This is the second book in the Molly Maid series. This one goes back and forth from when Molly was young to present time. We get to see some of Molly's childhood, her troubles in school, and how her grandma supported her. In present time, a mysterious death of a famous author is connected to Molly's past and she's the one to solve his mystery! I like how Molly stand up more for herself in this book, showing character growth.

Couldn't and didn't want to put this cosy mystery down!

Everything I loved about the first book makes a comeback in this captivating page-turner. The cast is just as lovable and memorable as before, and I loved how we get more of their backstories here.

I thought the whodunit was just okay as it didn't blow my mind, but the suspense kept me hooked still. Needless to say, it's the characters (Molly and her gran especially) who really shine.

Once more, the author masterfully dives into important issues such as prejudice against blue-collared workers and those who are deemed different from societal norms. I really enjoyed her writing; it's easy to flow through while filled with humour and wit.

Can't wait for Molly's next adventure!

Sequels are always hard to anticipate…will they live up to the way you loved the first book or will they leave you wanting more?

The Mystery Guest is the follow up to Prose’s hit book, The Maid, and for me, this one did not disappoint!

I loved that Prose chose to weave storylines from past and present together, allowing readers to get to know more about Molly and her childhood. The past timeline is not without a strong connection to present day events, but as often happens with this style of plot, readers are left to guess how things will wrap up.

The overarching murder mystery plot is quick to be executed, which leaves plenty of time for Molly to sleuth along with readers for clues about the killer’s identity and their motive.

Prose carries on the same quirky, cozy mystery vibe from the first book to ensure fans will be sticking around for many more releases in this series!

I enjoyed this read, but sadly for me not as amazing as the first book featuring this character, The story was gripping though and a fast read,

This was a sad miss for me. I loved the first novel, but I just couldn't get back into the Molly world with this one. It kind of felt like all that I needed to know about Molly, I learned in the first novel.

Great follow up to the first book! I always enjoy entering the world of Molly the maid. She is such an interesting protagonist and I love seeing what she gets up to.

Molly is back and better than ever! Many times sequels don’t live up to the hype of their predecessors but this one was certainly a good contender for the original. Absolutely love Nita Prose’s writing and can’t wait to see more from her in the future.

I really enjoyed The Maid. The quirkiness of Molly was fun & overall, between her unique character & the story itself it was a great read.

In this book, The Mystery Guest, I liked how it alternated between the past & present so we found out much more about Molly’s character, and how she ended up under her grandma Flora’s care.

I think that I was content with a one & done for The Maid/Molly though. This book just felt too over the top for me & pretty repetitive as far as Molly went (her signature quotes etc.). I also thought it was weird that Juan was her live-in boyfriend but not really in the book at all besides a couple phone calls. I think had he actually been a part of the book it would have added to the story with maybe some weird romance (I picture her a Nun or never giving more than a hug🤷‍♀️😂) or at least another dynamic to having him interacting with her during what all went on. I did like where the relationship between Molly & Detective Stark went, that helped me with the story & being interested in it. Kind of a flat story overall & just kind of silly. I could’ve gone without reading this & not felt like I missed out, I never felt excited to pick it up & I don’t like that! The only thing I felt that it added to The Maid (series?) was getting backstory into Molly’s past. It was written well (the authors vocabulary is impressive to say the least), she’s also very good at being descriptive of the surroundings & the people! It’s not a bad book by any means but I just didn’t find it super exciting/interesting.

Prose is an excellent writer so I’d love to read what she comes out with next (as long as it’s not a sequel to The Maid & a fresh storyline) 💖

Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC - always appreciative!

Nita Prose is back with Molly the Maid! I was not expecting a sequel to The Maid, but I am glad the Molly's story was not finished and we were given another mystery for her to solve. To me it was not as good as the first one, but still kept my attention. Overall this is a cozy mystery, easy to read, and entertaining.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Molly the Maid is back for her next installment. Now, she is the Head Maid and takes her job very seriously. She convinces her boss at the Regency Grand Hotel to reopen the Tea Room. In its debut, a famous author is coming to give a huge announcement. However, the author drops dead prior to the big announcement. Unfortunately, the detective thinks that one of the staff caused the death of the author. In a back and forth in time, Molly once again proves that just because you are a maid, you are not unintelligent.

I love this series and look forward to what comes next!

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲...
✨ Cozy mysteries
✨ Multiple storylines / flashbacks
✨ Quirky main character
✨ Friends that become family

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
During the first book, it took me a while to warm up to Molly BUT, but the end of the book, I fell in love with her. Picking up this book, especially as an audiobook, was like a warm hug. I was invited back into Molly’s world and I didn’t want to leave. I really enjoyed the narrator and finally putting a voice to Molly — it made me love her even more.

The plot was certainly interesting - and I really enjoyed the flashbacks to Molly’s childhood with Gran and how it is woven with the storyline of J.D. Grimthorpe. I enjoyed spending more time with Gran and learning about Molly when she was younger. The mystery plotline throughout was very well written and kept me guessing the entire time - it was certainly a cozy mystery!

I can’t wait to pick up Molly’s holiday story ◡̈

I like Molly. She reminds of me of an adult Amelia Bedelia. Good mystery but nothing too surprising in the reveal. I am waiting to get 2.5 The Mistletoe Mystery. I will continue reading the series.

Thank you to Nita Prose, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Mystery Guest!

I was so excited to get an ARC of The Mystery Guest. I truly enjoyed the first book in the series, The Maid and was ready for more of Molly the Maid's antics and witty quips. The Mystery Guest was more of the same.

While Prose did keep us on the edge of our seats trying to figure out if Molly was going to be wrongfully charged with murder again, I enjoyed how the readers got more of Molly's back story and a look into her life with her grandmother. The flashbacks to Molly's childhood and experiences really helped to solidify her character and provide insight into her habits as an adult. We also got to see more of Molly's friendships with the other people working at the Regency Grand Hotel and it is wonderful to see such an adorable little found family forming with these characters.

I thought the book moved at a great pace and kept me wanting to read more to figure out just who had poisoned J.D. Grimthorpe. I ran through so many scenarios in my head. Was this man truly murdered? Did he commit suicide? Did he have any redeeming qualities? Everything was "polished to perfection" at the end and wrapped up leaving me satisfied with the ending but still wanting more stories from these characters. I hope we get more from this series!

4.5 out of 5 stars

Oh how I love Molly the Maid! This was such a fun book to read. I fell in love with Molly in book one and loved seeing her story continue in this book. I was glad to see the return of a few characters from the first book as Molly has to deal with another murder at her hotel in The Mystery Guest. She is so smart and notices things others don't because of her neuro-divergence and it helps her be instrumental in solving the crime. I loved the flashbacks in this book that help us to know her character even better. It was fun seeing others realize what a treasure she is. I am very eager to read more from Nita Prose.

Easy to follow. A light mystery with romance, humor and cuteness. If you just need something easy to read or listen to this is perfect. Main character is a perfectionist and that makes the book fun.

A good follow-up from The Maid, but it lacked the uniqueness of the first book. While entertaining, I did think this one was quite as memorable.

I enjoyed this sequel. It was nice to see Molly grow as a person and her have real people in her corner. It felt like this book focused more on Molly than on the mystery but it was a pleasant read. It felt more like a cozy mystery rather than a hardcover mystery.

It took me too long to read this sequel, but I’m so glad I did. While I didn’t love it quite as much as THE MAID, it was fun to be back in this world. Molly is such a quirky character that you can’t help to love.

This storyline isn’t novel by any means but I love that Molly is able to see things that other people can’t. She is so endearing and made this a cozy mystery. I loved finding out more about her past and connection with Grimthorpe to solve the case.

I will definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for a light, cozy read. I gave it 3.5 🌟 and enjoyed it a lot!

“It underscored just how hazardous a maid’s work can be. It’s not the backbreaking labor, the demanding guests, or the cleaning chemicals that present the greatest danger. It’s the assumption that maids are delinquents, murderers, and thieves: the maid is always to blame.”


