The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose is the follow up to last year’s bestselling book, The Maid. And while it was enjoyable enough to revisit the character of Molly the Maid, I really felt the new book wasn’t necessary and just rehashed the same storyline.

We are back at the Regency Grand Hotel where Molly is now head maid and bestselling reclusive author, JD Grimthorpe, is doing a rare public appearance with a secret announcement to be revealed. But when he drops dead just after taking the stage, the hotel is at the center of another murder mystery where all the characters have something to hide including Molly’s own connection with the deceased author.

Revisiting Molly’s world was pleasant enough and I enjoyed my time reading but it did feel like I was rereading the same book again. Even though it was nice to see Molly’s characters growth, the voice of her grandmother was a bit overbearing - I loved it in the first one but didn’t feel very original here. In fact, nothing felt very original here which was fine – just nothing to get too excited over!

I’m sure readers that loved The Maid plus anyone who enjoys an easy-to-read cozy crime book, will enjoy this one for what it is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions shared here are entirely my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for letting me read this book for an honest review. Molly the maid is back again and now she’s a head maid, last time I found her to be frustrating as well as loveable. This time I found her to be not quite as frustrating as the story went from the present time to the past quite a lot so I got to see where the frustrating aspects started in her childhood. Normally books that flick between time settings so much get annoying, but in this case going back to the past was needed to build the current story. Naturally there was a massive drama at the hotel which indirectly involved Molly, but she got herself more involved than she probably should have, but it had a few good twists in it.

Such a fun edition to the Molly the Maid series. I really enjoyed how Gran's sayings continue to help Molly in her daily life and I loved the flashbacks to the time when Molly was a young child and helped Gran with her maid duties at the Grimthorpe mansion. The Mystery Guest had many of the great characters we met in The Maid, along with some fun new ones. The mystery is put together both in current times, and by Molly reliving her time at the mansion. We learn more about J.D Grimthorpe via these flashbacks. Molly's peculiarities are revered as she helps the detectives solve the mystery. Fun, loveable feel-good story.

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I'm sorry to say I am not sure why I requested this one as I didn't like The Maid and therefore could not really continue on with this book. I didn't read much and didn't finish it. So sorry.

But I would like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Molly is still working at The Regency Grand except she is now head of housekeeping. Everyone is on full alert as renown author J D Grimthorpe is holding a talk and book signing on their premises. He also promises to reveal a starting truth. Just as he is about to reveal this truth, he drops down dead. Enter Mollys nemeses from book 1, (The Maid), Detective Stark. It seems Mr Grimthorpe was murdered and there are numerous suspects from Lily the new Housemaid, to Grimthorpes aide/secretary and any of the masses of fans that have turned up for the event.
Molly is hiding a secret. She knows Grimthorpe from her childhood when her Gran used to clean his home. Molly is sure something from that time is linked to his murder.
Although I loved the first book, The Maid, this one hasn’t grabbed my attention the same. It lacks the punch of the first book for me, and reads almost like a tried and true script. It will appeal, I am sure to the cosy Crime fans who want a nice easy read. 3.5 stars

#TheMysteryGuest #NetGalley

Molly the Maid is back and I couldn't be more delighted. Another well woven mystery that has Molly putting the puzzle together piece by piece. This second instalment was unexpected but certainly put a smile on my dial. I love a book I can lose myself into knowing it will warm my heart but still have a gripping storyline and a mystery to solve. The Mystery Guest ticks all the boxes and will leave you feeling complexly satisfied.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia and NetGalley for this early reading copy I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Molly the Maid is a most unusual detective sleuth, who returns in another gripping tale in Nita Prose’s The Mystery Guest (2023). Now proudly wearing the Head Maid badge, Molly supervises the first public event in the just-opened tea rooms. A famous crime author is making a public announcement, yet he drops dead before the surprising news can be revealed. Once again, Molly and her Maid in Training are caught up in the police investigation of an intriguing murder mystery. Molly fails to disclose her previous knowledge of the author and so the narrative moves back and forth in time, to uncover events leading to the murder. With good insights into the young Molly and requisite twists, comes this truly engaging five stars must read gentle crime mystery. With thanks to HarperCollins Publishers, Australia and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without inducement.

