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"A charmingly eccentric hotel maid discovers a guest murdered in his bed, turning her once orderly world upside down--and inspiring a motley crew of unexpected allies to band together to solve the mystery--in this utterly original debut. Molly Dunn is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and interprets people literally. 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, show more twenty-five-year-old Molly has had to navigate 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 turned on its head 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 very dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's odd demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect and she finds herself in a web of subtext and nuance she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, a medley of friends she didn't realize she had refuses to let her be charged with murder--but will they be able to discover 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"-- show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
PuddinTame Both explore the minds of neuro-divergent people in a believable and mind-opening way
50
Litrvixen A murder mystery at a hotel.
Member Reviews
From whatever point of view: This is a disgrace of a book.
Let’s look at the story itself first: Molly, usually referred to and sometimes self-referring as “Molly the Maid” (as if that’s all she is), works as a maid in the Regency Grand Hotel.
One day, when she’s cleaning a suite she finds the body of Mr. Black, a rich “power magnate”, who stays at the hotel with his second wife, Giselle.
While it becomes clear to the reader very quickly that something sinister beyond the murder is afoot, Molly doesn’t recognise it and, thus, quickly becomes the prime suspect in the murder case.
Trying to prove Molly’s innocence Molly and a bunch of coworkers-cum-friends come up with a plan to entrap the true culprit…
So, there’s show more basically nothing new plot-wise. It is unoriginal and rather boring.
What about the character’s, though? We get to “meet” about 20 people - which is quite a lot but, thankfully, it’s manageable.
The problem here is, though: Most of them are stereotypes and never get a chance to evolve into something real. There’s Mr. Preston, the fatherly good-natured doorman and his sharp lawyer daughter, Charlotte, who doesn’t even know Molly but doesn’t hesitate to post a $800,000 bail for her…
Mr. Black, the corpse, we basically only get to know in passing from descriptions by Molly and his wife no. 2, Giselle Black. Giselle is depicted as a typical trophy wife - thirty-five years her husband’s junior, not only is she neglected (and, of course, having an affair) but also being physically abused. Oh, and, of course, she’s also taking drugs.
Rodney, Giselle’s illicit lover, is pretty much a diabolical enforcer. He’s written so simplistically that we know immediately that he’s going to be one of the “bad guys” when we first encounter him.
There’s also Juan Manuel, a Mexican dishwasher in the kitchen, involved in both the mystery and its resolution. There wasn’t much character description left in Prose’s severely limited repertoire so he has to be content with basically being a male version of Molly.
In a world of latent racism, it’s easy to match the Mexican with Molly…
Speaking of whom: Molly… Now, that’s where Prose really “shines”. As becomes obvious very quickly, Molly is neuroatypical/neurodivergent/on the autism spectrum - whatever you want to call it.
Prose doesn’t mention anything about that even once, though. Instead, she has Molly being called “weird”, “weirdo”, “freak”, “awkward”, “standoffish” by “friend” and “foe” alike.
Molly's "weirdness" is mostly info-dumped on us but never called what it is - probably to avoid criticism for having written about something the author doesn't really know anything about.
In her “Acknowledgments” Prose thanks everyone and their dogs and lists their respective roles - but, curiously, none of them seem to have any kind of professional experience with neuroatypical persons.
Prose’s characterisation of Molly reads a lot like plain old guesswork. She seems to have read up on Wikipedia on autism, assembled a list of possible issues and wrote a Molly who’s exhibiting most of them at the same time.
»My truth highlights and prioritizes my lens on the world; it focuses on what I see best and obscures what I fail to understand—or what I choose not to examine too closely.«
That’s still not all, though: Molly isn’t even acting consistently with the way she’s being characterised. She keeps acting out of character completely. From the ultimate innocent “noble savage”, at times she becomes a cunning conspirator, willfully lying by omission, smuggling a gun and even resorting to vigilantism.
