The 2nd installment of the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose, for me, was just as quirky as the first. I enjoyed Molly's innocent and humorous antics while she tried to help solve the murder of the mystery guest in the hotel in which she now proudly bears the title of Head Maid. The victim was someone she admired as a child, and if she doesn't solve the crime quickly, her own secrets might be revealed. While neither The Maid nor this title disappointed me, despite the hype, neither one held the thrills I was hoping for. Overall, a nice light-hearted read.

A neurodivergent whodunnit with Clue board game vibes and a strong female lead. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and love Molly’s character development from the first book to now.

This second book in the series is just as good as the first, told once again through the eyes of Molly, now Head Maid at her beloved Regency Grand Hotel. This one is told over two timelines: the present, where author J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead in the hotel tea room (just as he’s about to give a big announcement), and the past, where Molly accompanies her Gran to work at a huge estate. Of course the two timelines collide to make an intriguing whodunit.

My favorite part is Molly’s voice. Her perspective, her interactions. I love in this second book she’s confident in herself and her position and uses that to guide her as she follows the clues. She makes mistakes but she always learns from them.

You don’t need to start with the first book (although I highly recommend THE MAID!), you can jump right in here and enjoy Molly’s latest mystery.

For someone who enjoys peace and routine, hotel maid Molly found herself once again immersed into the chaos of a murder investigation. A famed mystery author found himself on the wrong end of someone's ire only moments before making an announcement that he claimed would be huge. This announcement was meant to take place at the Regency Grand Hotel, where Molly is Head Maid. As the investigation into the author's death comes to a start, Molly takes the time to realize that her own past experiences may just answer some very important questions.

Molly was interesting as usual, I found her an enjoyable protagonist to follow throughout the process of the investigation. Being able to see her actual reactions to the world around her as well as getting a glimpse into her memories helped to make her character well rounded. Not only do the readers get to see her motivations, but we get to see how those motivations are influenced by the past. I thought it was really interesting to see how she connected dots in her past that she had not connected at the time.

One thing that I appreciated in the first book in the series, The Maid, was that I also enjoyed getting to know more about the side characters through their interactions with the case. It was a wonderful way to gain both character growth as well as maintain progress on the mystery. While character development was important to the plot, the mystery stayed at the forefront of the story.

While it was easy to follow the characters and the mystery, there were many moments where the plot felt disjointed. Switching back and forth from the present to the past was a great way to tell the story, but whenever there was a switch, it took me a moment to realize what was happening. The story had a lot of moving parts and the switching made me forget what was actually important and what was just there for filler purposes.

This novel is a fine addition to the series, but ultimately fails to shine above the rest. Read for the character growth, but beware the jumpy plot.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions

Gosh I just really love these books! Molly the maid is back to solve another mystery at her hotel. When a famous author drops dead just as he is about to reveal a top secret announcement, Molly is once again thrust into the spotlight of the police. She must try and help uncover the facts of the murder, but in this instance, Molly may know more than she lets on to the police.

The Mystery Guest and the Maid are cozy mysteries to me. They are easy to read and you fall in love with all of the characters. While there is a bit of romance in the books, the plot really focuses on Molly and her relationships with all the people she interacts with on a daily basis. Molly is unique and I love seeing her positive viewpoint on situations. I love seeing neurodivergent characters cast in such a positive spotlight, and you cannot help for falling for Molly and her intelligence and gentle nature. Such a fun read and I can't wait for another Molly the maid to come out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books for granting me a free copy in exchange for my honest review!

In this sequel to the Maid, overall it was quite enjoyable. Molly has a new position within the hotel that she is excelling at. She has grown and matured with her personality. At times it felt that shehad developed a bit beyond the type of personality that she possesed in the first book that would be possible. I found the mystery itself to be not quite as tight as the first one but still entertaining.

Having read The Maid, I was really excited to dive into the next book in the series, The Mystery Guest. The Mystery Guest does a good job continuing on the characters’ stories and showing Molly’s growth while not losing her original charm and naiveté. I found the characters just as charming as in the first book, and I find Molly especially to be so endearing and such a well- written character.

The place I found this book slightly lacking was the mystery itself — to me, it just wasn’t as interesting as the first book. Also, between the flashbacks and the present day, I feel like the story was constantly stopping and starting. The flashbacks constantly took me out of the story, and although I know they were an important part of the story, it felt a little much at times.

Overall, a charming and quick mystery read!

Molly the maid is beginning to grow on me. In the first book, her speech patterns were very annoying. But, she’s gotten a bit better in this book. She’s made out to be more competent and less seemingly dim-witted. Overall, I give this a 3.5 for making her a better and more capable character!

This review has also been published on Goodreads.

Absolutely wonderful sequel to the first book. I love the character of Molly and the way she sees the world. I did miss Juan Manuel and Charlotte and hope this series continues so we can catch up with them as well!

If you already read The Maid by Nita Prose, you know the treat in store for you on the pages of this second book by Prose about Molly Gray, a maid at a five-star boutique hotel. If you have not already read the previous book about this character, then you are in for an even bigger treat, as no prior knowledge from the first book is necessary to enjoy this standalone mystery, and you will have available a second book to read about this delightful main character immediately upon finishing this one. Molly is awkward in her social interactions, and has a tendency to interpret spoken words and phrases literally, which often leads others to underestimate her abilities and occasionally injects some humor into the situation. On the other hand, she possesses exceptional skills of observation and analysis. Because she takes such pride in her job and constantly strives for perfection, no small detail escapes Molly’s notice – whether it’s a speck of dust that should have been wiped clean in a guestroom, or an item she notices is slightly out of place, which turns out to be the clue to solving a murder. The author has created a unique and thoroughly charming character in Molly, and this book, like its predecessor, contains a fun storyline, clever dialog, some social satire, and a satisfying, polished mystery. Hopefully, we can look forward to many more books in this enjoyable series.

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House for providing a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

I ended up listening to this one on audiobook, and it was a very quick listen. I love the character of Molly, however I found her to be more charming and likable in the first book. I did enjoy learning more about the history of her family. The murder was interesting, but not gripping.

Molly is back with another mystery in the Regency Grand Hotel! I love Molly’s character and she’s back in all her quirky glory! The dual timeline offers a better understanding of Gran and a peek at young Molly. I enjoyed Molly’s relationships with other characters deepening and/or evolving throughout the novel. We hear a lot of Gran’s idioms throughout this book, which felt more than a little repetitive at times, and the resolution of the mystery fell a little flat for me. Otherwise this is the perfect cozy mystery! Highly recommend!

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for this fun ARC.

I loved every moment in this book. It was a great follow up to The Maid! You learn more about Molly’s life growing up and it’s kind of sad. But you get to know Molly better a little better! The mystery in this book was just as good as the first one! If you read The Maid, I would highly recommend reading the sequel!

I absolutely loved The Maid by Nita Prose. The characters were all so unique and the plot was carried out perfectly. So when I had the opportunity to read The Mystery Guest and delve back into those characters I had come to love, I couldn't wait. The Mystery Guest brings us back into the world of Molly the Maid as yet another person has mysteriously died at the Regency Grand Hotel, and we soon learn that Molly herself has a connection to the deceased.

I really loved how The Mystery Guest gave us a glimpse into more of Molly's backstory, while continuing to develop the investigation into the death of author J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly the Maid is such a unique character whose voice is both at times insightful and humorous. I really hope more of Molly's adventures are on the way.

While you could read this book as a standalone, I would recommend reading The Maid first to have a greater appreciation for the characters, and quite simply because The Maid was just so good.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Molly the Maid books are good cozy mysteries. The characters are fun and quirky, the storyline is creative, and book is a quick read. I think I like this one best of the series.

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC of The Mystery Guest, the latest in the Molly the Maid series, available everywhere now.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to pursue our dreams from a young age. For Molly Gray, that dream led her to a position in the service industry. With the exception of her Gran, nothing has brought more joy into her life than the smell of cleaning products, the sight of everything tucked away in their respective corners, the sound of footsteps on a freshly vacuumed carpet. As the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, she wears her badge proudly. Little about her day to day changes, and perhaps, that's for the best. Since childhood, she has found it difficult to relate to everyone else, and vice versa. Surprisingly, being wrongly accused of murder has helped change that. Molly has friends, a boyfriend. Things are going swimmingly ... until a renowned mystery author drops dead in the grand tea room, and she's looked at as the main suspect again. Letting the police know she knew the victim is unlikely to help alleviate that suspicion. Then again, neither will keeping quiet. Life was much simpler when it was about ensuring each room was perfect.

