I really enjoyed this book. The story is told from Molly Gray, a maid at a very fancy hotel, who was raised by her Gran, the only family she has ever know. Molly is neurodiverse, I believe she is on the spectrum although the book never specifically says. She is a wonderful character that I instantly fell in love with and really enjoyed getting to know her, and the view we got from someone who is not neuro-typical made this book very different than most. The storyline progresses in a quick pace that I enjoyed while also allowing for adequate character development that gives readers the chance to feel connected to the characters. I didn't see the twists at the end coming either which made it an even better read.

Honestly, I was very excited to receive The Maid by Nita Prose from NetGalley (THANK YOU!). I was drawn to the unique storyline and was curious to meet the maid. However, I've finished and I'm a little bit disappointed. The premise seems fun, but I didn't care for the execution of it. The story itself was easy to predict and it left me very unsatisfied. The flow didn't seem right to me and it got me twisted in all the wrong ways. I felt annoyed by how naive so many of these characters were and have to only give 2/5 stars. I'm really sorry!

I love when a book meets my high expectations. I had been looking forward to Nita Prose’s debut novel since the second it was announced. She’s an amazing editor and I was excited to see how she fared as an author. Fast forward several months and I finally had a copy of The Maid in my hands. I chose it as my first read of 2022 and, friends, it set the bar really high for all the books after it. I enjoyed it immensely!

Here’s the book’s description:
Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. 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 been navigating 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 upended 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 dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
The mystery in this one kept me guessing the entire way through. The twists Prose weaves into the story were so good and I was constantly surprised and delighted. As delighted as one can be when reading a murder mystery, of course. This wasn’t a gruesome murder mystery – it was…well I hesitate to call it fun. I’ve seen it referred to as a Clue-like story and it kind of is (though not as madcap as the movie). It’s a well written puzzle. It just so happens that at the heart of the puzzle is a very dead man.

Molly was a gem of a main character. She struggles socially and it’s led a lot of my book blogging/bookstagram friends to talk about whether or not she’s on the Autism spectrum. It’s never explicitly stated and I wonder about that. Is it because she’s not and is just an awkward young woman? Or is it because Prose is not on the spectrum herself and she and her editors wanted to avoid any “own voices” debates? Is it that Molly was never tested and has no idea? Or is it just because labels shouldn’t matter? I think I was contemplating this more than necessary because Molly and her perception of the world played such a large part in how the crime was discovered and solved. Those who have read this one – I’d love to know your thoughts!

One of the things I liked about this mystery was that it didn’t descend into ridiculous amateur sleuth territory. Molly wasn’t going rogue and trying to solve the murder on her own (though there were some questionable decisions). She works with her lawyer and her friends to figure out the truth because the police weren’t listening to her. The lead detective clearly didn’t understand how to work with Molly and she was exasperated and didn’t try to understand how best to get to know how Molly’s brain worked. The comeuppance that the detective got was, perhaps, a bit heavy handed but it was a nice reminder to everyone to take a second to figure out why communication may be failing with someone and not assume that everyone’s brains work the same way.

The Maid was just the kind of mystery I have realized I love reading and I’m so thrilled with Nita Prose’s debut novel. The book has already been optioned for a movie and I’m really looking forward to seeing it on screen. I think it’ll be so enjoyable. I can’t wait to read what Prose writes next!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

My Review: An Absolute Delight
Rep: neuro-atypical MC

This is hands-down a 4.5-star read from me! I had such a fun time reading this book, and I would happily recommend this book to everyone I know.

The Pros: What Worked For Me

I loved Molly. She is our socially awkward protagonist who strives to live by her Gran’s wise words. It’s hard not to connect with her, and understand her unique perspective regarding the world around her! I was rooting for her from the very start and my favorable opinion of her only grew as the story continued.

I liked the entire litany of characters presented in this story. They were all unique and it was interesting to compare the reader’s perception of them to how Molly sees them.

The plot was intriguing to me. This isn’t a story where you will be guessing the identity/ motive of the killer; it is more focused on how Molly lands herself into some trouble and manages to get out of it. Despite the lack of twists and turns, I enjoyed the way the story unfolded.

I liked the writing style. It was easy to read and the pacing was great.

The Cons: What I Didn’t Like

The author tried to pack in a multitude of themes into the story, and some were really not necessary as they didn’t add anything. However, they also didn’t muddle the main plot so I wasn’t too upset about their inclusion.

Readers never really get confirmation about whether Molly represents people on the spectrum. Although she exhibits behaviors and characteristics that could make one assume that she is, the author never explicitly says this. It’s a shame because I would have loved to see committed neurodivergent representation take center stage.

There is a reveal at the end that was just a bit too out there for my liking.

Despite this novel having a few negatives, I had a very positive reading experience. It was a really lovely story with wonderful characters and an intriguing premise. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author in the future!