»“In my experience, there are times when a good person must do something that’s not quite right, but it’s still the right thing to do.”«
Also, Molly doesn’t even seem to know anything about her condition. She knows full well she’s different but she cannot name it. While this might have rung true some decades ago, in this day and age, Molly would know why she is “weird”.
Prose simply avoids identifying Molly’s issues as neuroatypical in order to avoid being held responsible for an accurate, consistent and fair depiction. As it stands, Prose can always try and wiggle her way out of it by simply disavowing that she ever meant anything beyond what she calls Molly - “socially awkward”.
Maybe she did some shallow “research” because - judging by her LinkedIn profile - Prose (or rather: Pronovost) has no prior professional experience with neuroatypical people.
While obviously not applying it to herself, Prose knows full well what she’s doing:
»“Sometimes life isn’t fair,” Charlotte adds. “And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over years of practice, it’s that there’s no shortage of criminals out there who will prey on a person’s difference for their personal gain.”«
I consider that shameful and despicable.
Last and, in fact, least: This book is full of “calendar wisdom” of questionable truthfulness:
»The longer you live, the more you learn. People are a 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.«
One out of five stars and an especially strong recommendation to stay away from this if you’re on the spectrum yourself.
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Let’s look at the story itself first: Molly, usually referred to and sometimes self-referring as “Molly the Maid” (as if that’s all she is), works as a maid in the Regency Grand Hotel.
One day, when she’s cleaning a suite she finds the body of Mr. Black, a rich “power magnate”, who stays at the hotel with his second wife, Giselle.
While it becomes clear to the reader very quickly that something sinister beyond the murder is afoot, Molly doesn’t recognise it and, thus, quickly becomes the prime suspect in the murder case.
Trying to prove Molly’s innocence Molly and a bunch of coworkers-cum-friends come up with a plan to entrap the true culprit…
So, there’s show more basically nothing new plot-wise. It is unoriginal and rather boring.
What about the character’s, though? We get to “meet” about 20 people - which is quite a lot but, thankfully, it’s manageable.
The problem here is, though: Most of them are stereotypes and never get a chance to evolve into something real. There’s Mr. Preston, the fatherly good-natured doorman and his sharp lawyer daughter, Charlotte, who doesn’t even know Molly but doesn’t hesitate to post a $800,000 bail for her…
Mr. Black, the corpse, we basically only get to know in passing from descriptions by Molly and his wife no. 2, Giselle Black. Giselle is depicted as a typical trophy wife - thirty-five years her husband’s junior, not only is she neglected (and, of course, having an affair) but also being physically abused. Oh, and, of course, she’s also taking drugs.
Rodney, Giselle’s illicit lover, is pretty much a diabolical enforcer. He’s written so simplistically that we know immediately that he’s going to be one of the “bad guys” when we first encounter him.
There’s also Juan Manuel, a Mexican dishwasher in the kitchen, involved in both the mystery and its resolution. There wasn’t much character description left in Prose’s severely limited repertoire so he has to be content with basically being a male version of Molly.
In a world of latent racism, it’s easy to match the Mexican with Molly…
Speaking of whom: Molly… Now, that’s where Prose really “shines”. As becomes obvious very quickly, Molly is neuroatypical/neurodivergent/on the autism spectrum - whatever you want to call it.
Prose doesn’t mention anything about that even once, though. Instead, she has Molly being called “weird”, “weirdo”, “freak”, “awkward”, “standoffish” by “friend” and “foe” alike.
Molly's "weirdness" is mostly info-dumped on us but never called what it is - probably to avoid criticism for having written about something the author doesn't really know anything about.
In her “Acknowledgments” Prose thanks everyone and their dogs and lists their respective roles - but, curiously, none of them seem to have any kind of professional experience with neuroatypical persons.
Prose’s characterisation of Molly reads a lot like plain old guesswork. She seems to have read up on Wikipedia on autism, assembled a list of possible issues and wrote a Molly who’s exhibiting most of them at the same time.
