Cover Image: The Maid

The Maid

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Loved this well written and loved the characters had seen a lot about it on social media and it did not disappoint couldn’t put it down

Was this review helpful?

A great read and an intriguing, complex heroine whose challenges drew sympathy and understanding. Loved the peek into a luxury hotel's inner sanctum.

Was this review helpful?

Another book thats absolutely everywhere and another book I enjoyed but wasn’t blown away by.

The book tells the story of Molly who works as a maid in a boutique hotel. During a shift Molly discovers the body of Mr Black a regular guest of the hotel and takes it upon herself to discover the truth behind the going ons. Molly is a quirky character, along the lines of Eleanor Oliphant and her character is charming and makes the story endearing.

I enjoyed the quirkiness of the book. The storyline was different and I enjoyed the relationships between Molly and the doorman and his daughter and the cook. The ending was a disappointment to me I think that it made Molly seem less innocent. I also didn’t like events with the pillow in association with her grandmothers death. Again it added a sinister tone that wasn’t needed.

Overall an enjoyable read, though nothing groundbreaking in my opinion and not your usual thriller but still very much worth a read.

Was this review helpful?

A Perfect Thriller
If there is something like a perfect thriller, then The Maid by Nita Prose justifies every word. It was terrific with some amazing characters. My favorite is Molly who represents herself as a strong and responsible woman. Tertiary characters are also wonderful. But, the most thrilling is the climax which is simply superb. Just when you think that you have guessed the right culprit, the last few pages flips the whole plot. Indeed one of the best thriller of 2022.

I would, definitely, give the book 5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

Was this review helpful?

Loved loved loved this book!!
Molly was such an interesting character, I liked her so much. The story had a great plot and was a joy to read.

Was this review helpful?

I am your Maid. I know about your secrets. Your dirty laundry. But what do you know about me ?

Molly the maid is all alone in the world. A nobody.
She’s used to being invisible in her job at the Regency Grand Hotel, plumping pillows and wiping away the grime, dust and secrets of the guests passing through. She’s just a maid - why should anyone take notice ?

But Molly is thrown into the spotlight when she discovers an infamous guest, Mr Black, very dead in his bed. This isn’t a mess that can easily be cleaned up. And as Molly becomes embroiled in the hunt for the truth, following the clues whispering in the hallways, she discovers a power she never knew was there. She’s just a maid - but what can she see that others overlook ?

My thoughts

I became invested in Molly’s story, and throughout her story I felt sorry for Molly, sorry that she was treated in the way she was, because she wasn’t like anyone else, people took high advantage of her good nature and abused her trust. I’d seen The Maid advertised everywhere and when I bought it I had to read it straight away. I will openly admit, it wasn’t the book I thought it was, but it still definitely turned out as a book that didn’t disappoint. Molly the Maid, you can trust her with your secrets, she knows what’s right in the world and always follows the rules, but because of this, people she thought we’re friends have truly took advantage of her kind ways and trusting nature. Took advantage so much that she ended up unknowingly breaking the law.

A few Lessons are to be learnt from Mollys story, lessons on trust and friendship and about treating others with respect, even those who aren’t like us, they are still human. They still deserve the utmost respect when deserved.

Was this review helpful?

A well-written debut with a good pace and intriguing plot. The narrator’s voice occasionally rang a bit false to my ear but overall it was still an enjoyable and easy read and I would recommend it.

Was this review helpful?

Molly, a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel (in an unnamed American city), is a key witness in the murder of one of the hotel's most (in)famous guests, the business tycoon Mr Black. But, soon she is a suspect, too...
Molly is neurodivergent (autistic, one assumes, from the first-person narrative), so is not totally aware of everything going on around her - unlike us the readers; which puts the book broadly in the 'unreliable narrator' genre.
How Molly proves her innocence, and finds the real murderer, is fairly entertainingly told.
It's a book more in the 'cosy crime' category rather than the 'gripping thriller' one may be led to believe from other write-ups.
The character's believability takes a bit of a hit later in the book when she suddenly transforms into a crime-fighting heroine. And the obligatory, post-story 'reveal' doesn't ring true to Molly's character as the reader has been lead to understand it through the rest of the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Was this review helpful?

What can I say about The Maid other than woah! I absolutely love Molly the Maid ❤️

I loved Molly's story, her personality, the way she talks and the memories of her Gran. She is such a likeable character. I also loved Juan Manuel and Mr. Preston.

This book is definitely a cozy mystery novel, I devoured it in 3 days! I highly recommend this book. A brilliant debut novel. I can't wait to see what else Nita Prose comes out with.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed the maid. When a lonely, young maid comes across a dead body in one of the rooms of a hotel that she is cleaning she is quickly drawn into a world of mystery and deception. Follow her journey as she tries to solve the crime and test who she can really trust. A great read.

Was this review helpful?

I was so excited to read this hugely anticipated novel and had read a lot of very positive reviews. This is a cosy crime novel, featuring a neurodivergent main character Molly, who finds a regular guest dead in his hotel room. Sadly, I found this to be a slow paced and predictable read that I could not connect with. I have realised from a few recent reads that I am not a fan of cosy crime so will avoid the genre in future. However, there are many positive reviews of the novel so if you are a fan of this genre I would give it a go.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Was this review helpful?

No one sees Molly, she is just the maid at The Regency Grand. She cleans away dust and dirt and takes pride in her work. Molly is different to others, she struggles with socialisation and is the butt of many a joke. But Molly is loyal to her work and those she cares about.
.
When Molly finds Mr Black dead in his suite she becomes the subject of police interest and needs to learn to rely on others to help her.
.
I adored Molly! A character that is different to the norm and with such charm and individuality. Her language harks back to previous times and I just wanted to reach into the pages to give her a hug.
.
All the characters, even the unlikeable ones come to life through the pages. Reading The Maid felt like a modern day homage to Agatha Christie. The plot was simple but effective and a great ending. I'll be watching to see what author @nitaprose writes next. I'll definitely be reading it.
Thank you Harper Collins. I loved it

Was this review helpful?