Ok, I really feel like I missed something here. I saw SO many 5 star reviews for this one and I really don’t get it. I didn’t enjoy this book. I absolutely hated Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and I had no idea that this was a comparable book until after I started. So I can’t say I’m shocked this one didn’t work for me, but I truly can’t understand the hype.

The Maid is about Molly who recently lost her Gran and works as a maid in an upscale hotel. She finds a dead body during one of her shifts and is then charged with the murder. It’s up to her and some new friends to try and clear her name and figure out what actually happened.

I did like Molly as a character for about 80% of the book, but then things took a weird turn for me near the end. She definitely captured my heart with her grieving for her Gran and feeling alone and the horrible way people treated her, but then the end of the storyline with her Gran just had me like 🙅‍♀️
And the weird reveal with Mr. Pearson??? What?? Made absolutely no sense based on the type of person they portrayed him to be and everyone (including Charlotte) was just like, oh cool!

It’s a quick read, but didn’t blow me away in any way. The first half I found pretty slow and even when things picked up a bit, it was extremely predictable. Going into it I thought it was a mystery, but I don’t know what the mystery really was. I thought the book made it pretty clear what happened based on some extremely obvious “offhanded” comments and this book was really more of a story of watching Molly figure things out.

I’m really not sure what I missed with this one, but it was not a hit for me. I’ve had some trouble with some super hyped books lately, but one is the top of the overhyped list for me

.
Book 9 of 2022
🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I loved this book. It had elements of mystery, thriller, unlikely friendships, romance, and family.

The main character is Molly the Maid. Molly is employed at The Regency Grand Hotel, a high
end 5* hotel. Molly doesn't have the best social skills and relies on those close to her for help interpreting things for her. Unfortunately this makes her a target for shady people people to take advantage of her kindness and her ability not to read situations around her.

Molly unfortunately becomes a main suspect in a murder and taken into custody. It is then you
are introduced to those that really care for Molly and know the person she really is. They all work together to find the real killer and get them behind bars.

In the end Molly has a new roommate, a new relationship, and new people to call family.

Seriously don't wait to read this book you won't be disappointed.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group /Ballentine for sharing this
digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this book! It was witty, prudent and I was rooting for Molly Maid the entire time. I was so happy she ended up with a family of her own who knew how special she was.

I enjoyed this book, it was entertaining.. Molly loves her job as a maid in a five star hotel, she loves cleaning but has a hard time getting along with people.
She is happily getting on when she discovers a dead body. Twists and turns ensue.

*4.5 stars*

The delight that is Molly the Maid…

Eccentric? You could say that. Charming? Absolutely! This ‘whodunnit’ was a whole host of interesting characters brought together under one roof. There was a murder mystery to solve and it would take everyone to do it…

I really enjoyed Molly. Who couldn’t understand and commiserate in the situation she found herself? Grieving but resolute, she had a job she loved and was good at, even if she was set apart from others. Naïve and innocent in some respects, she had sharp wits as well and needed them to face what she’d lost and what she may still lose. An old-fashioned way of speaking and a unique perspective on the world meant she would face this situation like everything else – mindful, with her trolley stocked. Her world was a jumble that needed adjusting back to its ‘state of perfection’…

Loved the writing style, the characters and all the path variations that made up this tantalizing read. Part mystery, part human analysis, this mystery was fun to puzzle along with.

A debut book by this author, I hope there will be many more.

Molly is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, and she really loves her job. It’s immediately evident that she falls somewhere on the spectrum, and likes the specificity and satisfaction that comes with cleaning the hotel rooms. Having recently lost her Gran (who was Molly’s one constant in life), she is lonelier than ever, and her job is now all she has.

One day while cleaning , she discovers the body of a regular hotel guest. Molly soon finds herself under suspicion and wrapped up with some shady characters who are also employees of the esteemed hotel. She is overly trusting, and no longer has her Gran by her side to help steer her in life.

Molly is a quirky character, and I liked the uniqueness of the story. However, it was light on the mystery aspect, and more about how Molly was going to get herself out of trouble. I made a guess who the murderer was quite early on and it turned out I was right. In the end I was underwhelmed with the book and it just didn’t wow me.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Maid by Nita Prose. Molly is such a delightful character, and the reading engages from the get-go! Quite hilarious at times and yet, in the end, surprising! I heartily recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys women's fiction or general market fiction. And I'll be on the lookout for more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC for this honest review.

Molly has always been different because of her lack of ability to read people and lack of social skills. She was raised by her Gran after her mother skipped out on her and she never knew her father. Now Molly works as a maid in the esteemed Regency Grand hotel. She takes great pride in her work and loved being part of the very important staff of the hotel. Rules and routines have served her well all her life. Despite her best efforts to blend in and be invisible, one day Molly walks into the room of one of the hotels regular visitors, Mr. Black, and finds him dead. As the police investigation continues, she finds herself as the prime suspect.