»My truth highlights and prioritizes my lens on the world; it focuses on what I see best and obscures what I fail to understand—or what I choose not to examine too closely.«
That’s still not all, though: Molly isn’t even acting consistently with the way she’s being characterised. She keeps acting out of character completely. From the ultimate innocent “noble savage”, at times she becomes a cunning conspirator, willfully lying by omission, smuggling a gun and even resorting to vigilantism.
»“In my experience, there are times when a good person must do something that’s not quite right, but it’s still the right thing to do.”«
Also, Molly doesn’t even seem to know anything about her condition. She knows full well she’s different but she cannot name it. While this might have rung true some decades ago, in this day and age, Molly would know why she is “weird”.
Prose simply avoids identifying Molly’s issues as neuroatypical in order to avoid being held responsible for an accurate, consistent and fair depiction. As it stands, Prose can always try and wiggle her way out of it by simply disavowing that she ever meant anything beyond what she calls Molly - “socially awkward”.
Maybe she did some shallow “research” because - judging by her LinkedIn profile - Prose (or rather: Pronovost) has no prior professional experience with neuroatypical people.
While obviously not applying it to herself, Prose knows full well what she’s doing:
»“Sometimes life isn’t fair,” Charlotte adds. “And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over years of practice, it’s that there’s no shortage of criminals out there who will prey on a person’s difference for their personal gain.”«
I consider that shameful and despicable.
Last and, in fact, least: This book is full of “calendar wisdom” of questionable truthfulness:
»The longer you live, the more you learn. People are a 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.«
One out of five stars and an especially strong recommendation to stay away from this if you’re on the spectrum yourself.
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The Maid is a wonderful character study that had me cheering on twenty-five-year-old hotel maid Molly Gray almost from the very first page. Daughter of a "fly by night" father and a drug addict mother, Molly was raised by her loving grandmother, herself a maid in a wealthy household. Upset whenever her chosen routine is ignored by others, Molly clings to the simple rules her grandmother gave her to navigate through a world she feels like an outsider in-- no matter how much she wants to belong.
Molly's special blend of observation and naivete easily gets her into trouble, and several times I found myself mentally trying to steer her away from the people she's placing her trust in as well as trying to steer her toward the people she should show more trust. Unfortunately, my mental powers aren't very good and she seldom paid attention to me-- which means that The Maid is a much better book as a result.
One of the best things about this book is the fact that, as I read, I became uncertain about Molly. Is she telling me everything? Can I trust her? My indecision made me read more carefully. Even though I only saw all the other characters through Molly's eyes, each one was vivid in my mind's eye, a testament to the author's skill. And, although this is a mystery, it's as a character study that The Maid shines brightly. I am so glad I met Molly and got to see the world through her eyes. show less
Molly's special blend of observation and naivete easily gets her into trouble, and several times I found myself mentally trying to steer her away from the people she's placing her trust in as well as trying to steer her toward the people she should show more trust. Unfortunately, my mental powers aren't very good and she seldom paid attention to me-- which means that The Maid is a much better book as a result.
One of the best things about this book is the fact that, as I read, I became uncertain about Molly. Is she telling me everything? Can I trust her? My indecision made me read more carefully. Even though I only saw all the other characters through Molly's eyes, each one was vivid in my mind's eye, a testament to the author's skill. And, although this is a mystery, it's as a character study that The Maid shines brightly. I am so glad I met Molly and got to see the world through her eyes. show less
This charming and cozy-ish mystery turned out to be a complete surprise, and that's all I'm going to risk saying about it plot‑wise. There was a lot more to it than I expected and this was especially true about the main character, Molly the Maid. Her quirky (maybe autistic?) nature was just one side of her personality; she was also kind, somewhat naive and, above all else, fastidiously clean. The insightful words of wisdom she'd learned from her Gran and reassured herself with as she went about her day added a nice touch to the story, plus the writing itself was a treat. If it hadn’t been for the use of cell phones this could have passed for a vintage novel from the ‘30s, something along the lines of Miss Buncle’s Book or Miss show more Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Those two books are both favorites of mine and Miss Molly Gray, The Maid, ranks right up there with them. show less
Molly works in housekeeping at a luxury hotel. She sometimes has trouble understanding social cues, but she understands dirt. She gets immense satisfaction in returning a messy hotel room to a state of perfect cleanliness. When, in the course of her rounds, she finds a shady businessman dead in his hotel bed, it leads to trouble for Molly. Because of her manner while being questioned -- and because she leaves out a few key details that she doesn't think the police need to know -- she falls under suspicion. Molly must figure out who to trust in order to bring the real criminal (or criminals) to justice.
