The Maid's Diary

Loreth Anne White

The Maid's Diary

Loreth Anne White
51 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2010

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Katarina is a thirty-four-year-old maid who drives a yellow Subaru Crosstrek to her cleaning jobs. Growing up as the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants in the affluent town of Whistler left her feeling invisible to the wealthy class. She uses her overlooked status to rifle through the private belongings of her employers, keeping a journal of her findings at the suggestion of her therapist. She goes missing after a violent incident at the Glass House on Halloween night.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Boon-Mee Saelim

Employee of Jon Rittenberg

Daisy is expecting her first baby and works alongside her mother in a highly prestigious Vancouver real estate business. She curates an idealized lifestyle on Instagram to project success to her followers. Privately, she worries about her strained marriage and suffers intense anxiety over anonymous, threatening messages left on her car and at her home.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Annabelle Wentworth

Daughter of Labden Wentworth

Friend of Vanessa North

Employer of Katarina Popovich

Jon is a former Olympic gold-medal skier who relocated from Colorado to work for TerraWest, his father-in-law's global ski resort company. He resents his desk job and the impending arrival of his first child. Chafing under domestic expectations, he actively seeks validation and excitement outside his marriage.

Key Relationships

Employee of Labden Wentworth

Romantic interest of Mia Reiter

Colleague of Henry Clay

Employer of Katarina Popovich

Mallory is a veteran police detective leading the investigation into the suspected murder at the North residence. She approaches the bloody crime scene with methodical precision, working to reconstruct the events of the previous night. Outside of her job, she manages the heavy emotional burden of caring for a husband with early-onset dementia.

Key Relationships

Partner of Benoit Salumu

Wife of Peter

Interviewer of Beulah Brown

Supporting Characters

Boon-Mee is a gay man of Thai descent who performs in local amateur theatrical productions. Having grown up in the affluent town of Whistler without wealth, he understands the harsh social divisions of their youth. He serves as a trusted confidant who cautions against looking too closely at the secrets of the rich.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Katarina Popovich

Interviewed by Mallory Van Alst

Charlotte is a Colorado resident with a contentious history involving Jon Rittenberg. She previously stalked the couple and accused Jon of sexual assault before withdrawing her statements and signing a non-disclosure agreement.

Key Relationships

Beulah is an elderly woman suffering from terminal cancer. Confined mostly to her home, she treats her neighborhood like a personal reality show by taking meticulous notes on the comings and goings of residents. Her 911 call on Halloween night initiates the police investigation.

Key Relationships

Informant to Mallory Van Alst

Observer of Katarina Popovich

Benoit is a police detective tasked with processing the violent scene at the North residence. He assists with collecting physical evidence, tracking down witnesses, and piecing together the timeline of Halloween night.

Key Relationships

Partner of Mallory Van Alst

Vanessa is the wealthy owner of the Glass House in Vancouver. She projects immense self-assurance in social settings but noticeably alters her behavior to become submissive whenever her husband is present.

Key Relationships

Wife of Haruto North

Haruto works in the cybersecurity industry and owns the Glass House. He maintains strict authority over his household, dictating rules such as forcing his wife to delete her social media accounts.

Key Relationships

Husband of Vanessa North

Annabelle is a highly successful real estate magnate who employs her daughter in the family business. She utilizes her vast wealth and social influence to manage problems and protect her family's public image.

Key Relationships

Wife of Labden Wentworth

Labden is a billionaire who owns TerraWest, a corporation that builds and operates ski resorts globally. His decision to step down from the top position creates friction within the company's leadership hierarchy.

Key Relationships

Husband of Annabelle Wentworth

Employer of Jon Rittenberg

Henry is a director at TerraWest who informs Jon about the board's leadership decisions. He openly expresses prejudiced views regarding the new boss and encourages underhanded tactics to secure power.

Key Relationships

Colleague of Jon Rittenberg

Rival of Ahmed Waheed

Mia is a self-identified banker and ski enthusiast who strikes up a conversation with Jon at a bar. She flatters his ego by bringing up his athletic glory days and initiates a flirtatious exchange.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Jon Rittenberg

Tamara is a high-profile Vancouver lawyer engaged in a clandestine affair. While parked at the docks, she witnesses a suspicious midnight disposal but hesitates to contact authorities to protect her reputation.

Key Relationships

Romantic partner of Frank Horvath

Interviewed by Mallory Van Alst

Frank is a local politician conducting a secret affair with a prominent lawyer. He observes two people dumping a heavy object into the water but prioritizes his political standing over reporting the crime.

Key Relationships

Romantic partner of Tamara Adler

Peter is the husband of the lead detective investigating the Glass House incident. He suffers from early-onset dementia and wishes to discuss his end-of-life care, adding emotional weight to his wife's demanding schedule.

Key Relationships

Husband of Mallory Van Alst

Ahmed is an executive selected by the board of TerraWest to take over the top leadership position. His promotion makes him the target of intense jealousy and corporate sabotage.

Key Relationships

Rival of Henry Clay