Thanks to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for the book #TheHotelMaid by #MichelleDunne. June is invisible to most everyone. She works as a maid at Cedarwood Manor and stays to herself. I do have secrets and they should never come out. Now, a woman has been killed at the hotel and a missing girl. How is this all connected?

*The Hotel* by Michelle Dunne was a challenging read for me. The pace of the story was slow, making it difficult to fully engage with the plot or connect with the characters. I found myself struggling to get into the book and only managed to finish it because of a commitment to see it through. While the writing itself is solid and there are moments of intrigue, the overall sluggishness made it less enjoyable than I had hoped. It might appeal to readers who prefer a more gradual build-up, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

A maid at a luxury hotel discovers a woman dead in her room and a little girl missing. She receives a note saying someone knows her secrets, but she is determined to prove them wrong...

Get ready for a wild ride!

The opening of the book immediately brought to mind Molly the maid - a character known for her earnest dedication and hard work. This story starts off light and gradually becomes darker, building tension and keeping the reader guessing. Chapters are labeled with different perspectives, helping to keep the story clear. The characters have deep, dark secrets that are slowly revealed, adding to the emotional depth of the story. In the end, everything comes together cohesively, creating a dark and emotional tale that keeps the reader engaged.

The narrator skillfully portrayed each character with distinct voices, making it easy for the listener to follow along. Their upbeat and engaging delivery kept me hooked throughout.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark mysteries filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been having a good time with maid-centered thrillers this year, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! We all love a little Upstairs-Downstairs action (with a dollop of murder).

This story is told in two timelines, each as engaging as the other.

There’s the story of June, a charming neurodivergent-coded hotel maid surrounded by nasty, fancy people. She lives a fairly ordinary blue collar life, but there’s something dark in her past, something that makes her work only off-the books…

Then there’s the story of Mia, an abused, differently abled child living with a family that makes the Dursleys look warm. Despite all against her, she’s a hopeful, charming child. But after she discovers her horrid brother’s secret, it’s clear her life is coming to an inflection point…

While I had my (continuously evolving) hunches, I didn't see the way the two stories connected until pretty far in and it was so fun to be delightfully confused and then have it all click into place! I loved the voice in this and it was perfectly placed, gripping and fun. The balance between character and plot development was *chef’s kiss.* another winner!

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jacqueline Milne, and I highly recommend it. Milne is a joy to listen to and her interpretations of the various characters help round out the (already super colorful) picture painted by the text. Fun fun!

Thanks, NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

from the description, everyone would assume this book is written in 1 pov. its not. to all the authors of thriller/suspense/mystery books, please start putting how book is written in description.