I enjoyed this book and found it a fast read, despite the fact that Molly often slips into reverie in order to provide necessary show more backstory. The mystery is, I felt, secondary to the characterization, which is fine by me, though hardcore mystery readers may desire greater complexity. I have mixed feelings about how Molly's neurodivergence is portrayed (she has characteristics of autism, though it's never named as such), but that's something that each reader will have a different opinion on, I am sure. I can see this making for good book club discussion. Readers who enjoyed Convenience Store Woman and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine may find Molly to be a similar protagonist in many ways. show less
I enjoyed this book and found it a fast read, despite the fact that Molly often slips into reverie in order to provide necessary show more backstory. The mystery is, I felt, secondary to the characterization, which is fine by me, though hardcore mystery readers may desire greater complexity. I have mixed feelings about how Molly's neurodivergence is portrayed (she has characteristics of autism, though it's never named as such), but that's something that each reader will have a different opinion on, I am sure. I can see this making for good book club discussion. Readers who enjoyed Convenience Store Woman and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine may find Molly to be a similar protagonist in many ways. show less
Just spent a very enjoyable afternoon reading this very compelling book. It was great fun.
Molly Gray, the maid, is one of those women that is never seen, or when viewed, is discounted. And yet, she is very good at what she does. Like so many people who work behind the scenes she is often mistreated or misunderstood. Her unusual behaviour and lack of ability to read people puts her at risk of being abused, and she is. She ends up accused of murder, unable to understand or defend herself.
But this is a hopeful book, a book about the power of doing the right thing, of working hard without expectation of recognition, just because it is correct. It’s about how if you do, things will eventually turn out well. In a world where more and more show more people seem to do evil and get away with it, it’s nice to read a book where good triumphs.
Molly and her grandmother are great fans of Colombo (as am I), and this book has a bit of that air about it- the slightly unusual hero, the cleverness of figuring it out. I finished it with a smile on my face.
It’s all a bit Disney (is maid life really so bright?) but, like a pop song that makes you tap your feet, it works to cheer you up.
A great read for a snowy afternoon. show less
Molly Gray, the maid, is one of those women that is never seen, or when viewed, is discounted. And yet, she is very good at what she does. Like so many people who work behind the scenes she is often mistreated or misunderstood. Her unusual behaviour and lack of ability to read people puts her at risk of being abused, and she is. She ends up accused of murder, unable to understand or defend herself.
But this is a hopeful book, a book about the power of doing the right thing, of working hard without expectation of recognition, just because it is correct. It’s about how if you do, things will eventually turn out well. In a world where more and more show more people seem to do evil and get away with it, it’s nice to read a book where good triumphs.
Molly and her grandmother are great fans of Colombo (as am I), and this book has a bit of that air about it- the slightly unusual hero, the cleverness of figuring it out. I finished it with a smile on my face.
It’s all a bit Disney (is maid life really so bright?) but, like a pop song that makes you tap your feet, it works to cheer you up.
A great read for a snowy afternoon. show less
Review of Advance Reader’s Copy eBook
Molly Gray, abandoned as a baby and raised by her grandmother, might be socially awkward and feeling a bit adrift after her grandmother’s death, but she understands her job as a maid at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel. She sees herself as working in a job that makes her, to almost everyone else, invisible.
And Molly is VERY good at her job. However, despite her meticulousness, Molly momentarily falters when she discovers one of the hotel’s elitist guests lying on the bed in the room she's come to finish cleaning. And, he's quite dead.
