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.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This is book two with Molly the maid, our quirky (autistic?) heroine. Neither books in this series has formally classified Molly as anything specific, but her speech, mannerisms and overall behavior lets the reader make their own diagnosis.

Once again, Molly during her job as hotel maid is involved in solving a murder mystery. We see more of the previous characters from book one. There are portions of the book that focus on Molly's younger years as well as the current timeline. It was interesting (and sad) to see how Molly's childhood has shaped the woman she is today. Molly's Grandmother was such a lovely character both in the past as well as her voice that stays with Molly even after death.

I'm not sure if Molly has more books in her future...I mean, how many dead bodies can one hotel handle?

3.5 stars

I received this from @netgalley in return for my honest review. I liked the sequel a lot more than the first book. We learned more about Molly's past. Molly was more alert with this mystery. It ended up leaving her a great offer to consider. I hope there will be a third story. (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

This was a cozy mystery read. I very much enjoyed Molly as a character. She is quirky and intelligent and it was fun to watch her work through clues. The pacing was great. I never felt too bogged down or like I was waiting for something interesting to happen. I also liked that we got a bit more of Molly's backstory. Lilly was a fun new addition to this book. I think that this second book is better than the first!

Molly the Maid is back! Now head maid, she is anticipating her role in a press conference being held by well-known mystery writer J. D. Grimthorpe. But what she doesn’t reveal is her history with the famous author—especially when he drops dead just before his mysterious announcement and it turns out he was murdered.

The second mystery featuring Molly is a dual timeline story showing Molly and her grandmother when Molly was in elementary school. The social commentary in this second book is not as incisive as the first, but it still has teeth at times. #TheMysteryGuest #NetGalley

The Mystery Guest is the second book in Nita Prose's The Maid series. The first book, aptly titled "The Maid", was one of my favorite books of 2022. I absolutely adored Molly Gray, the titular maid of that tome. She was a different sort of heroine, rather awkward but able to set any room to a "pinnacle state of perfection", and she stole my heart. I was excited to get a copy of this follow-up book, but how could it possibly compare to the first? It couldn't...because this book was, if I may be so bold to say, "the pinnacle state of perfection"!

Molly Gray has worked her way up to Head Maid at the 5-star Regency Grand Hotel, and she's extremely proud of that title; she pins her nametag bearing the designation Head Maid right above her heart every working day. Things are almost perfect, until the day when celebrated mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead on the tea room floor! Molly's nemesis Detective Stark, who previously investigated a murder at the same hotel, comes to investigate this unexpected death. But it soon becomes clear that Grimthorpe was murdered. Suddenly there are suspects all over the place. Could it be Lily, Molly's protégé and maid-in-training? How about Mr. Preston, the hotel's doorman and Molly's dear friend? Perhaps Serena, the author's secretary? And is Molly as innocent as she appears? Molly believes she may hold the key to the identity of the killer, as she and her beloved Gran (may she rest in peace) once worked at the Grimthorpe manor. Molly must revisit her childhood memories and see if they provide a clue as to who murdered the author. Molly knows dirty secrets will not stay buried forever...