Despite some tedium in dialogue of the principal , in fact, replicating an autistic/syndrome approach it is intriguing following people revealing assumptions about guilt .. as the police do .. she's utterly adorable and tells the tale well. .. there is more than one twist in the tale .. and friendships blossom. A really enjoyable work ..

Was this review helpful?

The Maid was a winning combination of touching and heartwarming, paired with mystery elements weaved in that kept me glued to the pages. It was a joy to read. I don’t usually go for ‘cosy crime’ which I think it what this would be classed as, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a break from tougher subjects – and it does touch on some serious issues. And at the heart of it all is one of the most wonderful, complicated, sympathetic characters I’ve read in a while – Molly the maid.

Molly has a good heart, but she’s extremely socially awkward. She’s passionate about her job – she loves ‘returning rooms to a state of perfection’ at the grand Regency Hotel. She grew up living with her nan who’s now passed away, so she has little friends or family, but she’s happy with the rules her salt-of-the-earth grandma taught her, and lives a simple life of order.

Until, her life is turned upside down. Molly is the first on the scene at a murder when she finds a wealthy hotel guest dead in his bed. The business tycoon and his second wife were often stayed at the hotel, and Molly regularly cleaned their suite. But now, the quiet, innocent maid is thrust into the limelight in a way she’s never expected, as she becomes a suspect for the crime.

While this is a lighthearted, cosy read, it does expose how some people will take advantage of others’ weaknesses. Molly’s lack of understanding when it comes to social interactions makes her a prime target for framing, and some people don’t hesitate to use her for all she’s worth. As the story progresses, Molly started to realise all isn’t what it seems – but she’ll also find friendship and help in the most unlikely places.

Molly was a really likeable characters, and her unique view of the world was a great perspective to watch this quirky whodunnit unfold. She discovers crimes, but also learns a little about other people and finds friendships too – and I enjoyed it all.

Was this review helpful?

Molly is a maid at a hotel that prides itself on being smoothly run and perfectly clean. All the staff are expected to do their jobs to perfection (if you know, you know) and Molly takes this as absolute.

Molly is a character that shows many traits of being neurodiverse/on the Austistic spectrum and yet it is never referred to (apart from some people saying she "isn't like" other people). I loved that Molly is such a unique character and I got so frustrated when she was taken advantage of for being trusting and taking things literally.

The storyline was cleverly written and I love that Molly had some cheerleaders in her corner in the shape of a rather gentlemanly door man.

The book really grabbed my attention and I throughly enjoyed the reading experience.

I hope that we might meet Molly again one day!

Was this review helpful?

This is a book which has captured my interest from the beginning. I love how this is written. It is filled with a mix of characters and has been a book I have been unable to predict.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book, from the start I couldn’t have guessed what would have happened at all throughout. This book was full of twists and shocks and of course Molly the Maid, the best maid there has ever been

Was this review helpful?

Molly the maid sees everything, even if no one sees her…

I expected an intriguing crime novel with some good twists, but The Maid proved to be so much more than that. I’ve not loved a book with such a special main character like this, since I read Mark Haddon’s Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and felt thrilled to read and experience the world through Molly’s eyes. Especially something so intense as an investigation. The author really captured Molly brilliantly and I was completely taken with her protagonist, the plot and the outcome - I absolutely had to know what would happen to Molly and how she would cope in the dangerous situation she found herself in. It really was a damn good read and I adored it. I’d recommend it to fans of Curious Incident and anyone who’s looking for a crime novel that really has that unique edge and fantastic twists and turns to boot. Nita really knows how to write a cracking crime novel.

Huge thanks to the author, Nita Prose, and publisher, HarperCollins, for this advance review copy. Views my own. 5*

Was this review helpful?

Molly the maid, is a very kind and likeable character who adores her grandma. Molly always remembers everything her grandma said to her but doesn't quite understand. After her grandma's death, Molly struggles with her finances and her life. But she's still positive and bright.

Molly works at the luxurious Regency Grand Hotel. She is not like anyone else. She loves her job and she works hard and always cleans the guest room and return to a state of perfection.

Mr & Mrs Black are the regular guests of the Regency Grand Hotel. Molly cleans the room whenever they stay. Mrs Black, Giselle, is like a friend to Molly whom she never sees differently.
One day, Molly cleans Mr & Mrs Black's room as always and discovers Mr Black lying still. Molly tries to phone the front desk before she faints. When she wakes up, she struggles to remember what went on in Mr Black's bedroom.

Molly is then brought to the police office to interview and investigate. Days later, Molly was accused of murder with full-greed pointing to her. Did Molly kill Mr Black?

"Gran was correct after all. About all of it. About everything.
The longer you live, the more you learn.
People are mystery that can never be solved. Life has a way of sorting itself out.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end."

I was super looking forward to reading The Maid. It can be slow in some chapters but it does not bore me. I do enjoy the story. I think Molly is a very blessed woman with a gentle heart. The twists and turns are actually pretty good. I'm pretty surprised at the finish. It's a good read.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book and found the main character both loveable and heart-warming! I felt like I wanted to look after Molly and I found some of the book very funny. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and seeing how the story progressed with Molly and the situation she found herself in.

The twist at the end was not one I expected and was one I was shocked by. Overall I’d recommend reading this book if you enjoy a good thriller.

Was this review helpful?