After an enchanting introduction in The Maid, now Head Maid Molly Gray is once again caught up in a mystery at her workplace. Working at the Regency Grand, 'a five-star boutique hotel' as Molly describes it is hosting the well-known mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe in their newly created tearoom. Grimthorpe has written many bestsellers and is followed around by a number of his (women) fans. Unfortunately, he is going to make a major announcement and as he has everyone's attention and goes to speak, he dies. Grimthorpe is an avid tea drinker (with lots of honey) and he had just gulped down a cup when he fell over dead. Naturally, foul play is suspected.
Molly and her Maid in Training Lily were heavily involved in preparing everything for Grimthorpe's appearance and once again Molly is suspected by Detective Stark who is investigating the death. It turns out that this is not the first time Molly had ever met J.D. Grimthorpe and that layer just adds to her worries that she will be unjustly accused of murder. Once again Molly is supported by many of her co-workers and friends and continues to grow and mature, in this case, perhaps into a new job altogether.

this was such a cute and fun sequel to the Maid! I love the whimsy in this book and how cute it is- the perfect murder mystery for me!

The next installment of Molly the Maid at The Regency Grand Hotel. 4 years on, Molly is now Head Maid, Cheryl has been demoted, Lily is a recently hired Maid-in-Training, and Molly lives on in bliss with her paramour Juan Manuel. Until acclaimed author J. D. Grimthorpe rents out the recently renovated tea room for an important announcement, before which he promptly drops dead.

Detective Stark is on the case and promptly jumps to a number of conclusions.

However, there is history here this time. When Molly was a little girl, her Gran was the maid at Grimthorpe Mansion, and Molly spent some time there with her Gran when she was young.

While Molly might miss some big things, it is the details that solve this mystery.

Another lovely installment from our friend, Molly the Maid.

This was a very enjoyable read. I loved the first book and this one was just as good. I love the mystery aspect of the book and revisiting old characters. Can’t wait for the next book!

This is an absolutely delightful new book featuring the characters from The Maid, one of my favorite books. It's a sequel,of sorts, but you don't have to have read the previous novel to enjoy it. Once again, a murder has taken place in the posh hotel where Molly Gray, now Head Maid, works. Molly narrates two stories: that of the murder and her involvement in the investigation of it, and of her childhood, when she met the murder victim. Molly's unique perspective and skills help catch the killer, and it's a joy to ride along in her brain for the whole thing. In addition to this being an excellent whodunit, it's one of the few truly great representations of an autistic character in mainstream fiction, and as an autistic person, I am grateful to author Prose for it.

“The Maid” made me fall in love with Molly, Gran and the entire crew at the Regency Grand. “The Mystery Guest” is a worthy successor, combining the heart of the original, with surprising character revelations. I definitely recommend reading “The Maid” before this book, as you’ll have a better understanding of recurring characters and Molly and her “peculiarities”. In “The Mystery Guest”, Molly matures into a competent, responsible, and respectable woman. I really enjoyed watching her growth and newfound leadership. Once again, Molly proves that the she is the smartest person in the room. The best part of the book is that Nita Prose is taking us back to learn about Molly’s childhood, which I found fascinating. The author did such a great job by switching between present day and the past. I feel like we really learned so much more about Molly and Gran and the kind of life they had while she was growing up. The plot keeps you guessing and unsure about the murderer until the end. This book is beautifully written. If you like a good murder mystery/ thriller this book would be great for you. “The Mystery Guest” is heartwarming, entertaining, smart and absolutely endearing. The characters in The Maid series are fun to get to know, and I hope Molly will continue to return for more new adventures! Many thanks to Nita Prose, Netgalley, Random House Publishing and Ballantine Books for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I hope that this is not the last we see of Molly the Maid!

Molly the Maid is back!! Same loveable quirkiness with a new mystery to solve!!

Molly Gray has been promoted to Head Maid of The Regency Grand! A title she does not take lightly! But, just when she thinks that she and The Regency are moving on from the tragedy of Mr. Black, another tragedy strikes leaving famous author, J.D. Grimthorpe, dead by poisoning!!

When Detective Stark enters the picture to investigate, Molly begins to wonder if she will once again be accused of murder? But, who could have murdered Mr. Grimthorpe? The new maid? Cheryl, the former head maid/bad egg? His personal secretary or one of the many other people who had reason for Mr. Grimthorpe's demise?

Molly Gray is probably one of my favorite characters of all time! Her mannerisms and token synonyms make her the most likeable character! And, Nina Prose does a great job of building an interesting mystery around Molly's character! I also really enjoyed learning more about Molly's and her Gran's history! The Mystery Guest can be a stand alone read but I recommend reading The Maid to more understand Molly's character and personality! I felt she was toned down a bit in The Mystery Guest but I still loved it!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest opinion,

Unfortunately, I DNF at 33% - I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt myself skimming more and more.

I like Ms. Prose first book but wasn't enjoying this one. Maybe right book, wrong time?

Loved it! I'm a huge fan of Molly...and Nita Prose! Keep them coming! I adore the interplay between Molly and the detective. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for this advance copy of The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose. This one is out in a few months, 11/28/23!

Molly the maid is back for a sequel and another mysterious death at the Regency Hotel - did Molly really need a sequel? Well, no. I will say that while this is an independent mystery, a lot of things from the first book are referenced, so I do recommend reading The Maid first. I’ve always liked Molly as a protagonist, because she’s a good representation of a neurodivergent character - it’s very nice to see in fiction. This was a fun, fast read, and I would continue to read works with Molly at the helm, but I don’t think this would win any Goodreads choice awards - a pretty standard mystery work.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! Pub date 11/28/23.

As the second in the series, a lot of sayings from Gran are very repetitive. I liked the first book much better. It’s obvious the author is trying to make this a long series by making Molly a detective in the future. I feel like this is forced. The read was fine.

Featuring Molly Gray- the MC of The Maid- this book is centered around a suspicious death of an acclaimed author in the very same hotel Molly works at.

Being Head Maid at the motel, Molly is in charge of overseeing the ins and outs of housekeeping. When the author suddenly dies due to poison, Molly is sure to be questioned. Could she have done it? Maybe her maid-in training? Or a guest?
Molly helps to uncover the truth of the death, all while keeping a few secrets of her own.

Being a sequel to the first book, (also can be read as a standalone) it was nice to already know the backstory of Molly- you even get to learn more about her childhood in this book!
I was surprised to find that her love interest was MIA throughout the whole book on the premise of visiting family out of country. The mention of his character was a bit confusing since he had no involvement and added nothing to the story- I just kept waiting for him to show up!

I did enjoy the first book a bit more than this one but if you enjoy Molly’s character, I think this would be an entertaining read for you!

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the e-book, this one comes out 10/28!

I really appreciate the ARC for this book since I loved “The Maid” so much! This book was such a fun follow up- I loved all the character development Molly went through in the story. The mystery was great- I liked the inclusion of Molly’s past and stories of her grandmother- it was really sweet. I loved this book and hope to see even more in the series!

This was a fun read. Before I started I had read that this is a sequel to The Maid but also could be a stand alone book. I had not read The Maid but decided to give it a go. It was definitely do-able but I wish I would have read The Maid first. I think it would have helped me with understanding some characters better. I enjoyed the “fancy British” accent throughout and some entertaining mystery.

PUB Date 11/28/2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Molly the Maid is back with a new hotel guest, a new murder, and a new whodunit.

Several years have passed since the curious death of Mr. Black and now a renowned mystery author has a big announcement and is making it at the hotel.

Before he can get the words out, he drops dead. Detective Stark is also back to investigate, and Molly is once again pegged as a suspect.

The novel also has alternating chapters of present time and a specific time in the past when Molly is just a little girl going to work with her precious Gran.

I loved the dual timeline in this book! I feel like we really learned so much more about Molly and Gran and the kind of life they had while she was growing up. The list of suspects continues to grow as the plot progresses and really builds until the final reveal. Stark makes Molly an offer that I hope happens to some extent in the (hopefully) next book! We also learn more about Molly's family.

This is book two in the Molly the Maid series but can be read as a standalone. The author does a great job of giving enough background information from book one and a recap.

This author is an instant read for me, and I know this book has not been published yet, but I am all ready for a book three (fingers crossed)!

I absolutely love Molly. I have shared The Maid with everyone I know. The Mystery Guest is not quite as good, but it is still entertaining and I am hoping to see more of Molly and the staff in other stories. Having Cheryl still employed at the hotel is a bit of a stretch for me. I understand second chances, but she is a terrible rule breaker. I did enjoy the back and forth, learning more about Molly growing up.

"And what is hope if not the decision to shine light into the dark?"

Another delightful outing with Molly the Maid, #TheMysteryGuest is the second of Milly's adventures, by @nitaprose. Loved loved loved this book. Molly and her co-workers and friends are such terrific characters, I relished every moment in their company.

Molly's (now proudly wearing the "Head Maid" name pin) not trying to save herself this time, but her Maid-in-Training, Lily. Molly also learns a thing or two about her sweet Gran.

Well-written and plotted, I can't wait for #3!

P.S. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

Yay! Finally here is the second installment (thank you publishers for the proof) of 'Molly the Maid' crime series. I just thoroughly enjoyed the first book and I could not wait for this second book to come out. The wait was so worth it! Molly, she is back in the thick of things in the Regency hotel when a mystery author drops dead before a revealing speech. An enjoyable complex path of present day and flash back chapters reveal piece by piece the true character and motive of all concerned. Very well written, keeps you interested, perhaps a smidgen less strong on the main murder, but a much stronger last quarter to read, and rightly Molly finally is given a considerable promotion on the detective trope.

The Maid was one of my favourite books of 2022. I described that book at the time as "the best kind of read. Clever. Funny. Profound. Page turning. Highly recommend." I was glad to see the return of Molly the Maid in this second installment and my recommendation holds. While this installment's mystery is cozier and the narrative takes a bit longer to get going, Prose is confident in the direction she is heading and takes us all along for the fun and interesting ride. Prose uses this second installment to fill in a lot of Molly's backstory too. Looking forward to installment #3. Thanks to Random House- Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced read.

Witty, wreckage, and wisdom.

Page one, and I couldn’t help but smile. Molly is back, and she made me laugh as soon as I started. Molly’s perspective on life, is in full swing and so much more fun the 2nd time around (now that we know and love her)! Nita Prose qualifies as a good egg, with her story telling abilities.