Molly works as the Head Maid at the 5-star Regency Grand Hotel. She follows the sage advice that her grandmother, also a maid, had given her. All of the employees are proud of their jobs and have made fast friendships.

Today, the hotel is hosting a famous author, J. D. Grimthorpe, to do a reading and sign books. But when he steps up to the podium to reveal a secret to his readers, he topples off and dies.

Years ago, Molly had gone into a guest room to clean it only to find the man dead. Some tried to blame Molly for his murder but she was exonerated. Today, it’s her maid in training, Lily, upon whom the author fell when he died leaving her quite upset. Lily feels very bad because she had just brewed a cup of tea for the man exactly the way he likes it.

As Molly works to solve the mystery, we are introduced to her previous knowledge of Mr. Grimthorpe when she was a child. Blending the past and present gives the reader more insight into what makes Molly tick. There is sharp and sometimes snarky dialogue, plus tongue in cheek comments that makes the reader smile. Quirky characters add to the book. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I think I may have actually liked it better than the first one, and that's hard to do since I raved about it for awhile after reading it.

I really enjoy reading Molly's POV, and I feel that her unique personality and thought processes are done very well. It's such a great way to read a mystery that changes it up and helps it stand out from all of the other mystery books out there.

It's a cozy mystery with an amazing cast of characters that I would recommend to anyone looking for a starter mystery novel or a more unique take on a murder mystery.

9/10

Nita Prose is a wonderful writer and Molly the Maid is an incredible character. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Nita’s debut novel, The Maid. It was my favorite book of 2012 and I had no doubts it would be hugely successful.

1 million copies later, I get an advanced copy of her second book, The Mystery Guest.

It definitely doesn’t disappoint. Sure, maybe the plot line isn’t as full of surprises as The Maid, and yes there is a scene or two that felt a bit too contrived, but Nita on a bad day is better than 99% of writers in their best day.

I couldn’t put this book down. Finished it in 24 hours.

It’s another Murder Mystery at the hotel and Molly finds herself smack dab in the middle. Her simplicity and astute observation (think Autistic), is a refreshing angle on a hero and makes Molly such a wonderfully loveable character.

From the way this book is set up, I have no doubts we will see a lot of Molly the Maid in the future.

I can’t wait.

#netgalley #themysteryguest

I enjoyed this book as much as the first.
Molly is a maid and very proud of it. As a person hopeless at cleaning, I am quite fascinated by how Molly and her Gran excel at cleaning.
Molly has been promoted to head maid at the hotel. She and Juan are now a couple, but he is in Mexico with his family through this book.
The plot: a famous mystery author is murdered at the hotel. We find out Molly's backstory, and her Gran was the maid of this writer back in the day.
Molly, while differences were not looked upon well at her school, is taken out of school and accompanies Gran to work.
We see all this in flashbacks.
There are several secrets revealed in the story, some very happily. I presume there will be another book in which Molly can solve another crime with her ability to focus and notice things other miss. She even impresses Detective Stark, who completely underestimated Molly in the previous book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my EARC. I have written an honest review. I highly and somewhat unexpectedly really enjoyed this series so far. Hope there will be another.

This was pretty entertaining. I liked the evolution of the characters from the first book to this one as well as all the new quirky characters added.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for my gifted ARC!

Molly, the maid is back and caught up in yet another MYSTERY murder! Molly Gray has now been Head Maid for 3.5 years and is training new maid Lilly. She has accomplished quite a bit in the last 3.5 years, including penning the maid handbook for the Regency Hotel and maintaining her live-in relationship with fellow coworker, Manuel.

A new event is being held at the Regency and Molly is large and in-charge! With the help of quiet Lilly, she sets up the Grandtea room for the arrival of local best selling author, J.D. Grimthorpe, who has a big announcement to make. In attendance is also the LAMBS-Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society members who are OBSESSED with the famous author.

J.D. Grimthorpe is murdered by poisoned tea and Detective Stark leads the investigation with Molly as number 1 suspect, AGAIN. Molly conducts her own investigation with her co-worker/amateur sleuth as the plot flashes from past to present.

I very much enjoyed this COZY, fast paced MYSTERY! I adore Molly and hope that Nita Prose writes one more book to continue her story.

