I liked the Maid better but I still enjoyed this one, Im looking forward to the 3rd book I have some ideas of what might be revealed and I really want to see if I'm right.

The Maid was one of the first cozy mysteries I ever read. I loved it and it is a benchmark I measure other mysteries by. So I've been excited and nervous to read The Mystery Guest.

The Mystery Guest is the second book in the Molly the Maid series. It features many of the same characters and a few new ones. Molly is just as endearing to me as she was in the first book, but I loved seeing her more confident and outspoken in this one!

I thought Prose did a wonderful job of making the story feel a lot different from The Maid. It wasn't just a similar story with a few details swapped around. The Mystery Guest alternates between the present day and the past. The reader gets to see a look at Molly's childhood and gets to know her beloved grandmother better.

I would say the plot of this one is less complex and twisty than The Maid. A lot of the plot is devoted to the back story and less to the mystery. That aspect made it less of a page turner for me. Enough details were left open at the end to set up a potential third book in the series!

Overall, I really enjoyed it and give it a solid 4 stars!

The Mystery Guest releases on November 28th. Thank you @netgalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Content warnings: murder, minimal language, sexual assault, alcoholism

** “My gran. She was always like that. She always found a way to ignite hope. And what is hope if not the decision to shine light into the dark?” **

Nita Prose once again takes us into the world of quirky Molly Gray in her followup novel, “The Mystery Guest,” which takes place four years after Molly finds a dead body in “The Maid.”

Now Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, Molly is tasked with setting up a special VIP Announcement by a famous mystery writer. But when he suddenly drops dead before he can make his special announcement, Molly is once again put under suspicion and must work together with Detective Stark to get to the bottom of his untimely death.

We also learn more about Molly’s past and her life with her beloved Gran — and a childhood connection to the dead author.

Told as a constant narrative provided by Molly in both the present and her past, “The Mystery Guest” is a fun read filled with several twists and turns, constantly offering perspective into Molly and her unique frame of mind and her personality — very particular, keenly observant yet socially awkward.

Once again, Prose delights us with lovely and intriguing characters, including the delightfully plucky Molly, a caring doorman and a new maid-in-training who needs a little prompting. She also fills her story with several good themes, like sometimes what we view as weaknesses are actually strengths; there is always a reason to offer kindness; there is always reason to find hope and to shine light in the dark; and there is value in everything and everyone (“One must look beyond the surface to see true value in anything”).

One disclaimer, “The Mystery Guest,” which is due out Nov. 28, does occasionally contain some swearing.

Five stars out of five.

Ballantine Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

This follow-up to The Maid was a cute, light read with a fun little literary element. It’s a sweet ensemble of characters solving fairly straightforward whodunits — I liked it just fine, breezed through it in a day or two, and am ready for the next.

I think this would be a GREAT palate cleanser book for just about any kind of reader out there! It’s a mystery, yes, but there’s quite a bit of backstory and more literary fiction elements too, so it’s not just constant crime solving.

The Mystery Guest comes out right after Thanksgiving!

Nita Prose’s second novel and second Molly the Maid book. Though part of a series, this is a stand alone novel with the same characters I loved from The Maid. I want Mollyto continue to just be quirky with a lacking in socialization, despite her uber-politeness, because of her odd childhood and lack of schools not understanding that everyone learns differently. So, this cozy and funny crime mystery is just as good as the first. We learn a lot more about Molly and Molly learns a lot more about herself, settling into her own shoes. As she leaves her sheltered life of home and beloved hotel, she is growing and we know she has much more is in her future as a person and professionally. Good storyline and villains.

I really loved The Maid, but this sequel just wasn't for me. I still love Molly, I think this book was just hard for me to get into. I do think it will be a popular read for many!

Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead. When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?

I was introduced to Molly the Maid the the author's book The Maid. This book continues her story along with some interesting twists in the story. This is a very different main character that grows on you as you read more about her. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request to read the second book about Molly.

While I did enjoy this, I was not as engrossed in the plot as I was with the first book in the series. The new characters didn’t compel me much, but I loved learning more of Molly’s backstory, and still clicked with Prose’s writing style.

Molly Gray has become one of my favorite mystery protagonists ever! I was concerned that this book wouldn’t be able to live up to the first, but it felt just like returning to an old friend. You’ll definitely want to read The Maid first in order to really appreciate the characters and references in this story. Molly’s voice (the book is told through her point of view) is so unique and delightful. I know that I’m biased, as I have a family member with many similar traits as Molly, but I just can’t see how any reader could keep from loving her. This book actually has a bit more depth than the first, highlighting Molly’s exceptional strengths as well as utilizing a dual timeline via Molly’s recollections of her childhood.

If you had some favorite supporting characters in the first book, they return in the second with a few new friends! I was a little sad that Juan didn’t take up more space in the book, but his absence allows Molly to really shine. Nothing is explicitly stated in this book, but I view these stories as neurodivergent representation, and I just loved how this book really focused on the strengths found in Molly’s point of view, not just her shortcomings.

I love these characters so much! To me, they absolutely carry this story, as I care much more about the individuals in the book than the actual mystery. The tie-ins from the dual timeline are really well crafted, but it’s the character development alongside Molly’s narration that really puts this book over the top for me. I am really hoping that this series continues - we all need more Molly in our lives!

