The Maid

Description: Since Gran died a few months ago, Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter--she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.
     But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black--but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?

Review: Nita Prose's debut novel, The Maid, has been one of the buzziest book of 2022. From webinars to review journals, this book was everywhere. Since I wanted to reignite my love for the mystery genres I thought I would give it a shot. 

  The Maid is a charming cozy, locked room mystery set in a hotel room. Our main protagonist is Molly Gray, a hotel maid whom few hotel guests acknowledge or really even see. She is focused on being the hotel's best maid and cleaning, neatness brings her utmost satisfaction. Raised by her beloved and now deceased grandmother and abandoned by her parents as a baby, Molly finds herself adrift and unexpectedly the main suspect of a murder of a very rich man named Mr. Black. 

  While the plot and pace moves swiftly, the overall mystery of the book is pretty underwhelming. The clues and problems are conveniently solved. Normally, I would have abandoned the book early on, however, I loved Molly as a character and the network that she created around her. Though not explicitly stated in the book, strong evidence seems to suggest that Molly is on the autism spectrum. She has a very hard time reading social clues which makes her come across as extremely naive and socially awkward to other characters. The real the real perpetrators of the crime, of course, take advantage of her. Prose does a fine job in not making Molly the butt of a joke, but allows Molly to take agency and develop friendships with genuinely good people such as Juan Manuel and Mr. Preston who help clear her name and support her through kindness. I would gladly read another book featuring Molly and crew should Prose decide to write another book.  

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language, mentions of physical and drug abuse, and drug trafficking. Recommended for teens and adults. 

If you like this book try: Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandin