Thank you, thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read early! I LOVED The Maid and could hardly believe it when I saw this approval email!
The Mystery Guest was another 5 star read for me. Molly the maid is just such a lovable character. This book has plenty of Molly and Gran's catchphrases like, "The dream of clean works best as a team" and "tea cures all ills". In this novel, we get to experience Molly's life as Head Maid at the Regency Grand and see flashbacks to her as a child growing up and cleaning house with Gran for a famous author. I always love a good dual timeline and the flashbacks were a fun way to tie Molly to her current mystery. I don't want to say much more and accidentally give anything away, but I really hope there will be a third! Who else thinks Molly is going to become a detective?!

I really enjoyed the first book of this series but, I can’t say I was as invested in this one as I was in the first one. I did enjoy this one overall.

The Mystery Guest is book 2 in the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose.
Just like The Maid this was a compelling cozy crime mystery.
The mystery itself is well-plotted and very entertaining.
And the story is unputdownable thanks to the fabulous cast of characters
I found this story to be unique and well written. The characters are intelligent, strong and so brave.
A gripping and compelling mystery that once again held my attention from start to finish!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House & Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I liked The Maid but didn’t love it - maybe because by the time I read it, it was so hyped up and I had expectations. However, I really loved this next installment.

The Mystery Guest included a mystery, but I felt like Molly and Gran’s relationship was at the heart of this one (despite Gran having passed). I loved reading the flash back chapters and seeing the anecdotes that connected Molly’s past with the murder and who she is at present.

I felt like I really understood Molly and was rooting for her even outside of the mystery. The clever twists and turns and the elegant writing had me hooked, and I tore through this one in a day in between work and errands. I can’t wait to see what Nita Prose has coming up next for Molly. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine and Nita Prose for the ARC.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is an engaging tale takes the readers on an adventurous ride through the life of Molly Gray, the headmaid at the Regency Grand Hotel. When the celebrated author J.D. Grimthorpe is found dead, Molly finds herself in the middle of a whodunnit investigation once again. The Mystery Guest is an excellent sequel to Prose's The Maid and keeps you on your toes with its suspenseful plot, well-drawn out characters, and smart twists.

Prose has done a remarkable job of pacing the story in The Mystery Guest. The plot takes the readers through a rollercoaster of emotions, with an even balance of light-hearted moments and tense situations. From the first chapter itself, you are thrown into a world of mystery and intrigue, and it's hard to put the book down. There were points where I felt that I had figured out the murderer, only to be taken in by surprise with the actual revelation.

Molly Gray's character is well-developed throughout the story. As the headmaid, she is portrayed as a no-nonsense woman who always follows the rules. However, as the investigation proceeds, we get to see a more vulnerable and personal side of her. The flashbacks to her past, working at Grimthorpe mansion with her grandmother, gave an insight into her character and upbringing. These backstories added an extra layer to the characters, making them feel more real and fleshed out.

The Regency Grand Hotel's setting adds to the story's charm, with its luxurious atmosphere, and the behind-the-scenes look at the workings of a five-star hotel. Something we got a bunch of in The Maid. The descriptive nature of the book sets a perfect scene, with the author's attention to detail adding to the experience.

If you are a fan of cozy murder mysteries, The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is an excellent read - after you have read The Maid. This book's smart twists, well-drawn-out characters, and engaging plot keep you hooked till the very end. Prose does an excellent job of pacing the story, and the Regency Grand Hotel's luxurious setting adds to the charm. The book adds a personal touch to Molly's character development, adding a deeper layer to both the character and the story's overall narrative.

The Mystery Guest lives up to the wondrous first installment, The Maid, adding to the Molly The Maid character which we all fell in love with in early 2022.

The Mystery Guest hits bookstores everywhere on November 28, 2023. We highly recommend the audiobook. Additionally, you can grab The Maid now in print and audiobook format.

I loved Nita Prose’s first book the Maid was SO good! Now this sequel, good but not as good! I felt like this story was rushed more so than the last and felt short. I felt that we were in more of her past (which was important don’t get me wrong) than the actual story itself. While it happened over days, it felt like one day. But, overall, still a really great mystery story from Molly and I loved the continuation from the last. I loved that Mr Preston is her grandfather (spoiler) and I really hope her and Juan get married!

I really hope this doesn’t mean this is the end of Molly’s story! If I could, I would give this 3.5 stars! Still great writing from Nita Prose and still a good sequel, just could use some more storyline!

I am so glad for the return of Molly the Maid! I really enjoyed reading it and noticed the growth in Molly’s character. The plot was interesting and mysterious. However, I felt like it didn’t really shine like the first book. I wasn’t satisfied with the murder part of the story. I do think the ending was really good and wrapped up well!
Thank you so much for the ARC! :)

I love Molly. I loved her in The Maid and I love her as the Head Maid in The Mystery Guest. She is called upon to use her special ability to see things logically in yet another crime at the hotel.
Molly sees things that we don't see. She is very detailed and does her best to be someone to be proud of. In this book, we learn more about Molly's childhood and her relationship with her Gran. I was afraid that I wouldn't like this book as much as the first book but I did.

