1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
“Polished to perfection!”—Shari Lapena, author of Everyone Here Is Lying
“Lives up to the hype . . . both a delightful whodunit and a pointed social commentary.”—The Washington Post
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Harper’s Bazaar, Chicago Public Library, CrimeReads, Bookreporter
Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
November 28, 2023 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780593356197
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780593356197
- File size: 3645 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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August 1, 2023
In 2022, Prose debuted with The Maid, whose protagonist, Molly Gray, a neurodivergent young woman who struggles to read the world around her yet can take pride in her work at the Regency Grand Hotel. It went on to become a No. 1 New York Times best seller that boasted a Ned Kelly award and an Edgar short-listing. Now Molly is back as head maid, determined to solve the murder of celebrated mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe, who's tumbled over in the hotel's sumptuous tearoom. Prepub Alert.
Copyright 2023 Library Journal
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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September 25, 2023
The underwhelming follow-up to Prose’s 2022 bestseller The Maid once again centers 29-year-old Molly Gray, who has just been promoted to head maid at the five-star Regency Grand Hotel in an unnamed city. Neurodivergent Molly—whose penchant for cleanliness makes her great at her job, even though her difficulty understanding social cues sometimes gets her into trouble—gets caught up in another scandal when renowned mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe comes to the Regency Grand to make a special announcement in the recently restored Grand Tearoom. Journalists, fans, and eager hotel staff gather to hear Grimthorpe speak, only to be shocked into silence when he falls dead at the podium. Police detective Stark, who believed Molly to be a killer in the previous book, again heads up the investigation, and again suspects Molly of murder on account of her stoic demeanor (and, in this case, her proximity to Grimthorpe’s tea before he died). To clear her name, Molly launches her own investigation, which involves digging deep into her past; she used to help her late grandmother clean Grimthorpe’s mansion. After the novelist’s death, the plot lurches along, stuffed with repetition and excessively long dives into Molly’s childhood memories. Along the way, Prose packs in precious few surprises. Molly is still a well-drawn heroine, but this falls short of its predecessor. Agent: Madeleine Milburn, Madeleine Milburn Literary. -
Starred review from November 1, 2023
Three years after a previous encounter with murder, Molly Gray is head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hostelry. She's trained her new maid, Lily, to handle the tea cart for the inn's guest speaker, J.D. Grimthorpe, the best-selling author of over 20 mysteries, a recluse who seldom appears in public. The media and his rabid fans have gathered at the inn to catch a glimpse. Grimthorpe surprises everyone, first by coming down from the stage to doctor his own tea, and then by dropping dead just before he can finish his speech. Molly has the presence of mind to remove Lily from the scene, but she can't prevent her old nemesis, Detective Stark, from investigating Grimthorpe's death. When it's revealed he was poisoned, Molly realizes she may hold the key to the case; as a young girl, she visited the Grimthorpe mansion, and Molly's past encounters with the author may hold the truth to his death years later. VERDICT The sequel to Prose's award-winning debut The Maid marks the return of a charming protagonist with awkward social skills and a big heart.--Lesa Holstine
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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November 1, 2023
Hotel maid Molly Gray (first seen in The Maid, 2022) is bright but slightly odd and socially awkward. Deserted by her drug-addicted mother, Molly was raised by her Gran, who loved Molly devotedly and taught her valuable life lessons. All Molly ever wanted was to be a maid like Gran, and her hard work has paid off with her recent promotion to head maid. But now Molly is faced with another murder at the Regency Grand Hotel. Acclaimed author J. D. Grimthorpe is holding a press conference at the hotel, but just as it's about to begin, he keels over and dies. The police arrive, and Molly's chagrined to find that her old nemesis, Detective Stark, is the lead investigator. It seems Grimthorpe was poisoned; Molly knows she's innocent, but can she find the real killer before she ends up behind bars? Unpleasant memories from Molly's past, secrets, lies, and revenge all play a role in Grimthorpe's death, but once again, Molly proves that she's more than "just a maid" in this heartwarming, feel-good mystery.COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Molly the maid, who we first met in The Maid, is back. Life has looked up since the murder of Mr Black: she is now Head Maid at the five-star Regency Grand hotel and Maid-in-Training Lily is her protégé. She has a Sunday dinner tradition with Mr Preston and can still draw on her grandmother’s wisdom. Unfortunately, though, the Regency Grand is the scene of another murder, and Molly is as close to this murder as she was to that of Mr Black. Best-selling but reclusive mystery novelist J D Grimthorpe, was about to make a big announcement in the Grand Tea room when he shockinlgy keeled over dead. Now everyone at the hotel is under suspicion. Molly must deal with a frightened and almost mute Lily, the LAMBS (Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society members), strange behaviour from Mr Preston, and the suspicions of Detective Stark. Fortunately, Molly has an eye for detail – and she has a secret advantage, as she knew Grimthorpe when she was a child. But figuring out who killed Grimthorpe will mean Molly has to unlock memories she’d prefer to keep tidied away. With her singular voice, Molly is a memorable character. The Mystery Guest is a perfect follow-up story for fans. Reviewed by Melinda Woledge ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nita Prose is the author of The Mystery Guest and The Maid, which has sold over 1 million copies worldwide and was published in more than forty countries. A #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club pick, The Maid won the Ned Kelly Award for International Crime Fiction, the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year, the Anthony Award for Best First Novel, and the Barry Award for Best First Mystery, and was an Edgar Award finalist for Best Novel. Visit Nita Prose's website -
Molly the maid is ready to clean up another murderous mess in the latest offering from Nita Prose. Molly Gray has come a long way since Prose’s bestselling debut, The Maid, where she was unfairly accused of the murder of a guest at the five-star Regency Grand Hotel. Cleared of all charges, Molly is now the head maid and blissfully in love with her boyfriend, Juan Manuel, another Grand employee. But when celebrated author J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead in the hotel tearoom moments before making a mysterious announcement about his career, Molly’s plunged into chaos once again. Grimthorpe was poisoned, and police, including Molly’s old nemesis Detective Stark, believe a hotel staff member may be the murderer. The hotel is full of suspects such as Lily, the new maid-in-training who prepared the poisoned tea cart, and Serena, Grimthorpe’s secretary who disappears in the aftermath of his death. Detective Stark still believes Molly is capable of murder, so to protect herself and her friends, Molly puts her eye for meticulous detail to use to help solve the crime. Molly also has a mysterious connection to the reclusive writer—one that may help her crack the case. The Mystery Guest is a delightful sophomore novel that showcases how Molly has changed since the first entry in the series: She’s as sharp and honest as ever but has grown into her roles of head maid and girlfriend. Molly’s particularly protective of Lily, and it’s a joy to see the lengths to which she’ll go to defend her friends. Molly’s co-workers, including long-serving doorman Mr. Preston and head barmaid Angela are warm and funny, and both contribute to her sleuthing success in unexpected ways. Another bright spot of the novel are the LAMBS: Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society members. A group of Grimthorpe fans who are staying at the hotel, the women are entertaining, helpful and suspicious in equal measure. Molly’s a singular character—she’s intelligent, unfailingly honest and the epitome of a professional maid—and readers will enjoy checking in to the Regency Grand to follow her and her exploits. Fans of The Maid will miss Juan Manuel, who spends the bulk of the novel visiting family, but hopefully Prose will reunite him with Molly in the next installment of this charming series.
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