Molly is such an usual heroine, and I love her all the more for it; who wants the usual cookie-cutter heroine? Molly grew up being raised by her Gran, whom she loved more than anyone. She takes most things literally...figuratively is not her style. She's come a long way since the first novel; she's now Head Maid (she's even written a handbook for the maids beneath her!) and is in a committed relationship with Juan Manuel, who also works at the hotel. (Unfortunately, Juan is visiting his relatives in Mexico, so he is not actually present until almost the end of the book. He's an absolute sweetheart to his girl!) I was happy to see Mr. Preston the doorman again, though he seems to have a secret or two and Molly becomes suspicious. I really liked maid-in-training Lily; she reminded Molly a lot of herself. Lily was serving tea to Grimthorpe when he died, and she begins to act suspicious also and even more withdrawn than usual. Molly's co-worker Angela is a huge crime podcast buff, and she thinks she and Molly can solve the case. Angela goes so far to tell a group of LAMBS (Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society) who came to see their favorite author Grimthorpe that Molly was a detective! Detective Stark suspected Molly of murder in the previous book, so Molly is definitely skittish around her. However, Molly has really grown; who knew she would be such a good investigator? The storyline moved back and forth from the present to Molly's childhood with Gran, when they worked at the Grimthorpe manor. It wasn't the least bit confusing moving from one period to another. The chapters on Molly's childhood were actually my favorites. You cannot help but love Gran, the biggest influence in Molly's life. Her motivational tidbits to Molly were priceless, such as "Just grab a duster, Buster" and "Deep cleaning gives life meaning". (Definitely not words that I myself abide by, unfortunately!) She definitely shaped the woman Molly becomes. It was an extremely satisfying cozy mystery; I had nary a clue as to the killer's identity until it was revealed! The biggest revelation, however, was Molly's growth. Does she have a different future in store than she had planned? I will definitely catch up with Molly in the next installment; I can't wait!

I received and ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Molly is a delight, with her pride in her job and proper etiquette, she is a feel good character and I was delighted to see her return. This book gives a look at Molly's childhood and her close relationship with her grandmother, while Molly unravels another death in the hotel. This time a world-renowned mystery author, which once again bring Molly in the crosshairs with Detective Stark. Molly's keen eye for detail helps solve the crime and save maid-in-training Lily from being accused of the crime.

It’s a cozy mystery with great characters, and an intriguing ending. I highly recommend!

I received this advance review copy from NetGalley & the publisher for my honest review.

3.5⭐️

It has been over three years since we met last Molly Gray, who is now Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel – a badge she wears with pride. But Molly has been having a difficult day (to put it mildly !). The hotel had been hosting a VIP event and everything needed to be for the VIP guest, award-winning mystery writer J. D. Grimthorpe and the fifty-odd invitees - a task Molly and her trainee Lily approached with much diligence. The reclusive author had chosen the venue to make a rare public appearance to make an important announcement. But when the author drops dead just as he begins the session, Molly finds herself once again in the middle of another murder investigation headed by none other than Detective Stark – someone whom Molly isn’t too happy to see again. Evidence indicates that the author did not die of natural causes, and the suspect list includes Grimethorpe’s associates and the hotel guests and staff. We follow Molly as she uses her unique methods of analyzing the situation in the hope of finding the culprit and protecting her friends and the reputation of the hotel.

Having enjoyed The Maid , I was eager to read The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose. The story is presented from Molly’s first-person PoV over dual timelines – the present day in the aftermath of Grimthorpe’s death and Molly’s memories from when she was ten years old. I love Molly and her unique worldview. I also enjoyed getting to know more about her childhood and her relationship with her late grandmother, who doted on her and whose words of wisdom have guided Molly through much adversity. However, I wasn’t quite taken with the mystery angle and thought that the narrative suffered from considerable repetitiveness. The final reveal and the identity of the killer and the motive behind the murder were a tad underwhelming after the interesting buildup with plenty of red herrings and secrets along the way. One aspect concerning Molly’s family history and the surprise revelation at the end felt contrived and unnecessary.

This is a light, cozy read with plenty of heart and humor and while I did not dislike it, I wasn’t as taken with it as I had hoped. Having said that, I won’t give up on the series just yet because Molly is an endearing protagonist and I look forward to meeting her again in the future.

I would recommend reading The Maid before The Mystery Guest for a better understanding of the main characters.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Molly Gray is back in another cozy mystery at her beloved hotel. She is accompanied by her beloved crew of coworkers, and equipped with her unique powers of perception. This time, however, readers are treated to a look into Molly’s past as she races to uncover the truth about an untimely death at the hotel. While I found some of the connections between the backstory and the current crime to be a bit of a reach, the book was fun and I would definitely read a third in this series. Thank you for the gifted ARC!

I enjoyed the first novel and didn't think the author could pull this off but book 2 is even BETTER than the first.

If you love mysteries or cozy mysteries, you do not want to miss Molly the Maid series. FMC and secondary characters are endearing. Dialogues are smart and hilarious. The pacing is perfect.

In book 2, the death of a famous author is the center of mystery. Of course, you need a clever maid to help solve the murder. I love that there are more stories with her gran through flashbacks.

Highly recommend this delightful series, but now I'm sad I'll have to wait another year for the next.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Molly is yet again facing another serious situation. A famous author who was about to release a statement suddenly dies. The story follows the characters as they try to solve it.

If you liked the maid, I think you will enjoy this book as well.

What a lovely return to this series with the lovable Molly the Maid. Although this is the second book in the series it can definitely be read as a standalone novel. I love the cozy, whodunnit feeling, while Molly fights the prejudice of being a little different. It’s a great reading experience and I’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy this book even just a little bit.

This is the second in the Molly the Maid series, and it did not disappoint. Molly is such a unique main character, smart but socially awkward. When the murder of a mystery writer occurs in the hotel Molly works in, the investigation opens up a chapter in Molly’s past which gives the reader more insight into her character. Detective Stark is back, underestimating Molly until she realizes that the details Molly sees will help solve the case. Well written, with a great story line and appealing characters, I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Molly Gray, now Head Maid of the 5-star Regency Grand Hotel, definitely knows her way around cleaning, because once again she’s swept my heart away!

In The Mystery Guest, book # 2 of the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose, Molly is back at it, leading her team of maids to restore rooms to a “state of perfection”. It’s a job that she takes very seriously and she’ll settle for nothing less than the best for guests in her care - a quality she learned from her beloved Gran, whose words of wisdom still guide Molly years after her death.

This time around the hotel is hosting an exclusive gathering for VIP guests of famous author and well-known curmudgeon, J.D. Grimthorpe. Among those in attendance are his personal secretary, Serena Sharpe, members of his fan club the LAMBS (Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society), Molly and her new maid-in-training, meek and mild Lily, who is responsible for serving Mr. Grimthorpe his tea.

When Mr. Grimthorpe takes to the stage, he promises a major announcement to those watching with rapt attention. What could this news be? Unfortunately, it remains a mystery when their beloved author drops dead in front of them!

With a new suspicious death within the walls of the Regency Grand Hotel, Detective Stark (who should be called Detective Snark) is back to investigate when it’s discovered that Grimthorpe was murdered. When it comes out that Molly spent time in Grimthorpe’s mansion as a child when her Gran worked as a maid for him, Molly once again finds herself on Stark’s list of potential suspects. Luckily, she’s not afraid one bit. She’s too busy doing her own investigation!

Will Molly clean house of the criminal responsible for Mr. Grimthorpe’s murder? One thing is certain: she’ll approach this with the same order and precision that she uses in all aspects of her life! Just as she would leave no bed unmade and no object unpolished, she will leave no stone unturned in her pursuit of the truth!

I enjoyed the first book and found Molly such a likable and quirky character, but I liked this one even more! Chapters highlighting the current investigation intermingle with chapters from Molly’s past with her Gran in Grimthorpe mansion. I loved the look into the past and seeing Molly’s special relationship with her Gran fleshed out more. I also loved seeing who Molly was as a child and how her experiences formed her. She overcame so much, and you can see why she’s so resilient! I’m curious for the new direction the ending suggests for Molly and the series.

You can read this as a standalone, but I recommend reading The Maid first, so you can get to know Molly even better. It’s a fun mystery with great characters, old and new, and a satisfying ending. I highly recommend it!

★★★★ ½

Another cozy mystery about Maid Molly from author, Nita Prose... sign me up! Just like the first in the series, Molly is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel and there is a death under suspicious circumstances in need of solving. With this book we get a bit of back story of Molly and her Gran, and the past connects her to the deceased. A recognizable cast of characters and a fast paced storyline make this a fun and easy read for a cold fall afternoon.

Thank you to the publisher and Nita Prose for an eARC of The Mystery Guest. I loved The Maid and enjoyed this follow up novel a lot. The main character Molly is loveable, funny and fun to read. It was a great read and quick to finish.