I can’t remember the last time I loved a protagonist as much as I loved Molly in The Maid! It’s so refreshing to read a story through the eyes of a character who thinks and processes a little differently than your average person. I couldn’t have rooted for her more if I tried, she was a breath of fresh air and this book was a pleasure to read.

Considering this is a debut, it’s so impressive and I found it utterly compelling. I find it hard to categorise this book, it definitely features the main components of a mystery but perhaps with a new spin put on the classic ‘whodunnit’. There are multiple layers to this story and especially to Molly - just when you think you know all about her, more surprises are thrown up in the air.

This was such an enjoyable story and I’m looking forward to more Nita Prose reads in the future!

Thank you HarperCollins UK and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2022/01/10/the-maid-by-nita-prose/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: A cosy, quirky murder mystery

I really enjoyed The Maid. I was looking for something different that would help me find my reading mojo and this book certainly helped with that and then some. This is a cosy mystery with a central character that you can’t help but be charmed my. Molly the maid is a lovely character, splendidly old fashioned, delightfully articulate, perfectly well mannered and ever so slightly obsessed with blitzing dust and grime.

I quite fell for Molly. She’s the sort of character that you can’t help wishing to meet. She is very quirky, she sees things slightly differently to others and unfortunately this has often led to bullying, taunting and name calling. She definitely can’t read a room or gauge other people’s emotions and takes the things that people say quite literally which often leads to some strange encounters. Molly has been raised by her grandmother after her mum ran away with a ‘bad egg’ and her gran has been helping her to navigate life by giving her guidelines and rules for certain situations, an etiquette code if you will. Unfortunately, Molly’s gran passed away a few months before this story starts and so although we constantly share snippets of the wisdom she imparted we don’t actually make her acquaintance and her demise has left Molly alone to fend for herself.

As the story starts Molly shares with the reader her love for her job at the Regency Grand Hotel where every day she takes great pride in returning rooms to ‘a state of perfection’. We start to get a feel for her as she guides us through her day which ends when she returns to her quiet and orderly, but ever so lonely apartment. Molly misses her gran and is also struggling to cope financially but she faces each day with optimism. That is until she finds one of the guests dead in his room and within fairly short order she finds herself embroiled not only in various illegal activities but also becoming ‘a person of interest’ to the police.

This is such a good book to get along with. The writing is perfectly balanced, the setting just pops into your mind’s eye with remarkable ease and the plot slowly but surely becomes more out of control as Molly is sucked from one situation to the next. The thing is, Molly frequently misunderstands signals, body language, facial expressions etc, she’s innocent and truthful to a fault and so the notion that she could be set up to take the blame for murder simply doesn’t occur to her. She has the most remarkable memory which makes her statement to the police invaluable but at the same time her desire to protect certain others leaves her story lacking somewhat. You can’t help but read with your heart almost in your throat when Molly makes certain decisions that you know are going to come back to bite her.

There is a fairly standard cast of characters, the sort you would probably expect with this type of setting but this just adds to the easy way that you slip into this book. And what about the names – Mr Black/Mr Snow/Miss Grey – I love these. Then there’s the handsome barman, the rather snippy supervisor, the steadfast doorman and the wealthy couple who rent the penthouse plus a few other shady characters who pop up from time to time.

In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have any to be honest. This isn’t a dark or gritty murder mystery. the humour is a little dark in that Molly is often unaware of what is actually taking place around her but for the most part this is the very epitome of ‘cosy’ mystery. and I was totally enthralled. I wouldn’t say that this resembles police procedure in any way so if you’re looking for a slice of reality then this probably isn’t the book for you but I have no hesitation in recommending this, it has a lovely found family vibe and Molly is a refreshingly unique character to read about. I can’t wait to see what Nita Prose comes up with next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