Did I love The Mystery Guest even more than The Maid? YES! What a spectacularly well-down sequel. The setting of the Regency Grand Hotel is such a refreshingly unique and intriguing setting for yet another murder mystery. Prose does such a good job with throwing believable misdirects at the reader and surprising us with a better twist than we could've expected. In this case, the ending brought an added bonus twist---but my lips are sealed. Let's just say, it brought me close to shedding a tear and made me feel emotions I didn't expect!

Molly's back and just the same as before---if you've read The Maid, you understand what a treat this is. We also get more of her and Gran's backstory, which I loved! Each time something super suspenseful was occurring at the hotel, we'd get a flashback chapter to keep us waiting and paint a better picture of young Molly and the infamous Mr. Grimthorpe. The wealthy mystery writer drops dead at the Regency Grand right before he's about to give a huge announcement...who knew Molly's days of shadowing Gran while she worked at his mansion might just be the key to solving his untimely murder.

The Mystery Guest far surpassed and exceeded my expectations. The beginning was a bit of a slow start, but once I started getting into it, I didn't want to put the book down. The mystery was well-crafted and kept me guessing for a while. I grew even more fond of the characters and cannot wait to see where Molly's story goes next (Detective Molly please please please!)

Thank you so much to Random House, Nita Prose, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Mystery Guest!

Molly Gray is back! It has been a few years since the first book (The Maid - Jan 2022). Now Molly is the head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. The hotel is booked for a special event. J. D. Grimthorpe is an international bestseller mystery writer. He is going to have a PR event and make a big announcement. Unfortunately he drops dead mid-speech. Molly of course is there with her keen eye of observation. Other regulars include hotel manager Mr. Snow, friend and doorman Mr. Preston and Detective Stark. There is also a new maid in training Lily. Molly has an extra connection to the deceased. Her grandmother was a maid in his house and Molly as a child accompanied her to work at his estate.

Part of the uniqueness of the first book was getting to know Molly and how she interacts with the world. She is much more confident in herself now and settled with her boyfriend. (He is visiting family in Mexico and misses this mystery.) But there are still a lot of grandmother’s sayings and judging if people are good or bad eggs. This seems to be settling into a cozy mystery series. And I am happy to be on board for reading more mysteries featuring Molly. I like the hotel setting but the ending suggests there may be changes ahead.

4.5 stars

Molly the Maid is back! This time, a renowned author drops dead in front of a crowd at the Regency Grand right before making a huge announcement. Like last time, the detective suspects Molly or her maid in training, since they were the last ones to touch the item that caused his death.

Through flashback memories of her childhood and her keen eye for details in the present day, Molly needs to figure out who killed the author before she’s the one blamed.

I love Molly’s character. She’s quirky and neurodivergent and whip-smart. If you loved The Maid, you’ll love the sequel just the same. It felt like a nice cozy mystery with no gore or anything scary. Add this one to your TBR, it comes out just after Thanksgiving!

I was so excited to jump back into Molly the Maid's story and see where the craziness took her, and I was not disappointed! I just love this character and the way the stories unfold. They're super cozy mysteries but are also really well done and keep you guessing throughout the whole book. I definitely didn't guess any of the twists or anything for this book, similar to the way I didn't guess anything in The Maid either. I do think I liked the first book just a little bit more, something from that book was missing in this one, but I still really enjoyed this story overall. Molly the Maid will always be one of my favorite characters, and I'd be curious to see if there's more to her story in the future!

It was so fun to be back with Molly the Maid. This book picks up a few years after the first installment, The Maid, ends. In that time, Molly has become head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, and has settled into life with her long-term boyfriend, Juan Manuel. This book flashed between present day and Molly's childhood. I loved learning more about her background and how she came to develop her passion for cleaning. Another great aspect of this book was seeing everyone in Molly's corner. The relationships that she has are heartwarming and I love seeing her continue to develop these relationships as this series continues. Finally, my absolute favorite part of this book was seeing Molly's character development. While she is still the Molly that we know and love, she has certainly matured and learned more about how to be successful in the world around her. She says things that are absolutely hilarious while still being the loveable, sweet and innocent character I grew to love in Book #1. The author ended the book in a manner that will easily allow with another installment, which I would enthusiastically read.

Another excellent read by Nita Prose! She does a great job creating characters and tying a story together. I really enjoy reading about Molly and was impressed with how she solved the mystery. I would describe this as a cozy mystery in the best way!

Molly the Maid is back in action and I think even better than before. I listened to the audio of it and felt that the narrator did a fantastic job of giving Molly the personality as she is written. Loved learning a little more about her past with her Gran in the early years and the author did a fantastic job intertwining the past and present. Can’t wait to see what mischief she finds herself in next as I assume this is going to be a full blown series.

