Molly Gray is now Head of Special Events and Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, she is engaged to the love of her life pastry chef, Juan Manuel. Things should be perfect, right?

The hotel is hosting a taping of the antiquities reality TV show Hidden Treasures (similar to Antiques Roadshow). Molly decides to bring some things to be appraised and learns that she owns a Fabergé Egg prototype. She agrees to auction the item for millions, but before it can happen the item is stolen. This was a brazen theft, who would do this? In order to solve the mystery, we must visit the past.

As we visit the past through Molly's Gran's diary we find out how Gran came to own it. Unfortunately, at this point the plot begins to drag. I felt that there was too much of this and not enough of the present day mystery. Gran's story of her wealthy upbringing and falling in love with someone her family didn't approve of would make a nice romance story on it's own.

I have enjoyed Molly's journey from The Maid to her present day position. She has grown to be a confident woman who has earned the respect of her coworkers. I hope that someday we will get the chance to revisit with Molly, perhaps she will be running the hotel, and we can solve a mystery together. Thank you Nita Prose for a most enjoyable series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for an ARC. The review is my own.

4⭐️/5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Maid’s Secret, the third installment of Nita Prose’s Molly Maid series.

As always, Molly warms my heart. These books are the definition of cozy mysteries. This was told in a dual POV from Molly in live time and Gran’s diary about her history. I loved getting to hear about Gran more in this book. Her backstory and how she came to her spot in life when we first began reading the Maid series. Things seemed to tie up pretty neatly after this installment, so I’m not sure if Prose anticipates writing any more Molly, but if she does, I will definitely keep reading.

Molly the Maid is back at the Regency Grand Hotel, this time she has the opportunity to get some antiques evaluated for an incredibly popular show. Then, the events of the story take a turn.

The Maid's Secret is different than other books in the series, as there's a dual timeline with a diary from Gran interspersed with the current day to day shenanigans that Molly finds herself in. The journal entries gave Gran a whole new personality that we didn't see too much of in previous books, such as how she ended up where she was.

Delightful, charming, and cozy. The Maid's Secret delineated from previous books in the series without there being a death to focus on, and helped the characters be much more rounded.

As a fan of this series since the very beginning, I am sad to see it end, but Prose gives Molly a fitting and heartwarming send-off.

I absolutely adore Molly! She is endearing with her earnest, kind, quirky, hardworking demeanor and love of puns. She is surrounded by a lovely cast of supporting characters with a strong family vibe among them. Molly was raised by her beloved Gran, who is deceased and has appeared in the series only in memories and flashbacks. In this story, we delve into Gran's backstory through her diary entries.

There is also a heist at the Regency Grand Hotel, where Molly works as the Head Maid and Special Events Manager, coinciding with a visit from an antique appraisal TV show. The missing item is a priceless piece that has been in Gran's curio cabinet since Molly's childhood, leading to the question: why would Molly and Gran possess an object of such value?

Gran's backstory is intriguing, as she faced emotional and challenging situations, allowing us to see her grow into the warm and wise woman who raised a remarkable granddaughter. The dual timeline works well and ties in nicely with the heist mystery. The story explores the many forms of love and how love is what is truly priceless. It was heartwarming to see all the support and love Molly has in her life now after losing Gran. While I will miss Molly, the ending is sweet, satisfying, and a lovely way to wrap up the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Ballentine Books for the gifted ARC!

If The Maid made you fall for Molly Gray’s earnestness and quirky logic, then The Maid’s Secret might just make you want to wrap her in a big, warm hug—and then immediately start reanalyzing the clues she drops along the way.

This one’s part cozy mystery, part origin story, and 100% Molly. Prose brings us back to the Regency Grand Hotel, where a new mystery stirs not just in the polished halls of the posh establishment, but within Molly herself. This time, the stakes feel more personal. There’s something buried in her past—something about Gran, the woman who raised her with so much quiet strength and ritual—that resurfaces in a way that feels both inevitable and quietly devastating.

There’s a dual-timeline structure here that works really well. It gives us deeper insight into Gran, elevating her from the wise voice in Molly’s head to a flesh-and-blood woman with her own secrets. And it adds emotional heft to a mystery that’s already cleverly spun. This isn’t just about whodunnit—it’s about how what was done years ago still echoes through today.

