Already a publishing sensation, this book is destined to be on many readers' 2022 Favourites lists, and deservedly so. Both clever and charming, it also crosses a number of different genres, which will give it broad appeal.

Arguably the best maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, young Molly Gray has not had the easiest life. Raised and protected by her beloved Gran, Molly struggles to read expression and to comprehend social cues, which has made her the target of bullies both in the school system and now in the workplace. But she does her best and even now that her Gran has died, she still has a small number of trusted friends she can rely on for help with these things. Like Rodney the Bar Manager, who she once 'dated', and Giselle Black, a frequent guest of the hotel. But when Molly discovers Giselle's husband dead in his bed, and she is taken in for questioning, Molly knows enough to understand that trust has to be earned. Over the course of a week, with her life spiralling out of control, Molly has to find an inner strength she didn't know she had, to clean up this particular mess.

Littered with aphorisms and sprinkled with gentle humour, this is a murder mystery that will leave you smiling and feeling pretty good about the world.

‘My uniform is my freedom. It is the ultimate invisibility cloak.’

Meet the Maid, twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray. Molly enjoys her work as a hotel maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, cleaning to return hotel rooms to a state of perfection. Molly is different: she struggles with social skills, takes things literally and often misreads the intentions of others. Which, now that her gran is no longer able to give her guidance, leads Molly into a difficult situation.

Molly’s life is turned upside down on from the day she enters the suite of Charles Black and finds him dead in his bed Molly becomes caught up in a conspiracy, involving some people she thought were friends and her responses to questioning by the police make her a suspect. There are quite a few twists and turns as the mystery unfolds: who killed Mr Black, and why? And who will help Molly?

This is a wonderful story. It is a mixture of mystery and life lessons for Molly, leavened with humour (at times). Because we are taking the journey with Molly, most of us will be aware of the hazards before she is. Molly is a delightful character, and this is a sensational debut novel.

‘We’re all the same in different ways.’

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Wow, wow, wow. Nita Prose's 'The Maid' is the cozy thriller I've been longing for - quirky, captivating, and hard to put down.

The novel is told from the perspective of Molly Gray - a twenty-five year old maid who struggles reading social cues and finds difficulty in interpreting the intentions of others. Her off-beat, straight-to-the-point delivery makes for a truly captivating read and had me rooting for her right from the start.

Being quick to trust others, Molly suddenly finds herself in the middle of a major conspiracy, quickly becoming the lead suspect in the murder of Charles Black, a socialite who often stays in the Regency Grand Hotel. What follows is a brilliant unfolding of twists and turns, with Molly slowly learning that others may not always have her back and see things the way that she does.

Molly is a real gem, making 'The Maid' a must read in 2022. What a sensational debut from Nita Prose!

Thanks to HarperCollins for access to this ARC via NetGalley - a real treat and absolute pleasure to read!

The Maid follows the story of Molly Gray who works at Regency Grand Hotel as a maid. She is still mourning the loss of her Gran when her world gets turned upside down in a bad way. Molly comes across a dead body when she is on her cleaning rounds, the body of Mr Black. Mr Black is a VIP of the hotel and a very successful business man. Molly becomes a suspect in the murder inquiry and gets the help of a few “true” friends to get down to the bottom of what actually happened.

Molly is not like everyone else, she is unique and is very trusting. I honestly felt like jumping through the book to shake her a few times. I needed her to open her eyes to see what was really going on at the hotel. We meet some nice characters and some really terrible ones along the way. It is definitely not like the crime thrillers I normally read. It was fun and quirky, a story outlining true friendship and finding love.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Intriguing whodunnit story about Molly the Maid, who gets caught up in a tangled web that she doesn’t quite understand.
Story twists and turns, is a little drawn out in the middle but has a fun ending.
Thanks #netgalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia for providing me with this book for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story - a cozy thriller, perhaps, is the best way to describe its essence - but I did find aspects of it frustrating.

It’s written in first person - not my favourite POV - and at times the style is a little clumsy. A lot of “I did this”, “I did that”, which was repetitive, even though the style did lend itself to the main character, Molly Gray.

Molly the Maid, as she describes herself, is soothed by the the rituals and rules of her job. Though it’s not definitely stated, it’s obvious that Molly is not “neurotypical”. A reality that means she doesn’t really see the world, or people, as others see them, and which ultimate lands her in trouble…

At turns, unknowing and then knowing, it did lead one to wonder about Molly’s view of the world.

There are some twists to this tale, and it does pick up the pace as the story continues.

It’s a promising debut, and the book was an easy and interesting read.

