The Maid

I was pleasantly surprised at the readability of this book, The Maid by Nita Prose. And I can't wait to see Florence Pugh play the lead in the movie version soon!

Goodreads Stats

Why I Read This Book/How I Heard About It

This was one of many Top Mystery Reads lists across Goodreads, Libby, and our local bookstore. Never one to miss a popular or current book, I had to pick it up.

Goodreads Summary

Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by.

Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life's complexities all by herself. No matter--she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection.

But Molly's orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black--but will they be able to find the real killer before it's too late?

A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different--and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

First Impressions

Something about the cover of this book and the fact that it was described as Clue-like made me believe it would be super formal and set in England in the 1700's or something. I don't know why I thought this...it couldn't be further from the truth.

Although I'm not exactly sure when this book takes place, it feels very current. This is one where I recommend you listen to the audiobook because the narrator, Lauren Ambrose, is just excellent. She created the perfect voice and inflection for the main character, Molly, as well as the remaining cast of characters.

This book is filled with meticulous details that are repeated as Molly works through each detail in her head over and over again, as you do when there's a murder and you're trying to piece together what happened. I noticed pretty early on that the way Molly spoke as a twenty-five year old (her word choices, the sequence of her thoughts, and the details she noticed) was somewhat odd. The book never explicitly states why, but the reader soon figures out that Molly is different from the rest of the housekeeping staff at the hotel where she works. As you start to connect the dots, the author gives even more hints in the form of colleague-on-colleague insults and bullying.

Final Thoughts

As a reader, you know going in that this book's genre is mystery, so you try to be hyper aware and pay attention to every single detail. But with Molly's thought process...oh, there are so many details! And some are inconsequential. This produces a sort of lulling effect, wherein you become accustomed to how Molly thinks and speaks. This leaves you to sift through it all and wonder what in the world is happening.

Molly is extremely sweet and loveable and it really does hurt to see her mistreated. At one point, I felt so frustrated because I just kept thinking, "Come on! Can't this precious kid catch a break?" But hang in there, because the ending is so satisfying. If you are a lover of mysteries that keep you guessing until the end, this one is definitely up your alley!

Rating on Goodreads

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.

My rating method:

• I rarely rate books 5 stars. I save this for the absolute best books I've read. You know the ones...the ones that you can't get out of your head, even after you've finished them. The ones you think about for weeks afterwards.

• If a book is really, really good, I'll give it 4 stars. If you see a 4-star rating from me, I'd definitely recommend it to you to read.

• If it's just OK, it gets 3 stars. Basically, it means I could take it or leave it. I'd probably read it again because it wasn't terrible. But not like a favorite or anything.

• If I rate it 1 or 2 stars, I would not recommend anyone read it. It either didn't hold my interest or I couldn't relate to the characters/plot.