Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: January 4, 2022
Source: Netgalley via Publisher
Summary:
“The Maid is a masterful, charming mystery that will touch your heart in ways you could never expect. . . . This is the smart, quirky, uplifting read we need.” –Ashley Audrain, #1 bestselling author of The Push
A dead body is one mess she can’t clean up on her own.
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 demeanour 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?
Both 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.
My thoughts:
Every once in a while you come across a novel with a character that you just know you will never forget and that is Molly the Maid. This book was fantastic and one I will be recommending to everyone!!!
I love locked-room mysteries and this one was just perfection! This one definitely has a Clue-like, or even Knives Out type of vibe to it…and I loved it! I found myself completely glued to the pages because not only was there a mystery to solve – who killed Mr. Black, but also because of the characters. And while they were not necessarily all the most likeable, Molly completely stole my heart! The relationship she had with her gran and then her trying to “help” her so-called friends…this is a book where you will go through a range of emotions as you try to work out just what really happened.
I loved that this book was told entirely from Molly’s point of view. It really allows us to see the world from Molly’s perspective. She’s the type that sees things from a black and white standpoint – there are no shades of grey with Molly. I loved being in her head and seeing how she views the world and sees her place in it.
This is the type of book that you just want to hug when you are done reading it. It’s such a thought-provoking read, one that might have you giving pause as to how you treat others that might be a bit different than you. I can definitely see this as being a popular bookclub pick as there is so much to unpack here.
I absolutely loved this book and I highly recommend picking it up!
