Molly Gray stands out from the crowd, a unique individual known for her exceptional skills in cleaning and proper etiquette. Her ascent through the ranks of the illustrious five-star Regency Grand Hotel culminates in her prestigious role as Head Maid. However, just as Molly's life achieves a pinnacle of perfection, the tranquillity is shattered when J.D. Grimthorpe, a world-renowned mystery author, meets a sudden and dead end on the hotel's tea room floor.

Detective Stark, an old adversary of Molly, takes charge of investigating the author's unexpected demise, revealing that this death was a murder most foul. The narrative unfolds through alternating timelines—present-day events and glimpses into Molly's childhood when her Gran worked for Grimthorpe. The intertwining storylines complement each other seamlessly, offering additional insights into Molly's youth and her Gran's character. Notably, the chapters set in the past resonated more strongly with me than those in the present.

I would recommend that you read the first book first before starting this one. It's essential to start with "The Maid" to appreciate Molly's growth and increasing confidence fully. The novel promises a captivating blend of mystery, nostalgia, and character development, with Molly's unique journey at the forefront.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is I think the second book in the series with The Maid being book one. I love this book and I can’t wait to go back and read The Maid. I couldn’t put this book down.

Molly is a maid and she works at the Regency Grand Hotel as the Head Maid. Molly has hired a maid in training named Lily. Molly is happy in her life living with her boyfriend Juan Manuel.

It’s been quiet at the Regency Grand, four years have passed since the last murder has happened. JD Grimthorpe wants to make a big announcement and decided to hold a press conference at the Regency Grand. Before he can make his announcement he is found dead. It has been ruled a murder and Detective Stark is back investigating the murder. Now is a case of who did it and with Molly being to one that holds the key to solve the murder.

I really enjoyed this murder mystery and it was such an enjoyable read. I love the way Nita has written Mollys character as obsessive, a lil quirky, and fun. I cannot wait to dive into the Maid!! I give this book 4.5 stars. Thank you to Ballantine Books, Nita Prose and NetGalley for letting me read the ARC in exchange for my thoughts and opinions.

This is a fun cozy mystery with a quirky and likeable heroine, but I think it lacked a lot of the charm of the first in the series. It just wasn't as memorable to me.

"Loose lips, sink ships!" Molly is back at it! Does Molly get on my nerves at times, sure! BUT I just adore this character all the same! I really liked the deeper background story that we received in this installment of in the series. I would highly recommend, especially if you enjoyed the first book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

ℍ𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝔾𝕦𝕖𝕤𝕥! 💙🕵🏼

𝓝𝓮𝓽𝓖𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀʏ ɢᴜᴇꜱᴛ ʙʏ ɴɪᴛᴀ ᴘʀᴏꜱᴇ
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓲𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮:
💙 cozy murder mystery
💙 quirky characters
💙 past & present timeline
💙 FMC's POV

My husband and I actually read the first book in this series together and really enjoyed it so I was so happy that I was approved for an ARC of the second book in the series!! I absolutely love Molly and her quirky little self. Molly is a rule follower who also doesn't pick up on social cues easily. I loved how this book had a past vs. present timeline so we were able to get to experience Molly's past self as she was growing up. I always love a cozy murder mystery, but I did guess the ending right from the get go so there was only a little bit of suspense for me. Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this! I do recommend reading the first book in the series, however you could read this one as a standalone.

I enjoyed this book so much more than the first one!

Molly Gray is a rule-follower, doesn't always catch social cues, and often takes things too literally. In this installment Molly is now Head Maid of the five-star Regency Grand Hotel, and it's a well-deserved promotion. So when the esteemed novelist J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead in the Hotel Tea Room Molly can't believe it. It brings up all the old fears and anxieties from her encounter with a dead body in Book 1.

