I loved The Maid for its refreshing MC and striking the right balance of a cozy mystery that isn't too silly. The Mystery Guest was an entertaining follow-up but didn't have the same sparkle as the first book.

What I enjoyed: Molly remains a fantastic character to root for. I liked learning more about her and her background, as well as following her throughout the book. I liked that there was more than one mystery with the murder as well as the stolen goods and unraveling the odd behavior of a couple of characters. I thought the reveal with the doorman was very sweet and a nice development. It's also very readable. While I didn't find it to be a page turner I was always happy to get lost in its pages for a time.

What wasn't for me: I found it more predictable than The Maid (semi spoiler but mostly spoiler free: was the Cheryl reveal meant to be surprising? This part was very apparent to me but revealed with an "aha!" tone that suggested it was meant to be shocking. Give the reader some credit that we're along for the ride). I'm personally not a big fan of flashback scenes so the fact that they were a consistent part of the book wasn't a big hit for me, but I could see others really appreciating them. I did like that they set things up for the doorman reveal to be more satisfying and also that it sort of had its own storyline, which is important to me when flashback scenes are included.

The Mystery Guest was a fun read but a bit of a letdown in comparison to the brilliance of The Maid. Having said that, I'll definitely continue with the series if there's more to come. Molly is too great of a leading character to not want to continue with her story.

I truly do love Molly the maid! I love her moral compass and her code of ethics (also known as her maid manual). She is such a sweet and endearing lead character and I was so glad to see her in a more confident role seeming to have come into realizing her self worth. The mystery was wonderful in that it tied back to Molly's past but not in a over-the-top way. So excited to see what great things are to come for Ms Molly!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication! It was a delight!

Nita Prose's second installment in her Molly the Maid series stands on its own. It's a wonderful follow-up to The Maid, but it's a whole new mystery with a new set of characters. I still adore Molly's narration. The flashbacks to her childhood at the Grimthorpe mansion are detailed and nuanced. I love this series.

Overall I thought this was ok. Nina was to me still a bit at times whiny and I wasn’t super interested in her internal thoughts. I know this was marketed as a cozy mystery but quite honestly it just bothered me more than anything. I’m definitely not the target audience which is ok!! I also was slightly bothered by the ending because (SPOILERS)




Why would you let an amateur work for the cops?!? That bothered me the most so again this wasn’t for me.

O my gosh. You know how a sequel is never as good as the first book. Well I’m here to say that’s not the case. I loved this one just as much as I loved The Maid.

Molly is such a quirky, likable, and interesting character. I love her and her dedication to her job and being a kind person.

I loved getting to know more about some of her past and loved the mystery of it all. Plus her detective skills were so fun to read along with.

Molly Gray, the maid for the Regency Grand Hotel is back and this time, she has friends: Juan and our beloved doorman, Mr. Preston.

No more of feeling isolated and this time, she's headed to the cozy mystery genre. She still has her uncanny ability to notice things others may overlook and yes, she is still awkward, but this time, she is the one who is retelling her grandmother's wisdoms, and matching wits against Detective Ms. Stark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I deeply enjoyed the previous book in this series called The Maid, so I was thrilled when I heard about a sequel. I was excited to read about the life of Molly the maid again (and her amazingly written Gran), and this new addition brought so many things I loved about Molly back to me. I was excited for her wit, the lessons that were shared and knowledge for small details. However, the plot of this book dragged to much for me. I felt as if the plot couldn't hold up to the amazing characters that are in this book. I also thought there were a few plot holes that didn't make much sense. But overall, it was a super entertaining book and I'm excited for all future books staring Molly.

🧹Book Review: The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose (Molly the Maid #2)💙

Thank you Netgalley for this book!

5/5 ⭐️

I loved The Maid and I was so excited to read this book and I loved it just as much and maybe even more! I really enjoyed that this book went back and forth between Molly’s childhood and present day. Molly speaks up and is so brave in this book and I loved the way she mentored Lilly. This series is one of my favorites and I will definitely be recommending it. I had a hard time guessing the ending with all the twists and turns and that is what made it an incredible book for me. I do also recommend the audio version of this book as the narrator is amazing and easy to follow.

Can’t wait to read the next book whenever it’s announced 👏🏻

For cozy mystery readers, this book might appeal to you. The characters are reprising their roles begun in The Maid; the mystery is similar to the first book’s also. However, the writing in this sequel seems more simplistic with very little subtlety to the characters and a mystery that’s fairly easy to solve.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House/Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is a wonderful follow up to The Maid. Molly the maid is now head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, and she is helping prep for a famous mystery author’s event at their tea room to make a surprise announcement. However, when J.D. Grimthorpe, the author, dies under mysterious circumstances before he can make his announcement, the hotel is thrown into chaos again. When Molly and her protege Lily become suspects, Molly must use her secret past with Grimthorpe to try to solve the mystery before Detective Stark decides they’re guilty.