What Molly doesn’t expect is that she will be the one blamed for causing the death of Charles Black.
When the man’s death is ruled as suspicious, how will Molly show more find her way through the maze of accusations and charges to prove her innocence?
Well-defined, believable characters populate this story of murder and unforeseen circumstances. It is, by turns, charming, quirky, and delightful [despite the murder]. The plot, although a bit predictable, keeps the reader involved in the telling of the tale, and, as the story unfolds, readers will discover a few unexpected surprises.
Having lived with [and taken to heart] her grandmother’s oft-repeated adages, Molly is overly-trusting and, therefore, easily manipulated by others. Her guilelessness keeps her from seeing the pretenses others use to exploit her friendship for their own advantage.
Friendship, loyalty, and responsibility form the true heart of this story, turning Molly’s naiveté and social awkwardness into the discovery of true friends, of caring, and of doing the right thing. Readers are certain to find themselves rooting for the good-hearted young woman at the heart of the story. [And be prepared for a clever denouement that promises to satisfy.]
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley
#TheMaid #NetGalley show less
Molly Gray, abandoned as a baby and raised by her grandmother, might be socially awkward and feeling a bit adrift after her grandmother’s death, but she understands her job as a maid at the upscale Regency Grand Hotel. She sees herself as working in a job that makes her, to almost everyone else, invisible.
And Molly is VERY good at her job. However, despite her meticulousness, Molly momentarily falters when she discovers one of the hotel’s elitist guests lying on the bed in the room she's come to finish cleaning. And, he's quite dead.
What Molly doesn’t expect is that she will be the one blamed for causing the death of Charles Black.
When the man’s death is ruled as suspicious, how will Molly show more find her way through the maze of accusations and charges to prove her innocence?
Well-defined, believable characters populate this story of murder and unforeseen circumstances. It is, by turns, charming, quirky, and delightful [despite the murder]. The plot, although a bit predictable, keeps the reader involved in the telling of the tale, and, as the story unfolds, readers will discover a few unexpected surprises.
Having lived with [and taken to heart] her grandmother’s oft-repeated adages, Molly is overly-trusting and, therefore, easily manipulated by others. Her guilelessness keeps her from seeing the pretenses others use to exploit her friendship for their own advantage.
Friendship, loyalty, and responsibility form the true heart of this story, turning Molly’s naiveté and social awkwardness into the discovery of true friends, of caring, and of doing the right thing. Readers are certain to find themselves rooting for the good-hearted young woman at the heart of the story. [And be prepared for a clever denouement that promises to satisfy.]
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley
#TheMaid #NetGalley show less
The Publisher Says: 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 show more 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.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: This is a locked-room mystery, narrated by a naïve narrator who genuinely, unfeignedly does not understand what is happening or why it unfolds the way it does. Its bones, then, are excellent. A well-trodden path is a gift and a curse for writer and reader. What makes or breaks the reading experience is the voice the author tells the story in.
Having edited books for a living, Author Prose is very much aware of this reality. It makes her achievement in creating Molly the Maid, ironically surnamed "Gray", contextually appropriate but nonetheless impressive. Molly loves her world, the job of being a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel.
There is nothing about a housekeeping trolley that has ever creased my cranium before now. I'll never be so blind again. It's a rolling chemistry experiment, though I don't see that with Molly's appreciative eyes.
What strikes the neurotypical reader is how very clearly Molly isn't One of Us. She has her meltdowns, logically enough, when overwhelmed by the chaos of Life (which of necessity includes death); we'd do the same if Chaos obtruded on our day the way it did Molly's as she discovers the lifeless body of repeat hotel guest Mr. Black. The fact is, Black is well named. His death wasn't an accident or an illness...he was Murdered and the police, unfamiliar with Molly's, um, state of being, rapidly assign her the role of Suspect.
And then the Universe springs into action.