I enjoy cozy mysteries, but I don't read them very often. I am so glad I stuck with Molly the Maid. Both The Maid and The Mystery Guest are great light-hearted mystery reads! The flashbacks of Molly's childhood were my absolute favorite part of this sequel. Learning about Gran and Molly's past was both a joy and so heartbreaking. All of the same lovable characters return in the sequel. The dialogue and the banter is witty and clever. Nita Prose did such a great job making a lot of little connections throughout to solve the mystery by the end of the book.

I liked the first book in this budding series, but wasn't as crazy about it as others were. I should have realized I would feel the same about the sequel! Not my favorite, but know lots of readers will enjoy it.

Molly Gray, from the book The Maid, is back in the Regency Grand Hotel as the Head Maid. When a well-renowned writer, J.D. Grimthorpe, comes to the hotel to make a big announcement, the hotel is ready. Well, until he drops dead, that is. Now there's another death at the Regency Grand and again, Molly is at the center of the investigation.

This sequel to The Maid is a fun follow up and takes us back into Molly's world. We also get a glimpse of Molly's past with her grandmother and gives us a little more insight. I enjoyed this book and like the first book, found it to be a fun mystery with a colorful cast of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Randon House Publishing Group for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Available November 23, 2023.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. "The Mystery Guest" is such a wonderful cozy mystery that is perfect for this time of year. I was happy to jump back into Molly's world and delighted to see that the book had the same similar charm as the first one. This isn't a jaw dropping thriller, but definitely kept me entertained and had satisfying story lines/characters. I am looking forward to others reading more from this author (hopefully with Molly the Maid as main character).

Molly the Maid I back and just as quirky and smart as ever. I loved learning more about her past in this book than we did in the first. She is such an interesting character and her attention to detail is astounding. Mr. Preston was just as lovable and Angela is basically me, a real true crime lover. I love the idea of a mystery in a hotel and this one checks all the boxes. I loved this one just as much as I loved The Maid. The story moved quickly and I was hooked from page one.

I was so excited for the opportunity to read this book! I loved the first which I picked up on a whim. Now that I have ready The Mystery Guest, I can say I loved it more than the first! I love the characters, especially Molly because of how genuinely happy she is with herself and her life.

I really enjoyed this sequel! Molly was portrayed in a less stereotypical manner which I appreciated since that was somewhat problematic for me in The Maid. (She's neurodivergent and that was the focus - she made her an extremely naive character in the first while in the second she highlighted her intelligence). Story is told from Molly's POV again but in 2 timelines - past and present. The past focuses on young Molly while the present involves solving a murder. The early days POV was much more compelling in my opinion. It was wonderful learning seeing her relationship with gran again while learning more about her past.

Honestly this book exceeded my expectations so much.

I loved the first book. It read it in a time where life was chaotic and thought the start was very slow. Looking back, I don’t think it was slow per say, but more in the sense of you had to take your time to really understand Molly and her thought process. I ended up falling in love with The Maid and think about the book often.

When I saw that The Mystery Guest was being released, I immediately jumped on it. I was slightly worried about it starting “slow” again, but ended up tearing through it like I never thought I would.

I loved the addition to the new characters, but also loved how Nita brought back the old ones too in all their glory. I LOVED the addition of 2 storylines switching from past to present. And I loved how comfortable Molly was in her skin.

This book has everything, mystery, thrill, family drama, and twists. It was honestly a perfect book. If anything, I missed Juan’s character, but I understand why he wasn’t really a part of the storyline. I really loved this book and think all mystery lovers (cozy and otherwise) will fall in love with Molly the Maid.

Thank you to Nita Prose and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

I adored the first book, The Maid, so much. I LOVED the female main character and thought it was such a well written novel. I liked this sequel, but just didn't adore it the same way I did the first. I almost think I might enjoy this one more when it is an audiobook.

I think when it comes down to it I just wasn't as captivated by the plot in this book as I was The Maid. I felt like it was slower at times. I did enjoy the past pov chapters. I thought those were really fun and I wish we could have stayed in those ones a bit more!

Once again Molly the Maid is thrust into an investigation against her better judgment. This time, famed mystery writer, J.D. Grimthorpe, has come to the Grand Regency Hotel to make a big announcement. However, before he can make his speech, he drops dead onto Molly's maid-in-training, Lily. Molly must, once again, work to clear her name and LIly's from suspicion. Detective Stark is under immense pressure to solve the case of the famous author and is, of course, still making assumptions about Molly because she is different. However, she does come around and ends up trusting Molly. We also get a fair amount of background info on Molly's past while her Gran worked at the Grimthorpe mansion. A fascinating, fun murder mystery. Molly is a treasure and I do hope this series continues.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-arc.*

Loved Molly the Maid #2! Molly is such a great character! She is not your normal, run of the mill main character and I love that about her. She’s quirky, awkward and relatable. I love how this story followed two timelines and we got to see Molly’s childhood with her grandmother. I love their relationship. It’s so genuine, and their one liner pieces of advice are so good. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone! Great cozy mystery!