I loved The Maid. I read it and recommended it to anyone that would listen. Sometimes sequels don’t have the same shine to them.. until The Mystery Guest. Such great writing and so nice to fall back into maid Mollys world. A few years later an author who came to the hotel suddenly dies on stage before making an important announcement. So what happened? Natural causes or something More sinister? Come along for the ride and find out!

I really find Molly Gray a delightful quirky character and I hope Nita Prose will continue developing this lineof books. With her love of cleaning and spelling and attention to detail, Molly is refreshingly unique.

This one could be even better than the first Maid novel! I couldn’t put it down and read the entire thing in a day! Shockingly funny, witty, and an all around fun time, Molly Gray will have you on the edge of your seat as she tries to solve the murder of a distinguished author at the hotel. Molly is a character that pops of the page in a way so unlike any I’ve ever read. Prose is the master of not only bringing her readers into the heart of the story but also having the reader truly fall for the awkward detail oriented maid.

I was excited to see Nita Prose's sequel to The Maid. Her latest title The Mystery Guest picks up following Molly in her hotel job as head maid. Molly makes your smile, as she is constantly blurting out upbeat adages she learned from her late grandmother. After a famous person is murdered at the hotel, Molly who is acute to detail once again finds herself tangled in the case. Nita Prose delivers again making this mystery adorable and then some. Thank you #Netgally and #ballatinebooks from an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. #Nitaprose # TheMysteryGuest

Molly is such an interesting and dynamic character. I love her devotion to her job and to Gran. I also love Gran’s little words of wisdom that were sprinkled throughout, and it was nice to see more of her in flashbacks.

The mystery wasn’t as tense as some I’ve read (I guess this would be considered a cozy?) but I still enjoyed watching the pieces come together.

This was a very quick read too. Some books get bogged down with details but Prose’s writing is snappy and quick. She definitely has a knack for writing page turners that I can speed through.

I don’t want to say too much because of spoilers, but I liked getting to know Molly better. I’d totally read another book about her!!

In the second book of the series, Molly the maid is back, this time as Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. A famous author has a big announcement that he plans to deliver at the hotel, but quite literally drops dead before he can share the big news. Molly is drawn into the mystery and is somehow connected through her past history working in the author’s mansion with her beloved Gran. Can she solve the mystery around the author’s demise?

This book is the perfect cozy mystery to snuggle up with, along with a cup of tea (and you’ll feel like you’re part of the story)! I definitely recommend reading The Maid before this book, as you’ll have a better understanding of recurring characters. I loved how the reader gets a peek into Molly’s past, how she came to be a maid, and more about her family. There are also multiple mysteries to be solved here, and Molly’s signature wit makes them so much fun. I loved it, and recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery with a lovable narrator.

Thank you to Nita Prose, Random House- Ballantine, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

First, let me say that I loved The Maid, the first in hopefully a series. Molly the maid’s history is explained in the sequel, and indeed explains a lot. The author spins Molly’s autism into a fortunate, character trait, which helps her suss out elements to the murder that the other characters are oblivious to. The setting is again in the Grand Victorian Hotel, which is a character in itself. Occasionally, I felt the book was a period piece, as the author descriptions of Molly’s childhood are almost Dickensian. I felt the ending was a bit predictable, unlike the first in the series, which contain quite a twist. However, I am looking forward to a possible third book in the series. Thank you to NetGalley for this pre-pub. I will be sharing this review on Goodreads.

The amazing Molly has returned in yet another fun who-done-it at the Regency Grand. I loved Mollys narrating in The Maid and was so happy for her return in The Mystery Guest. Working together again with Detective Stark, they put the pieces together and solve the mystery of what happened to a famous mystery author who dropped dead in the hotel.

Enjoy a cup of tea with familiar friend Molly the Maid in this delightful sequel. This book is like a fun, witty game of Clue, and a light read for the thriller genre.

What a great and page turning read. I was so happy that this book picked back up with Molly and some new and old characters from the Maid. I loved the way Nita Prose let the story flow together and told the background story of Molly and he precious grandmother. This is a must read for the fall and this book will be another great bookclubpick pick.

Another dead body at Regency Grand Hotel, and another maid looks guilty. This time it’s Molly’s maid-in-training, Lily, who was the last person to touch the tea cart where the acclaimed author J.D. Grimthorpe took a sip and keeled over after he told his fans he had a secret to tell them—but dropped dead before he could reveal it. The cue cards he was reading from disappear, so no know when else knows the secret, either.

Molly has to face her nemesis Detective Stark once again. To protect Lily—and herself—Molly is on the case to see who may have killed the beloved mystery writer.

This was fast and a lot of fun. Molly’s odd ways are as endearing as ever.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES NOVEMBER 28,2023.

Molly the maid is back, and this time she is Head Maid and has a little more confidence and some friends in her corner. When a famous author turns up dead at the hotel, Molly knows the maids will be blamed again and does her best to protect them. With her attention to detail and keen eye, she attempts to put together the clues with the help of her friends at the hotel and the author's fan club, the LAMBS .

