In The Mystery Guest, Molly the Maid is back. She’s the head maid and has a boyfriend, but… another guest is dead at the Regency Grand Hotel, where she works.

It just so happens that Molly gave the famous mystery author, J.D. Grimthorpe, tea before he dropped dead and so, once again, she becomes a suspect in his mysterious death.

But, other suspects also rise to the surface, including the hotel’s new maid, the author’s secretary, hotel guests, and even Mr. Preston, the doorman beloved to Molly.

As it turns out, there’s a lot lurking under the surface and many, including Molly herself, share sordid pasts with the author. Secrets never keep, so all is revealed by the novel’s end.

I flew through The Mystery Guest in 24 hours and actually enjoyed it far more than The Maid! The reader gets to learn much more about Molly’s, Gran’s, and Mr. Preston’s pasts, and the secret life of a mysterious author is always especially intriguing to me as a book lover!

While, in The Maid, Molly was often compared to Eleanor from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, I actually found her to be more like Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry in The Mystery Guest — highly intelligent and literal to a fault. Since I love Zott, I also loved Molly here.

While I had my suspicions about whodunnit (and was right), I still got to learn why, and a lot of other aspects of Molly’s life came full circle in this mystery. I have no doubt that fans of The Maid will delight in it.

Full Guide to The Maid Book Series: https://www.julesbuono.com/molly-the-maid-book-series/

Molly, my dear, are you a magnet for dead people? Why do they find you? Why do you always find yourself in the middle of a police investigation? Yes, you have an eye for the details people tend to miss but also you are too honest to be around police investigators.

When a famous author decided to make a statement at the hotel's newly redecorated tearoom, Molly was excited. As a head maid, she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. When author had few minutes before the announcement to sign books for the staff, Molly thought this would be the moment the author would remember her. But nope - knowing who and how he was, it was too much of an expectation.

Few minutes into the announcement, author dropped dead on another maid (literally), which opened several cans of worms before everyone learnt about the truth behind the fame and fortune of the author. Following two timelines, Nita Prose was delivering a more mature image of Molly. Also, she embedded few eggs most of us probably suspected.

It's four years after the events of The Maid, and our lovable heroine Molly Gray is settling into her role as the Head Maid of the Regency Grand Hotel. But just as her life is beginning to feel as sumptuous as the Olive Garden's Tour of Italy, there's another death at the Regency Grand. This time, it's world-renowned mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe, who drops dead during a press conference in the newly-refurbished tea room. It doesn't take long for Molly's former nemesis, Detective Stark, to determine that he was murdered. But it's Molly alone who may hold the key to uncovering who killed Grimthorpe -- and she'll have to dig deep into her memories of the past for clues.

The best part of The Mystery Guest, for me, was that it gives us glimpses into Molly's background through flashback chapters. I loved seeing Molly's relationship with her Gran further fleshed out and getting to know what Molly was like as a little girl (in a word, precocious: P-R-E-C-O-C-I-O-U-S). I simply adore Molly as a character; it's impossible not to. She's so capable and smart and tenacious, and Nita Prose utilizes the flashback chapters so effectively to show Molly's growth.

However, this second installment was missing some of the charm of The Maid for me. Many of the secondary characters feel too one-dimensional and over-the-top in their negative characteristics (Detective Stark, the principal of Molly's school, and Mrs. Grimthorpe, for example). This book also brings in some heavy themes that feel out of place for a cozy mystery, and because of that some topics weren't given the attention they really deserved.

The ending was heartwarming but one aspect (the hint at Molly's future) left me feeling a bit wary. I wouldn't be eager to see her go in that direction in future installments of this series. I guess we'll just have to wait (and hope!) for a book 3 to get some clarity there! Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.

Maid Molly is back! I had to remind myself while reading this book that Molly is not like everyone else. The writing style mirrors Molly’s way of thought. While it’s hard to get into initially, I respect the author’s way of writing! The flashbacks added to the story and it was interesting seeing things unfold for the other characters that we as readers had knowledge to before. I don’t think the plot twist at the end was necessary to the story and I wonder if there will be a third book to incorporate this fact. This is the second in a series, but could be read alone and understood!

I always wonder if an authors second book is going to live up to their first. In the case of The Mystery Guest, Prose's second book, does live up to her first The Maid.

In The Mystery Guest, we are reunited with Molly, the maid. She is now head maid and takes her job seriously. While training Lily, a new maid, a guest of the Regency is murdered. Molly is thrust into the middle of the investigation by her friend, Angela. Of course, there are times when Molly is misunderstood and she misunderstands.

