norths and Rittenbergs. And once the twists began this story turned from one thing into something else altogether (yes, that might seem a little too vague, but if I say any more it could easily ruin an absolutely brilliant twist).
Told in multiple points of view and dual timelines (or more as the diary entries are from an ambiguous time period), it was far from confusing despite the back and forth nature of the storyline. Addictive and filled with unrelenting suspense, the character development surrounding Kit was first-rate even if the others tended to lack that special something. I’m not saying, however, that any of the characters are even a tiny bit likable, but sometimes I thoroughly enjoy reading a book filled with villains. Don’t you?
But as I alluded to, there was one glaring aspect to this book that I really didn’t care for. The method that one part of the revenge entailed. Again, I can’t say too much, but it left a bad taste in my mouth as sexual assault is nothing to sneeze at and this plot ploy bothered me. Let me know if it bothered you as well.
Despite that, this novel completely lived up to what I expect from White. A crime fiction/police procedural with a definite domestic thriller slant, it provided a wild, fast-paced rollercoaster ride. Even better, I guarantee that you won’t be able to unwind this plot and guess the ending before it’s cleverly delivered for you. And, as an added bonus, The Maid’s Diary proffered a refreshingly multicultural cast of characters and swirling paranoia, all through incredibly relevant topics in our current state of affairs. Currently being offered as part of Amazon’s First Reads, you should run out and grab your copy today! Or, if you must, wait with the average Joe to buy this one on its publication day (March 1, 2023). But pick one because you have to read this book ASAP! Rating of 5 stars.
**Thank you to both Loreth Anne White and Montlake for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
Trigger warning: racism, stalking, social media trolling, controlling relationship, infidelity, dementia, gaslighting, drugging with rohypnol, rape, abortion, blackmail, bullying, cancer
August 10, 2023
I love Loreth Ann Books. They are always a treat for me.
The Maid's Diary is another success.
Without giving too many details away, the story centers on Kit Darling, a maid for wealthy people. She likes to snoop around the houses she cleans.
When she gets a new client, she realizes she knows the couple (Daisy and Jon Rittenburg) and she can't stop herself from snooping and planning an act of revenge.
However, if she is successful how come there is a murder when the novel begins in the present?
There are different timelines with several points of view including diary entries by Kit, Daisy, Jon, and Detective Mallory Van Alst who is called to the scene of the crime.
I'm very pleased with the novel, its delivery, and its conclusion. Loreth Ann White will always be an auto-buy for me.
This time, I listened to the audible and I thought Jane Oppenheimer did a fantastic job.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
The Maid's Diary is another success.
Without giving too many details away, the story centers on Kit Darling, a maid for wealthy people. She likes to snoop around the houses she cleans.
When she gets a new client, she realizes she knows the couple (Daisy and Jon Rittenburg) and she can't stop herself from snooping and planning an act of revenge.
However, if she is successful how come there is a murder when the novel begins in the present?
There are different timelines with several points of view including diary entries by Kit, Daisy, Jon, and Detective Mallory Van Alst who is called to the scene of the crime.
I'm very pleased with the novel, its delivery, and its conclusion. Loreth Ann White will always be an auto-buy for me.
This time, I listened to the audible and I thought Jane Oppenheimer did a fantastic job.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
April 17, 2023
3.5 stars
Over the years, there has been plenty of hype for Loreth Anne White books, and while I have been interested in discovering what that hype was all about, The Maid's Diary is my first, and again, I seem to have started with the wrong one. I enjoyed this one; however, that overthinker prevented me from enjoying it as much as I wanted to.
My two cents
The Maid's Diary is an intriguing, suspenseful page-turner uniquely told to keep us guessing right up to that final reveal. The clues are layered in to figure out that reveal, and whether you or don't, it is a rewarding twist. What makes it intriguing is we know someone is murdered, but there is no body discovered. So we don't know who was murdered by who. We are then taken back in time before the murder as we learn the events leading up to the murder, eliminating who the murderer and victim could be. We also follow the clues in the present as homicide cop Mal solves the crime. Things do get convoluted as that final twist is revealed, and it is hard to buy into that could happen and feels over the top.
The motivation for the murder is a sensitive theme, and that is not handled so sensitively. It is not one I like to see as a plot device, but because I try to avoid anything that might tip anyone off, I will not say what those themes are. There are plenty of other reviews that do.