I loved experiencing Molly coming into her own. She is more respected, has learned more about her job and the world, who she can trust and who she can't. She's much more emboldened and recognizes her worth. The best part is the glimpse into Molly's past. The 'Before' chapters share with us Molly's upbringing, how she ended up with her beloved Gran, and why she loves to clean so much. Not only does Molly try to solve the mystery of J.D. Grimthorpe's death, but she also has to hide the fact that she's known Mr. Grimthorpe since she was a little girl.

Molly's character arc will be a joy to read if the next book takes her even further afield.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute sequel. Last year's The Maid was a very pleasant surprise to me, I loved Molly and this sequel wasn't an exception. Does she grate on me a bit? Yes, but not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Famous author JD Grimthorpe has come to the Regency Grand Hotel to make a surprise announcement, but before he can give his speech, he drops dead right in front of the crowd. Soon it become clear that the death was not an accident, and Molly knows more about the author than everyone knows. Can she assist the police to find the killer--and help to protect the reputation of the hotel?

This is a cozy mystery featuring the quirky Molly and readers get to know more about Molly's past and some of the things that shaped her as she grew up. There are some surprising reveals, but the book is just delightful and fun to read overall. I liked seeing the growth of Molly as a character, she is now Head Maid and takes her job quite seriously. I like that others see Molly's potential and encourage her to break free from rigidity.

You'll miss out on the character connections if you don't read the first book before embarking on this one, but the mystery does stand alone.

The Mystery Guest is the second book in a series, the first being The Maid. This books sets up after the events of the first book. Molly has now held the title of “HEAD MAID” for three and a half years. When another guest of the Regency Grand Hotel is killed, and the entire staff is under suspicion for murder, Molly has a new mystery to solve. Unfortunately, the assigned detective on the case is none other than Ms. Stark, the same woman who once tried to wrongfully put Molly behind bars. This time, she's determined to see her mission through.

This is a full return to wonderful cast of characters from the first book, and Molly is, of course, her same naïve and quirky accidental detective. The antics that she gets into, and out of, make for great storytelling. You can read this as a standalone, but I recommend reading The Maid first so that you understand the character that is Molly.

This was sweet enough! I enjoyed being back in the world of Molly the Maid, although I don’t think this book was necessarily needed. Lots of unnecessary twists and turns and I much preferred the mystery in the first book. BUT sweet and a quick read

I went into this trying to have an open mind, because while some parts of how The Maid were written were problematic for me, I did enjoy the story itself. I have to say, I did enjoy this one too, even if the same issues are present in the fact that some of the characters are written stereotypically cringey in my opinion.

I liked the dual timeline and getting more of Gran, and getting to see some of Molly’s childhood. It was comforting to have most of the same characters, as well as a few new ones. I did wish that Juan Manuel wasn’t missing, only to appear in phone calls while visiting family in Mexico.

The added mystery aside from the murder suspect, of Molly’s knowledge of the deceased Mr. Grinthorpe was a bonus, and enjoyable. Molly is both exhausting, and endearing, and I loved going along with her for the task of solving the crime yet again, and seeing her growth! If Molly comes back I’ll gladly join her again!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the author for this ARC!
Publication date 11/28/23

I liked THE MAID, and I absolutely love Nita Prose’s new book, THE MYSTERY GUEST! Molly is back with the same delightful, quirky attributes. She has been the “Head Maid” at the Regency Grand Hotel for over three years, written a book of do’s and don’s for her maids, and taken on a New Maid in Training, Lily, who reminds Molly of herself. Lovable Mr. Preston is back, the deplorable Cheryl who was demoted from head maid after Mr. Black’s murder and Detective Stark returns to investigate esteemed mystery writer Mr. Grimthorpe who drops dead during a reception for him where he has a very important announcement to make. Missing in this book is Molly’s husband, Juan Manuel, who is visiting his family.

I liked how the story alternated chapters between present and past. We are treated to finding out more of Molly and her beloved Gran’s story. Looks like Molly has a big decision to make at the end. Will she stay at the hotel or will she decide to change her career! My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ARV of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

I loved this one. It had me constantly guessing on what happened and who actually did it. The author did a fantastic job on building the backstory and getting to know the characters. Loved this follow up to book one!