I loved this story. There were a lot of twists in the mystery that kept you guessing, and the flashbacks to Molly’s past were nice pictures of how she turned into the woman she is. I thought the characters were well rounded and the story moved along nicely.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I just love Molly the Maid so much. She is such an endearing, lovable character. When she finds herself in another jam because yet another murder happens in the Regency Grand Hotel, her unwavering positivity and conviction to her morals makes her so uniquely written. I loved the dual timeline in this novel, and getting to see more of Molly’s relationship with her Gran. Seeing how Molly has always had to find ways to figure out the meaning in peoples’ words and actions, and seeing how she felt like she was always falling short, was so heartbreaking. I know some people referenced the lack of Juan Manuel in this book and how they wished there was more of him, but I think it worked out just well without him! I loved the reappearance of Mr. Preston, Detective Stark, and Mr. Snow. I sort of guessed “whodunnit” but there was another reveal at the end of this book that I honestly had guessed while reading the first one! It had a happy conclusion and I really enjoyed reading The Mystery Guest. I would love to know what happens next for Molly the Maid!

It’s always a delight to spend time with Molly the (Head) Maid—and The Mystery Guest is no exception. This is cozy mystery at its finest!

I did miss a few of the characters from book 1, but that’s a-ok. Really hoping there’s a third in the works!

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!

The Mystery Guest is the second book in the Molly Maid cozy mystery series. We follow Molly, a maid who works at a hotel and she has some problems with taking things too literally and she has a hard time communicating with others. She has a sharp eye for details and this comes in handy when a famous author drops dead in the hotel that she works at. She helps the police solve the case.

I didn’t really enjoy the first book in the series. However, I liked this one a lot more! Molly annoyed me a bit in the first book but she was better in this one. She seems to have really found herself and her “people” in this one. I don’t think the mystery was too hard to solve but it was a fun story to read. I liked all the quirky characters and the hotel setting. I feel like this book was missing something though. I can’t put my finger on it but I wish the story was a bit longer and the mystery was more developed.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery set in a hotel, I would recommend this book! Thanks so much to netgalley and Ballantine books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I hadn’t read this author first book, but I really enjoyed the second one! I do plan to go back and read The Maid, but for now let’s discuss The Mystery Guest.

This book was a very fast paced read, it kept me intrigued and looking forward to entering Mollys world. I’m not sure if these are technically categorized as cozy mysteries or not? But I very much felt like it was. The vibes it left me with were similar to that of Finley Donovan mysteries.

I would recommend this read if you want: a hotel setting/time jumps to weave two stories together/a lovable MC

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

Thank you @netgalley ,@randomhouse & @librofm for ARC & ALCs of this much anticipated book!

I did start this one physical, but ended up doing most of it on audio. I found the audio to be fantastic. The narrator was so nice to listen to and I loved her ability to give the characters their own personalities via voice.

I did enjoy the first novel, The Maid. I was hesitant for this one, because I was afraid it was going to try to hard. What it turned out to be was more of a cozy mystery vibe, and one I enjoyed! I loved getting to know a ton of Molly's backstory. I almost enjoyed that more than the actual Mystery at hand!

What a great second book to the series! I love the character Molly, especially her whitty and honest feedback to others. Her matter of fact thoughts always make me laugh. I loved the story line of The Mystery Guest and did not see the twist coming at all. It was fun to guess throughout the book who committed the crime. I loved the true crime podcast/fan club aspect of the book. The Mystery Guest was a quick read and a definite page turner! Can't wait till the next book to see if Molly becomes a detective officially!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of " The Mystery Guest". I was ecstatic to receive a copy of the newest installment of the Molly the Maid series. I loved the first book in this series, " The Maid' because Molly portrays her character as so literal that you love her. She always says or does the wrong thing and because of that she is always a suspect. At the start of this novel, Molly has been promoted to Head Maid at her hotel and is happily in love still. However, everything falls to pieces when a famous author is found poisoned at her hotel. Molly truly believes that the maid is always the suspect, and because of her past she knows she has to find out the truth before all eyes are on her. Molly is just as delightful, if not more so, in this novel than the last.

Readers will find themselves engrossed in Molly Gray's quest for the truth, as secrets from the past resurface and mysteries are unraveled. The Mystery Guest is a compelling tale of murder, secrets, and the enduring power of memory. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with a touch of elegance and a dash of nostalgia, this book is a must-read. Nita Prose's storytelling prowess shines in this page-turner, leaving you eagerly flipping pages until the final, satisfying reveal.

Just when I thought I couldn’t love Molly anymore! This book was fun, interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved having the dual timelines so we could see into the relationship with Molly and gran.

The Maid was such a delightful read and I was thrilled to learn there was a sequel. I NEVER experience this, however, I think The Mystery Guest was an even better read! Nita Prose has such a timeless way of telling a story - this could take place now or it could be years ago (minus the internet mentions :))

The plot is of course centered around a mystery - a famous suspense author drops dead in the hotel moments before revealing a big secret. Molly is back on the case and we get to meet characters from the original story.

What I loved was that Molly is coming to us with much more confidence - in her work (she was promoted!) and in her understanding of herself. This story takes us back in a dual timeline and we learn more about Molly's past, spend more time with Gran and reveal how Molly and the suspense author are intertwined. I also enjoy reading books about authors, a trope I always go for.

Thank you so much for this ARC!