Overall The Maid's Diary is a thrilling, suspenseful, twisty plot that is expertly woven together with multiple storylines from unlikeable characters with a rewarding payoff in the end.
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
Over the years, there has been plenty of hype for Loreth Anne White books, and while I have been interested in discovering what that hype was all about, The Maid's Diary is my first, and again, I seem to have started with the wrong one. I enjoyed this one; however, that overthinker prevented me from enjoying it as much as I wanted to.
My two cents
The Maid's Diary is an intriguing, suspenseful page-turner uniquely told to keep us guessing right up to that final reveal. The clues are layered in to figure out that reveal, and whether you or don't, it is a rewarding twist. What makes it intriguing is we know someone is murdered, but there is no body discovered. So we don't know who was murdered by who. We are then taken back in time before the murder as we learn the events leading up to the murder, eliminating who the murderer and victim could be. We also follow the clues in the present as homicide cop Mal solves the crime. Things do get convoluted as that final twist is revealed, and it is hard to buy into that could happen and feels over the top.
The motivation for the murder is a sensitive theme, and that is not handled so sensitively. It is not one I like to see as a plot device, but because I try to avoid anything that might tip anyone off, I will not say what those themes are. There are plenty of other reviews that do.
Overall The Maid's Diary is a thrilling, suspenseful, twisty plot that is expertly woven together with multiple storylines from unlikeable characters with a rewarding payoff in the end.
I received a copy from the publisher on NetGalley
October 6, 2023
4.5
#amustread
#suspensefulashell
#cleverplot
#snoopymaid
#secretsandsins
#maidismissing
#gogetthemChucky
#surprisesurprise
#karmaisabitch
#karmaissublime
#anewfavoriteauthor
#amustread
#suspensefulashell
#cleverplot
#snoopymaid
#secretsandsins
#maidismissing
#gogetthemChucky
#surprisesurprise
#karmaisabitch
#karmaissublime
#anewfavoriteauthor
September 29, 2022
An adulterous midnight rendezvous in a car parked in a secluded area turns into more than the two occupants bargained for when they observe an odd occurrence that appears to be the disposing of a body and vehicle. Both witnesses are prominent professionals married to other people. Neither can afford to be forthcoming with what they observed for obvious reasons. They silently agree to go their separate ways without reporting what they saw. Welcome to the domestic suspense thriller The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White.
The Maid's Diary is a complex thriller in which someone's carefully buried ugly past comes roaring back to haunt them when it's discovered by an inquisitive maid, Kit Darling. Kit has made a career of cleaning wealthy clients' homes, affording her abundant opportunities to indulge her obsessive fantasies by snooping through their personal belongings, taking photos of herself with said items and posting the misleading pictures to her secret social media account. She dreams big and lives large through her fantasies, believing them to be harmless fun. However, what she discovers at her newest client's house not only shocks her, it scares her to death sending her spiraling back to a dark time in her life. Should she speak up? Go to the police? Or is there a way Kit might benefit from her new found knowledge? She records everything in her secret diary as her therapist advised before deciding on a course of action that propels this tension laden story forward at breakneck speed. A dark, intense and convoluted tale ensues - one that eventually involves homicide cop Mallory Van Alst and a gruesome, bloody scene at the home of a missing wealthy couple whose maid is also missing. The blood evidence at the scene indicates someone died there, but who? Where is the body?
The Maid's Diary is another excellent example of White's expertise in shifting between various unreliable narrators and past/present timelines to deliver a dark, twisted tale that's nearly impossible for readers and amateur sleuths to solve before the reveal. As the story progresses, readers pick up clues through the daily entries in Kit's diary and Mallory's investigation. While it's unclear how the players are connected, it's obvious they're on a collision course - a crash waiting to happen. Early on, I found it hard to get a grip on individual players as there's an elusive air about them - perhaps a premonition that all are not as they present themselves, but as the story unfolds and I was lured deeper into the lives of these characters, pieces began clicking in place. In my opinion, the manner in which this story is structured is not dependent on nor conducive to creating strong emotional bonds between readers and characters. However, my empathy for the plight of the emotionally fragile main character continued growing as I learned more about her motivation.
Loreth Anne White is a master at rendering taut, twisted stories that grip readers from page one until The End. The Maid's Diary is a dark, gritty story in which White introduces seemingly unconnected characters with vastly different lifestyles and pasts and meticulously entangles them within intricate plot threads. Snared in their own web of devious lies, she charges them with executing an escape plan. White's signature style of igniting setting and tone builds tension to the flash point before it all detonates in an explosive climax in The Maid's Diary.