Molly, you see, is a gem. She's being used by some bad people whose moral compasses aren't calibrated right, she's being set up to take a fall she can't even see, and she is...crucially...possessed of seriously good luck in her friends. There is no question that she is the proof one always wishes for that there are some Forrest-Gumpian stories that aren't cloying. However, I will not lie to you: anyone...and I mean ANYone...who says "we are all the same in different ways" to me is going to get a truly Tongan response.... Still there is a beauty in the repetition and reassembly of cliché in service of a Message. Well, when that Message is a positive and a constructive one, which is what this fun read exemplifies to the point of being the illustration in the dictionary under "message fiction." It is, though, this Message-y nature that leaves a fifth star off my rating. I could hang with the repetitive reminders of Molly's neurodivergence. I was not quite so willing to overlook the "different ≠ bad" catechism, or the "pretty ≠ good" catechism. Learning to see beyond surfaces? Yes, yes, a maid whose oft-repeated mantra is to "return your suite to a state of perfection" is the perfect messenger for it, got it, stop now. But there was no Stop button....
What happens as a result, though, is the unraveling of a long and ugly strand of American society, a series of horrible crimes that are so...repellent...to persons and so easy to distract institutions from pursuing, that it really isn't on for me to go into it. I will say that there's not one miscreant who gets through this wringer unsqueezed. That's enough about the crime parts. The resolution parts are shaped to suit Molly the Maid's comprehension level, which expands exponentially as she navigates the shoals of her grieving for her Gran's death, for her sad coming-to-awareness of the venality of people, and her sudden awakening to the fragility of Truth and Innocence in a world that needs answers instead of solutions.
Molly and Gran used to watch Columbo reruns together, so Molly's primed for a policing style that doesn't exist in reality when she's enmeshed in a dreadful web of lies and betrayals in her safe place, The Regency Grand Hotel. She's arrested for a crime she knows she didn't commit, and her tormentors aren't even slightly interested in her life-long passion for truthfulness. The issue is, of course, that even her truthfulness is weaponized against her by the miscreants using her innocence to cover their crimes. But, crucially, Gran's long shadow nurtured relationships that Molly, all unknowing, can depend on for her very life. Right there in the hotel! And she surprises herself by being able to reach back to the hands held out to her. Though there is a serious difficulty in that she doesn't immediately see them as helping hands.
Seeing is a recurring theme for Molly. Her being seen, being acknowledged, is a huge issue in her life...people don't see maids, and even her co-workers don't as a rule see Molly. The names of the characters are almost all colors or qualities of sight...Stark, Rosso, Green among others...and Molly's perceptions of the Regency Grand are of its colors and presentations of shiny, glossy surfaces. It's not subtle, goodness knows, but it's very effective because of the narrator's neurodivergence. It's very easy to see that this brightness of vision is intentional and it's all down to interpretation for Molly to be able to present what she's so clearly seen in self-exculpatory ways.
The final scene, a lovely piece of courtroom theater, will make Florence Pugh a bigger star than she is when the film is eventually released. It is so very,very satisfying that I can only blush while reporting the honest truth that I cheered a little and even had a humidity condensation event around my ocular area.
Don't tell anyone. show less
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 show more 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.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: This is a locked-room mystery, narrated by a naïve narrator who genuinely, unfeignedly does not understand what is happening or why it unfolds the way it does. Its bones, then, are excellent. A well-trodden path is a gift and a curse for writer and reader. What makes or breaks the reading experience is the voice the author tells the story in.
Having edited books for a living, Author Prose is very much aware of this reality. It makes her achievement in creating Molly the Maid, ironically surnamed "Gray", contextually appropriate but nonetheless impressive. Molly loves her world, the job of being a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel.
There’s nothing quite like a perfectly stocked maid’s trolley early in the morning. It is, in my humble opinion, a cornucopia of bounty and beauty. The crisp little packages of delicately wrapped soaps that smell of orange blossom, the tiny Crabtree & Evelyn shampoo bottles, the squat tissue boxes, the toilet-paper rolls wrapped in hygienic film, the bleached white towels in three sizes—bath, hand, and washcloth—and the stacks of doilies for the tea-and-coffee service tray. And last but not least, the cleaning kit, which includes a feather duster, lemon furniture polish, lightly scented antiseptic garbage bags, as well as an impressive array of solvents and disinfectants, all lined up and ready to combat any stain, be it coffee rings, vomit—or even blood. A well-stocked housekeeping trolly is a portable sanitation miracle; it is a clean machine on wheels. And as I said, it is beautiful.
There is nothing about a housekeeping trolley that has ever creased my cranium before now. I'll never be so blind again. It's a rolling chemistry experiment, though I don't see that with Molly's appreciative eyes.
What strikes the neurotypical reader is how very clearly Molly isn't One of Us. She has her meltdowns, logically enough, when overwhelmed by the chaos of Life (which of necessity includes death); we'd do the same if Chaos obtruded on our day the way it did Molly's as she discovers the lifeless body of repeat hotel guest Mr. Black. The fact is, Black is well named. His death wasn't an accident or an illness...he was Murdered and the police, unfamiliar with Molly's, um, state of being, rapidly assign her the role of Suspect.
And then the Universe springs into action.
Molly, you see, is a gem. She's being used by some bad people whose moral compasses aren't calibrated right, she's being set up to take a fall she can't even see, and she is...crucially...possessed of seriously good luck in her friends. There is no question that she is the proof one always wishes for that there are some Forrest-Gumpian stories that aren't cloying. However, I will not lie to you: anyone...and I mean ANYone...who says "we are all the same in different ways" to me is going to get a truly Tongan response.... Still there is a beauty in the repetition and reassembly of cliché in service of a Message. Well, when that Message is a positive and a constructive one, which is what this fun read exemplifies to the point of being the illustration in the dictionary under "message fiction." It is, though, this Message-y nature that leaves a fifth star off my rating. I could hang with the repetitive reminders of Molly's neurodivergence. I was not quite so willing to overlook the "different ≠ bad" catechism, or the "pretty ≠ good" catechism. Learning to see beyond surfaces? Yes, yes, a maid whose oft-repeated mantra is to "return your suite to a state of perfection" is the perfect messenger for it, got it, stop now. But there was no Stop button....
What happens as a result, though, is the unraveling of a long and ugly strand of American society, a series of horrible crimes that are so...repellent...to persons and so easy to distract institutions from pursuing, that it really isn't on for me to go into it. I will say that there's not one miscreant who gets through this wringer unsqueezed. That's enough about the crime parts. The resolution parts are shaped to suit Molly the Maid's comprehension level, which expands exponentially as she navigates the shoals of her grieving for her Gran's death, for her sad coming-to-awareness of the venality of people, and her sudden awakening to the fragility of Truth and Innocence in a world that needs answers instead of solutions.
Molly and Gran used to watch Columbo reruns together, so Molly's primed for a policing style that doesn't exist in reality when she's enmeshed in a dreadful web of lies and betrayals in her safe place, The Regency Grand Hotel. She's arrested for a crime she knows she didn't commit, and her tormentors aren't even slightly interested in her life-long passion for truthfulness. The issue is, of course, that even her truthfulness is weaponized against her by the miscreants using her innocence to cover their crimes. But, crucially, Gran's long shadow nurtured relationships that Molly, all unknowing, can depend on for her very life. Right there in the hotel! And she surprises herself by being able to reach back to the hands held out to her. Though there is a serious difficulty in that she doesn't immediately see them as helping hands.
Seeing is a recurring theme for Molly. Her being seen, being acknowledged, is a huge issue in her life...people don't see maids, and even her co-workers don't as a rule see Molly. The names of the characters are almost all colors or qualities of sight...Stark, Rosso, Green among others...and Molly's perceptions of the Regency Grand are of its colors and presentations of shiny, glossy surfaces. It's not subtle, goodness knows, but it's very effective because of the narrator's neurodivergence. It's very easy to see that this brightness of vision is intentional and it's all down to interpretation for Molly to be able to present what she's so clearly seen in self-exculpatory ways.