Prose did a wonderful job in character development. Molly grew a lot, but the biggest growth came from Detective Stark. I love Molly. She is clearly the underdog most of the time, but she never gives up. Prose also expanded on the series, and left room for another book or two, by a couple of bombshells. There is a dual timeline in The Mystery Guest, but it works great and gives some info on one bombshell. I look forward to reading more about Molly and seeing where Prose takes all the characters.

If you haven't read the first book, The Maid, I would recommend you do before reading, The Mystery Guest. That way you want be lost, because this book builds on the first.

Tentative Publishing Date November 28, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

🙂 Happy Reading 🙂

#Netgalley
#RandomHousePublishing
#Ballantine
#NitaProse
#TheMysteryGuest

Oh my gosh - all the same vibes & cozy mystery feels from The Maid but with some wonderful flashbacks to Molly's childhood.
I love seeing more of her background and the extra family vibes in this were spot-on for me!
Love love love this series! 💜

Thank you, Netgalley, for the advanced copy!

Oh Molly! She's now the Head Maid at the Regency Grand, she's happily living with her boyfriend, and things are looking good for her. And then the famous mystery writer JD Grimthorpe drops stone cold dead- poisoned- at his event at the hotel. Turns out Molly has a connection to him and this moves back and forth in time between her childhood and the present to tell the story. And it's a good one. Detective Stark, who featured in the first book (don't worry- this will be fine as a standalone) has this case too and while she might get exasperated with Molly, she wisely takes advantage of her observation skills. No spoilers from me on this twisty one, which actually has a couple of mysteries twined in. Molly is a treat- a neurodiverse woman with mad crime solving skills and a love for reading, her hotel, polishing silver. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read that became a real page turner for me.

If you enjoyed The Maid, I think you'll really enjoy this as well. I loved being back in Molly's world, revisiting Gran. Mr. Preston, and some of the other characters from the first book. This can easily be read as a standalone but there are a lot of ties to the first as well and I do think you would appreciate this more after reading the first. The story alternates between the present day and when Molly was young. I loved learning more about her backstory and seeing more history with Gran, as well as Molly's connection to J.D. Grimthorpe, the deceased author. I love the way Molly solves problems and her attention to detail. While I absolutely love the Regency Grand Hotel - I'd love to see another spin off that's alluded to at the end of this book!

Molly Gray is back with another murder mystery! You can absolutely read this book as a standalone, but there are some connections to book #1, The Maid as well.
I love Molly's character and her quirkiness.
This was a fun quick read with some twists along the way. If you liked The Maid then you should definitely pick this book up when it is released on November 28! Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Nita Prose for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books & Nita Prose for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I read The Maid last year and I quickly fell in love with Molly the Maid! It was one of my favorite books of 2022, so when I received the approval for The Mystery Guest I was so excited! And as I hoped it did not disappoint! I loved following along with Molly as she solved yet another mystery, and I didn't think it was possible but I love her character even more than I did before! I hope there is a third installment because I can't get enough of Molly! 4 star read for me!

Book two in the mystery series by Nita Prose finds Molly now in the position of Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. Today is a big day for the hotel--the recently restored Grand Tearoom has been picked as the venue for the world-renowned, bestselling, and award-winning author, J.D. Grimthorpe, to make a very important announcement. Many of his adoring fans and the press are present. But soon after Grimthorpe takes a sip from his cup of tea, he keels over dead. Who could have wanted him dead: one of his fans or an employee of the hotel? Molly is determined to figure it all out but she's hampered by her lack of social skills and her infinite capacity for understanding things too late.

These stories are light, fun and warm-hearted. In this installment, we learn more about Molly's past, being raised by her grandmother who was a maid in a grand house. There's also a bit of romance afoot with her beau, Juan. Now Molly has some decisions to make about what's next in her life. I'll look forward to reading more!

Many thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Molly the maid finds herself in the middle of the investigation into the murder of a famous mystery writer who is speaking at the Roosevelt Hotel. Since Molly has several secrets, and as the details of the investigation begin to come to light m Molly finds herself deeply ensconced in the murder investigation and not only that, but as a prime suspect.
The story alternates between Molly’s childhood with her grandmother who raised her and taught her to be a maid, and the present time. Both storylines relate equally to the central story. It seems that Molly has a history with the victim and she is doing her best to not let that information come to light so as to not add any fuel to the suspect fire. However, it seems that Detective Stark and the other police aren’t exactly capable, so the more Molly works with them, the more she does the work for them.
It was fun to revisit the quirky character that is Molly the Head Maid and help her solve another mystery. I always enjoy a cozy and this wasn’t quite as good as the first but it was still very enjoyable and I will definitely read a third if there is one.
Thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Such a great follow up to THE MAID — what a fun little cozy mystery! This usually isn’t my genre of choice but I totally enjoy Nita Prose’s prose (ha ha)

Another fantastic mystery by Nita Prose! Beloved Molly is at it again solving mysteries. I hope to see many more Molly stories as I grow more fond of her with each book.