Molly was a very interesting character and reading the events through her eyes was very enjoyable and at times, I found myself talking out loud to her. She was bright, sweet and so, so innocent. She always had the best intentions but was not very good at reading people. This was a quick, enjoyable read, with Molly being a character that you’ll root for.

*** four and a half stars ***

Molly Gray is a charming “old soul”, someone we would likely recognize as on the autism spectrum were we to meet her, who lives her life by a closely-held moral code largely based on back-in-the-day wisdoms taught to her by her much-loved Gran.

Abandoned as an infant and now orphaned, Molly is twenty five years old, raised by her Gran, who armed her with a creaky foundation of both truisms and social skills, - perhaps just enough to allow her to survive, now that her Gran is deceased.

“If you feel sad, just grab a duster, buster!”

Molly, like her Gran, is a maid - in Molly’s case, in a spectacular five star boutique hotel known as the Regency Grand, where every working day, bringing “rooms clean to perfection”, is a great joy to her. As Molly does her best to puzzle out enough of the world around her to get by, lonely for friends her own age, and all too likely to say the wrong thing, she is keenly aware that “bad eggs” exist - the trouble is, she does not know how to spot them.

Molly is a fascinating and endearing blend of naïveté and clear-sightedness - for Molly notices things, (many of them with astounding clarity) although she may not always understand what they mean.

Without giving the plot away, (no spoilers here, you will have to read the book), Molly’s life takes a dark and stomach-twisting turn when a murdered body is discovered at the Regency, and it suddenly appears to a world expecting “normality” that Molly may not be as innocent as she seems.

Desperate to make sense of things, Molly’s well-intentioned but oddly-inappropriate decisions and actions make for an entertaining and engaging story, as we ride along with one of the most heart-tuggingly wise protagonists encountered within the pages since “The Rosie Project”.

“I must resort to my own ingenuity and my memories of Columbo”.

As we cheer and hold our breath for all that is tumbling now to settle, Molly’s story cannot help but gently remind us of the wideness of the world, the subjectivity of truth and perception, and the wondrous diversity that makes us all unique.

“We are all the same in different ways”.

Wise words indeed, and for this reader, what wonderful reading that makes!

A great big thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

The main character in this story was very well written. Every aspect of the main character's narration, thought processes, and actions were so accurate to someone who would have such a personality as Molly. I thought this aspect of the book was very impressive. Unfortunately I did not feel captivated by the story right away and felt the narration from Molly was so meticulous it took extra effort to get through the story. Although I thought the main character was well developed the overall narration from the main character did not spark interest or intrigue and that causes me to rate this book at a lower mark.

'The Maid' by Nita Prose

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Viking for an e-ARC for my honest review.

This book was wonderful! What a fabulous debut novel!

Molly loves working as a maid where she can put everything into a 'state of perfection', without being seen. Because she is 'different', some of her coworkers make fun of her. She sees the world with a positive outlook and doesn't have her Gran around anymore to guide her. She doesn't always realize what's obvious to others when she's being taken advantage of by her 'friends'.

This was a heartwarming murder mystery with a well-developed main character, as well as some interesting secondary characters.

I highly recommend this debut novel.

#NetGalley #TheMaid

Check out my review for "The Maid" here!

https://audibleclicks.wordpress.com/2022/01/29/review-the-maid/

This was just the cozy mystery I needed! I absolutely adored the main character molly and appreciate the fact that she is different than most. I had low expectations going in as it’s been compared to Eleanor oliphant which I didn’t like but this blew me out of the water

Good golly, Miss Molly! (Couldn’t resist) Although there was a dash of predictability, this Clue-inspired whodunnit—with a colourful cast of characters to match—was wholly enjoyable. In one word: delightful.

This book was the right choice as one of my last reads for January. I found it to be smart and funny and I liked how the author chose to separate the book into days of the week. I recommend this book for readers who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant.

I really liked the twist at the end which I didn't see coming and added an extra mysterious/suspenseful vibe to this book.

The glimpse into the future at the end of the book with the epilogue was a nice addition for the reader.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC OF The Maid by Nita Prose
This was an excellent novel, the author does a fantastic job introducing the main character Molly. She is a simple, caring individual who takes her job seriously as a maid. At first I thought "oh how can this story go anywhere" but it doesn't take long for the story to take off and want to keep reading. This story is so well written and keeps the reader entertained.
Molly has worked at the Regency hotel for just over 4 yrs, takes so much pride in her job, she knows she is different and is often teased. She one day finds a guest dead in bed and now she is part of the murder investigation
I recommend this as a great read. The author has done a phenomenal job developing the characters and keeping the reader intrigued
I will look for more books from this author