The final scene, a lovely piece of courtroom theater, will make Florence Pugh a bigger star than she is when the film is eventually released. It is so very,very satisfying that I can only blush while reporting the honest truth that I cheered a little and even had a humidity condensation event around my ocular area.
Don't tell anyone. show less
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The aptly pseudonymed debut novelist — her real name is Nita Pronovost — lands at No. 8 on the hardcover fiction list with “The Maid,” a rip-roaring mystery about a housekeeper at a five-star hotel who discovers a dead body in a penthouse suite. (Naturally, she becomes a prime suspect.) Our Crime columnist described the book as an “endearing debut,” with “real emotional heft” show more — but, for grounded travelers, it also provides a much-needed sojourn to the world of crisp sheets, room service and constantly replenished Crabtree & Evelyn shampoo. show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Maid
- Original publication date
- 2022
- People/Characters
- Molly Gray (the maid); Flora Gray (grandmother of Molly Gray); Alexander Snow (hotel manager); Mr. Preston (doorman); Charles Black (murder victim); Giselle Black (second wife of Charles Black) (show all 20); Juan Manuel Morales (dishwasher); Cheryl Green ('Chernobyl'); Black (Mrs | first wife of Charles Black); Rodney Stiles (bartender); Chen (Mr and Mrs); Victoria Black (daughter of Charles Black); Detective Stark; Charlotte Preston (daughter of doorman Mr. Preston); Sunshine (Filipino maid); Sunitha (Sri Lankan maid); Ms. Gray (mother of Molly Gray, daughter of Flora Gray); Frank Columbo (portrayed by Peter Falk); Wilbur Brown; Rosso (Mr. | landlord)
- Important places
- Regency Grand Hotel; The Olive Garden
- Dedication
- To Jackie
- First words
- [Prologue] I am your maid.
I am well aware that my name is ridiculous. - Quotations
- The truth is, I often have trouble with social situations; it's as though everyone is playing an elaborate game with complex rules they all know, but I'm always playing for the first time. I make etiquette mistakes with alarm... (show all)ing regularity, offend when I mean to compliment, misread body language, say the wrong thing at the wrong time. It's only because of my gran that I know a smile doesn't necessarily mean someone is happy.
Gran used to say, Never mind what others think; it's what you think that matters.
I don't cut corners, I shine them.
Treat others as you wish to be treated, Gran used to say, and that's a tenet I live by.
Cheryl may be my boss, but she's definitely not my superior. There is a difference, you know. You can't judge a person by the job they do or by their situation in life; you must judge a person by their actions.
I'm blessed with this ability—to clean my mind as I would a room. I picture offensive people or recall uncomfortable moments, and I wipe them away.
An unlikely and pleasing bond—dare I say friendship?—has recently formed between us, between the young and beautiful Giselle Black, second wife of the infamous property mogul, and me, Molly, insignificant room maid.
That's how a friendship is built, one small truth at a time.
Some days while I was cleaning the suite, I got the sense that despite being married to Mr. Black, she felt lonely and craved my company as much as I craved hers.
That’s the trouble with pain. It’s as contagious as a disease. It spreads from the person who first endured it to those who love them most. Truth isn’t always the highest ideal; sometimes it must be sacrificed to stop t... (show all)he spread of pain to those you love. Even children know this intuitively. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)[Prologue] I am your maid. I know so much about you. But when it comes down to it: what is it that you know about me? - Publisher's editor
- Teeman, Hilary (Penquin Random House, USA); Winstanley, Nicole (Penquin Random House, Canada); Brabin, Charlotte (HarperFiction UK)
- Blurbers
- Audrain, Ashley; O'Neill, Heather; Brown, Karma; Pearse, Sarah; Bailey, Samantha M.; Jewell, Lisa (show all 9); Bartz, Andrea; Pooley, Clare; Penner, Sarah
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PR9199.4.P7768
- Disambiguation notice*
- Cosy crime, over iemand die nét iets anders is dan de rest
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- ISBNs
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