The Maid's Diary is a riveting read - a demonstration of the power of buried secrets to destroy when they escape into the wrong hands when you least expect it. Once again, White tackles dark social issues with care and concern, shining a light on some serious, repetitive crimes that go unaddressed way too often. Readers, find some quiet alone time to settle in with this one because you won't stop reading until you've turned the final page. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.
Many thanks to the Montlake for an arc of The Maid's Diary. This book releases March 1, 2023. My review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
The Maid's Diary is a complex thriller in which someone's carefully buried ugly past comes roaring back to haunt them when it's discovered by an inquisitive maid, Kit Darling. Kit has made a career of cleaning wealthy clients' homes, affording her abundant opportunities to indulge her obsessive fantasies by snooping through their personal belongings, taking photos of herself with said items and posting the misleading pictures to her secret social media account. She dreams big and lives large through her fantasies, believing them to be harmless fun. However, what she discovers at her newest client's house not only shocks her, it scares her to death sending her spiraling back to a dark time in her life. Should she speak up? Go to the police? Or is there a way Kit might benefit from her new found knowledge? She records everything in her secret diary as her therapist advised before deciding on a course of action that propels this tension laden story forward at breakneck speed. A dark, intense and convoluted tale ensues - one that eventually involves homicide cop Mallory Van Alst and a gruesome, bloody scene at the home of a missing wealthy couple whose maid is also missing. The blood evidence at the scene indicates someone died there, but who? Where is the body?
The Maid's Diary is another excellent example of White's expertise in shifting between various unreliable narrators and past/present timelines to deliver a dark, twisted tale that's nearly impossible for readers and amateur sleuths to solve before the reveal. As the story progresses, readers pick up clues through the daily entries in Kit's diary and Mallory's investigation. While it's unclear how the players are connected, it's obvious they're on a collision course - a crash waiting to happen. Early on, I found it hard to get a grip on individual players as there's an elusive air about them - perhaps a premonition that all are not as they present themselves, but as the story unfolds and I was lured deeper into the lives of these characters, pieces began clicking in place. In my opinion, the manner in which this story is structured is not dependent on nor conducive to creating strong emotional bonds between readers and characters. However, my empathy for the plight of the emotionally fragile main character continued growing as I learned more about her motivation.
Loreth Anne White is a master at rendering taut, twisted stories that grip readers from page one until The End. The Maid's Diary is a dark, gritty story in which White introduces seemingly unconnected characters with vastly different lifestyles and pasts and meticulously entangles them within intricate plot threads. Snared in their own web of devious lies, she charges them with executing an escape plan. White's signature style of igniting setting and tone builds tension to the flash point before it all detonates in an explosive climax in The Maid's Diary.
The Maid's Diary is a riveting read - a demonstration of the power of buried secrets to destroy when they escape into the wrong hands when you least expect it. Once again, White tackles dark social issues with care and concern, shining a light on some serious, repetitive crimes that go unaddressed way too often. Readers, find some quiet alone time to settle in with this one because you won't stop reading until you've turned the final page. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries, suspense and thrillers.
Many thanks to the Montlake for an arc of The Maid's Diary. This book releases March 1, 2023. My review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
May 22, 2023
3.75 / 5
Wow, I finished this book in less than one day, I felt it was captivating, different to all the books I’ve read but psychologically testing. This kept me wanting to read more and figure out what was happening. I must say the ending is satisfying, it’s almost like a cherry on top.
The book is essentially about a maid who keeps a diary which records everything that is happening from her perspective, episodes of her past and her addition. She’s one nosy maid (which is her addiction- she likes to have a gander at peoples belongings) but when she is called out to a new client, the addiction comes to bite back at her.
At the start, it’s really confusing you’re trying to understand what is happening and the different perspective involved. It gets more confusing when each chapter is an perspective of alternative characters, occurring at different times. I must say out of all the books I’ve read which does the back and forth time thing, this was a lot more manageable and easy to follow. To be honest, I kept reading becuase I couldn’t see how the book would end. And almost the last 100 pages has so many twists and sudden reveals I felt like I was in a car crash going down a slope. I find that the book is lacking in something, it didn’t have that gut punch feeling.