3.5/5

#TheMaid #NetGalley #HarperCollinsAustralia

"The Maid" is Molly Gray, aged 25 and living alone since her beloved grandmother died. Molly is neuro-divergent and doesn't pick up on facial expressions or social cues. She works as a maid at an upmarket hotel and takes great pride in leaving every room that she cleans impeccable.

Molly's life veers out of control the day that she discovers an extremely wealthy guest dead in his hotel room. Her failure to react in the expected manner leads to the police identifying her as a suspect and Molly realises that some people she thought were her friends were taking advantage of her.

I got Eleanor Oliphant vibes from this book - both have similar, emotionally stunted heroines with damaged pasts. But this is also a murder mystery and may also appeal to fans of the Thursday Murder Club series. I particularly enjoyed the second half when Molly starts to become less gullible and there are a couple of pleasing twists in what until then I had assumed was a straightforward plot. The Maid was missing the magical x factor that elevates a book for me but quite possibly that says more about my aversion to heart warming books with quirky characters than it does about the book itself.

I received an ARC from Harper Collins via Net Galley.

What an utterly delightful novel this was! Part cosy mystery, part dark comedy, part life lessons, this novel really caught me by surprise. I enjoyed it so much I missed reading it once I was finished. There was something so satisfying about sinking into the pages of this one and it’s got the honour of being my first five star read for 2022.

Molly works as a maid at a fancy hotel, living alone since her beloved grandmother died, struggling to make ends meet, and isolated socially by those around her who think she’s odd, amongst other insults. Molly’s social skills differ from the ‘norm’ and without her grandmother to interpret things for her, she finds herself in a vulnerable position, unable to see the danger lurking right in front of her and unable to read the not so good intentions of those who want to take advantage of her goodness. People assume that because her social skills are less honed, that she is stupid – so not the case!

I really enjoyed this novel and loved Molly as a character. There are many take home messages from this story, and while it is ultimately a feel-good novel, it dips in and out of these important themes with ease. Above all, never assume, you know the old adage: ASS-U-ME. The Maid is a top-notch story and I believe the film rights have already been snapped up. It would make a terrific film with the right actor in the role of Molly. A funny, heart-warming, original story that I recommend widely.

5/5

Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

“Today at work, I found a guest very dead in his bed. Mr. Black. The Mr. Black. Other than that, my work day was as normal as ever.”


The Maid is a quirky dark comedy cozy murder mystery from Canadian book editor turned debut author, Nita Prose.

Molly Gray is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel. Completing every task with the good humour, efficiency and attention to detail her late grandmother encouraged in her, she loves everything about her job from donning the crisply laundered uniform to fluffing pillows. Discovering a VIP hotel guest very dead in his bed not only disrupts Molly’s daily routine but very quickly her whole life when the police name her as a suspect.

Told from her point of view, twenty-five year old Molly is an endearing character, sweet and artless but also socially awkward. Raised by her grandmother, who recently passed away, Molly clings to her routines, struggling to adapt to a life without her. Her work is all she has, and though she is generally content to be invisible as she carries out her duties, Molly, who has trouble interpreting nuance, is susceptible to people willing to take advantage of her.

It seems absurd that anyone would consider Molly capable of murder, it appears obvious that she’s unwittingly been manipulated into a vulnerable position by a desperate wife and a roguish barman. In fact there doesn’t seem to be much to the mystery of Charles Black’s death at first, so disclosures later in the story came as a brilliant surprise. There is unexpected depth to The Maid which is easily overlooked, reflecting the complexity of Molly’s own personality. It’s with her Gran’s advice echoing in her head, and the help of a few true friends at the Regency Grand, that Molly begins to blossom, and find a way out of her predicament.

Prose seems to have been partially influenced by movies such as Clue, and Knives Out, the former obvious given the character’s names associations with colour, and the cozy eccentricity of the latter. Already optioned for development The Maid will translate well to the screen.

Clever, heartwarming and charming, The Maid is an absolute delight to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia for providing me with this book for an honest review.

Let me start by saying the main character, Molly, is as frustrating as she is loveable. She is at times so oblivious to the social cues of the world that it gets her in way too deep with what looks like no way out. All because of her ability to find bad eggs instead of good eggs when it comes to people.

Molly is a maid at a fancy hotel and there are a range of characters who work there, both good and bad eggs along with all manner of guests. Molly is used to not being seen, but due to finding a dead guest she starts being seen in ways she would rather not.

It’s a light, easy read and quite enjoyable.

