This follow-up to The Maid is not quite as surprising and fun as the original. While Prose works to provide Molly with a deeper and more complex back story, I felt that the present-day mystery was not as exciting as I'd hoped. The dual timelines are interwoven well and the author ties things up nicely at the end. But I felt the resolution to the mystery was a bit contrived and unsatisfying.

That said, this book is an easy read that brings back some favorite characters. Molly goes through some interesting character development in this installment and I'm interested to see where the author takes her in future books.

Molly the Maid is back again! 🧹🫧🧼

I absolutely loved The Maid by @nitaprose and knew I needed to read her second book in the series, The Mystery Guest, to get another dose of Molly!

When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to a fastidious maid, Molly Gray, to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty.

Molly is a one of a kind character and I love her! She is dedicated to her job as head maid at The Regency Grand, believes in proper etiquette in all situations, and cannot stand messes! So when an author she knew way back when she was a young girl drops dead during an appearance in the hotel tea room, Molly is all over the case with Detective Stark to uncover the killer. With dual timelines and flashbacks to her past, this story was interesting and kept me on my toes!

And as always, I loved the dark witty comments throughout, making this murder mystery thrilling yet lighthearted and fun!

Molly Grey is one of the most unique protagonists I have met in mystery novels. Her attention to detail, linear thinking and esoteric knowledge add up to an engaging character. She takes pride in her role as head maid at the prestigious Regency Grand Hotel, quite content and proud of a profession viewed as menial and demeaning. When famous mystery author J. D.. Grimthorpe is poisoned at a book event in the Art Deco tearoom suspicion falls on her coworker Lily. Determined to maintain the Regency's and Lily's reputation Molly is determined to uncover the culprit. Despite distrust Detective Stark grudgingly accepts her input. In this second outing readers learn much more of Molly and her grandmother's backstory highlighting her childhood and the people and events that shaped her. Written in two different timelines this engaging cozy unfolds gently making for a refreshing and relaxing read. Molly's unusual response to the world and people around her as she shares her inner thoughts are interesting and thought provoking. An enjoyable, relaxing read.

Molly the maid is back! There is another murder at the Regency Grand Hotel and Molly and the same cast of characters we met in, The Maid, are on the job to find the murderer. Molly is now head maid, a role she takes very seriously and with much pride of purpose. The murder victim is a famous mystery author about to make a big announcement, but dies on stage before he gets a chance. Turns out that J.D. Grimthorpe was someone from Molly's past - she helped her Gran clean Grimthorpe mansion. We get a glimpse into Molly's childhood as she remembers bits and pieces of her time at the mansion. This is a very entertaining cozy style mystery, the characters are interesting and it is wonderful to read Molly's backstory and how she became so close to her Gran and why she enjoys being a made so much. My only complaint would be that the "twist" was a little too obvious, but since I like Molly so much this was still a fun read.

The first half of this book was very slow for me. I didn’t feel like there was enough happening to keep my interest. The flashbacks to Molly’s time at the Grimthorpe Mansion felt uncomfortable and unpleasant. I wish there had been a bit more interaction with some positive characters (Jennings?) to offset the scariness of the Grimthorpes. The second half started to move more quickly once the mystery started to unravel.

I like Molly as a character enough that I will continue the series, but this was just OK for me.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am blown away by how much I absolutely fell in love with Molly the Maid and her story. Nita Prose did an incredible job weaving together the past and present, allowing the reader to fall madly in love with the staff of the Regency Grand Hotel and have a better understanding of why some characters are there. I loved that it read like a dual POV but was in fact Molly in present time and Molly as a child. I highly recommend any reader to check out The Maid, but it is not necessary in order to enjoy this book. I think that’s a huge plus and says so much about Nita as an author. Yes the two books are connected but do not rely on eachother to tell a whole story.

Wow! I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one. The book was fast paced and a fun read! Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

The Mystery Guest is such a fun read. The flashbacks on Gran and Molly are my favorite chapters. Their relationship was so special. You can understand Molly more and see how Gran helped shape her into the woman she is today. I enjoyed Molly’s character more in this book than in The Maid. I found her more endearing.
The mystery behind Mr Grimthorpe and the murder in the Regency Grand Hotel is thrilling with lots of twists to keep you guessing.
While reading The Maid is not necessary to enjoy this story, I would recommend it.

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Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced copy and the chance to review it honestly.

When an acclaimed author dies at the Regency Grand Hotel, it’s up to Molly Gray, the head maid, to uncover the truth.

Molly is back! The Mystery Guest is an entertaining and fast read. I adore Molly’s character and I’m hoping there will be a third book. The pacing was perfect and just like the first installment, I found this one to be delightful. It’s books like this that remind me of how much I like a good cozy mystery. There’s something about it’s wit and cleverness that wraps me up like a warm cozy blanket. This can be read as a stand-alone but I definitely recommend reading both books, you will not be disappointed!