The second book about Molly Gray, maid at a grand hotel, does not disappoint. Molly gets drawn in to another mystery after a death at the hotel, this time of a famous author who has longstanding ties to several people on the hotel staff and among the guests. Molly’s skill at recalling details puts her at the center of the investigation again. The author does a wonderful job of capturing Molly’s voice and showing the reader how her mind works without ever being condescending. Molly is a fantastic character who continues to grow and develop. The book alternates chapters set in the present with those that gradually reveal a key part of Molly’s past, which leads to a really touching development at the end. This could be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend the first book in the series as well. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Maid was one of my favorite reads last year so I couldn't wait to dive into this review copy.

It was so great being back in the world of the Regency Grand Hotel and it was so good to see Molly, our quirky heroine, again, and to learn that she is now Head Maid at the hotel.

I just loved everything about this book! The mystery itself, while compelling and entertaining on its own, is especially intriguing because the dead author has some unexpected ties to Molly. This leads to an in-depth look at Molly’s past through flashbacks and I just loved getting to know more about how she grew up and more about her relationship with the grandmother who raised her. This glimpse into Molly’s past, along with seeing her continue to come into her own in the present, just made me fall in love with her character even more and I hope there will be more books in this series.

I alternated between the e-book and the audiobook. Lauren Ambrose narrates the audiobook and I thought she did such a wonderful job of capturing all of the nuances of Molly’s personality, that special combination of astuteness and naivete that is uniquely Molly.

If you enjoy books with quirky heroines and wonderful cozy mystery vibes, you’ll want to check out this series!

The Maid was one of my favorite reads from last year, so I was very excited for this book!
Nita Prose writes a unique cast of characters that makes her books reminiscent of Agatha Christie. The characters are all so well-developed, they truly feel like real people. It’s rare that I’ve read characters that feel as real as these!
The whodunnit of these books is so intricate, leaving you suspecting every character along the way! The dual timeline adds depth to the mystery and keeps you guessing the entire time!

Such a fun quirky follow up to The maid. I love Molly and her oddities and felt she was much more developed and understood in this novel. She was actively involved in the murder investigation without being suspected and it was great to see the growth of her character. Also enjoyed the tie in from her previous life as a child with her gran to the plot. Definitely enjoyed!!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random house publishing for my electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Mystery Guest doesn’t really do anything new from The Maid, but that’s okay. It’s cute and cozy. I’m generally not a fan of mysteries but I just really like Molly’s voice/perspective, and how much the storyline in each book empowers her and changes the way other characters see her. I think anyone who liked The Maid will like this too and that readers who don’t seek out mysteries should give this series a try.

Molly the Maid is back for another mystery at the Regency Grand Hotel. When world-famous mystery writer J.D. Grimethorpe turns up dead at the release party for his new mystery novel, Molly's world is turned upside down. J.D. Grimethorpe was set to make a big announcement at this party, was someone trying to silence him to keep him quiet? And will Molly's history with the dead author become a problem during the investigation?

I enjoyed this book more than the first in this series. I felt the story was better than that of the first, also I think I was more familiar with Molly and eccentricities and that made it more enjoyable. Her personality kind of got on my nerves in the first book. This book is told in present day and through Molly's childhood memories, which is always great for giving the reader a little background before coming to the conclusion. A few twists and turns, nothing drastic but definitely kept me interested. And I enjoyed that I felt I had an idea of what was going to happen, the reader is given possible suspects, but liked that I really didn't know "who dun it" until the end.

Would definitely recommend to any readers that enjoy a lighter, clean mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Molly the Maid is back! If you enjoyed the first story, you will enjoy this newest installment in the Molly series. All of the usual suspects are back, along with a few new faces and characters. In this story, a famous writer dies at the hotel, moments before he is to make a huge announcement. Chaos and questions ensue, as the hotel staff and the police work to determine how he died, and if it was murder, who might the culprit be? This is a fun and heartfelt story, which is much more about the characters than it is about the mystery itself. I thought the writing was clever, and the backstory about a reclusive writer and his famous novels was a fun backdrop to the story. Please pick this up if you want a feel good read and an opportunity to spend some time with well-loved literary characters – and are open to a few surprises along the way, too!

