The Maid

by Nita Prose

Book Overview

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK - "A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center" (Real Simple), this cozy whodunit introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart. FINALIST FOR THE EDGAR(R) AWARD - "The reader comes to understand Molly's worldview, and to sympathize with her longing to be accepted--a quest that gives The Maid real emotional heft."--The New York Times Book Review (Editors'...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593356179
• ISBN13: 9780593356173
• Release Date: January 2023
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Pleasantly surprised by this one!

As a neurodivergent myself, I fell in love with Molly. If you are looking for a book that lets you walk in someone elses shoes through an exciting event, such as being accused of murder, but also has you deeply rooting for this character and isn't a dark read as some murder mysteries get, I recommend The Maid. I finished it in 24 hours, due to a quick attachment to sweet Molly. You get a bit of "whodoneit" mixed with a lot of empathy for this unique person, a couple of surprises, and a pretty accurate look into someone's mind that works differently than most.

Molly the Maid

"Is this a good time for me to return your suite to a state of perfection?" Molly Gray is a hotel maid who has a vocation, not merely a job. She loves what she does and strives to do everything perfectly. She loves her hotel, she loves her uniform, she loves her maid's trolley, she even finds comfort in the invisibility her job affords her. On the "spectrum", she is appreciated by some and laughed at as weird by others. She is honest to a fault, is far too trusting, and is susceptible to being taken advantage of. She was raised by her grandmother who died recently, and she used to rely on her to interpret the confusing behavior of others. Gran always knew what to say, always had an adage to live by. "If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life." One day Molly discovers the body of a "guest very dead in his bed," the millionaire Mr. Black. Through a series of complications Molly is arrested on a number of charges, including first-degree murder... and this interferes with her work schedule! She is the last person in the world you would suspect capable of such behavior and she has trouble comprehending how she landed in this predicament. It is impossible not to cheer for this character Nita Prose has found for us. Molly is adorable, totally honest, and she lacks any filters. It is ironic that a murder mystery delivers a needed break from today's headlines, but I recommend checking into "The Maid" for a brief stay.

Unique and Touching

I read this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley and felt so fortunate to have that opportunity. Within one page I knew that I liked the story and my heart was touched by the main character, a British woman named Molly who works as a hotel maid and takes great pride in her work. My review is on Instagram and GoodReads. Molly, the good-hearted maid, is at times laugh-out-loud funny. She is not trying to be funny or sarcastic, but she is innocent for her age and lacks the ability to understand the ways of society and how people interact. As a result, she blurts out honest- and unfiltered- opinions. The details about Molly's home life, the fact that she had been living with her grandma who provided honest information about the world -as well as examples of some of Grandma's life coaching- make it clear that Molly is sort of vulnerable. Grandma had to explain simple things such as the fact that sometimes people's smiles are insincere and not a sign of feeling friendly at all. It is a devastating loss when Molly's grandmother passes away right at the start of the book. However, even though Molly is not socially experienced, she is wily enough to know that she is "bending" the boundaries of her job responsibilities in order to help a very good person who is a needy fellow employee. Unfortunately, Molly is not able to handle being blamed for the murder of a very prominent citizen who owns the penthouse apartment. In the process of investigating the murder, Molly learns a lot about human nature and true friends. I am really impressed that this is a debut novel, and Molly Gray is a special character indeed! I have already recommended this book to several people and told them to place pre-orders. There was not anything I disliked about the book. I thought it was uplifting, and different. A nice change of pace.