In this sequel the largest strength remains the same, the character Molly. It was lovely to delve more into her history and continue to develop her character. Overall The Mystery Guest did not quite live up to the high bar of The Maid, but it did still provide an entertaining story centered on a beloved character.

excellent book. was so excited to receive this ARC. it became one of my top favorite reads. cannot wait to read more from this author.

This was a cozy read and mystery, but it fell flat for me, especially after enjoying THE MAID. The mystery was one of a bit "who cares" for my liking- maybe a little too cozy and predictable. While I did enjoy it's relation to Molly's upbringing, I just didn't need to read a whole book around it. I felt like the book missed an opportunity by not including Juan Manual more and saving the "cliffhanger" from book one until the very end of book two. I would describe this as a cute read, which unfortunately, didn't work a second time for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect continuation of the maid. Loved the cozy vibes, it was so heartwarming. Perfect weekend read!

I love Molly the Maid! This series is perfect for readers who love a cozy, classic whodunnit and are drawn to stories that explore the power of uncovering hidden secrets. I would recommend this book and series for fans of Agatha Christie-style mysteries and character-driven suspense! I also think if you love unique protagonists with a strong voice - this is one to check out. I love Molly and she's really become a standout character!

Molly Gray is back! If you are like me, you believe sequels never live up to the first. Well I have been proved wrong. I love The Mystery Guest every more than The Maid!

Thank you #netgalley for access to this delightful ARC. I loved “The Maid” and was delighted to find that I loved its sequel just as much. Molly is charming and quirky, and has matured since the last iteration. I am looking forward to more adventures and chaos. 4/5 stars.

This book was a lot of fun. It didn’t have me quite as hooked as book one in the series did. But I’m so happy to be back with Molly the maid in this fun little series. It was definitely a cozy little mystery that had me rooting for Molly all over again. Got a little slow in the middle but overall I’m glad I stuck it through to find out the ending!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little backlogged with my ARC’s but working diligently to get caught up. I really loved this book! I was unsure going in because I enjoyed the first one so much and wasn’t ready to be disappointed by the next installment. I definitely wasn’t! It lived up to and surpassed everything I loved about the previous book and now I’m amped for the third book to get released! If you like mysteries with well written, quirky characters, you need to read this series!

This is book 2 in the Molly the Maid series. I did not read book 1, The Maid, but will be getting it soon. At first I thought this book was set in the early 1900 when hotels had maids that were efficient but invisible. Molly is the head maid and when an author drops dead at a formal tea in the Regency Grand Hotel she is compelled too solve the death very quickly even working with her nemisis, Detective Stark. Molly is developing and I wouldn't be surprised to see her moving up in rand again. A delightful read.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is a cozy mystery featuring a beloved character, Molly the Head Maid, who is a favorite of mine. The mystery guest is J.D. Grimthorpe. He is a famous mystery writer and has come to Molly’s Regency Grand Hotel to make a very important, top secret announcement. Molly becomes involved in solving the mystery of his dramatic murder. Molly is meticulous, quirky and delightful. I personally believe after this second novel about Molly that she may be neurodivergent. I sincerely hope to read more about Molly in future mysteries. And I encourage Nita Prose to please write more and soon.
4 Stars- Pub. Date: 11-28-23

Another guest has been died at the Regency Grand Hotel. Guess who’s a suspect again!? Molly the Maid. Now Molly once again must clear her name.

I enjoyed this who dunnit novel, more than the first Molly the Maid novel! It felt like a game of clue as I was reading, I wanted to know who did what, where and with what weapon. Molly is a character you continually root for, you only want what is best for her. All the characters remind me of the dynamics in “Maid in Manhattan.” Everyone’s a family at the hotel and defend each other. A good read! I would highly recommend!

The Mystery Guest is the second book in the Molly the Maid series and it is up to the maid to uncover the truth after an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel. This book could be read as a stand-alone but I still would recommend reading the first book. The Mystery Guest was a delightful cozy mystery that the author wrote really well and I am hoping that their is a third one. This was so entertaining and one that I enjoyed. I would recommend this book to readers who love a good cozy mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this book in exchange of my honest review of The Mystery Guest.

This was another charming entry to the Molly the Maid story and l really enjoyed it. The writing was easy to digest and as always Molly was quite the character with her mannerisms and ways of speaking.

The dual timelines in this novel were a great touch to provide all the backstory we needed to understand the whole story.

A very fun read indeed!

Thank you Ballantine books for an arc of The Mystery Guest in exchange for a fair review!

Molly the maid returns in Nita Prose's follow up to her smash hit The Maid with this fun and short murder mystery that brings back a fun cast of characters and a new case.

As always its a lot of fun spending time with Molly as she investigates a mystery while also navigating a world of social pleasantries that she doesn't quite understand. Molly is a great main character, but these novels have been elevated by a cast of characters that I find very lovable while still being realistically wholesome.

And dare I say it...the writing here seems a bit more literary than that of The Maid. Now, I'm not arguing that this is getting nominated for any awards or anything, but I noticed some stronger writing for what its worth.

If anything works against The Mystery Guest its simply that said mystery just felt like more of the same - that said, the same is a pretty fun time.

Molly is back in this follow up to The Maid. It was a quick read, although I was a bit disappointed as it wasn't as good as the first one.

The end of this book, made this book! I loved the ending and how I had NO idea who it was going to be - especially loved a couple of the last minute twists in it.

In the beginning of this sequel, everything is going right for Molly Gray, the protagonist of The Maid. She has been promoted to Head Maid, is happy with her boyfriend Juan (although he is off visiting family for most of the book), and is about to host a prestigious press conference for the famous mystery author J. D. Grimthorpe at her beloved five-star Regency Grand Hotel. Everything goes sideways when the author drops dead just before making his big announcement.

This is another murder mystery set in the hotel. For a while, Molly is even a suspect, but that is mainly due to her contentious past with Detective Stark. The big dynamic is between Grimthorpe, Molly, her late Gran, and Mr. Preston (the hotel's doorman and a friend of Molly's). It turns out they have a history, so much so that much of the narrative shifts between the past (when they all worked in Grimthorpe's mansion) and the present (where the murder investigation is full of unexpected twists). In the end, Molly's unusual eye for detail impresses even Detective Stark, and all of the mysteries are solved. Mr. Preston also reveals a secret.

There is probably plenty here to set up a third book, although I doubt I will come along. I have just had enough rhyming platitudes for one lifetime. Thanks to NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy.

Honest review. This book was very predictable. However, I did enjoy this book more than the first book.

This book brings us back into the world of Maid Molly Gray. She’s back to work at the Regency Grand and is Head Maid. One day while she’s working a world renowned author, J.D. Grimthorpe winds up dead on the ballroom floor. And again, Molly is a suspect in his murder. Of course she wants to help the police solve the murder. She is determined to find the killer.

I enjoyed this book more than the first one. It comes across less condescending of Molly and her quirks. She may be a little different but she’s a hardworking, determined woman with a quick mind. It expands on the connections the characters have formed because they all work at the hotel. Work families are really something else.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my ARC of this book.