This is one psychological thriller, but I will put a notice out there that this talks about SA/ connotations to SA.
Wow, I finished this book in less than one day, I felt it was captivating, different to all the books I’ve read but psychologically testing. This kept me wanting to read more and figure out what was happening. I must say the ending is satisfying, it’s almost like a cherry on top.
The book is essentially about a maid who keeps a diary which records everything that is happening from her perspective, episodes of her past and her addition. She’s one nosy maid (which is her addiction- she likes to have a gander at peoples belongings) but when she is called out to a new client, the addiction comes to bite back at her.
At the start, it’s really confusing you’re trying to understand what is happening and the different perspective involved. It gets more confusing when each chapter is an perspective of alternative characters, occurring at different times. I must say out of all the books I’ve read which does the back and forth time thing, this was a lot more manageable and easy to follow. To be honest, I kept reading becuase I couldn’t see how the book would end. And almost the last 100 pages has so many twists and sudden reveals I felt like I was in a car crash going down a slope. I find that the book is lacking in something, it didn’t have that gut punch feeling.
This is one psychological thriller, but I will put a notice out there that this talks about SA/ connotations to SA.
June 23, 2023
English / Español
I was left with a big question:
Although the story is predictable, it is still engaging and entertaining. Tortuous situations are not described in detail.
The end seemed ridiculous to me Albeit satisfactory in other respects like the consequences various unsavory characters had for their detestable acts.
--------------------
Me quedó una gran duda:
Si bien la historia es predecible no deja de ser atrapante y entretenida. Las situaciones tortuosas no son descriptas en detalle.
El final me pareció ridículo Aunque satisfactorio en otros aspectos como las consecuencias que tuvieron varios personajes desagradables por sus actos detestables.
I was left with a big question:
Although the story is predictable, it is still engaging and entertaining. Tortuous situations are not described in detail.
The end seemed ridiculous to me Albeit satisfactory in other respects like the consequences various unsavory characters had for their detestable acts.
--------------------
Me quedó una gran duda:
Si bien la historia es predecible no deja de ser atrapante y entretenida. Las situaciones tortuosas no son descriptas en detalle.
El final me pareció ridículo Aunque satisfactorio en otros aspectos como las consecuencias que tuvieron varios personajes desagradables por sus actos detestables.
January 21, 2025
Femeia asta scrie genial!! Nu credeam că o să-mi placă la fel de mult ca Secretul pacientei, dar fix asta s-a întâmplat! Autoarea are o rețetă anume pe care o folosește atunci când își construiește intriga, personajele, până și cum are loc deznodământul, dar pe mine nu m-a deranjat treaba asta, ba dimpotrivă am descoperit că funcționează foarte bine. Perspective multiple, alternanță între trecut și prezent (înainte și după crimă, practic), personaje gri din punct de vedere moral. La fiecare pas ești "deturnat" de pe urme, ca să nu ghicești cine a comis crima, și există un suspans palpabil până la final. Pentru mine, care nu prea citesc thrillers, recunosc că Loreth Anne White scrie super bine și mă ține in șah! Voi mai citi cărți de-ale ei!
March 7, 2023
Twisted with a twisty plot, different timeline shifts and points of view. You really need to pay attention or you will be hopelessly lost. Definitely not a book you want to read after a glass or two of wine. It is a social indictment of the 1%ers and the lofty lives they lead and the secrets they hid. You have observations of what a scourge social media is to society and the truly nasty things that can come out of it. All of this is wrapped up in a wonderful mystery/suspense as only Loreth Anne White can write it. I can tell you right now: They are all baddies; the only question is who is the baddest.
My thanks to the Publisher, Amazon Prime First Reads and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via Amazon. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
My thanks to the Publisher, Amazon Prime First Reads and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via Amazon. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
June 3, 2023
The Maid’s Diary is an intricately crafted thriller that kept me on my toes as I tried to unravel all of the many twists. This is a story of vengeance,and redemption. “Perfection is deception. An illusion. It’s a carefully curated but false narrative.” This alluring view point is illustrated time and again throughout the plot. “Our little game is a foot. Our private joke against the world of money and false narratives, because things are never what they seem. Mine is a game with purpose. But sometimes a game turns dangerous. Not everyone likes being tricked.” Intense, intriguing and unpredictable describe this twisty, dark and entertaining thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for my copy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,953 reviews