Review was posted to Goodreads on 12/4/2023

Molly the Maid is back! The Mystery Guest is a great sequel to the cozy mystery “The Maid” featuring new and old characters with a great storyline.
Molly (now Head Maid) finds herself witness to a murder at the Regency Grand Hotel where she and her colleagues help to discover who is the “bad egg” once more. Her team of colleagues and friends band together to help solve this case with just a few quirky clues. This is a warm-hearted murder mystery with plenty of people that you can root for the whole time. Add it to your TBR list!

I liked the first book in this new series, The Maid, but I was surprised to find that I liked its sequel even better! The character grew on me more so than the previous book and the story was an interesting one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Molly, the maid, is now Head Maid and involved in another mystery. This time it’s someone she knows from her childhood. This allows us to learn more about Molly and her grandmother. The mystery is good with a good solution at the end, but I found myself enjoying Molly’s backstory even more. There’s also a personal revelation for Molly at the end of the book which adds a lot to the book for me. I can’t wait to see what Molly and her friends get up to next!

Nita! Prose! Does is again! I was so excited to hear Molly’s journey in book 2 and it did not disappoint! The cleverly crafted plot keeps you hooked from the start, and Nita's writing style is both engaging and delightful. The characters are vividly portrayed, and the storyline unfolds with unexpected twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down!

A wonderful sequel to 'The Maid', including some backstory on Molly and her beloved gran. Of course, another murder, and Molly is right in the middle of it (but fortunately not a suspect this time). Molly is such a great character. Looking forward to more!

Molly Gray, the loyal and puritanical maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, is back in The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose.

I’m always hesitant going into the second book of any sequel when I absolutely loved the first book. It’s easy to have high expectations based on loving the first book and, personally, when it comes to series, I’ve found I tend to enjoy the original book most. The Maid was certainly a five star read for me, and I was pleased with how much I enjoyed The Mystery Guest too.

Everything I loved about The Maid was back in this sequel. The snippets of Gran’s wisdom continue to be woven throughout the story as Molly remembers life lessons Gran taught her growing up. Her coworkers at The Regency Grand continue to be a mix of moral and dubious characters. Juan Manuel, Mr. Preston, and Detective Stark continue to all be important characters.

I think it’s fair to say mystery readers expect the opportunity to solve the mystery as the plot unfolds and The Mystery Guest is just that. More than halfway through I had no indication of which direction the story would go and it was fun to read as events unfolded.

I enjoyed learning more about Molly’s childhood. Between her flashbacks of growing up with Gran and her present coworkers starting to see past her quirks and idiosyncrasies, we start to see more of who Molly is at her core. I appreciate that characters start to put their judgments aside and value what Molly has to offer.

If you read The Maid and enjoyed it, don’t let The Mystery Guest sit on your shelf long. It’s more than worth it!

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhousepublishinggroup for the e-arc.

*3.5 rounded down*

Molly is back and has yet again found herself in the middle of a mysterious death at the Regency Grand Hotel. The Mystery Guest is a great cozy mystery -with several mysteries - that kept me entertained throughout. While I loved some of the flashback scenes that established Molly's history, I would recommend reading The Maid first for more character development.

I think that I might be in the minority, but I enjoyed The Mystery Guest more than the original, which left me feeling uncomfortable by leaning too far into neurodivergent stereotypes (imo).

A big thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC through NetGalley. It was a pleasure to read and review this title.

The Mystery Guest is the second book in Nita Prose’s Mollys the Maid series.

Molly is back and is still working at The Regency Grand Hotel. When a world-renowned author drops dead as his press conference at the hotel begins, Molly’s sharp mind is instrumental in cracking the case.

Most of the buzz about this book is that it’s better than the first. Although I did enjoy The Mystery Guest, particularly the glimpse it gives into Molly’s formative years, I thought the intrigue and in The Maid was a bit more compelling.