Compared to The Maid, The Maid's Secret feels a bit more grown up. Not heavier, exactly, but more layered. The humor’s still there—Molly’s literal interpretations and dry observations haven’t dulled a bit—but they’re balanced with a touch more tenderness, a shade more melancholy. If The Maid was about learning how to be seen, The Maid’s Secret is about what happens when people start looking closely.

There’s also a sweet thread of romance here, the kind that doesn’t dominate the story but rather enriches it. It’s not swoony—think more warm glance than grand gesture—but it fits Molly’s world perfectly. You root for her, not just to solve the mystery, but to trust, to open up, to believe she deserves good things.

And the ending? Very well done. Not in a loud, twisty, gotcha way like many mysteries—but in the quiet, satisfying way that leaves you smiling at the final page, maybe even wiping away a tear if you're the sentimental type.

This might be the best in the series. At the very least, it’s tied with the original—but if you ask me tomorrow, I might be leaning toward this one. There’s something beautiful about a sequel that doesn’t just continue a story, but deepens it.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for providing me an advance copy of the book for review.

3.75 stars
I absolutely adored the first two books in this series—Molly’s quirky, literal, and endearing personality made her such a standout character. I’ve always loved how she manages to get herself into tricky situations with the best of intentions, and how her unique way of seeing the world makes the story feel fresh and fun.

One of my favorite parts of the earlier books was the way Molly reflected on her gran’s wisdom. Gran’s little lessons and sayings were heartwarming and often brought real depth to Molly’s decisions and worldview. Unfortunately, that element didn’t quite work for me in The Maid’s Secret. The chapters from Gran’s perspective felt like a shift from the person we fell in love with in the first two books. Her tone and actions didn’t always feel true to the Gran we’ve come to know, and that pulled me out of the story a bit.

That said, I still enjoyed being back in Molly’s world. There were moments that made me smile, and Nita Prose’s voice continues to be unique. This one just didn’t hit quite as well as the others—but I’ll still be keeping an eye out for more from this author.

Molly the Maid is back! Our favorite quirky maid and her fiancée, Juan, have found themselves in yet another predicament. This time, her lovely gran is to blame…..

The Maid’s secret is a dual timeline cozy mystery that I devoured in one sitting! In Mollys timeline, we find that the priceless family heirloom Molly has been keeping is actually a missing golden Faberge egg worth millions! Everyone is so excited for this discovery, well everyone except Molly of course. When the egg goes missing, Molly feels relieved to finally return back to her normal life. But what happened to the egg?

The other timeline is a story I have wanted to be told since the first Maid novel: Flora, Mollys grandmother. It was so interesting to have the plot switch back to Flora’s childhood, when she met Mr. Preston, what happened with her family, etc. I truly found both storylines so interesting!

The Maids Secret is out April 8th, 2025. Thank you Nita Prose, NetGalley, and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader copy of this novel.

This installment of the Maid series gives us what we have all been waiting for—Gran's story! Told in interweaving narrative, this book gives us a clue into the precursor to the Maid. It was fun and a good change of pace to the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for a copy. This is out this Tuesday, April 8th!

In THE MAID's SECRET, Nita Prose introduces a unique storytelling technique, different from her previous two books. The narrative unfolds through two distinct but interconnected stories, revealed in alternating chapters. We learn about Molly's family backstory through her grandmother Flora's diary, and witness Molly's big surprise when Flora's 'odd egg' is appraised during a Hidden Treasure TV show at the hotel where she works, leaving her and Juan as potential millionaires, only for the egg to be stolen.

THE MAID's SECRET is not just a charming mystery and love story, but also a narrative that allows readers to connect with the characters on a deeper level. The touching story of Gran's past, revealed in her diary, is a testament to this. Molly's innocence, genuine kindness, and trusting nature, coupled with her sleuthing, make her a character readers will root for. I highly recommend this fresh and enjoyable book, a perfect tribute to Molly and her Gran.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine for the digital advance review copy. I also want to give a huge shoutout to Nita Prose for crafting such a great series. While each book can be read as a standalone, The Maid's Secret is a worthy addition to the series. I eagerly await the next installment!

I adore the Molly the maid stories and this one did not disappoint! Though my favorite is still the first one, this story was wonderful too!

