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"A charmingly eccentric hotel maid discovers a guest murdered in his bed, turning her once orderly world upside down--and inspiring a motley crew of unexpected allies to band together to solve the mystery--in this utterly original debut. Molly Dunn is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and interprets people literally. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has had to navigate life's complexities all by herself. No matter--she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection. But Molly's orderly life is turned on its head the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself very dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's odd demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect and she finds herself in a web of subtext and nuance she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, a medley of friends she didn't realize she had refuses to let her be charged with murder--but will they be able to discover the real killer before it's too late? A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different--and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart"--… (more)
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Molly Gray is different. She probably fits somewhere on the autism spectrum as she is socially awkward and very naive for a
Definitely a feel good book.
Young Molly Gray, a naïve and socially awkward maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, is recovering from the death of her beloved Gran, who raised her after her mother’s departure. Without Gran to help her understand social cues, Molly’s
Does Molly know something that could help solve this puzzling locked-room mystery and keep her from going to prison for a crime she didn’t commit?
A few years back a contemporary romance novel garnered all kinds of attention, maybe even getting a few award nominations, within that category, and drew people to the genre who ordinarily snubbed romances. By the time I got around to reading the book, I realized that the big push and crossover buzz was due to the main character’s spectrum like behaviors. I was frankly surprised to learn the story had followed a typical romance novel formula. That’s it. It was an ordinary contemporary romance, no real groundbreaking literary masterpiece, which based on all that hype one might have expected a Pulitzer nomination was forthcoming. The only thing separating it from countless other romance novels just like it was that the MC had a form of autism.
The same thing can be said about this book. Molly’s character obviously falls onto the spectrum scale, but if you strip her unique challenges away from the novel, it turns out, this is your basic, standard, run of the mill, locked room/cozy mystery.
Once again, those who ordinarily scoff at the legitimacy of cozy mysteries are effusively gushing over this one, but for those us who regularly read cozies, this mystery is not all that impressive. It’s not bad, okay, but it’s not anything I haven’t seen in a thousand other cozy mysteries or locked-room setups.
There were also some other troubling inconsistencies in the book and parts of it that just didn’t sit right. Molly’s spectrum challenges seem to erase these issues which would ordinarily get a cozy mystery ripped to shreds by our more discerning readers.
I guess I sound cross, but when people lecture me, patronize me or even shame me because I read romance novels or cozy mysteries, then suddenly deem them acceptable just so long as it comes with a cause or social issue attached to it, it irritates me to no end.
While I applaud giving those on the spectrum a voice in books, television and movies, on the other hand, I wonder if maybe they aren’t being exploited instead? Molly’s depiction made me uncomfortable and I’m not sure it was altogether accurate- though I’m not an expert by any means. It is just that at times it felt as though the reader was expected to laugh at her expense and it just didn’t feel right to me.
I’m sorry- I know I’m an outlier here, and once again, I’m probably taking it more seriously than I should, but you don’t have to agree or take my word for it- lots of people have absolutely adored this book- so you should definitely check it out for yourself.
2 stars
"There is a power in me I never knew was there. I always knew there was power in my hands, to clean, to wipe away dirt, to scour and disinfect. To set things right. But now I know,
This was such a cute book. I loved Molly, I loved how her neurodivergence was a strength, and how much her friends loved her. I did not love how some people took advantage of her, but when Molly inevitably figured it out, I loved hearing her dish out her witty one-liners that left them confused.
Molly's Gran was a wonderful person and a loving guardian to Molly. Her sayings were able to guide Molly through hard times after she was gone, and I loved hearing her voice calming Molly down and guiding her to always do the right thing.
Everyone always underestimated Molly. Even Molly herself. She proved to herself that she wasn't what everyone thought she was; a robot, stupid, or invisible. She is smart, she is intelligent, and she will always do the right thing. This book highlighted that even though someone is different than what is "normal," that doesn't mean they're stupid. Everyone who was using Molly took advantage of her innocence and confused it for unintelligence. Molly is highly intelligent and eloquent. (So eloquent, in fact, that there were times during the book that I forgot it took place in modern times. How Molly speaks can be considered old fashioned and I would get thrown off every time a cell phone was mentioned haha)
But despite how clearly she speaks everyone else continues to misunderstand her, usually because of their assumptions about her. (You know what they say about assuming...)
In fact, I was very put off by how Molly appeared in this novel: she seemed more as a caricature of someone with features in the autistic range and less of a genuinely disadvantaged person trapped in a sticky murder investigation. There shouldn't have been anything funny about folks coping with life in such a situation. What was particularly strange, she evolved into a clever individual who chose carefully what to reveal. Sometimes I had the sense Molly was deliberately manipulating the investigators so as to protect someone she cared about and felt was in danger of being wrongly accused. Obviously, this story didn't work for me and I wonder, what did I miss, when so may reviews invoked 4- and five-stars?