Molly is now Head Maid at the Grand Regency Hotel. She still misses her Gran who raised her but Gran is always in her heart, encouraging Molly when life get difficult. Molly has written a handbook for maids at the hotel, her romance is going well and she's excited about the opening of the hotel's tea room.
The first event in the tea room is an appearance by a bestselling mystery writer, J.D.Grimthorpe. Grimthorpe fans have gathered at the hotel to hear his big announcement but just as he's about to reveal the news, he drops dead.
Molly's protegee and maid-in-training, Lily becomes the prime suspect and Molly once again, must find the killer.
In some ways, this is a rerun of The Maid - hotel guest dies under mysterious circumstance and the maid is suspected. Molly met Grimthorpe when she was a child and much of the story explains her past. His death brings back memories and ultimately answers questions she's wondered about as a child.
Characters from The Maid reappear, Detective Stark, Mr. Preston, mean maid, Cheryl and Mr. Snow. Molly has grown more confident and her sleuthing skills haven't gone unnoticed by Detective Stark. There's a hint that a change of profession my be in store for our favorite maid.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to follow Molly's adventures.

In The Mystery Guest, Molly the Maid is back. She’s the head maid and has a boyfriend, but… another guest is dead at the Regency Grand Hotel, where she works.

It just so happens that Molly gave the famous mystery author, J.D. Grimthorpe, tea before he dropped dead and so, once again, she becomes a suspect in his mysterious death.

But, other suspects also rise to the surface, including the hotel’s new maid, the author’s secretary, hotel guests, and even Mr. Preston, the doorman beloved to Molly.

As it turns out, there’s a lot lurking under the surface and many, including Molly herself, share sordid pasts with the author. Secrets never keep, so all is revealed by the novel’s end.

I flew through The Mystery Guest in 24 hours and actually enjoyed it far more than The Maid! The reader gets to learn much more about Molly’s, Gran’s, and Mr. Preston’s pasts, and the secret life of a mysterious author is always especially intriguing to me as a book lover!

While, in The Maid, Molly was often compared to Eleanor from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I actually found her to be more like Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry in The Mystery Guest — highly intelligent and literal to a fault. Since I love Zott, I also loved Molly here.

While I had my suspicions about whodunnit (and was right), I still got to learn why, and a lot of other aspects of Molly’s life came full circle in this mystery. I have no doubt that fans of The Maid will delight in it.

Full Guide to The Maid Book Series: https://www.julesbuono.com/molly-the-maid-book-series/

Molly, my dear, are you a magnet for dead people? Why do they find you? Why do you always find yourself in the middle of a police investigation? Yes, you have an eye for the details people tend to miss but also you are too honest to be around police investigators.

When a famous author decided to make a statement at the hotel's newly redecorated tearoom, Molly was excited. As a head maid, she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. When author had few minutes before the announcement to sign books for the staff, Molly thought this would be the moment the author would remember her. But nope - knowing who and how he was, it was too much of an expectation.

Few minutes into the announcement, author dropped dead on another maid (literally), which opened several cans of worms before everyone learnt about the truth behind the fame and fortune of the author. Following two timelines, Nita Prose was delivering a more mature image of Molly. Also, she embedded few eggs most of us probably suspected.

It's four years after the events of The Maid, and our lovable heroine Molly Gray is settling into her role as the Head Maid of the Regency Grand Hotel. But just as her life is beginning to feel as sumptuous as the Olive Garden's Tour of Italy, there's another death at the Regency Grand. This time, it's world-renowned mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe, who drops dead during a press conference in the newly-refurbished tea room. It doesn't take long for Molly's former nemesis, Detective Stark, to determine that he was murdered. But it's Molly alone who may hold the key to uncovering who killed Grimthorpe -- and she'll have to dig deep into her memories of the past for clues.

The best part of The Mystery Guest, for me, was that it gives us glimpses into Molly's background through flashback chapters. I loved seeing Molly's relationship with her Gran further fleshed out and getting to know what Molly was like as a little girl (in a word, precocious: P-R-E-C-O-C-I-O-U-S). I simply adore Molly as a character; it's impossible not to. She's so capable and smart and tenacious, and Nita Prose utilizes the flashback chapters so effectively to show Molly's growth.

However, this second installment was missing some of the charm of The Maid for me. Many of the secondary characters feel too one-dimensional and over-the-top in their negative characteristics (Detective Stark, the principal of Molly's school, and Mrs. Grimthorpe, for example). This book also brings in some heavy themes that feel out of place for a cozy mystery, and because of that some topics weren't given the attention they really deserved.

The ending was heartwarming but one aspect (the hint at Molly's future) left me feeling a bit wary. I wouldn't be eager to see her go in that direction in future installments of this series. I guess we'll just have to wait (and hope!) for a book 3 to get some clarity there! Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

Maid Molly is back! I had to remind myself while reading this book that Molly is not like everyone else. The writing style mirrors Molly’s way of thought. While it’s hard to get into initially, I respect the author’s way of writing! The flashbacks added to the story and it was interesting seeing things unfold for the other characters that we as readers had knowledge to before. I don’t think the plot twist at the end was necessary to the story and I wonder if there will be a third book to incorporate this fact. This is the second in a series, but could be read alone and understood!