(I actually finished a book!) And what an absolute delight! I am so happy to say that Nita Prose’s new book about Molly the Maid is just as entertaining and warm-hearted as her first book, The Maid.
Once again we meet Molly just as there is another murder at the hotel where she works, now as Head Maid. A famous author dies mysteriously just as he is about to make a very public announcement, right from Molly’s hotel. Because this is a cozy mystery, everyone in this novel works together to solve the mystery surrounding Mr. Grimthorpe’s death.
I love Molly’s view of the world, and being that she is on the spectrum, that view is very unique. All of her quirky traits are on full display here, much to my enjoyment. There is also a wonderful backstory with her beloved grandmother woven together with the present-day story which added a richness to Molly’s character. I felt so protective of her!
There is no overt violence (other than the death of Grimthorpe!) or gory details. I would have liked more interactions with Molly and her long-lost mother but maybe the author is saving that for another book! And there is a wonderfully open-ended conclusion to this story that left me feeling hopeful for Molly’s future. I loved all of the characters in this book, from the wacky fan club to the other hotel employees and Molly’s grandmother Flora.
A word about the narrator Lauren Ambrose. She is the perfect Molly! Highly recommend the audiobook version of this entertaining story.
Many thanks to the publisher for the advanced listening copy.
About the Book:
When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to a fastidious maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty—in a standalone novel featuring Molly Gray, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tea room floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there’s one thing Molly knows for sure, it’s that dirty secrets don’t stay buried forever…