The Mystery Guest

Books | Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General

3.7

(64)

Nita Prose

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A new mess. A new mystery. It’s up to Molly the maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty, in this standalone novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid, a Good Morning America Book Club pick.“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 PostNEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: PopSugar, Harper’s Bazaar, Chicago Public Library, CrimeReads, BookreporterMolly 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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More Details:

Author

Nita Prose

Pages

336

Publisher

Random House Publishing Group

Published Date

2023-11-28

ISBN

0593356195 9780593356197

Community ReviewsSee all

"This story is a charmer and sweet, meaningful look into the past of Molly Gray, who first made her debut in The Maid. Molly is a cleaner and a doer who stops at nothing to achieve her goals. She holds steadfast to her beliefs at every turn and always unfailingly has a good head on her shoulders. Things get quickly shaken up though, a dangerous cocktail of drama mixed with the fatality of finality. A new mystery is now officially upon us: the untimely murder of famed, enigmatic mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe. What transpires next is up to continually budding sleuth Molly, her faithful intuition, and anyone else potentially involved at the hotel. Molly has to listen to her inner truth and let the steadying voice of her Gran guide her in the direction she wishes to go. Although I felt like there were maybe one too many age-old adages added, I still really enjoyed this and getting another chapter of lovable Molly. She has grown so much over the course of time and it’s wonderful and empowering to watch as she conquers and persists through challenges and obstacles. The more comprehensive backstory on her and her Gran’s relationship also further invested me and touched my heart! Sweep me away why don’t you?!"

Gabrielle Grosbety

"Another murder at The Regency Grand?? Molly, now Head Maid, once again is embroiled in the mystery death of a prominent guest. Another great whodunnit mystery from Molly’s unique perspective - such a great character! (As with the first in the series, I recommend the audio version to bring her to life!)"

Jackie Davidson

"Another fun chapter to Molly the maid. I enjoyed learning more about her past and some of the events that shaped her into who she is. "

Joe H

"I absolutely adored the 1st novel in this series. However, The Mystery Guest was much slower and had far less emphasis on the actual mystery at hand. I probably would’ve stopped reading early on if I had not fallen in love with the Molly Maid character during book 1. With that said, the author upheld her reputation of creating high-quality content, all of which is well-worded and full of exceptional detail. "

Skye

"I love Molly the Maid. She is different than most. She isn't great at social cues and doesn't understand figurative language. She is, however, an excellent maid who pays great attention to detail. When an author dies in front of an audience just as he's about to reveal a secret, Molly's hotel is once again thrown into turmoil. Despite wanting only to do her duties as head maid, Molly is pulled into the investigation. Told in first person from Molly's perspective using alternate timelines. #clean"

Brandi Always Reading

"This was a fun, easy read, but the first book in the series, The Maid, was better. This focused more on the main character’s past than the murder mystery itself. It almost felt like the solution to the murder was an afterthought. A decent story, but not the best murder mystery. "

Leah

"It was a cute sequel to the maid"

Ashley Kate

"Amazing book! The perfect mixture of comedy, crime, and intrigue. This was probably the first time ever that I’ve liked the sequel even more than the first one! (I loved the first one so much I was scared to read this sequel) In the Mystery Guest, Molly the Maid finds herself caught up in yet another mystery murder in the Regency Grand hotel. Molly had grown and learned so much from the first book, The Maid, and yet she still remained the same unique, wholesome, quirky character that had initially drawn me to these books. If you’re looking for a wholesome, clean, and fast paced book to read, these are the books for you! The mystery, though interesting, was not the main point of this book. I believe that the point was how society treats people who are different. How, when people don’t meet their expectations of ‘normal’ they immediately become suspects, or irrelevant to society. How easy it is for society to dismiss people who don’t conform to the social norms. Very few books accurately portray what it’s like to be neurodivergent in a world where different people are looked down upon simply because we don’t meet the social norms. I found myself relating to Molly in many ways as she struggled to navigate social situations that most people walk through with ease. I found myself relating when Molly didn’t always realize what she said or did was ‘wrong’ until she saw how people reacted in the patronizing, belittling way that people do. These books will hold a special place in my heart for these reasons. And I sincerely thank the author, Nita Prose, for giving us Molly and her friends. "