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.
The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
- One-word review: Character-driven
- Emojis: ☠️ 🕵️♀️ ⁉️
- Rating: 5 🌟s
My thoughts:
I love Molly the Maid! I love how her mind works and how she values loved ones, family, and friends. I also love how she firmly took the new maid, Lily, under her wing. She may be neurodivergent, but she shows that does not mean she’s incapable of excellence. She has her strengths and is self-aware enough to recognize their worth. I can’t imagine being anywhere else but firmly on her side, rooting for her with each and every turn of the story.
One of Molly’s strengths is noticing things other people don’t, which is an excellent skill when investigating a murder. It’s been 3 years since there was a murder in the hotel, but once again, Molly must prove the maid did not do it and find who actually did. She investigates with an attention to detail that leaves nothing to theory.
I loved all of the twists and turns the story took and the red herrings that led me down so many rabbit holes. There are plenty of reasons for many people to have killed the famous mystery writer. Plenty of past connections and storylines could easily cause someone to want him dead. But Molly sees through all that to the undeniable facts that lead to what happened.
12 responses to “The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose #BookReview #Mystery”
A brilliant review. I am so looking forward to reading this one.
You are going to love it!
I just started this one this morning! I can’t wait to see how it goes.
I hope you enjoy it! I thought it was maybe a touch better than the first book even.
I was a little lukewarm about this series but now you’ve got me excited. Excellent review, Tessa💜
Oooo…you’ve got to read it Jo. I think you would love Molly too!
Great review, Tessa. This one has been on my reading radar. It sounds like it’s worth checking into!
Yes! Both books in the series but each can be read as a stand alone. Molly is on the spectrum (it’s never named but probably autism) and is just so endearing with all of her unique little quirks and gifts.
Great review, Tessa. I also love Molly the Maid and look forward to this next story.
She is so endearing!
Excellent review! I really enjoyed this one too, especially getting all of the glimpses into Molly’s backstory. The more I learned about her, the more endearing I found her.
Me too! Her backstory is so interesting. Now Prose has to write a book that explores more about her mother!