Molly the Maid is back, and there’s another “situation” at the Regency Grand! I love Molly’s innocence and quirky ways, and her character is just a delight. There are quite a few interesting revelations in this book, but the best one happens in its final pages.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Y'all, I just love Molly. I cannot help it. She is just a refreshing breath of realness even if it is a "disability." And to see her thriving and standing for herself in The Mystery Guest only made me love her more. I also enjoy the past/present perspectives to learn more about her childhood. The book is really good, funny, and a quick read. If you enjoyed The Maid, read for your book club, you'll want to jump into book two!

Loved this book! I actually thought it was even better than the first one. I really enjoyed the alternating timelines and how the story kept me guessing.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Molly Gray is at it again -- cleaning, polishing, and solving murders! It was fun to spend time again with Molly in this second book by Nita Prose. She is such an unusual, but fun, character that, along with the mystery, it makes for quite a compelling book. I hated to put it down!

In this one, the Regency Hotel is preparing for the famous author, J.D. Grimthorpe, to make a big announcement to all of his readers and fans. However, things do not go well for Mr. Grimthorpe, which means that they also do not go well for the Regency Hotel, the fans, or Molly. So Molly does what she does best and rolls up her sleeves and cleans up the mess! But little does anyone know that Molly has a history with Mr. Grimthorpe and this turns out to be very helpful to her in the end.

Of course, Molly is the hero -- she will always be the hero! But the way she deals with every situation is so different than anyone else’s way, that she keeps you on the edge of your seat, and then makes you laugh!

I enjoyed this one a lot and hope that there will be another “Molly the Maid” book in the near future.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Nita Prose, and Random House for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Mystery Guest proves that Nita Prose's smash debut, The Maid, wasn't a fluke. Molly is of the most delightful and even at times frustrating amateur detectives to come along in years. Prose creates a story that shines and sparkles just as a suite cleaned by Molly herself.

Taking place years since the first book, Molly has now been promoted to Head Maid and is well-respected at the Regency Grand. She is training Lily, a new maid, and working on a VIP event in for a famous author, when the guest of honor suddenly drops dead... in Lilly's lap... after drinking tea Lilly prepared for him... All eyes are on the hotel's newest hire, but Molly knows the young woman didn't kill the man. Along with the other staff of the hotel, Molly works out to uncover the true culprit, all while keeping her connected to the deceased a secret.

I really enjoyed The Maid, but I LOVED The Mystery Guest. There was just something about this one that made me like it more. Perhaps the flashbacks, to Molly's time as a child, spending time alongside her grandmother working as a maid. Perhaps that Molly wasn't our primary suspect, being railroaded by the police. Perhaps the hopeful and intriguing note this book ends on, in terms of Molly's potential, that I don't want to spoil. Perhaps the way the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Perhaps the wonderful audio narration, to really give me a sense of Molly as a character. All of these elements were wonderful and made this book a smash hit for me.

I listened to the first several chapters on audiobook--thank you to PRHA for my ALC. I finished the book on e-reader--thank you to the publisher for my eARC. Both formats were great! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 10/10

“I may miss what you think is obvious, but I’ve always been attuned to what others ignore. We’re all the same in different ways, Detective Stark.”

“Sitting at our table, legs dangling, I come to an important realization—that education is not something that happens exclusively in classrooms, that education is a state of mind.”

4.5 stars! Oh man I simply LOVE Molly the maid #polishedtoperfection. I just adore her character! She may be one of my favorites ever. I was so excited to be given an advanced copy to review because I devoured the first book and gave it five stars. It’s also a @gmabookclub pick! I will continue to revisit Molly at The Regency Hotel on any and all of her adventures and I hope there are more to come.

The relationship between Molly and her Gran is just so precious and I love how she builds confidence in her despite her learning differences. Reading this prequel is like receiving a warm hug.

@laurenambrose, the narrator of this audiobook, is absolutely superb. She NAILS Molly. Her quirks. Her mannerisms. The different voices that she uses for each of the characters. She transitions seamlessly between them making it easy to get lost in Molly’s world. A narrator can make or break an audiobook in my opinion and she managed to make Molly all the more real and beloved to me with her narration. 10/10 recommend.

Thanks for the free audiobook @PRHAudio #PRHAudioPartner and to Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for the ARC.