It was an absolute pleasure to be able to go back to The Regency Grand Hotel. The Maid was one of my favourite reads when it was released. This takes place four years later and the hotel is trying to put behind its notorious past by hosting an event with renowned author JD Grimthorpe. Unfortunately, he passes away during the event and once more Molly, The Maid helps investigates and needs to clear her own name.

It was nice to see Molly back and promoted to head maid. Whilst I do think you could read it as a stand alone, I think it’s easier to keep track of the characters with knowledge of the first. A number of favourites and not so favourite are also back. Molly still has the voice of Gran guiding her and it was nice to learn more about her upbringing and schooling and how she became a maid. It was nice to see her observational skills being appreciated.

Once again, it is much more of a character driven story and the mystery side of things drives the plot. Grimthorpe was an interesting character and his relationships with his wife, secretary and Gran gave a few suspects. I did pick up a lot of the plot along the way but it was still enjoyable to read. The loose ends of this particular mystery were all tied up but there were a few hints of potential future storylines for Molly and I do hope that they are explored.

Thank you Nita Prose, NetGalley and Randomhouse publishing group for this ARC!
Molly is back and better than ever in this sequel of the Maid!
Alternating time lines from past and present lets you learn how molly grew up with her gran and see where she is in the future. Which I love!

I loved this fast paced mystery and found myself hungry for more! Love Nita prose and can’t wait for her next release!

Thanks to HarperCollins Australia and Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was super excited to see Nita had written another book featuring Molly the Maid, so I was expecting a lot from this book. It was everything I'd hoped it would be and more.

Once again Molly is on the trail of a killer in the Hotel, this time a famous author who dropped dead before a big announcement in their tea room.
Molly's foe Detective Stark is also back and just as suspicious of Molly as last time.

I loved this every bit as much as The Maid, maybe even a little more, as we get more insight into Molly's life, including more from her childhood as well.
Full of intrigue and Molly's wit and quirkiness, this is a must read for anyone who enjoyed The Maid.
I really hope we get a third book, as I definitely haven't had enough of Molly's story.

5 stars from me.

Molly the maid is back with another mystery! I recently read The Maid and loved it, so am pleased this sequel lives up to it. It was an engrossing, fun read that I enjoyed the whole way through. Looking forward to reading more of Molly and her friends (and Gran!)

4⭐️

After the illustrious mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe is set to make an important announcement at his event in the hotels tearoom, he drops dead right before he can do so. Molly sets out trying to figure out what happened to him before she’s accused of murder, again.

This was a really well written and fun to read mystery and can easily be reads as a standalone if you haven’t also read The Maid by Nita Prose. I really enjoyed the dual timeline and seeing how Mollys character now has been influenced by her childhood and you can see the growth that’s occurred in her character. I enjoyed working through the clues with Molly and the side of wit/banter made the book that much more interesting.

Thank you to @netgalley @harpercollinsaustralia @nitaprose for the opportunity to read this early copy, all opinions are my own.

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

I was so excited to be given the opportunity to read Nita Prose’s second book The Mystery Guest which is the sequel to her first book The Maid.

Molly Gray has now been promoted to Head Maid at The Regency Grand Hotel and is training Lilly her Maid-In-Training. They have a special guest author J.D Grimthorpe just about to make a special secret announcement in the Hotel’s newest Grand Tea Room when the author suddenly drops dead, right on top of Lilly. Detective Stark is back to investigate the mysterious death of J.D Grimthorpe.

I loved this book as much as the first. The story was a quick and easy read, full of humour and i. I can not wait for Nita’s next book.

I would like to thank Net Galley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review

Molly the Maid is back!!! Molly and her friends at the Regency Grand are back with another death and problem to solve.
Felt quite similar to the first book, but still an enjoyable story. Excited to see where Molly ends up next!
Thanks for the advanced copy #netgalley.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable follow up to The Maid.

Molly continues to be a unique, inspiring and loveable character. Her support network are fantastic, and I really loved reading about this new mystery that kept me guessing.

This book didn’t disappoint!