It's clear why this book has already had film right's snapped up! Masterfully crafted with several plot twists along the way. Molly the Maid is an empathetic character and I was heartbroken at what she endured. Somewhere on the spectrum, I assume, I was dying for someone to explain that her reactions are not indicative of any wrong-doing!. It was enlightening to see how society views and treats people who have difficulty reading social cues, but also how that person interacts with society. Although a bit slow to start, once I got into this book, I could not stop reading.

Molly Gray is naïve, has no social skills, and loved her job as a maid at the Grand Regency Hotel. One morning, Mr Black is found dead, by Molly, in his penthouse suite, and everything is different … or is it? The book follows a number of days from the discovery of the murdered Mr Black, and also takes trips down memory lane to build the character of Milly the Maid. So let’s look at Molly – she is very literal, and does not understand a lot of social cues or sayings. Is she neurodiverse, or was her character was a result of such a sheltered life and upbringing. She lived alone, after her grandmother, who reared her, died of pancreatic cancer. She doesn’t change much after her murder discovery, and where she does change or challenge her own thoughts, it just seems too logical. How does she suddenly apply 20-odd years of “learning” from her Gran in one shining moment? How does she sit on pivotal information through the whole story? How does she suddenly have the self-awareness to do this?

And then there are all the other characters in her life – in the hotel we have Mr Preston (a reliable old grandfather figure), Juan ( kitchen hand), Rodney (smarmy bartender), Cheryl/Chernobyl (stereotypical gaslighting supervisor), Mr Rosso (cantankerous landlord) and of course Gran with her endless pearls of wisdom. There’s that line in the book where Molly says : “I did not hide the truth … But I also didn’t volunteer it” and I wonder if Molly really is understanding what she is saying because it seemed so out of character. Or was it because she wanted everyone to like her and was longing so much for a connection to anyone? Is that the premise of this book? The idea that Molly as a maid is so detached from the world around her and all the guests that come and go in the Regency - that she is invisible to - and this sequence of events puts her in the spotlight for the very first time? Is she just longing to be seen, to be connected to someone that she will do whatever she can to accommodate them over her own needs and safety? An interesting read.

“I am your maid. I know so much about you. But when it comes down to it: what do you know about me?"
Thanks @netgalley and @harpercollinsau for the e-ARC.

The Maid by Nita Prose

Molly Gray is a maid at The Regency Grand Hotel. One day she finds one of their most prestige guests, Mr Black, dead in his bed.

The Maid is written through the eyes of Molly as she describes events in her
child-like innocence while you understand what is really happening, like if you spoke to a two-year-old who barged into his parent’s bedroom and told you he saw them wrestling you understood what was really going on. But it is because of Molly’s child like innocence that she is framed for My Black’s murder and she discovers who her real friends are as they defend her innocence.

I loved Molly’s innocence and her way of talking so formal and old fashion, at first I thought this book was set in the 1800’s until she mentioned someone took out their mobile phone.

This is Nita Prose’s first fantastic novel and I can not wait to read her future books.

I would like to thank Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Molly the Maid is a delightful, quirky character who is smart and funny even as she is socially awkward. She's been struggling a little since her beloved grandmother who brought her up died recently. Her lack of social cues means she has few friends and although she is kind to others needing help, struggles to recognise when someone is using her. This will eventually get her into a lot of trouble in her job at the luxurious Regency Grand Hotel where she works.

Molly Gray loves to follow rules, especially those pertaining to good cleaning and takes pride in doing her job to the highest standard. She knows it is her role to be invisible to the guests, but despite this she becomes friendly with Giselle, the wife of millionaire Charles Black who both stay regularly in the penthouse suite. When Molly enters the suite one day to find Mr Black dead, she becomes a suspect in the eyes of the police. It's then she will find out who has been using her and who her true friends are.

I just love Molly the Maid, she's the right mix of someone a little different and someone who is kind, generous and loyal. This is such a good debut novel, perfectly written and paced just right with a good serving of humour as Molly navigates the peaks and troughs of social interactions and criminal investigations. This has gone straight onto the list of my favourite novels this year. Highly recommended!

This is an absolutely delightful novel. I read the blurb an decided to give it a go and I am so glad that I did. Apparently I am not the only one the film rights have already been bought.
The novel centres around Molly a 25 year old maid who is clearly on the spectrum. She is socially awkward and has no end of trouble reading people and this is something some people have no trouble taking advantage of.

This is a beautifully written quirky novel with some really amazing characters - yes even the ones you do not like are amazing. While this is touted as a mystery novel for me it was more a study of characters. Yes there is a mystery to solved but the delight for the reader is solving the mystery of the characters we meet along the way. For those wanting a well plotted cosy mystery you certainly get that as well.

This is a debut novel by Nita Prose and I really can not wait to read what she does next.

Thanks to Netgalley the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel.