While the blurb on the back of the book made it sound like a typical cosy whodunnit with a quirky heroine, a Miss Marple in a maid's uniform, I found it to be rather different. The whodunnit is not the real centre of the novel, but it is Molly and her special character. Although it is never named as such, she is apparently on the autism spectrum. As a consequence, she lands herself in many complicated situations and is an easy target for characters who not always mean well. Fortunately, she also encounters several friends, and manages to find her way.
I read this novel in just a few sittings and utterly enjoyed it because I liked Molly very much, I felt for her and I couldn't help but root for her. However, later I thought about it again and the story started to feel a bit shallow. I think that this is not a fair representation of neurodivergent people, and the story is also quite unrealistic, because I'd like to think that nowadays, someone of her condition would not be treated like she is throughout the novel (for example, by the police or by her superiors at work). I wonder why she apparently does not know about her state at all, and why she has never seen a professional. The way how many of her thoughts and actions are presented in a comical way feels patronizing to me now.
Of course, all ends well in the novel - but after second thoughts, this ending feels too sugarcoated to me, because it creates a feel-good moment for the mostly neurotypical readers of this novel at the expense of a neurodivergent character.
I enjoyed this book and found it a fast read, despite the fact that Molly often slips into reverie in order to provide necessary backstory. The mystery is, I felt, secondary to the characterization, which is fine by me, though hardcore mystery readers may desire greater complexity. I have mixed feelings about how Molly's neurodivergence is portrayed (she has characteristics of autism, though it's never named as such), but that's something that each reader will have a different opinion on, I am sure. I can see this making for good book club discussion. Readers who enjoyed Convenience Store Woman and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine may find Molly to be a similar protagonist in many ways.
This is a fun novel. Molly is an engaging narrator and the author knows how to pace a novel. She also allows the reader to know who the good and the bad guys are well in advance of when Molly figures this out, but the story is less in whodunit than it is in witnessing how Molly navigates her world and in how her friends care for her. This novel is heart-warming without being annoying or overly sweet, although I did think it went on for slightly longer than I would have liked it to.
I enjoyed this story but although it was never outright mentioned, I was uncomfortable with Molly being an autistic character and that the author chose to display the characteristics from the spectrum that were the most entertaining or added to her victimization. Luckily there are some characters who look out for Molly, as she becomes the police’s number one suspect. They band together to clear Molly and show the police who they should really be looking at.
As a debut novel, The Maid is clever and entertaining and Molly is certainly a character that it is very easy to like and root for. She lives by the rules installed in her by her grandmother and has a saying for every occasion. The author has placed Molly in a small but fascinating world and delivered a story that was hard to put down.
Brilliantly paced and with a main character to steal hearts, "The Maid" is a rare treat. The novel is told entirely in the voice and from the perspective of Molly, a neurodivergent woman dealing with the death
A devoted, disciplined, and exacting hotel maid, Molly has difficulty interpreting events and the actions and motives of coworkers that are clear to the reader. Molly is gradually lured into association with a crime ring and mixed up in the murder of a guest in the hotel. Slowly but surely, as the reader cheers her on, loveable and sympathetic Molly puts the pieces together with the help of some valuable new friends.
A couple of breathtaking reveals at the end show that Molly was more clever, resourceful, and capable in her own way than anyone could have suspected. As a romantic and funny mystery, "The Maid" had the feel of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" and "The Rosie Project."
Molly Gray, abandoned as a baby and raised by her grandmother, might be socially awkward and feeling a bit adrift after her grandmother’s death, but she understands her job as a maid at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel. She sees herself as working in a job
And Molly is VERY good at her job. However, despite her meticulousness, Molly momentarily falters when she discovers one of the hotel’s elitist guests lying on the bed in the room she's come to finish cleaning. And, he's quite dead.
What Molly doesn’t expect is that she will be the one blamed for causing the death of Charles Black.
When the man’s death is ruled as suspicious, how will Molly find her way through the maze of accusations and charges to prove her innocence?
Well-defined, believable characters populate this story of murder and unforeseen circumstances. It is, by turns, charming, quirky, and delightful [despite the murder]. The plot, although a bit predictable, keeps the reader involved in the telling of the tale, and, as the story unfolds, readers will discover a few unexpected surprises.
Having lived with [and taken to heart] her grandmother’s oft-repeated adages, Molly is overly-trusting and, therefore, easily manipulated by others. Her guilelessness keeps her from seeing the pretenses others use to exploit her friendship for their own advantage.
Friendship, loyalty, and responsibility form the true heart of this story, turning Molly’s naiveté and social awkwardness into the discovery of true friends, of caring, and of doing the right thing. Readers are certain to find themselves rooting for the good-hearted young woman at the heart of the story. [And be prepared for a clever denouement that promises to satisfy.]
