Molly Gray is not like anyone else. She is the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. Her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead.
When Detective Stark suspects Lily, the new Maid-in-Training Molly had to act. She uses all her maid skills of observing to prove Lily’s innocence. But, who did kill the author.
This is a fast paced novel with many interesting characters and a few surprises along the way.
This is book two in the series and I hope there are going to be more to see what happens to Molly and her friends.

This follow-up to The Maid was a charming, fun, and intriguing sequel. Told in dual timeline, we hear from young Molly as her gran works as a maid for a famous author's estate, and current Molly as she tries to solve this same author's murder at the Regency Grand Hotel.

Molly is a lovable and quirky character! I enjoyed reading her insights and experiences. The young Molly timeline gave more background on her life with Gran. This provided both the heart and heartbreak of the story. I almost preferred the 'before' timeline to the present mystery. Gran's love for Molly was so heartwarming and made me think of my own grandma. On the flip side, hearing the traumas endured by Gran, especially from Molly's young and naïve perspective, added extra emotions.

The ending was a bit unsatisfying as it felt anticlimactic. I saw many of the twists coming, but that didn't bother me as much. If I had to name one big complaint, it was the lack of Juan Manual and Molly's relationship. I wanted to see them being all cute together or teaming up to solve the mystery as a duo!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

You haven't seen the last of Molly the maid!
This sequel to the maid is an enjoyable light hearted mystery.

There is a murder in the hotel. It appears Mr geimthorpe has been poisoned. Was it the tea service Molly put out? Who would want to kill him?

Poor Molly is caught up in another murder. This time she won't let the detective take her or her trainee to jail for a crime they didn't commit.

I throughly enjoyed this novel. I really loved the flashbacks with gran when she was maid.

If you're looking for a cozy little book this is it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random house Canada for this arc! What a treat!

The Maid was one of my favourite reads so when I received this ARC I was SO excited and it definitely did not disappoint!

I loved getting a deeper dove & back story into Molly in this clever whodunit & found it oddly endearing.

Its been a while since I backed a character so well - she is so wholesome and its hard not to love her! This is a perfect read for literally anyone - knocked it out of the park

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley, for the gifted copy for an honest review.

After throughly enjoying Prose’s first book The Maid I could not wait for the second book!

Molly has grown a lot in the years since The Maid, she reads as less in your face “this character is neurodivergent” compared to the first one. Which kind of took away from her character but also made it slightly less cringy at times? It’s hard to describe.

New characters were added and a true crime element that I wish was leaned on a little more. I hate to say it but the parts regarding her past when she was little at the mansion were more interesting than the main story line.

The big reveal at the end was pretty obvious, that being said the murderer wasn’t completely obvious most of the book.

Overall I enjoyed stepping back into Mollys world. But I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Maid.

Even better than the first!

I was very happy to see the story of Molly Gray continue on in another book. I expected an easy reading cozy murder mystery with this quirky character I enjoyed in the Maid. I did not however expect to like this book more than the first.

This had much more substance than the Maid and the development of Molly’s character and unraveling of her mysterious childhood drew me in and gave much insight into her upbringing and what made her who she is as an adult.

I absolutely loved it and I really hope we get to see more of Molly Gray in another book.

Thank you #netgalley and Random House Publishing for this advanced copy.

"𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒅."

I fell in love with Molly the Maid when Nita Prose's debut novel came out in 2022, so I was excited to revisit the Regency Grand Hotel.

Prose's writing oozes with charm, as we pick up four years after the events of the first novel. Not only is it a joy to be reunited with major characters (Mr. Snow, Juan Manuel, Mr. Preston and Angela), but also with minor ones (frequent guests, Mr. & Mrs. Chen), but also a joy to see how Molly has progressed in her career and her social confidence in her interactions with people. The hotel is a perfect setting to easily and logically introduce new characters, all of whom are just a little quirky (J.D. Grimthrope and the LAMBS - Ladies' Auxiliary Mystery Book Society) and humourous. I also loved getting to know more of Molly's past, and seeing her interactions with her Gran in the "before" sections of the book (although sometimes the frequency of Gran's sayings got a little repetitious). Seeing the shift in Detective Stark towards her impressions of Molly was refreshing instead of making her the typical antagonist, which highlighted Prose's points of how people can change. The mystery is the definition of cozy (I was even reminded of Murder, She Wrote when Molly puts together the missing pieces because of a sound she hears, similar to Jessica being reminded of a seemingly unrelated moment earlier in the episode). Although there aren't a ton of suspects, and one reveal was easy to guess, I nonetheless enjoyed seeing everything come together.

The Mystery Guest is a story of trust, secrets, misconceptions, and assumptions. I loved reuniting with Molly and hope that Prose keeps us coming back to the Regency Grand again and again. Thank you to Penguin Random House, Viking and NetGalley for the ARC!

I fell in love with Molly Gray in The Maid and was so happy to see that she was back in The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose.  Like a warm hug, we find ourselves back at the Recency Grand Hotel where Molly has been promoted to head maid and is helping to train the quiet and misunderstood maid-in-training, Lily.  Famous author J.D. Grimthorpe is hosting a tea for his most loyal fans at the hotel where he drops dead, teacup in hand.  At first glance, it seems as though Molly would be the primary suspect once again, if not the other maids and hotel guests with questionable pasts and motives. Grimthorpe was planning to make a huge announcement, leaving his fans in suspense and his assistant leaving the hotel before the spilled tea was wiped up.  Molly reveals early on, that she knows the author from her childhood and we get to glimpse at a young Molly.  In the past, we get to spend more time with her Gran and also learn more about the lovely Mr. Preston. Detective Stark is back, making assumptions and learning as she goes.  I loved learning more about Molly and understanding more about her neurodivergence.  I especially love how her Gran was such a wonderful advocate for her as a child, doing what she could at the time.  With so many suspects, it comes down to the small details others overlook, but not Molly.  Who is the murderer?  You’ll have to read the book to find out.  I truly hope that Prose continues with this character as it was a perfect cozy read on a cold night.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I loved this book. It was fun to spend time with Molly the Maid. This is the second story in the Molly the Maid series, and it was a wonderful cozy mystery to solve. I loved getting a peek into Molly's childhood.
Thank you the Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the Advanced reader copy. I highly recommend this delightful mystery.

4.5/5 stars

Molly is back! The Mystery Guest is the follow-up sequel to The Maid. It is a cozy mystery series.

I enjoyed this book so much! I loved seeing Molly again (and now she is Head Maid). It was wonderful to see so many favorite characters again (Mr. Preston, Mr. Snow...). And I really enjoyed some of the new characters like Lily.

This story is mostly told in a Before/Present timeline. The Before timeline is from when Molly was a child. And so we got to see her Gran, which was such a treat.

This book contains another murder mystery. And it was just fabulous. Also there was something at the end that just made me so happy. I really hope that the author continues and makes this a series.

Oh, I was so excited to hear that Nita Prose had written a second book featuring Molly - her absolutely wonderful protagonist. The Mystery Guest has just released.
We met Molly in the first book - The Maid. Molly works at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel as a maid. "Every day of work is a joy to me. I was born to do this job. I love cleaning. I love my maid's trolley, and I love my uniform." She is now the Head Maid.

You're going to absolutely love Molly - her innocence, her upbeat attitude, her manner of speaking and those rules and sayings that guide her life. And then there's Gran. Even though she is gone, her presence is felt throughout the book. (It made me miss my Gran too!) The supporting cast of players is just as wonderful. Molly has made friends who very much care for her. But there's always a rotten apple in the barrel.

And of course, there's a mystery to be solved. History seems to be repeating itself when a guest lecturer dies in front of the audience at the hotel. Molly might have the inside track with this latest murder - and I'll let you discover how. In addition to her own curious mind, Molly and her Gran were faithful fans of Columbo - and read every Christie novel. Tools that she'll put to good use. That's if Detective Stark will listen to what Molly knows.

Prose tells The Mystery Guest in a past and present timeline - one of my favourite storytelling styles. Readers will get to learn more about Molly's past and her Gran. Yes, I needed a tissue more than once.

What more could you want - characters you'll be rooting for, a murder mystery, and some insightful thoughts about love, loss and life. Prose's writing will keep you turning page after page late into the night. Heartily recommended! I really, really hope there will be a third book!

3.5 stars

I was really excited for this sequel as I thoroughly enjoyed reading 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙙.

Molly is one of the quirkiest characters I have ever read and that is what endeared me so much to her the first time.

Once again Molly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation when world renowned author J.D. Grimthorpe is murdered at The Regency Grand Hotel, only this time she has a connection to the victim.

Just like the first book, I really enjoyed following along with Molly as she finds herself stuck in peculiar situations as she tries to help solve the mystery. I also really enjoyed getting more of her backstory through flash back chapters.

I sadly wasn’t as captivated with this book as I was it’s predecessor. I just found the scenarios to be a bit too far fetched and found I was skimming over the chapters quickly.

I still got the cozy mystery vibes and thought it was a fun story and would definitely pick up another book with Molly the Maid again!!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an eARC for an honest review.

Another great “whodunit” book by Nita Prose! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading this book. The continuity between Mollys character in The Maid and this one was exceptional. All of her quirkiness and mannerisms were maintained, and you can’t help but fall in love with her character.

The Mystery Guest slowly reveals Mollys past by switching between her childhood years and the present, and each chapter left you wanting more. If you also loved Nita Prose’s The Maid, then you should run and grab a copy of this book because you’re in for a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this eARC.

Thank you Netgallery for the early read.
The Mystery Guest was another fun read. A lighthearted mystery from beginning to end.
"I know the sound of a Regency Grand teaspoon against a Regency Grand teacup, "I Explain. "That high-pitched tinkle- music to my ears"
Tea time at it's finest, or so they thought.

*4.5 stars*

An interesting blend of humanity and mystery…

I loved revisiting the Regency Grand Hotel! Molly was as quirky as ever. Her honesty was refreshing and shone, especially when the proverbial muck hit the fan. Again. Either she has bad luck or bad luck gravitates towards her but for the second time, the police were looking at her. For murder…

Now Head Maid, Molly’s circumstances had changed for the better. She loved order and her job was her life. She was good at it, loved what she did and the it offered her a connection to her Gran that she cherished. As another murder was being investigated, how Molly fit into the circumstances was a puzzle, slowly revealed through flashbacks to her childhood…

I learned so much more about Molly and her Gran as snippets from her past mingled with the present. I’m not a fan of flashbacks normally, I do love a linear plot, but the author blended the here and now with the past seamlessly and made for a story that flowed perfectly. There were doubts and fears and revelations on revelations as a murderer was discovered. For me, the characters made the book (again) with the corpse providing the start for all the happenings surrounding it…

Another great read – I hope Molly returns again!

I was really surprised to see that there was going to be a sequel to The Maid, as it seemed like a good standalone. I really did enjoy Molly's perspective in the last book and seeing how wrong things were going, so I was excited and nervous for her in this book.
The Mystery Guest is another murder mystery, but still has the cozy vibes that can only come from characters like Molly. Her straightforwardness and eye for detail continue to be both a gift and curse. I enjoyed that we got to see more into her childhood and what that was like, as well as how it connected to the present case. The murder mystery itself had twists and turns with an unexpected killer at the end.
The only things I didn't enjoy in this book were the bomb Mr. Preston drops on Molly at the end of the book, and how quickly the detective changed her mind about Molly at the end. That being said, I do hope we get to see another book where Molly follows through with the proposition of the detective.
Overall, this was a cozy read that I think would be good for getting out of a reading slump!

I really enjoyed the surprise twists in this book, and having read the first part The Maid, I really enjoyed the book.
That being said, I think The Maid was 1000000x better, I don't know if it's because the original mystery, if it was just more surprising, or what but this one just didn't hit the mark. My main issue with this book was the way it went back and forth between past stuff and present, and some things that were very obvious weren't mentioned until the very end of the book so I'm not sure how I feel about this book but I give it a 3.8 (bumped it to 4 because I really love Nita Prose as an author).

Note: received a free ARC in exchange for an unbiased review

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
Written in Molly's POV. Just about four years have past since Molly was the maid. It came as no surprise - and a bit of relief - to see her promoted to Head Maid. Unfortunately, there is still no justice concerning Cheryl. There are good laughs all through. I'm so happy Molly didn't return to school, having to face the likes of Ms. Cripps, and the bullying discreetly described in thoughts. I stand by what I've said before: Everyone should see the world as Molly does. She missed Juan Manual and I did too. Loved the epilogue, but saw it coming in book #1. Funnily enough, Birdie understood Grimthorpe better than Beulah (biographer) did. I am still confused to see staff coming to work via the front door (vs. the back), both at the hotel and mansion and also about Jenkins cleaning house before the will is read (who gave him orders?). Author's notes are worth reading.

If you enjoyed the author’s first novel about Molly - The Maid - then you’re sure to enjoy this one. The addition of dual time-lines and a glimpse into young Molly’s life made this book even better than the first. Molly offers an enjoyable and unique voice while solving a good old-fashioned mystery.

Oh Molly the Maid is back and as adorable as ever! I just LOVE her! This is a great cozy series.

This is Canadian author, Nia Prose's 🇨🇦 second instalment of her Molly the Maid series and I think I liked this one even more than the first!

The second book starts several years after the first one ended. Molly, is now the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel and takes her job very seriously and has great pride in it. She's even written a book called, "A Maid's guide & handbook to cleaning & maintaining a state of pinnacle perfection." The staff are all very excited about a high-profile guest who will be making an announcement in the newly renovated tearoom of the hotel. That guest is none other than the renowned mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe. As Mr. Grimthorpe takes the stand at the top of the podium he takes several sips of his tea off of his special teacart. Then he dramatically falls to the ground before he can make his important announcement! Mr. Grimthorpe is pronounced dead! Molly and the staff are once again under suspect.

I really enjoyed getting reacquainted with Molly. I especially enjoyed that this one went back in time with Molly and her beloved Gran (how I love her little sayings) and the first time that Molly ever met Mr. Grimthorpe.

A very entertaining story!