Happy reading

Let me tell you, the second book in this series did not disappoint! I really enjoyed being back together with this cast of characters and to hear their stories. I thought that the murder in this book was an interesting one - especially tied to Molly's past. I look forward to reading more in this series!

This one had some great character development! Molly is A LOT more accepting and understanding in this one than in The Maid- it really showcased how much she's grown as a person. Like the last one, THE MYSTERY GUEST felt more like a cozy, a likable MC, a close-knit community and a death that isn't gory.

Molly the Maid is such a quirky character. I love how they have made her interesting personality almost like a super power where she’s able to use it to solve crimes. It reminded me a lot of the show Elementary.

Unfortunately the whole mystery aspect of this plot felt like a miss. I honestly had to ask myself who the person was again when I found out who the murderer was. It didn’t feel as crafty. I’m not sure a sequel was needed actually. The first book was just so good- this one didn’t measure up.

This book was awesome! I really enjoyed the first Molly the Maid story and this one was just as good. I enjoyed how the book kept switching from the past to the present and back again. I enjoyed learning Molly's back story. I really hope there is another Molly the Maid book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me this book in exchange for my honest review!!

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Thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own. I really liked this book. It was mysteriously intriguing. It kept me guessing and every turn and finished nicely.

When I read The Maid I thought it was a stand alone novel. I kind of wish it had remained a stand alone novel. Part of the reason I enjoyed The Maid so much was because it was unique. The main character is neurodivergent. While many novels now have a neurodivergent character, this is one of the few (maybe only) novels that have a neurodivergent main character.

The Mystery Guest felt like a cookie cutter novel. Because it was so much like the first novel, I wonder if Prose felt pressured to write another book featuring Molly because of the success of The Maid and never had any intention of writing series. There were some conituity issues between the two books. And it felt like several times the author took the easy way out of a plot point.

For example, when Molly's school wants her to repeat a grade because of her lack of social adeptness. The teacher tells Molly's grandmother that she can pay for extra services. But it is pointed out that Molly attends a public school. By law, the school has to provide those services for free. The scene made it feel like the novel was not set in present day. You can tell the author needed a way to put Molly in the house where her grandmother worked and that she chose this.

It was enjoyable enough if you are wanting a mindless read. Several of the characters from the first book are in this book, so if you enjoyed the characters are interested in where they are four years later, you will want to read this book. I'm not sure if a third novel is planned in this series, but I more than likely won't read it.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/02/reading-second-book-by-favorite-authors.html

I was so excited to get approved for the second book to The Maid and continue reading about Molly’s life and experiences. This book did not disappoint, and I actually think I enjoyed it even more than the first! We learn so much about Molly’s childhood, her life, and of course, there’s more mystery to uncover here! This book was similar to the first, in that it is a fun, enjoyable easy read, and Nita Prose will be an automatic read for me from here on out.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Maid" is one of my all-time favorite reads, and Molly is one of the most delightful characters ever to grace the page of a novel. Nita Prose's follow-up avoids the sophomore slump and delivers just as tightly-crafted a mystery as her first; it is a joy to revisit beloved characters, and this is a page-turner from start to finish. I can't wait to see what other adventures dear Molly gets up to in the future, and I'm impatiently waiting for the big-screen adaptation and Florence Pugh bringing Molly to life!.

Loved another book with Molly the Maid! Loved seeing a look into Molly's childhood. Did not quite have the I can't put this book down like the first book but it is a lovely cozy mystery centering around the most endearing main character! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I enjoyed Prose’s first novel, The Maid, last year and knew I wanted to read more about Molly Gray in her latest book The Mystery Guest.

I was interested to read more about Molly’s background and what contributed to shaping her into the person she was, so the flashbacks to her childhood was interesting. (I have a son on the spectrum and know the struggles with ableism that accompanies life, so reading through some of Molly’s experiences hit home.)

Some of the story felt a bit rushed and would’ve liked a little bit more, but overall it was well-rounded.

🎧 Side note, I listened to some of this on audio. Lauren Ambrose was just as enjoyable to listen to here as she was in The Maid. Definitely recommend her as a narrator.

Thank you #NetGalley and #BallantineBooks for an arc of #themysteryguest in exchange for an honest review.

Molly the Maid is back with a new adventure. When a bestselling author drops dead while presenting at the Regency Grand Hotel, an exciting day suddenly turns Molly's world upside down - again! As the death is deemed a murder, Molly and her coworkers work to find the killer. This second Molly the Maid book is as delightful as the first. Molly's proper etiquette and delightful language is sure to keep you reading as the true killer is found.