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley
#TheMaid #NetGalley
Molly is 25, quite naive, incredibly literal (think Detective Monk), definitely socially awkward (more so since her Gran recently died), and had all their money stolen by a man who pretended to be her
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Ballantine Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Molly makes her rounds cleaning at the Regency Grand hotel, enjoying her job and speaking to some of the guests. When she enters the suite of Mr and Mrs Black she discovers Mr. Black is dead
This was more of a cozy mystery, a completely PG 13 rated plot. As a reader you know which characters are bad and who is being used. You will also discover Molly's resourcefulness discerning facts helps with the murder case.
Publication date January 4, 2022 by Random House Publishing - Ballentine. Genre: Mystery, Thrillers and Women's Fiction.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.
This is an intriguing book. The main character and narrator is Molly, a maid at an exclusive hotel. Molly is a perfectionist and a bit strange to others. She lives with her Gran and sees everything in black and white until……… a murder takes place at the hotel and Moly is
Friendship, truth, justice, our perception of those somewhat different, all play a part in the resolution of who killed Mr. Black. Once begun, it is difficult to put this book down. Molly is a character you sympathize with and yet don’t quite understand, just as she doesn’t quite understand the world. She is fascinating just as the book is fascinating.
Book groups will love discussing this book. Readers will be fascinated by Molly. This one is really unput-down-able.
5 of 5 stars
Thanks to the author, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Nita Prose's debut novel The Maid releases today and it's a brilliant read to start off 2022! I was hooked from the opening pages...
Molly works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid. "Every day of work is a
Now, the other thing you need to know about Molly is that she struggles with social skills and can't read the nuances of interactions - facial and conversational. Her beloved Gran, now deceased, left her with routines and rules to help navigate a world that Molly doesn't fully 'get'. "The truth is, I often have trouble with social situations; it's as though everyone is playing an elaborate game with complex rules they all know, but I'm always playing for the first time.
Well, first off, you're going to absolutely love Molly - her innocence, her upbeat attitude, her manner of speaking and those rules and sayings that guide her life. And then there's Gran. Even though she is gone, her presence is felt throughout the book. (It made me miss my Gran too!) The supporting cast of players gives us a large number of suspects for the whodunit. You'll have no problem deciding who you like - and who you don't. The reader can see what's happening - but Molly doesn't. Your heart will break for Molly as she misinterprets what's going on.
But. there's a turn in the story - one that I am not going to expound on, but it's absolutely perfect. Suffice it to say that Molly and her Gran read lots of Agatha Christie and watched all of Columbo...…
What more could you want - characters you'll be rooting for, a murder mystery, and some insightful thoughts about love, loss and life. Prose's writing will keep you turning page after page late into the night. Heartily recommended! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Maid.
This is the first book that Nita Prose has written, but not the first time she's been involved in the publishing of a book. From her website: "Currently, I’m vice president and editorial director at Simon & Schuster in Toronto, Canada, where I have the privilege of working with an incredible array of authors and publishing colleagues whom I credit with teaching me, manuscript by manuscript, book by book, the wondrous craft of writing." That experience shines through in The Maid. I'm really looking forward to the next book Prose pens.
I didn't enjoy this much: I found Molly's portrayal inconsistent - sometimes she was so naive you wondered how she managed to hold down a job, and at other times she was quite cunning. I struggled to believe she would have stolen and
Her lesson to us is that “the truth is subjective”. Molly’s truth is not the same as yours or mine because we all experience life differently however “we are all the same in different ways.” This notion of truth works best for Molly. She learns and thus teaches us that “the world is a better place seen through a prism of colors.” Molly puts things in a state of perfection all the while remaining invisible in plain sight. Molly is a wonder and I am so embarrassed for not recognizing that early on.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for giving me a copy of this annoyingly amazing book.
Prose starts off by immediately drawing the line between the hotel staff and, well, the rest of the
Do you know someone who has difficulty reading social cues? They misunderstand facial expressions, can’t recognize subtle changes in behavior, or struggle communicating with others. Even if you don’t, you’ll understand how Molly’s unique perspective can lead to misinterpretation and social isolation. If you do know a Molly, you’ll uncomfortably read through her problems wishing that you could save her from being taken advantage of and insulted.
It’s easy to visualize the opulent hotel thanks to Prose’s vivid descriptions. She offers plenty of suspects, most of whom have easily understood motives. Molly had the opportunity, but her motive isn’t clear. Did she do it, or is she getting framed?
As each question is answered, new ones crop up. The answers - and new questions - fit well into the plot. Secrets are revealed that shed light on the characters’ actions and motivations. Characters that seemed one-note at the beginning are beautifully fleshed out as their secrets come to light. Even when it seems the story has been wrapped up, more secrets are revealed. The secrets flow in the plot and do not feel like they were tacked on for shock value.
This is Nita Prose’s debut novel. Wow. I can’t wait until she writes another one. I’m a fan!