Staff is always invisible. Or should be; daily, weekly, or live in. Invisible until there is a problem. In The Maid’s Diary , the problem is a maid who has a snooping addiction. A maid who is taking a small vacation from reality after she makes a nightmare discovery about her newest clients. A maid who discovers a rare talent for revenge. A maid named Kit Darling.
Kit’s addiction for snooping seems disturbing, but harmless. Then again you haven’t met the real Kit or read her diary. The diary Kit’s therapist suggested Kit should start writing.
Kit’s diary turns darker after the discovery her newest clients are the Rittenbergs. He was a two time gold medalist in the Olympics, his wife Daisy is a wealthy daddy’s girl.
Kit’s diary is revealing as she writes about what turned her from a bright high schooler with a shining future in front of her into a snooping maid and then into a missile with a purpose. Terrifying as you read more of her diary. Always the diary.
Homicide Detective Mal Van Alst and her partner, Benoit Salamu, are called to a heavily blood-spattered crime scene in the Glass House, where Kit has set a show-down into motion. So much blood, so few bodies. As in none. Kit has worked a long time for the The Glass owners, Vanessa and Haruto North and the three of them are missing.
The only people left standing, are the Rittenbergs, invited by Glass House owners, Vanessa and Haruto North for a dinner party that bloody spattered night. Vanessa North and Daisy Rittenberg had bonded over their pregnancies. It is left to Dets. Van Alst and Salamu to unravel the story found in Kit's diary a few days later.
When I think author Loreth Anne White (LAW) has emptied her bag of wiles and deceptions, I find that the bag is way deeper than I ever thought. She has burrowed right through head shaking, past jaw-dropping and into unbelievably twisted and disturbing. The release of The Maid’s Diary is a cause of cork popping celebration.
Release of a new book is also a time to prepare to pay lots of attention to the underlying crimes. To think about them. To see how the crimes affect victims, and how there sometimes is an almost a lack of faith in the victim. LAW doesn’t hammer the reader over the head, but she makes you pay attention. In fact, paying close attention is mandatory with The Maid’s Diary , you don’t want to miss a single word. There are twists, but LAW doesn’t lie. Just the characters, to each other, to the police, to their therapist via the diary. Such a charming bunch. Except, there might be a measure of charm to be found. Watch for it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake Publishers and Loreth Anne White for an Advance Reader’s Copy.

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 POVs and timelines, 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.

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 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.

Trigger warning: racism, stalking, social media trolling, controlling relationship, infidelity, dementia, gaslighting, drugging with rohypnol, rape, abortion, blackmail, bullying, cancer

**Thank you to both Loreth Anne White and Montlake for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to @Netgalley and @Montlake for the e-arc in response for my review! My first read by this author and wow, what an introduction! I loved this novel of head-spinning twists and suspense.

Writing: 4.5/5 - Plot: 5/5 - Ending: 5/5

I loved the writing. I was able to get into the character's heads with the descriptions. It really painted a clear picture for me as well; this would make such a good movie! I don't want to say too much more because the cleverness of this one is woven right into the writing itself.

The plot is so much more complex than I thought it would be, and I loved it. Different POVs/timelines/the whole nine yards and I was never confused. I couldn't put this one down.

I did NOT see that ending coming! I was so pleased. It held strong the whole way through. I'm struggling on saying anything without spoiling - hence the vagueness of my review.

If you read and loved "Look Closer" by David Ellis and "Dark Objects" by Simon Toyne, you will love this one!

TW:
Violence, Rape

Where do I start with this book? The Maid's Diary is one of those books that you think about long after you've read it. This is a fast paced thriller with well developed characters that tell the story from their point of view. It had me guessing until the very end! Loreth Anne White has delivered yet another amazing read!!

Kit Darling is a house maid that is a bit nosy and takes some joy out of knowing some of her clients’ secrets. Usually nothing serious, until one day she sees something that would destroy her brand new, very wealthy client. Kit is unsure what the couple might do to keep this secret hidden.

My expectation for Loreth Anne White’s new book was high and I am pleased to say, I was not disappointed! THE MAID’S DIARY was a very engaging and fast paced thriller. The content is very memorable and I will not soon forget about this one. I highly recommend it to all thriller fans! 5 Stars!

Many thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog @coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

📖 BOOK / REVIEW 📖

Happy #halloween all! Hope everyone has some fun plans for this evening!

Before you head out to trick or treat, make sure to bookmark this review because you are NOT going to want to miss #themaidsdiary by @lorethannewhite. This was another CONSUMING read - perfectly spooky and just enough creepiness to make your skin crawl.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Along with every other book she writes, but I was utterly transfixed reading this one. It's very fast paced and I loved the "diary entry" chapters. Kit was quite the character, but I totally felt for the hand she was dealt. Daisy and Jon on the other hand made me SO FREAKING ANGRY. This one doesn't let up til the last page and I am BEGGING for more Mal and Benoit in future books! The revenge in this one is best deserved HOT!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and more)!