When I first read The Maid by Nita Prose I was underwhelmed because the hype created expectations that weren’t necessarily met. I think I enjoyed this book better because I went into it knowing what it would be like.

It was still a mystery I didn’t have completely solved, though parts of it were predictable. This series is not one to read for hard-hitting thrills and chills. Its brand is ‘endearing and mysterious.’ Molly Gray is a person you just love. Her attention to obscure or random details makes her an excellent help while solving a crime in the middle of her domain.

The Mystery Guest is a continuation of Molly’s story, a few years after the first book. She has advanced to Head Maid and takes her job very seriously.

The Regency Grand Hotel unfortunately finds itself the center of another crime. If this series continues this hotel may not make it because they won’t have any guests due to its killer reputation. (Although Prose hints at a possible solution to that by the end of the book which is fun to think about happening.)

“World-renowned, bestselling, and award-winning author J.D. Grimthorpe… was set to make a big important announcement in our recently restored Grand Tearoom.”

But as he stood to make his announcement he only got a few words out “I’ve been keeping a secret, one that will no doubt surprise you” before he dropped dead.

When the cause of death is discovered, the maids are again at the top of the suspect list. The same detective from the first book is back on the scene. She begins antagonistic towards Molly but soon they work together to figure out who Grimthorpe’s killer was.


What adds another layer to this story is that Grimthorpe is no stranger to Molly.

So we flip back and forth between present day and the past when Molly’s grandmother worked at Grimthorpe’s mansion, eventually bringing Molly there to work with her.

These flashbacks flesh out the character of Grimthorpe and who may want him dead, after all, he was “a bit of a troll, with a temperament that ranges from melancholic to diabolic.”

Molly’s gran had to be part of the story, so even though she has passed, this helps keep her as a prominent character, informing the reader on a variety of things as we learn more about her. It also brings more context to the character of Molly and her upbringing.

The end wraps up nicely with a delightful surprise and a new potential avenue of exploration for the character of Molly Gray.



The connection point of this book to another book I recently read is the infamous Fabrege egg. If you want to read another book with such an item, check out Colleen Coble’s book Fragile Designs where a real Fabrege egg entangles characters with the Russian mob.



Recommendation

I would recommend this book and this series. They are cozy and feel-good mysteries that create interesting plots with likeable characters and a bit of humor sprinkled in.

This book has significantly less reviews than the first book which is too bad. Sometimes books that get really popular inevitably come with inflated expectations and leave people let down, giving up without giving the author another chance with less pressure. But both books are worth reading. Just come into it with the right mindset and you’ll enjoy it!



[Content Advisory: 0 f-words; 5 s-words; no sexual content]


**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

The Mystery Guest is the sequel to Nita Prose’s acclaimed debut, The Maid, and continues the story of Molly, the hotel maid.

Set four years after the first novel, Molly has become the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. She’s responsible for managing a special event in the newly renovated Grand Tearoom, where the renowned author J. D. Grimthorpe is set to reveal a secret to an eager crowd. However, moments after stepping onto the stage and taking a sip of his tea, Grimthorpe collapses and is pronounced dead.

Once again, Molly finds herself embroiled in a mystery when it’s revealed that Grimthorpe was murdered, with poison discovered in the honey he used. Detective Stark seems determined to pin the crime on Molly—or, if not her, then her protégé, Lily. Molly takes it upon herself to track down the real culprit to protect both of them.

Reconnecting with familiar characters from The Maid is a pleasure; Molly, now more seasoned yet still optimistic, navigates her new role. She lives with Juan Manuel, who, while absent from this story, is still a part of her life. Her relationships with her colleagues, except for the contentious Cheryl, have evolved into friendships. The narrative explores more of Molly’s background, and the murder investigation uncovers unexpected connections among the characters.

Though The Mystery Guest is an enjoyable read with a well-crafted plot, it doesn’t quite capture the same surprising edge that made The Maid so memorable.