Molly is planning her wedding and just found out that her fabrege egg is worth millions (via a reality show being filmed at the Regency Grand Hotel!! However, the egg disappears and a whole story unfolds!! It was wonderful and fun like all of other books in the series! Highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine books for the digital advanced readers copy!! I received a complimentary copy of this book. This novel will be published April 8, 2025! Add it to your TBR!

I’m a big fan of the Maid books and absolutely adore Molly Gray’s wonderfully innocent but insightful character. It has been a fun ride getting to know her and seeing her character’s life evolve during the first two books, but I was very excited to explore Gran’s past that was always seems to be full of hidden secrets that she was never willing to share.

In this third book, Molly is planning her wedding and finds out on a reality tv show that Gran’s Fabrege’ egg is worth millions, which brings Molly a lot of unwanted attention. However, the egg goes missing after the auction and all that is found is threatening note addressed to Molly. The trouble continues in every turn but Molly has Juan, her Regacy Hotel friends and Lt. Stark by her side trying to solve the mystery of the egg’s disappearance.

In a true “whodunnit” mystery fashion, the third book of the Maid Series does not disappoint. A special thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me an advanced digital copy of the fantastic book.

The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Molly Gray is the Head Maid and Special Events Manager at the Regency Grand Hotel. Her wedding to the love of her life, Juan Manuel, is only a couple months away and everything seems good. When a popular art appraisal show films an episode at the hotel, Molly decides to bring a box with a few of her Gran’s things to be appraised and an item turns out to be super rare and extremely valuable. Molly is set to become a millionaire if she agrees to auction off the item, but the heirloom unexpectedly disappears in a heist before the sale is finalized. The key to solving the mystery and recovering the authentic Faberge egg lies in a diary written by Molly’s Gran.

What a beautifully written story! Every book in this series was so wonderful and Molly the Maid will always be one of my favorite characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Molly navigate everything with her genuine kindness and authenticity. From the TV crew to the discovery that Molly has an extremely valuable Faberge egg to the shocking heist and all the other adventures that happen throughout, The Maid’s Secret is full of surprises and heart. The glimpse into Gran’s past along with the present-day heist was weaved together wonderfully. Full of love, connection, community, and mystery, this book has everything a reader could want.

Overall, The Maid’s Secret is a testament to the significance of determination, kindness, resilience, connection, and the enduring power of love.

I have enjoyed every book in this series...thoroughly. But this one may be my favorite (if I could pick one).

My big love for this book comes from its dual character perspectives. We are able to learn so much more about Molly's beloved Gran's background and at times heartbreaking life story through her own eyes (with the aid of her diary). On a personal note, Molly's Gran, from the very beginning, has meant almost as much to me as a character as Molly herself. And I was so thrilled to learn how her past affected how she loved and raised Molly in the absence of her mother.

While there are dual storylines which are well developed and tie together nicely, I've always felt that Prose's greatest literary gift is in her ability to bring her characters to life, depicting their sometimes-messy lives all while keeping them mostly humble and loveable. And while some may consider this series more in the "cozy" genre, I've always taken it a bit more seriously. I've found in its characters, deeper feelings/thoughts/insights and more life lessons to be learned (by both the fictional characters and the reader themselves) than I believe the "cozy" category provides. Yes, these books are heartwarming, and yes, they are without the distractions of bad language, explicit sex, etc. of a lot of modern books. But I see these things as positive attributes, not willful disconnects.

Prose's writing style is spot on for the world of Molly. Simplistic at times, humorous at times but with underlying truths and motives which don't need flowery, fancy wording (much like Molly herself). It's refreshing to enter this world with each new book as if encountering an old friend that you've been longing to catch up with.

This book's ending felt final to me. And if so, I'd like to thank Prose for the invitation to meet and fall in love with Molly and her gang. It's been a pleasure.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine Books for providing the free early arc of The Maid's Secret for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I've read all of the Molly the Maid series and I have enjoyed all of them. This one had a dual timeline and I usually don't like that but it works here. It was great to hear of Molly's grandmother's life. So much going on in this one and it keeps you glued to every word! Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Unfortunately this series has kind of been done to death, it’s another step back into grandmas life and is just not the same mystery I’ve been wanting

📚: The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose
⭐️: 4/5

A wedding. A heist. A secret. (Or rather, many secrets, hidden away in a diary.)

Molly the Maid is back! This time she’s planning her wedding to Juan Manuel when she inadvertently stumbles upon a fortune hidden in plain sight. What happens next unravels decades of family history - as well as plenty of hijinks at The Regency Hotel.

I really adore this series. It’s cute and cozy. It’s fun. It’s a comforting read in a crazy world. Give me any Molly the Maid book and I’ll happily read it. (Will I be purchasing a copy to give to my mom for Mother’s Day? Absolutely.)

Thanks to Random House - Ballantine via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Maid’s Secret is out on Tuesday 4/8!

** “Love cannot be stolen. Not by anyone. Those who do not know love place no value upon it. … But people like us, who do know it, who see and feel it and cherish it, possess a treasure that can never be taken away.” **

Nita Prose continues Molly the Maid’s plucky story in “The Maid’s Secret.”

As Molly Gray prepares for her wedding to Juan Manuel, the Regency Grand — where they both work, she as head maid and special events manager and he as the head pastry chef — is preparing to host “Hidden Treasures,” an exciting antiquities show.

When one of her Gran’s beloved possessions turns out to be more than Molly ever dreamed, her life is turned upside down, especially when the item goes missing.

As Molly searches for the item and the why behind why it was stolen, the story is also interspersed with chapters taken from Gran’s journal, sharing her shocking story with Molly. As she learns her family’s past, and the dark secrets it hides, Molly must try to get her life back under control.

“The Maid’s Secret” is a great story filled with twists and mysteries, but it does have a bit of a darker tone than past tales. Prose also fills her story with several good themes, like a life without love isn’t worth living; life is a mystery, always a new puzzle to behold; and we reap what we sow (“But we reap what we sow, and if we do not cultivate kindness, malice springs from the soil and poisons everything”). Love and its power is a huge theme.

You could read “The Maid’s Secret,” which is due out April 8, as a standalone, but I’d encourage you to read the other installments.

Five stars out of five.

Ballantine Books provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Molly is back in the third book of the Molly the Maid series. These books are adorable with Molly being so sweet and humble. She's also quirky and hilarious! This book can be easily read as a stand alone, and there is enough history provided to the reader to help them catch up.

Description:
A wedding. A heist. A secret.

Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancé, Juan Manuel, only two months away.

But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone's surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.

The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well….

Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.

My Thoughts:
There are several things going on this book. Molly and Juan Manuel are planning their upcoming wedding, the hotel is preparing for the Hidden Treasures show to film at their location, there is an impossible theft, and Gran has left Molly a priceless treasure. Molly and Juan's love for each other shines throughout. The story delves into the past as Molly reads her beloved Gran's diaries and discovers her secrets. Molly is as quirky and cute as ever and I love reading about her life. Facing possibly being wealthy was overwhelming to her, and she had no idea how to comprehend that. The show was interesting and very much like the famous Antiques Roadshow TV series. Anyone who enjoys quirky characters will love this book and series.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I enjoyed The Maid’s Secret very much. I liked the way the dual timelines were done. It was interesting to read Gran’s story. This book has a bit of everything from a mystery, love and forgiveness. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for the E-ARC.

As we've learned over the past couple of books in this series, Molly is a magnet for trouble. She never seeks it, but somehow, it continues to cross her path. In this case, that trouble all comes down to an egg. And no, I'm not referring to the panic buying of this food item.

Unlike the other books, there is no murder. This story boils down to greed and the lengths someone will go to obtain it. When Molly innocently tries to have some of her dearly departed Gram's trinkets, she learns she owns something of great value. This new discovery is a blessing and a curse.

Most people would jump for joy at discovering a new source of wealth, but as we've learned, Molly isn't most people. She does not enjoy the spotlight, especially when everyone is trying to take advantage of her new found fame. I had a little concern about her fiance, Juan, who seems to be overplanning how to spend their wealth, but that concern wasn't necessary. He is forever in love with Molly and will protect her at all costs.

A good part of this book centers on Gram and her diary, which ultimately provides a good backstory about the valuable item in her possession. I particularly like how the story is tied to Mr. Preston, one of Molly's strongest allies.

Overall, this was a fun addition to the story. I relished how far Molly has come over the years, not only personally, but socially, building a network of supporters who have her back. And against the odds, Molly the Maid prevails once again!