Thank you Loreth Anne White for an ARC of the Maid's Diary.

The Maid's Diary was fast paced with lots of twist and turns. You think you figured it all out just to be thrown for a loop. It's a real page turner and you will not want it to end.

Book will be released in March 2023, so don't wait up and order your copy now. Also, I would highly recommend reading other books by Loreth Anne White as they are all fantastic.

The Maids Diary
By Loreth Anne White
Release Date 03/01/2023

From the book 📖
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.

From me

Holy cow, Loreths books twists are the absolute best. This book doesn’t release until march 2023, and I’ll keep my review short to not spoil it for anyone …
However, one thing I can say for certain is to add this to your TBR !! You won’t be sorry. Promise.
Kit Darling is a maid/housekeeper and has a severe snooping problem. She also has had a pretty painful upbringing. So to cope, she makes herself invisible, creates characters that aren’t real, and portrays them outwardly to her coworkers and friends.
Two people from her past move back to town, which causes her trauma to return to the present day.
But this time, she’s taking the wheel to seek revenge.
I absolutely could not see the ending coming. 🤯🤯

#lorethannewhite #montlakepublishing #amazonpublishing #netgalley #netgalleyreader #thrillerreads#thrillmemore #whodunit #arcbooksrule #pageturner
#bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bookishproblems #igreads #instareads

Another FANTASTIC book from Loreth Anne White. A go to author that never disappoints with characters, setting and a thrilling storyline. The Maid's Diary, a psychological thrilling police procedural with a shocking g ending. Absolutely FABULOUS!

Complex and oh-so-twisty! This was a RIDE y'all. It starts off with a bang and doesn't let up until the final conclusion. I was stumped throughout the book and couldn't quite figure out what was going on. The conclusion was shocking and fabulous! This is another amazing read from one of my favorite authors.

Thank you so much to Loreth Anne White for the gifted erac of The Maid’s Diary! The first book I ever read by Loreth was Beneath Devil’s Bridge & after finishing it, I knew Loreth was the QUEEN of plot twists!

This book has some tw: sexual assault & rape.

Okay, let’s get into the review…

When Kit Darling was sixteen, something terrible happened to her. Years later, she finds herself trying to move forward with her life by working for Holly’s Help, a maid cleaning service. When Kit is assigned a new house to clean, everything changes & she’s taken back to that awful night all those years ago. Will Kit finally be able to get her revenge? Or will her plan backfire?

The twists & turns in this book were REAL & ones you absolutely didn’t see coming. Just when I thought I’d figured it all out, there was another loophole thrown in. This book is a fantastic, fast-paced thriller that will keep you on your toes until the very last page. If you haven’t read any of White’s work, I highly highly recommend adding this to your list if you want a thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end!

Pub date: March 1st, 2023

Loreth Anne White does it again! I've only discovered this author a few months ago and I've now read 5 of her books! Thank you so much for allowing me to get a jump on the newest one! This had rich people drama, revenge, whodunnit, it had it all. White is an auto-buy for me, she never disappoints! Like the others I've read, this one had me guessing over and over! Thank you Loreth Anne White and NetGalley for my advanced copy!!

This is the second book I’ve read by White and have enjoyed them both! Thank you for the gifted copy of your new book The Maid’s Diary scheduled to release March 1, 2023.

This book had so many twists that it kept me engaged until the end! I’ve heard that there is already talk for film and I can’t wait!

Here is a little snippet of this book without saying too much since I don’t want to give away any of the fun twists this book has along the way.

Kit is a maid who cleans houses for high end clientele. But Kit has a problem. She loves to snoop. Her long time friend warns her that her snooping is getting out of control. Uncovering the secrets of the wealthy can be dangerous if not deadly.

When Kit stumbles on a secret in the home of her new clients, she can’t just let it go. Her new clients are wealthy, famous and expecting their first child together.

Then a violent crime in a nearby home, of which Kit is also the maid, leaves detectives with a bloody crime scene and no body. Detectives work quickly to try to put together pieces of how each of these homes are connected and why the maid seems to be at the center of it all.

What lengths are each of these people willing to go to in order to protect their secrets? And whose body is the cause of the bloody crime scene?

Absolutely riveting! The Maid’s Diary was just a complex thrill from start to finish. Just when you think you figured it out, plot twist! Which is why I adore White so much. She presented all of the characters in a way you weren’t confused. I would love more Mal and Beniot books in the future... Daisy and Jon and their tumultuous marriage, Vanessa and Hurato, Kit and Boon, and the “Rear Window” esque Beulah. Just fantastic! Thank you Loreth for the ARC 🙏🏻

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.