The Mystery Guest
Ratings37
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings37
Average rating3.9
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 tearoom 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 know: 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 high-profile death 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, as 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 posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.
Featured Series
2 primary books3 released booksMolly the Maid is a 3-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Nita Prose. The next book is scheduled for release on 4/8/2025.
Reviews with the most likes.
I've not read the first in the "Molly the Maid" series, so I was unfamiliar with the main character and her prior adventures. It took me a bit of reading to realize that the main character is neuro-diverse. This discovery added to my enjoyment of the story as I appreciate novels which feature characters with "superpowers" which come from the unique way their minds work. I liked how the mystery in the present connected with Molly's past - and her relationship with her grandmother. It was a quick and enjoyable read with a mostly satisfying conclusion.
I read The Maid last year and there was admittedly a lot I didn't like about it. However, there was enough that I did like that I was interested in reading this next installment. I'm so glad I did!
Molly Gray finds herself entangled in another murder of a Regency Grand Hotel guest. Though not under immediate suspicion this time around, her trainee, Lily, is. Moreover, Molly had been acquainted with this guest, a renowned author, in her youth. Going back and forth from then and now, Molly aids in catching the killer.
I was super into the ‘before' part of the story. I loved getting to see more scenes between Molly and Gran and particularly seeing Molly as a child. Everything tied in nicely as well. The present part of the story didn't captivate me quite as much until near the end. I enjoyed the reading experience much more this time, which tends to be the case in series for me anyway. I'm officially hooked and look forward to any future installments!
A huge thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of the book!
A quick read, and a good mystery with a twist or two. The time shifting was well done, and over all the story flows well, with interesting characters and a plot that is seems to be a bit far fetched for real life, but fits perfectly well in a murder mystery universe.
4 Stars
I received an ARC for this through Netgalley, the publisher and the author Nita Prose. Thank you to all of them. This book is a sequel to The Maid and follows Molly the Maid on another adventure at the Regency Grand Hotel. It has all the same characters in it that we loved in The Maid and a few new ones. In this novel, a famous novelist comes to the Regency Grand to make an announcement, but he is killed before he has a chance to do so.
Molly has a connection to this man from her past, and the story goes between the past and the present. Although the story is great, I didn't find it as engaging as the first one. The last half of the book was wonderful and makes it all worth while, but I did find the first half dragged a little as we learn more about Molly as a child. Overall though, another good read from Nita Prose and I give it 4 stars.