I enjoyed the second installment in the series but admittedly, not as much as the first book. Molly is an endearing character, and in the first book, her personality felt charming. Here, it started to feel redundant, as did all the things Gran shared with her. Second, the ending felt underwhelming. There was so much build-up when it came to the secondary mystery that when the reveal happened, it didn't feel important. Still, this is one cozy mystery series I plan on continuing with.

The Mystery Guest is the second book in the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose. I fell in love with the characters in book 1 and book 2 brings us a brand new mystery to solve. Molly is the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel and responsible for the staff of maids. She is a very detail oriented person and that comes in handy a lot of time. Molly notices things that others miss, even detectives.

A famous author has scheduled a secret announcement to be made at the hotel. He has lots of fans and the hotel is packed with everyone wanting to know what he's going to say. The author is JD Grimthorpe and Molly knows him from her childhood. Her gran worked for he and his wife as a maid when Molly was in school. Once school got too difficult for Molly due to teasing and being different, Gran pulled her out of school and brought her with her to work. She became the silver polisher for Mrs. Grimthorpe and she was very good at it. Something happened while she was there and she never felt the same about Mr. Grimthorpe once she witnessed it.

As the room is packed and tea is being served to the fans, JD is introduced, and comes to the podium. No one knows what he's going to announce and the fans are excited. Lily, a maid in training, rolls the tea cart towards the stage to serve JD. He comes down and gets his cup of tea and then puts a bunch of honey in it. After he takes a couple sips, he starts swaying, and drops to the floor. He's dead. Panic erupts and an ambulance is called. Detective Stark arrives on the scene and immediately thinks Molly might have something to do with the murder. It was her maid serving JD when he died. Molly and Detective Stark know each other from book 1 in the series and it wasn't a good relationship.

As Molly defends Lily and stands up for the other maids, she and Detective Stark begin working together. Molly has a keen eye and notices things that the police and Detective Stark missed. Molly shares her past and how she knows JD from when she was young. Detective Stark and Molly go to the mansion with a search warrant to get more information about what JD was going to announce. Things disappeared from the event that were sold online for a lot of money. Who took the items and why? Was it the murderer? Was someone on staff responsible after all? Was someone in JD's fan club responsible? Why would anyone want to kill the author?

The Mystery Guest is very good and I rate it 4 stars. I love Molly with all of her quirks and the staff she works with. This is a fun mystery to try to solve and I enjoyed going back into this world once again. Nita Prose does a wonderful job of showing us that heroes come in all different shapes, sizes, and can be a bit different from others. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy of The Mystery Guest in exchange for a fair review. #TheMysteryGuest

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. I thoroughly enjoyed The Maid and was excited to read another book featuring Molly Gray.

Molly is the Head Maid of The Regency Grand Hotel. She takes pride in doing job with perfect precision. A well known author is making a special announcement in the newly renovated Grand Tearoom at the hotel, and Molly is in charge. All is going well until the author drops dead, leaving Molly's Maid In Training, Lilly, as the main suspect. Can Molly solve the case and save Lilly?

There is so much to love here. It is a tale involving both past and present, which are woven together beautifully. Molly is a wonderful narrator, her keen observations, adherence to rules, and difficulty navigating social situations on full display. The mystery is multilayered, complex, and engaging. The characters are endearing.

I truly loved this book! I am eager for more adventures with Molly.

This is the second book in the series, but believe me when I share that you don’t have to read The Maid in order to enjoy this book! Molly is back, but now she is the Head Maid for the Regency Grand Hotel. She was raised by her grandmother who helped her navigate life and gave her great advice, which she uses to this day even though she has died. With less than an hour before an important author event, a famous VIP guest drops dead in the Regency Grand Tearoom where it was going to take place. With Molly being in charge, will she be accused of poisoning them? I love the quirkiness of Molly's character. How will Molly convince the investigators she is innocent? This was a fun and entertaining mystery with a few unsuspected twists that will keep you turning the pages!

I just love Molly. It was so good to be back in her world. I really enjoyed going back and seeing her origin story and finally getting to meet Gran.
It was like coming home getting to see all the side characters as well. I’ve even grown quite fond of our curmudgeon of a detective.
The actual case wasn’t as solid this go around but the back story of the victim kind of made up for that, for me at least.
Also tickled by the little twist at the end. That would be a hoot.
Thanks to the publisher for my early review copy.