What a wonderful debut!

I can see why there would be connections drawn to ‘Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine’ as our protagonist, and narrator, is neurodivergent and struggles to socialise and communicate with others. This is a perceived weakness that her colleagues ridicule and manipulate- but as the novel reveals, “we are all the same in different ways.” It is Molly’s differentness that makes her a genuine and loveable heroine.Although we never meet Molly’s Nan, her words of wisdom are with us throughout the story, and by the end of the novel it is clear that she is with Molly always.

This was a wonderful story and I’m very excited to see the film adaptation with Florence Pugh. Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia for gifting me this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read some fantastic reviews about Nita Prose’s debut novel THE MAID, so of course I couldn’t resist, even though “cozies” are not usually a genre I read very often.

Molly Gray is a socially awkward twenty-five year old woman who has been living with her grandmother until she passed away from cancer a few months ago. She is still feeling her absence and misses her guidance dearly, and barely makes ends meet as a maid at The Grand Regency Hotel, a job Molly loves because she feels a lot of satisfaction in creating order. One day she finds a dead guest in one of the rooms she regularly cleans, and her life is turned upside down.

THE MAID was a light, borderline humorous read with some deeper themes of loss, grief, friendship and finding your way in the world. Molly was a quirky if slightly naive character, and I kept picturing her as a kind of female Forrest Gump – kind-hearted and honest but always slightly behind the eight ball. Unfortunately I never quite connected to Molly as much as most readers whose glowing five star reviews can be found everywhere on Goodreads and social media.

Unpopular opinion: I found Molly to be an inconsistent character, totally naive one moment and quite streetsmart the next. I also found the plot quite predictable and not very original, but perhaps that is the characteristic of a cozy mystery and I am simply not the right reader for the genre. I much preferred the snarky honesty of Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant, the original protagonist who seems to have sparked an avalanche of books with neurodivergent characters. All side characters felt like wooden caricatures to me, their relationship to Molly only ever skimming the surface without real background or depth. If I am totally honest, I struggled to finish the book because I did not feel invested in any of the characters. However, I think that this book would make a perfect screenplay / TV series!

All in all, THE MAID has received high praise by countless readers on social media and will appeal to people who appreciate a gentler, less snarky version of Eleanor Oliphant. Personally, I found it a bit slow and predictable, and wanted more character development, even though it ticked the boxes for a light, slightly humorous read.

2.5 stars

9/10 stars!!

If anyone is looking for a domestic fiction that features a quirky and entertaining main character, a ‘who dunnit’ murder and a massive twist - look no further!! The Maid is sure to suffice all your cravings!

The Maid is a gorgeous novel with an equally as gorgeous main character (known as Molly The Maid) who you just want to squeeze for the duration of the book. Molly’s lack of understanding of many social ques make for an entertaining and wholesome read and create a whole new meaning to the story line!!

Molly’s relationship with her Gran, despite her Gran’s passing is such a prominent theme in the book and it was so incredibly how the author portrayed such an amazing connection and relationship, without Molly’s gran ever featuring in a present tense form!

The only downfall for me was the book is told from days of the week in the space of one week, which given everything that happened, was slightly unbelievable to me! Apart from that I genuinely couldn’t fault it, this is one of my favourite reads this year !!

The Maid is the first novel by Canadian editor and author, Nita Prose. Twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray is a maid in the Regency Grand, a very exclusive boutique hotel. She is diligent, discreet and courteous: “Is this a good time for me to return your suite to a state of perfection?”

Molly tends to interpret what is said very literally and has always relied on her Gran to help her read social cues. Her oddly formal way of speaking is likely thanks to her beloved Gran, but since she died, Molly’s having to manage alone.

She’s not an idiot, though, whatever people think: she’s learning: “The smile that wasn’t a smile. I’m beginning to understand the nuances of smiles, their cornucopia of meanings. I save each smile in a dictionary that I keep alphabetized on a shelf in my mind.”

One reason she loves her job so much is that the manager of the hotel, Mr Snow has a strict set of rules, and Molly is good at following rules. But what rules does she follow when she finds real estate magnate, Charles Black, dead in his suite on a Monday afternoon?

Molly is an interesting character and it is quickly clear that her (rather incredible) naivete, her tendency to give everyone she meets the benefit of the doubt, and her far too trusting nature have landed her in a nasty situation of which she is unaware. Luckily, not all her trust is misplaced.

In this brilliant debut novel, Prose offers the reader an irresistible protagonist, plenty of dark humour, and a few red herrings laced through a fast-paced plot that will keep even the most astute reader guessing right up to the final, stunning twist. Definitely lives up to the hype!!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia.