Molly is a maid, and it's a dream come true. Molly has always loved to clean, to polish, to return things to a state of perfection. She knows she sees the world differently than most people, but that's okay. Molly doesn't always understand social cues or correctly interpret facial expressions, but she loves her job, and she's good at it. So good at it that some of the other employees have taken to calling her Roomba when they think she isn't listening. But Molly takes it all in stride the way her late Gran, who raised her, taught her to. She does her best and has an adage for every situation.

The Regency Grand Hotel where Molly works seems like a sparkling palace, a place of beauty and perfect order. That is, until a guest turns up dead in his bed. And now Molly is the chief suspect.

This is one of those books you devour to find out “whodunit,” but also to find out what will happen to the dear main character you have come to care about. The author, Nita Prose, made me feel for Molly and care about her and her friends. The plot was believable based on Molly's differences, but some of the characters were rather unbelievable. Molly makes a friend who wipes her very shoes for her, insists on helping her clean up because it brings him joy, and wants to do all the dishes all the time. Yeah, right. Cute, but too good to be true.

I loved Molly for most of the book, but I was disappointed in some of her decisions and actions that came to light later on. One of Molly's adages is that sometimes you have to do something wrong to make something right. Without giving spoilers, she also feels the world would be a better place if more people would take justice into their own hands. These are dangerous concepts I can't agree with. Truth should not be relative and subjective, and who alone is fit to be lawgiver and judge? I would argue, not the individual.

Just like the Regency Grand Hotel in the story, The Maid sparkles on the surface but hides a flawed interior. Not all is as squeaky-clean as it appears. The Maid is a fun, easy read with good writing, some unbelievable secondary characters, and moral flaws that come to light. I give it 3.5 stars.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Maid by Nita Prose was my first galley of the year, and if I have started as I mean to go on, then I am in for a banner year indeed. This is a fabulous debut from start to finish, and I will be recommending it to one and all.

Molly Gray is a maid at a prestigious hotel and takes tremendous pride in her work of restoring guestrooms to a state of perfection. Eccentric and sheltered, Molly struggles with the complexities of life, particularly following the death of her beloved grandmother who served as Molly's interpreter in the social discourse that often eluded her. When a guest of the hotel turns up dead in his suite, it is an earnest Molly who makes the discovery, ultimately becoming a suspect at the centre of a case that stretches far beyond her pay grade.

This is a skillfully spun whodunit with an eccentric, utterly charming, and altogether unforgettable protagonist at its centre. I am confident that this one is an early contender for top read of the year, and I look forward to reading much more from the talented Nita Prose. Highly recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC.

3.5*

Kudos to a very good debut novel by a fellow Canadian gal! 🇨🇦 Many are calling this a Cozy Mystery and I agree to some extent. There are some cliques but the story reads with a bit more finesse.

Molly is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She's a loveable character and reminds me a bit of Eleanor Oliphant. She's lived with her Gran her whole life and was raised with proper etiquette and manners. She takes her job very seriously and cleans with perfection. Don't mess with her job!! 🧹🧼 One day Molly discovers a rich and high profile guest dead in his bed. This sets the stage for an unravelling of a murder mystery. Just who killed Mr. Charles Black?

I did overall enjoy this story although there were some slow moving parts. One thing I loved was all of Gran's sayings that Molly would repeat. They were endearing. I liked the writing style and feel Nita Prose is a very promising writer.

Did I hear correctly and there is already a movie in the works?!! I will watch it for sure 👍🏼 Oh and anyone else craving, "The Olive Garden" after reading this book? 😋🍝😉

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for granting me access to this Advance Reader Copy.

The epilogue was a nice ending

I received a copy from NetGalley; this is my honest review
TRIGGER ALERT: Great details of being bullied.
-First person POV. Molly let us hear her thoughts, even if they were incorrect, sad, or misplaced.
-People should really see the world as Molly does. She's holding a "lofty position in a grand hotel". I just thought WOW. There are a few repeats about when she arrives at work and stands in front of her crispy clean uniform. It's okay in my mind; she's really proud of her job.
-Even this close with death, Molly thinks of what's to be done with the room - she sees all the imperfections, especially the damage done to the carpet by the pills.
-"I'm no madame. Haven't been for a long time." Does it mean what I think it means?
-Cheryl is such a piece of filth. Sending Molly back to that suite, against Mr. Snow's order too, was, really, the last drop for me. Will we get justice?
-Here and there intertwined in the story we find something to really laugh about and it takes off a bit of the stress when reading the book.
-Since the beginning of the book you feel like Juan Manuel loves to take care of Molly and it feels right.
-The author uses French and Spanish. I don't know what's a "plume de peste" but I think she was referring to the pen full of germs. Maybe plume infestée? "Hijole" refers to a male, not a female and Juan uses it to address Molly, which is wrong.
-I'm pretty sure there's a mistake about the time frame, unless I missed something? Rodney and Molly are in the restaurant then they leave and he's supposed to go straight to the hotel. In the meantime, she goes home, eats, then go back to the hotel and Rodney arrives later on, to the point of Molly trying not to panic.
-On TV, the reporter says "anyone required ... info". Isn't it the other way around? Like anyone who has more info please contact...
-Loved, loved, loved this! I'm so glad there was an epilogue and what a punch it was!
-Very interesting note about the type used in the book. Worth reading.

“We are all the same in different ways.”

What an amazing book to start the year off! I absolutely loved it! Molly will have your heart from the very beginning. It’s truly a page turner, I didn’t want to put it down!

This book is not your typical ‘whodunnit’ mystery as the first part of the book really dives into Molly’s life, her job as maid, her skills and challenges. Where the second part of the book dives into the murder mystery. I definitely enjoyed the twist at the end of the book which I did not see coming!

The Maid Is funny and heartwarming with lots of suspense. Definitely pick this one up if you haven’t yet!

I saw that a movie adaptation is already in the works and it’s funny that while reading this book I thought it would make a great movie! So, I’ll definitely be watching it if one’s comes out!


Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest review!

I requested this thinking it was for some reason a push on the book that is now a Netflix series which I was planning to watch after reading the book so I thought this was perfect.

This book has nothing to do with the Netflix series 🙈 it turned out to be so much up my alley and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Molly is a maid at the Regency Grand and I think a good way to describe her character is Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. She was raised by her grandmother and is very trusting of everyone and takes them at their word.

Molly ends up being framed for murder and her friends help her figure out what’s gone on after she’s been arrested.

I flew through this book in a couple of sittings.

Have you made an error picking up a book with a similar title you thought was another before? Luckily for me, this was totally up my alley and a great mistake on my part.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Penguin Random House Canada for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Maid is a locked room mystery combining a main character, Molly, a maid who lives with social issues and some shady people who pretend to be her friend. When one of the clients is murdered in his suite, Molly is accused and must clear her name. A interesting mystery once it gets started, I did find it a struggle to get into the story as the pace was a little slow to start. Overall, a great choice for a mystery lover.

Content warnings for grief, drugs, mentions off page of spousal abuse, and typical on page descriptions of murder.

4 stars (maybe just slightly under?)

This was definitely a bit of a unique take on a mystery. The protagonist (who is hardworking, quirky, and endearing) struggles to recognize emotions in other people, and that causes some difficulties for her, to say the least. I really enjoyed this story; I don’t think I quite knew what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with how simultaneously fun and serious it was. Some parts of the narrative were surprising and, at times, a touch unbelievable; there was a nice mix of both lovely and irritating characters. Ultimately, though, it was a great choice for my first book of the new year.

This book was an absolute delight! Full of (cozy) mystery, realistic characters and just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. Honestly, I read this in one sitting. It was that good!! 👀

I really, really hope that we get more adventures of #mollythemaid in the future. Nita Prose has definitely earned a spot on my #autobuy authors list! 📕

Thank you to the publisher, netgalley and author for my review copy!!

I loved this book! It was such a cozy and quirky mystery. It was a page turner but it was also heartwarming and funny, and kept me on my toes. Molly definitely reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant and other quirky female protagonists that I've loved to read about. This would make such a great movie or TV show!

Molly is a twenty-five (25) year old living alone in an undistinguished city, working as a full-time maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She lives in an exuberantly expensive two (2) bedroom apartment in an unsavoury part of town on her own, since the death of her maternal grandmother some nine (9) months ago. Though Molly’s diagnosis is never revealed to the reader I would like to highlight that based on the way the main character is written; the traits attributed to her reveal themselves as being well-known (i.e. popularized by those with mild/common understandings) markers of a neurodivergent person, specifically someone on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I think it is important to highlight this trait in Molly as I am not someone who is personally or professionally in a position to make remarks on the authentic representation of Autism (regarding it wholeheartedly as the spectrum that it is) & therefore, my comments should be recognized as coming from someone who read through this book without personal or educational weight to back my impressions & opinions.

That being said. there were too many aspects of Molly’s personality which might be left to interpretation. I would say that this is particularly unsavoury when writing about a person who is neurodivergent as it might be seen as a result from lack of proper research & effort. However, I think that this is never a great thing to have revealed throughout a book; characters should be distinguished entities. They should be well-written as to encourage the reader to recognize these same characters in their real lives. For example, a huge emphasis is placed on Molly being unable to read social cues, both verbal & non-verbal. The author links her inability to participate in social settings as other neurotypical people do to her lack of critical reasoning (i.e. her actions lacking a moral compass). However, I think the author conflates people on the Autism Spectrum Disorder with plain old naivety..some might also say, stupidity. Firstly, just because someone is neurodivergent does not mean that they’re dumb, it does not mean that they are stupid, it means that neurologically they diverge from what has been classified as typical neurological behaviour. Therefore, many of Molly’s actions do not coincide with what we know to be truths about her character.

Molly has spent 25 years under the tutelage & care of her Gran where she was instilled high morals, values & a series of ethics which she relies-upon in her habitual life for functions ranging from etiquette at a diner table to appropriate topics of conversation (i.e. greetings, verbalizing thankfulness, etc.) This leaves me feeling as though there is little to no reason why Molly would behave so contrary to the way she was raised & subsequently to the habits she maintained for over a decade. My sole reason for hesitation when critiquing this aspect of the story lies in my belief that Molly might have diverged from her habits because she was being shown consistent kindness from both Giselle & Rodney. I wondered if this would be enough for her to blindly decide to support their actions even though her grandmother has instilled in her the ability to regard people in terms of what they show & not what they say. I wanted to give Molly the benefit of the doubt, but, linking back to what I said previously, there is little reason to support human affection as being the reason why Molly would so devastatingly choose to behave in such an uncharacteristic fashion.

The inclusion of Molly’s inner dialogue felt like a means of supporting her moral bankruptcy. I’m sure many of us have unsavoury or illicit thoughts when disrespected, mistreated, etc. However, the thoughts that Molly expresses reveal a level of violence which is absurdly high. Her inner monologue details acts of aggression & places her & the antagonists in scenarios where assaults are very brutally inflicted. I cannot think of any other reason why this would be part of her character other than for the reader to link her violent inner monologue’s desires to her choosing to partake in crimes of her own, in the midst of the murder mystery.

I think my primary concern when writers choose to include a neurodivergent character is the complete unawareness of every other person in the story. Though I cannot say that I care an inkling for any of the slew of characters, I found it particularly annoying to have to read about Molly in an array of scenarios wherein not a single person clued-in that she might not be neurotypical. It feels as though, given how evidently Molly struggled in social situations, that someone along the line would have clued-in to the fact that she wasn’t processing scenarios as everyone else was. I want to believe that there exists more than a single person in all the make-believe-worlds of storybooks that would notice Molly’s divergency.

Let’s speak about the aspects of the crime itself which left much to be desired. Firstly, if you are looking for a murder mystery that will leave you guessing, this is not it. This story follows Molly as she very clearly holds information & details to herself for no other reason than that she can. The main antagonists were perfectly detailed in the beginning of the book & I suspect that anyone with foresight could see that. However, what I found particularly noisome was the Detective who seemed to have never worked a case in her life. I appreciate that books/stories have to have some conflict for the plot to move forward; there has to be some obstacle in the way for us to get out of the tunnel feeling as though we travelled some distance to get there. However, this story was riddled with inconsistencies (for me).
There was no substantial evidence placing Molly as the murderer. First of all, we know that Mr. Black was a kingpin, why would he have utilized so many drugs as to render him incoherent while knowing that a mule/lower-level-worker would be visiting him to advance their dealings. I’m going to go out on a limb & say he definitely would not. This man runs a successful drug ring in plain site, I doubt he would be so careless as to jeopardize his million-dollar-scheme. The gun which was placed in Molly’s vacuum would most definitely had been registered to someone & had it not, then you might easily point the blame to the ring being lead by Mr. Black & therefore to his family. A very simple data search would pull the gun registry. However, this was never done. For some reason beyond my logic, the Detective automatically links the weapon to Molly who has no concrete history of criminal activity. Where were the bullets? Had it been her weapon she most surely would have had some. The murder was also not committed by a firearm & therefore leads to the question; if Molly was a successful member of the drug ring, why did she need a weapon if no one but Mr. Black knew she was part of the scheme? We can easily deduce that someone who was under mental duress or physical abuse might lean on a firearm for saviour.

Let us for a second imagine that the police force knew their ass from a hole in the ground. The time between Molly’s first call to Reception & her second one is filled with a great array of activity which they would/should have made note of. Having witnessed Molly faint in their precedes twice (2) they might have taken note of the lengths during which she was unconscious. Therefore, given that Molly made the original call after discovering Mr. Black’s body, fainting, having a long winded conversation with Mrs. Black .1, cleaning random spots in the apartment, then replacing her trolley items, & then finally calling Reception a second time; the police might wonder what was going on during that entire time. Timeline aside, why did no one check the security cameras at the hotel? The family members of a deceased kingpin might easily be the first suspects & though I appreciate that the money-hungry second wife is easily the first person we might look at, the behaviour of the first wife would easily lead one to wonder about her whereabouts during the time of the murder.

Given this is a large hotel & many people utilize its services one can deduce that they would have security cameras as they also have physical security guards in the building, as evidenced by the end of the book wherein Molly & her palls execute the ploy to reveal Rodney as being a drug-dealer. A screaming of the video cameras that day would reveal Mrs. Black. 1 to have been in the room during the exact moments & time of the murder, it would also have shown Molly being there & reveal the inconsistencies & lies in her testimony. Though I appreciate that this is all pretend & we’re meant to by-into this fabricated mystery, I cannot suspend my disbelief that thoroughly. There is simply too much pointing to the obvious actions which would/should have been taken & would therefore have made this entire story null.

I cannot begin to express to you how utterly frustrating it was for me to read Molly placing a call to Giselle to warn her while they were in the midst of executing their ploy to save Molly from life-in-prison. This scene was particularly stupid because most of what followed made no sense. The Detective saying that they couldn’t find Giselle & wondering in earnest if Molly had had contact with her. You cannot be so dumb as to trust Molly after she obviously covered for Giselle during the bulk of the investigation? Also, given Mr. Black’s day would have been detailed to figure-out who could have killed him, the police would have noted that he went to his lawyer’s to change/alter his Will, giving Giselle the Cayman Island property. It’s also not super difficult to pull-up phone history. Therefore, Molly was impending an investigation which is a crime in North America. Because we don’t know where this story takes place, perhaps this fact is null-in-void, however, it’s ridiculous to think that the Detective who wouldn’t trust Molly suddenly did because she said “I’m a maid & no one notices me” ….right….

I cannot say that I enjoyed this story. I had hoped that I was going to & was truly very much looking forward to it. However, there are far too many aspects of the plot which make little to no sense to me. How can Molly have spent her life watching Columbo only to blatantly decide to tamper with a crime scene? She was taught better than that & would have been riddled with guilt thinking of how her actions would impact the people she loved. Why was HR not already aware of Juan being undocumented? If he came to the country on a work permit they would have noted the timeline & he would have been on term. This isn’t something that’s usually easily ‘forgotten’. Why did Molly insist on staying at a dead-end apartment that cost 1800$? She very clearly knew that she couldn’t afford it alone, why not downsize, why did her Gran never talk to her about the worth of a dollar if they had spent to many years popper? Are we meant to think that Mr. Preston is Molly’s grandfather? What was the point of that?!?! Could he not simply have been a kind person, did there need to be a familial reason for him to be a good person?!

When all is said & done this book was nothing special, nothing really even happened. We follow Molly through her recollections; always telling, never showing. Then we encounter breaches in her behaviour which are unfounded & illogical. Then, it’s the end & I am glad.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada & Nita Prose for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

#TheMaid #NetGalley

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Maid by Nita Prose from NetGalley and Penguin Random House in order to read and give an honest review.

…I absolutely loved everything about this book, clever, quirky, and refreshingly unique…

Molly Gray is not your usual protagonist, unique, interesting, and quirky. She definitely stands alone in a sea of cookie cutter characters usually found in the cozy mystery genre. Molly, a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, is seen as different to everyone who meets her and is invisible to most. Molly’s job is her life since her only family and anchor, her Gran, passes away. Molly struggles with basic social skills, she tries to be kind to everyone she meets but lacks a real connection with anyone. When her Gran was alive, she was Molly’s mentor who helped her navigate through any difficulties she experienced but now that she is gone Molly is on her own which leads to crossed wires and social faux pas. Molly’s job makes sense to her and defines who she is in her life. Molly loves being a maid, clean and orderly is her life, but soon her life turns into anything but. Although extremely intelligent in some ways yet she lacks the ability to understand certain situations. When Molly stumbles upon the body of Charles Black, one of the hotel’s regulars, her orderly life goes off the rails. Due to her lack of social skills, Molly lacks the ability to see through people’s facades and uncover ulterior motives which gets her in a world of trouble and makes her number one suspect in Mr. Blacks Murder. As Molly becomes entangled in a web of lies, she quickly learns who her real friends are and who does not have her best interests at heart.

I enjoyed hearing Molly’s voice; she definitely isn’t invisible to the reader. I absolutely loved everything about this book, clever, quirky, and refreshingly unique. If this is the author’s debut, I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Such a great read, I could not put it down. Loved the main character and I couldn't help but root for her. Loved the twists at the end. Such a great debut Novel from this author!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The narrator of this cozy mystery is 25-year-old Molly Gray who is on the autism spectrum, though there is no reference to such a diagnosis. She works as a maid in the Regency Grand Hotel, a job tailor-made to her because she loves order and routine, is obsessive about cleanliness, and takes great pride in returning things to “a state of perfection.” One day she discovers the body of Charles Black, a wealthy man who frequently stays at the hotel with his much-younger wife. Molly eventually becomes a suspect and has to ask for help to prove that she is innocent.

Much of the appeal of the book for me was the character of Molly. Because of the point of view, the reader learns Molly’s fears, disappointments, and dreams. Since her grandmother’s death, Molly feels adrift and lonely, but she tries to live according to Gran’s lessons. She is honest, unfailingly polite, and hard working. Molly is socially awkward; she has difficulty reading social cues and facial expressions. At one point Molly admits that a woman who comes to her apartment is “the first guest to pass through the door in nine months . . . the first guest I’ve ever entertained on my own.” Because of her desperate loneliness, she trusts the wrong people. Because she is different, she is often the target of ridicule, being called “Molly the Mutant. Roomba the Robot. The Formality Freak.” Many guests at the hotel just don’t see her; Molly often speaks about being invisible. It soon becomes obvious that she is also being exploited by others.

Molly takes things very literally because she is unable to accurately interpret meaning and intention behind people’s words. Her literalness gets her into difficulty with the police who do not like her blunt responses. At one point, she is advised to “’remain silent at this time’” so when she is next asked a question, she doesn’t speak.

There is considerable suspense. One technique used to create this suspense is point of view. Since Molly is the narrator, the reader knows only what Molly sees, hears, does, and thinks; the reader has to determine which of her observations are accurate. Another technique used to create suspense is dramatic irony: the reader does understand some things which Molly does not. This irony creates suspense because the reader wonders whether Molly will realize the truth before she is placed in more danger.

Some plot issues bothered me.
Molly is very honest and she tells her landlord she will have the overdue rent to him by the end of the day, yet there is no indication she would have the money were it not for an unforeseen stroke of luck.

There is a problem with Molly’s uniform. The impression is that she has only one uniform which is “dry cleaned daily in the hotel laundry.” One day, Molly is taken from the hotel to the police station and then driven home, yet when she gets to work the next morning, she is “greeted by my trusty uniform, crisp and clean.” Since she was not allowed to change out of her uniform, how could her uniform be waiting for her?

Why would a man travel with a deed to a property in his possession?

A woman knows which bank Molly uses?

Why do so many of the characters have names of colour: Molly Gray, Charles and Giselle Black, Cheryl Green, and Wilbur Brown? Even names like Mr. Snow and Mr. Rosso indicate a colour. Molly seems attuned to colour because she often describes the colours of what she sees, but Molly is not responsible for characters’ names.

Perhaps what bothered me most about these issues is that the author is described as “a longtime editor” who has “worked at several publishing houses.”

Characterization also has some weaknesses. Several of the secondary characters are one-dimensional. The good guys are really good, with no flaws, and the bad guys are really bad, with no redeeming qualities. At times, Molly does seem almost too gullible and naïve. She is an expert on episodes of Columbo but can’t recognize stereotypical villains like the “two behemoths with shaved heads and perplexing facial tattoos”?

I did appreciate that Molly does experience personal growth. She is aware of her flaws: “sometimes I overexplain, which I’ve learned can be annoying to others” and “It’s a fault of mine, to be quick to judge or to want the world to function according to my laws.” In the end, she comments, “I am learning to be less literal, less absolute about most things. The world is a better place seen through a prism of colors rather than merely in black and white.”

I did also appreciate that some themes are developed. For instance, the author comments on the perception and treatment of the working class. Molly refers to her uniform as “the ultimate invisibility cloak.” She describes being a maid as “existing in plain sight while remaining largely invisible” because hotel guests often totally ignore her or treat her like she is their inferior. One woman comments, “’Maids and doormen are often underpaid and undervalued’” and Molly learned from her grandmother that “You can’t judge a person by the job they do or by their station in life; you must judge a person by their actions.”

Despite its flaws, the book is an enjoyable read which I’d recommend to those who like cozy mysteries. Certainly the protagonist is engaging and has a unique voice. In a pandemic winter, a hopeful, heartwarming book is most satisfying.

Note: I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

It's a new year and there are some great titles coming out in the next few months.
Nita Prose's debut novel The Maid releases today and it's a brilliant read to start off 2022! I was hooked from the opening pages...

Molly works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid. "Every day of work is a joy to me. I was born to do this job. I love cleaning. I love my maid's trolley, and I love my uniform." But one day her ordered life is upset by the death of wealthy Mr. Black, whose room she cleans. It is Molly who finds his body.

Now, the other thing you need to know about Molly is that she struggles with social skills and can't read the nuances of interactions - facial and conversational. Her beloved Gran, now deceased, left her with routines and rules to help navigate a world that Molly doesn't fully 'get'. "The truth is, I often have trouble with social situations; it's as though everyone is playing an elaborate game with complex rules they all know, but I'm always playing for the first time.

Well, first off, you're going to absolutely love Molly - her innocence, her upbeat attitude, her manner of speaking and those rules and sayings that guide her life. And then there's Gran. Even though she is gone, her presence is felt throughout the book. (It made me miss my Gran too!) The supporting cast of players gives us a large number of suspects for the whodunit. You'll have no problem deciding who you like - and who you don't. The reader can see what's happening - but Molly doesn't. Your heart will break for Molly as she misinterprets what's going on.

But. there's a turn in the story - one that I am not going to expound on, but it's absolutely perfect. Suffice it to say that Molly and her Gran read lots of Agatha Christie and watched all of Columbo...…

What more could you want - characters you'll be rooting for, a murder mystery, and some insightful thoughts about love, loss and life. Prose's writing will keep you turning page after page late into the night. Heartily recommended! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Maid.

This is the first book that Nita Prose has written, but not the first time she's been involved in the publishing of a book. From her website: "Currently, I’m vice president and editorial director at Simon & Schuster in Toronto, Canada, where I have the privilege of working with an incredible array of authors and publishing colleagues whom I credit with teaching me, manuscript by manuscript, book by book, the wondrous craft of writing." That experience shines through in The Maid. I'm really looking forward to the next book Prose pens.

Book Review: The Maid by Nita Prose

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5

This book was such a treat to read! Molly the Maid is a dedicated and hard working employee who discovers a dead body of a hotel VIP. She quickly becomes entangled in a web she never knew existed.

Molly is quirky, unique and while she may not understand social cues and norms, she's delightful. I just wanted to give her the biggest hug! To me, Molly reminded me of Forrest Gump with the same drive and love (also reminded me of the boy from The Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime). Molly is certainly memorable!

While this story is a fast paced whodunit, there is definitely more laying beneath the surface. There's a strong story of family support, grief and self acceptance.

I really enjoyed this one! Definitely worth reading! Thank you to the publisher for my copy! My review has also been posted on my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYT-9-nLCO_/?utm_medium=copy_link

The Maid by Nita Prose is one hell of a debut novel! Molly the maid is a twenty five year old lady, and though it is never said, based on her thoughts and behaviours, I believe she’s on the autism spectrum. Told from Molly’s point of view, I loved learning how she interpreted certain behaviours and looks differently than I would, as well as how she navigates her different relationships - especially after the death of her Gran, nine months earlier.
When she’s accused of murder, it was heartbreaking to see how Molly was taken advantage of by certain people she thought she could trust, and how others she didn’t expect were in her corner the whole time!
Overall, this was a unique story that has a great cast of characters and some interesting twists thrown in!

Book Review
The Maid by Nita Prose
Thank you to @penguinrandomca and @netgalley for my digital copy in return for an honest review

Let’s talk about Molly- Molly the Maid

Her character is unique. A woman raised by her grandmother she has a few quirks. Her phrasing and speech are formal. Her clothes are plain. Her demeanour suggests a no nonsense attitude. Her dedication to her job and her work ethic are pillars of her character. Social graces and etiquette are rules to be learned. People, feelings, social relationships are challenges to be faced.

Molly now finds herself the centre of attention when she discovers a dead body while cleaning. Without her grandmother to support her, Molly is trying to learn how to trust others and navigate her way out of a delicate situation. Can she trust Juan? Mr Preston? Mrs Black?

The Maid offers readers a#whodunnit #clue type
Journey through its pages. Each character Nita introduces immediately becomes a suspect. The Grand Regency sets the stage for intrigue and lies. The ending will leave you reeling…..

This book is soo much more than just a murder mystery. It is a book about fitting in when you are different, about accepting yourself and seeing yourself as others see you… it is about growth of self. It is about not judging a book by its cover….

Highly recommend for lovers of traditional mysteries (Agatha Christie)

I loved this book! Molly The Maid was so real and such an interesting character. The twists and turns in this book did not disappoint. Molly's ignorance was interesting and her friendship with Giselle was slightly inappropriate but the whole, Who dun it was so unexpected until you got till the end. I highly recommend this book to everyone I know that loves a good and interesting thriller.

Molly is a delightful character, she is employed at the posh Regency Hotel as a maid. She cleans and polishes and makes sure everything is perfect! She was brought up by her gran with old fashioned ideas about how to behave and speak to people. Her gran believed everyone was the same no matter what their job was and everyone deserved respect……no matter what,

After her gran dies, Molly is lost and seeks positive attention wherever she can, but unfortunately not always with the right people. Molly likes detail and can recall instances as they happened, but the larger picture often escapes her. She is often misunderstood and called strange and obsessive, and that becomes very clear in her interpretation of peoples responses to her.

I particularly liked the ending, Molly has a few surprises for the reader! Well worth reading.