What a wonderful book this is! There is no wonder Nita Prose is splashed on social media about this book! The rights for this going to the screens have already been taken and there is no surprise in that...this book is bursting with visual delights thanks to the fabulous writing.
The main character in this book is Molly, who is as the title suggests, a maid. Everything she has learned has been from her grandmother, and she has passion for her job beyond compare. Molly is a truly remarkable character, Nita Prose writes her incredibly well, there is very much a feeling of knowing Molly well, she is someone we can all relate to knowing someone similar.
Molly is good-hearted, very dedicated to her job and colleagues, and is also brimming with naïveté... Through the book you constantly feel for Molly, you want to take her under your wing and care for her. Yet it is this naïveté that makes her such an endearing character, and so real.
I don’t want to go into the intricacies of the plot, other than to say that it is extremely well thought out and put over with a finesse that makes this rather an addictive read. The language and style of the writing make for this being a book that you could easily rapidly devour..and will be left wanting more.
Nita Prose was not a name I’d heard of previously, but I am certain we will see and hear a great deal more of. I will certainly be watching out for more...
Many thanks to NetGalley for this book, this is my unbiased opinion.

An enjoyable whodunnit - a maid in a fancy hotel gets embroiled in a murder. She prides herself on her work ethic, returning rooms to a state of perfection, but unfortunately, other people also make use of her cleaning skills.

I was slightly uncomfortable with the stereotypical characterisation of neurodiversity - like Molly I did not want to people to be laughing at her or using her differences as entertainment. There are some great twists in the plot which help to place Molly in less of a vulnerable position, giving her more control and understanding of her circumstances so I will focus on the fast paced plot and heart warming aspects of friends supporting each other in their time of need, and thoroughly recommend this read.

Molly the Maid works at the Regency Grand Hotel. Her colleagues consider her to be strange as she sees things in black and white, no grey areas in between. Although it is never mentioned, I would say she suffers with autism .This is a great story especially considering it is a debut novel. It is a book that will stay in my mind for a long time and one that I will definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

Molly Gray, often known as Molly the Maid, works at the Regency Grand Hotel. She is a part of the hotel's beehive. She is most probably on the autism spectrum: she has limited social skills and a set of rules by which she functions. As her grandmother is the one raising her, she talks in the manner of an old woman as well.

One day, on her regular cleaning rota, she discovers a Mr. Black in his room very dead. Of course, she doesn't have any guidelines to function in this circumstance. Her grandmother is also now dead. Whom can she turn to for advice?

To make matters worse, her odd mannerisms make the police suspect her of murdering Mr. Black. Will she get convicted of the crime? Or will she be able to find the real killer?

I couldn't believe this is a debut book. The prose is so easy and the story flows so easily that you cannot help falling in love with Molly. The other characters also are well-written and fill the plot accurately.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, and Nita Prose for the ARC. Also, thanks for adding a new author to my watch list.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

The Maid is already doing the rounds on Booktok, which I'm sure means it's set for success when it's released later this month! It's great to see Prose's whip smart mystery getting pre-publication hype as it's utterly deserving. With a mystery that will keep you engaged from start to finish, The Maid does an incredible job with pacing, keeping you on the edge of your seat all the way to the final, shocking denouement.

Unfortunately I was not a fan of this book. I found the narrative voice unbelievable and grating, and there was nothing about the plot that really grabbed me. I also felt that the twist at the end was rather unnecessary. However, there were a few well written characters, including Mr Preston and Juan Manuel, and I’m grateful to the publisher for granting me access to this advance review copy.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook.
I absolutely loved this book, I wasn't quite sure about it for the first chapter but as I got to know Molly I came to love it. I'm sure that this is a book that i nwill read again. I highly recommend it

I really enjoyed this book. It's funny, endearing and it definitely pulled at my heart strings (I cried reading about how much Molly missed her grandma and got angry on her behalf several times during the story). I can see why it's been compared to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, which is one of my favourite books of the last few years. While it didn't make me laugh out loud in the same way that Eleanor Oliphant did, it had some funny lines and I warmed to Molly's character instantly. The plot was good and kept me turning the pages and I didn't see a couple of the twists/reveals coming. A very enjoyable book that's easy to read and has all the feels - loved it.

A brilliant read from the first page. Molly captivated my heart and I was rooting for her the whole way through. While this is billed as a thriller, it’s much much more than that.
Amazing from Nita Prose and I can’t wait to see this adapted for tv.

dnf at page 29

One day, when everything should be as it usually is, it isn't: There is a corpse in the hotel room the maid just came in to clean. Oops.

This dnf is simply due to the writing style and me not gelling. The narrator is first person, and then our protagonist is neurodivergent. I can't tell if she is on the autism spectrum or if something different is going on - you see that I didn't get that far.
I felt constantly reminded of Eleanor Oliphant, which put me very much on edge. The hype around that book still amazes me, in a negative way.

I could not concentrate on the plot, didn't see myself enjoying it or... just consuming it without bias.
It just made no sense for me to continue.

If you're reading this and interested in reading this book, please go and look and other reviews.
The arc was provided by the publisher.

Molly knows that she is different. She knows that sometimes her colleagues talk about her behind her back, call her names, laugh at her. But her priority is doing the best possible job she can as a maid at the Grand Regency hotel. And she is excellent at it.

Despite the sad loss of her Gran, and money troubles Molly is coping well. Her day seems normal until she discovers a dead body in one of the hotel rooms. And she is accused of foul play.

While the mystery element of this novel was engaging I found the most compelling part of the story was Molly herself. The narrative voice is fresh and extremely well written. I found that I simply could not put this book down I was desperate to find out the fate of Molly.

A mixture of thriller, mystery and dark comedy I would wholly recommend this book.

The main character is an unusual young lady, quite old fashioned as she was brought up by her Gran. She takes pride in her job at a classy hotel until one day her routine is drastically changed by a discovery in one of the rooms
I grew to love her and the unusual way she saw things.
A lovely interesting read

A joy of a read from the start to the finish. It’s the first by this author I’ve read but I will be researching her now and adding he4 to my “ watch out for” list. The characters are all so transparent without being flat. The story line believable and quite pacy. If you enjoy Rachel Joyce you will enjoy this. I loved Maid Molly and do hope she makes another appearance because I do think there could be more from her.

Molly, Molly is different, very different and in equal parts charming…..and exasperating, some of the time you want to hug her and tell her all will be well the other half you need a minute to take a breath and then go back to her
One thing is for sure she makes an impression and you wont forget her
The book starts as she describes her day and the hotel she works in and this quickly turns into a murder mystery at the said hotel to which she unwittingly is involved, we then spend the rest of the book with Molly as the truth dawns and she realises just what a mess she is in
You have to ignore the ‘grandma would say’ that litters the book as it will drive you mad and just grimace at it and let it pass you by 🤗 her politeness in every situation is what will endear you to her, or not!
A quirky, unusual, at times flabbergasting read that I can’t compare to anything I have previously read, I have no doubt this will be on our screens in the future
An unexpected ending

7/10
4 Stars

Molly Gray the hotel maid is the quirkiest narrator since Eleanor Oliphant. Neuro diverse perhaps, she certainly sees the world through her own unique lens and relies on others to navigate and inform her responses to social situations. Sadly feeling the loss of her beloved Gran she relies on her manager's corporate gems of wisdom to guide her. Her literal interpretation of others leads to her to some errors of judgement when people exploit and mislead her in both work and her personal life. This comes to a head when she gets involved with some VIP guests and one day discovers a body...

Molly the maid... the heroine I didn't know I needed!

Never before have I had such an emotional connection to a character, from being increasingly frustrated and screaming at the pages in the first half to absolutely rooting for Molly and seeing her growth and confidence develop throughout the book.

Whilst the plot itself was not specifically unique, what really made this book stand out was the writing and the way that as a reader you are able to see that insight into Molly's inner monologue to really understand how she processes events and relationships differently than the average person.

This book made me laugh and cry, and I really feel like I have a new friend in Molly and the surrounding characters.

My thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

I’ve seen nothing but the highest praise for Nita Prose's The Maid, and having finally read it, I found that all of it was well deserved. It not only lived up to its promise but more. The book was compelling, emotional and rather unputdownable! (I realise I am probably going to be repeating what has already been said but am going ahead and saying it all the same.)

Molly Gray is the maid of the title. She is twenty-five and works as one of the maids at the Regency Grand Hotel, a luxurious boutique hotel. Molly is diligent, meticulous and highly efficient, doing her job with perfection. And though not expressly mentioned, she is probably autistic. While she can do her work well, she is socially rather inept, not being able to read others true intentions or between the lines, thinking the best of everyone even when clearly not the case, and taking everything literally or at face value. Her guiding light is her Gran who has brought her up, and she helps her navigate difficult situations and make sense of things that don’t. But Molly’s Gran has died 9 months ago and Molly is now not only alone but rather lost, her job being the one thing that keeps her going for she truly loves what she does. At the hotel, with a code book of sorts for her conduct, Molly is able to feel confident and comfortable but this doesn’t prevent her peers from seeing her as a freak or jeering her or the less than scrupulous from taking advantage.

One day while on duty, Molly enters the suite occupied by the wealthy Charles Black and his much-younger second wife Giselle (one of the few who seem friendly) to find Mr Black dead. Soon it turns out that this was no natural death but murder and circumstances become such (the reader can kind of see it coming) that Molly’s position moves from just a witness in the matter to the police's chief suspect. Now Molly must find the real culprit and prove herself innocent.

This book had me hooked right from the start and once I began reading, I simply didn’t want to put it down. I had to of course since I had 3/4ths of the book left and it was past bedtime, but the next day being Sunday, I picked it up again and literally didn’t stop till I was done!

The story is narrated in first person in Molly’s voice and I loved how it showed us things as they were and also how Molly interprets or understands them, in a way that one is able to see when Molly is trusting the wrong person or taking the wrong step but has to watch helplessly on. As one reads, one experiences all sorts of emotions--deep sympathy for Molly all through, anxiety and worry when she is in trouble, anger at those who are manipulating her or even laughing at her and joy when things begin to get resolved. Even amidst the apprehension and problems she is going through, there are some heart-warming moments and people who truly care giving us much hope. Molly’s own outlook in life (her ‘difference’ so to speak) is perhaps a defence for her as well, for not being able to see the ‘evil’ around her at least protects her from the pain to an extent (not entirely though).

The story also offers the reader many surprises and twists. There is of course the mystery itself; while there are some aspects and links that one can catch onto from the start, there are also many revelations that take one by surprise and that I certainly didn’t see coming at all. The same applies to the characters too. From Molly’s narrative one forms a certain idea of the different characters, and perhaps an impression of what they are up to which Molly can’t quite see; yet we find that we ourselves may not be quite right either—at least not all the time. I don’t want to say too much because it’s best to experience these oneself.

Besides the mystery elements, the book also offers us a look into the world and at people through the eyes and perspective of someone ‘different' like Molly. This exposes the world for what it is, with all its ills and inability to accept difference but also its good side in the people who understand and care, and makes one face these truths rather than simply acknowledging them somewhere at the back of our minds. But more than that, even for one who is sympathetic to Molly and feels for her, it makes us see that even we should not simply ‘assume' or think we ‘know' or understand’, for Molly too can surprise us with what she can ‘see' that we can’t.

A wonderful wonderful book, 5 stars.

The Maid is a dazzling debut novel of which the film rights have already been snatched up, and it’s not difficult to see why.
Molly is an endearing and quirky protagonist who works hard, very conscientiously, and often somewhat obsessively, at her job as maid at the Regency Grand Hotel where she proudly restores the guests rooms to a “state of perfection” every day. She finds social situations difficult, finds it hard to read people very well and she takes life very literally, which results in people often taking advantage of her good nature and in her being bullied by some of her colleagues.
She finds herself lonely, living alone and struggling to pay her rent since the death of her beloved Gran who taught her so much about life and the importance of cleanliness and routine. Then one day Molly walks into one of the hotel suites only to discover the guest dead on the bed. What transpires is that Molly becomes embroiled in a web of lies and deceit which results in her being suspected and then charged with first degree murder, and the plot thickens and evolves with pace.
“Cosy crime” stories usually leave me feeling a bit “meh” and flat but this one was well written, wholly delightful and completely charmed me. Molly warmed my heart in much the same way that Eleanor Oliphant did and I was rooting for her all the way - so if Eleanor Oliphant was your kind of girl then I reckon you’ll love Molly the Maid too.
Well worth a read!
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.