I adored The Maid and when I saw there was a second book I was super excited to read it! It's always hard to follow a book that was so well loved, and while this one started out kind of slow for me, I really enjoyed it by the end. Wrap your head around finding out more about Molly and her Gran. This book is a dual timeline and part of it is present day, while the other part is Molly's childhood.

I didn't love this quite as much as the first one but now that I know it's a series, I will be anxiously awaiting the next one! Definitely worth a read, I'm hoping the hints at the end are going to be addressed in the next book as a whole new adventure for Molly!


Thanks to netgalley for an eARC to review in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the first novel in this series "The Maid". This is the follow up book and my guess is that this might turn into a series from how the narrative was written.
First off, I find it refreshing that the main character is neurodiverse and the book is written from her point of view. While it is never specifically stated what this person is diagnosed with (autism, ADHD, etc), I appreciate that she is written as very intelligent though often misunderstood by others. Molly is a character you root for throughout the book and very likeable. I find this a very positive representation of someone who is "a little different".
As for the story itself, the mystery and murder were a bit mediocre. I'm not sure any parts of the murder story were very shocking or there were any big twists. But that said you could definitely put this in the "cozy mystery" pile.
Overall I'm quite taken with Molly the maid and hope to see further stories about her. Just reading about Molly's world was quite enchanting, the murder was more in the background.
4 stars for unique and likeable characters, Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed book number 1 of this series and book number 2, The Mystery Guest, did not disappoint. The skillful way that Nita Prose is able to show the way that Molly interacts with the world rather than telling you in an overly descriptive fashion makes the character and the book. I appreciated that the cast of characters is the same from book 1 and that it feels like your group of friends has gotten back together to solve another mystery.

Overall this was a very enjoyable read and it made me excited to reach for the next installment in the series.

I enjoyed The Maid when it came out last year. I think because I knew the characters and the twisty nature of Nita Prose's writing, I was waiting for things to not be as they seem. For me, I think having her boyfriend be out of the country the entire book was a little strange, but I do enjoy Molly the maid as a character on her own and mostly just wanted to make sure that Juan Michael wasn't turning bad or had something happen to him! Lots of fun to read and I will recommend to those who like a cozy mystery or who read the first book!

I had hoped to give this series another chance, but, unfortunately, the "peculiarities" of Molly the maid are, to me, caricature. Whether Molly is or is not neurodivergent, I can't help but feel like we are making fun of her and it makes me uncomfortable.

Returning to Molly's world in 'The Mystery Guest' felt like catching up with an old friend. Her endearing character continues to be the heart of the story. As Head Maid at the Regency Hotel, Molly's quirky nature and wit shine as she tackles another murder mystery. While the plot lacks major surprises, Molly's charm keeps the pages turning. The absence of her love interest is a minor drawback, with the lack of interaction leaving a longing to understand their dynamic. Still, 'The Mystery Guest' is a delightful and engaging read, maintaining the series' enchantment.

I was happy to be back with our MC as I felt that she very much carried the book last time, which I was ok with. Her character was endearing and she didn't feel like a caricature of a person with autism, from my experience she is a pretty well drafted character.

Again in this book, I think that she carries the book. It was readable only because she is a likable and cute MC. There was nothing particularly interesting or compelling about the story, we are back at the hotel in the exact same setting only this time she's head maid and when there are shenanigans going on the detective is friendlier towards her and seems to put stock in her opinions as she solved the murder last time. I was also really bummed to see that her love interest from the first book was absent for the entirety of the book, he's supposedly off visiting family and she takes care to mention him in order to reassure us that they have not broken up, but we don't get any interaction with him which I think was a missed opportunity. A lot more could have been added to the story had we been witness to their dynamic and our MC in love.

It was still a readable book, I wasn't bored and it kept a steady pace for the most part but considering this was a book 2 I think there really needed to be something more that whelped this book stand out from it's predecessor. Overall it was a pretty even 3 star reading experience.

Synopsis: The Mystery Guest is a follow up to The Maid so reunites us with Molly, who is now head maid at the Regency Hotel where an author seemingly drops dead during a conference. In her own witty way she helps solve the murder.
Pros: I love that this story reunited us with the characters from The Maid but could also be totally read as a stand-alone. Molly is as quirky as ever and reminds me of Amy from The Big Bang Theory. She’s an enjoyable heroine and easy to read about.
Cons: I liked the mystery, didn’t love it. I didn’t find the ending surprising but enjoyed it nonetheless.
I was very excited to receive this advanced copy from Netgalley and Random House Publishing! Thank you thank you!
Check it out when it’s released later this year! (November)

The Maid was such a delightful surprise that I'm certain that The Mystery Guest will be an instant hit. I enjoyed this second foray into Molly Gray's life as, once again, she's caught up in a murder mystery at the Regency Grand. In this book, Molly has grown into herself over the last few years and been promoted to Head Maid at the hotel. When the Grand hosts a famous author, who immediately dies in front of the audience assembled to hear him speak, we get more back story on Molly's life with Gran since it seems this author was a recluse that Gran cleaned house for when Molly was young. The first book hinted at Molly's neurodivergence, but this one meets it head on. The mystery is solved, secrets are revealed, and Molly has some new avenues to think about for the next book. I enjoyed this outing with Molly and look forward to recommending it soon. Thank you to Ballantine Books, Random House, and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion.