The Maid’s Diary

PRAISE FOR THE PATIENT’S SECRET “[An] exceptional psychological thriller . . . White does a superb job keeping the reader guessing as she peels back the layers of a seemingly perfect family to reveal the shocking truth. Suspense fans will want to see more from this talented author.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “The Patient’s Secret is an intensely moving reading experience . . . Loreth Anne White is a writer at the top of her game, and it’s never been more evident than with this piece of work.” —Mystery & Suspense Magazine PRAISE FOR BENEATH DEVIL’S BRIDGE “The suspenseful, multilayered plot is matched by fully realized characters. White consistently entertains.” —Publishers Weekly “If I’m lucky, maybe once in a blue moon, I read a book that leaves my mind reeling, heart aching, and soul searching. One that haunts me long after The End. Beneath Devil’s Bridge is one of those books.” —Mystery & Suspense Magazine PRAISE FOR IN THE DEEP “Convincing character development and a denouement worthy of Agatha Christie make this a winner. White has outdone herself.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “This page-turner is tightly written with a moody sense of place in the small coastal community, but it is the numerous twists that will keep readers thoroughly absorbed. A satisfyingly creepy psychological thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews PRAISE FOR IN THE DARK “White (The Dark Bones) employs kaleidoscopic perspectives in this tense modern adaptation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. White’s structural sleight of hand as she shifts between narrators and timelines keeps the suspense high . . . Christie fans will find this taut, clever thriller to be a worthy homage to the original.” —Publishers Weekly “White excels at the chilling romantic thriller.” —The Amazon Book Review “In the Dark is a brilliantly constructed Swiss watch of a thriller, containing both a chilling locked-room mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and a detective story that would make Harry Bosch proud. Do yourself a favor and find some uninterrupted reading time, because you won’t want to put this book down.” —Jason Pinter, bestselling author of the Henry Parker series PRAISE FOR LORETH ANNE WHITE “A masterfully written, gritty, suspenseful thriller with a tough, resourceful protagonist that hooked me and kept me guessing until the very end. Think C. J. Box and Craig Johnson. Loreth Anne White’s The Dark Bones is that good.” —Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Eighth Sister “Secrets, lies, and betrayal converge in this heart-pounding thriller that features a love story as fascinating OTHER MONTLAKE TITLES BY LORETH ANNE WHITE The Patient’s Secret Beneath Devil’s Bridge In the Deep In the Dark The Dark Bones In the Barren Ground In the Waning Light A Dark Lure The Slow Burn of Silence Angie Pallorino Novels The Drowned Girls The Lullaby Girl The Girl in the Moss This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Otherwise, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Text copyright © 2023 by Cheakamus House Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542034456 (paperback) ISBN-13: 9781542034463 (digital) Cover design by Caroline Teagle Johnson Cover images: © Lyuba Burakova, © Koen Van Damme / Stocksy United; © timandtim, © Elva Etienne, © Martin Barraud, © IPGGutenbergUKLtd / Getty Images For Marlin and Syd: Thank you for putting up with me and Hudson during a tumultuous wildfire summer. Love you both. CONTENTS HOW IT ENDS THE SILENT WITNESSES THE MAID’S DIARY THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW MAL DAISY DAISY MAL THE MAID’S DIARY JON THE MAID’S DIARY MAL THE MAID’S DIARY JON THE PHOTOGRAPHER MAL THE MAID’S DIARY DAISY THE MAID’S DIARY DAISY DAISY MAL THE MAID’S DIARY JON THE PHOTOGRAPHER MAL JON THE MAID’S DIARY DAISY JON MAL THE MAID’S DIARY MAL THE MAID’S DIARY DAISY DAISY MAL DAISY MAL DAISY DAISY MAL JON MAL JON THE PHOTOGRAPHER THE MAID’S DIARY MAL DAISY MAL JON MAL JON MAL DAISY DAISY THE MAID’S DIARY DAISY MAL JON DAISY JON MAL MAL HOW IT ENDS Slowly, she slides between sleep and consciousness. A shard of cognition slices through her—no, not sleep. Not in her bed. Not safe. Panic stirs. Where is she? She tries to swallow, but her mouth is dry. There’s an unfamiliar taste at the back of her throat. A sharper jolt of awareness cracks through her. Blood—it’s the taste of blood. Her breathing quickens. She tries to move her head but can’t. A rough, wet fabric covers her face. She’s trapped, arms strapped tightly to her sides. She becomes aware of pain. Overwhelming pain. In her shoulders. Ribs. Belly.