I loved Molly the Maid and all her quirkiness. The Maid was one of my favorite reads last year so I was super excited to get my hands on The Mystery Guest. It definitely did not disappoint.

Molly is back solving crime after a famous author dies suddenly right before giving a big announcement at the Regency Grand Hotel. It’s soon revealed that he was murdered, and everyone seems to be acting suspiciously; can Molly’s attention to detail figure out what happened?

The story alternates between present day and when Molly was young. It was great to learn more about Molly’s backstory and her connection to J.D. Grimthorpe, the deceased author. With lots of little twists, this was a fun, quirky read and a great follow up to the Maid. I look forward to reading more of Molly’s crime solving adventures in the future.

Nita Prose has done it again! Molly the Maid is back. Newly promoted to Head Maid at the refurbished Regency Grand, Molly is sharing her Gran's cleaning (and life) wisdom with her staff. Molly is considerably more confident and self-possessed than she was in Prose's first novel, "The Maid". But she is still as honest and true to herself as ever. Molly has found her niche, people who respect her for her strengths, and are not put off by her differences. When another murder happens, practically at her feet, Molly brings her powers of observance, and her memories of childhood to bear to help the still somewhat antagonistic Detective Stark.

While it can certainly be read as a standalone, I think that "The Mystery Guest" is much better if you've read Molly's backstory in "The Maid"

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Molly the Maid is back solving crimes. When a famous mystery writer dies in her hotel, Molly's keen sense of observation is there to aid the police. But will she be a suspect again this time? Did Molly have a reason to want the author dead?

I liked this mystery a lot, but I wasn't blown away by it. It was solid but not outstanding. Molly is a memorable character and I enjoyed this very predictable murder mystery, and you will too.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read an online arc of The Mystery Guest.

I adored The Maid, and its quirky heroine Molly, so was excited to receive early access to this novel. Big shoes to fill since The Maid was one of my favorite books of 2022.

I'm sad to admit, but the sequel did not hold my attention as well as the original. Molly is still as endearing, although the supporting cast is not as engaging in the story which was a shame. I loved Molly's interactions with her Gran, her co-workers and even the Detective in The Maid. Gran's absence in the present is keenly felt. And I truly missed seeing Molly's relationship with Juan Manuel blossom as he is sadly out of town through most of the book.

The 'now" and "then" aspects of the storyline kept the action moving along, but also kept me from getting truly hooked by the plot until more than halfway through the book. It was interesting to get a glimpse into young Molly's life though. The payoff is in a couple of twists that helped the story over the finish line. While the mystery is neatly tied up, I'm hopeful that we will see Molly in new adventures in the near future.

I really enjoyed getting to know Molly in the first book, The Maid. I love her character even more after reading this sequel. It was fun entering the Regency Grand Hotel again. There are some returning characters and some new characters. This novel gives more background to Molly's life growing up. The reader learns more about her relationship with her grandmother (which I love). If you enjoyed The Maid, I think you will really enjoy The Mystery Guest.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for access to an ARC in return for an honest review.

Oh, I do love Molly the Maid. She really does remind me of an adult version of Amelia Bedelia to some extent, and I write that with love. "The Mystery Guest" is the second book in the Molly the Maid series (?) and I hope it's not the last as the mysteries are always tight, interesting, and the characters are fantastic.

"The Mystery Guest" takes place a few years after "The Maid": Molly is crushing it as the Head Maid and she and Juan Manuel are enjoying domestic bliss and have regular dinners with Mr. Preston. All is well...until a famous mystery writer drops dead in the middle of a press conference where he was going to make a major announcement. And naturally, Molly has a connection to the mystery writer and it seems he wasn't a very nice man. So the police, led by Detective Stark, begin coming to the hotel, Molly misinterprets 60% of what's said, and has to deal with Cheryl and Lily the maid-in-training who barely speaks, it's a whole situation.

Another great mystery with a satisfying conclusion. I'm eagerly awaing the next Molly the Maid book and hope Ms. Prose keeps them coming. Thanks to Netgalley for my Advanced Reader Copy.