Helpful Score: 3
"Is this a good time for me to return your suite to a state of perfection?"
Molly Gray is a hotel maid who has a vocation, not merely a job. She loves what she does and strives to do everything perfectly. She loves her hotel, she loves her uniform, she loves her maid's trolley, she even finds comfort in the invisibility her job affords her. On the "spectrum", she is appreciated by some and laughed at as weird by others. She is honest to a fault, is far too trusting, and is susceptible to being taken advantage of. She was raised by her grandmother who died recently, and she used to rely on her to interpret the confusing behavior of others. Gran always knew what to say, always had an adage to live by.
"If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life."
One day Molly discovers the body of a "guest very dead in his bed," the millionaire Mr. Black. Through a series of complications Molly is arrested on a number of charges, including first-degree murder... and this interferes with her work schedule! She is the last person in the world you would suspect capable of such behavior and she has trouble comprehending how she landed in this predicament.
It is impossible not to cheer for this character Nita Prose has found for us. Molly is adorable, totally honest, and she lacks any filters. It is ironic that a murder mystery delivers a needed break from today's headlines, but I recommend checking into "The Maid" for a brief stay.
Molly Gray is a hotel maid who has a vocation, not merely a job. She loves what she does and strives to do everything perfectly. She loves her hotel, she loves her uniform, she loves her maid's trolley, she even finds comfort in the invisibility her job affords her. On the "spectrum", she is appreciated by some and laughed at as weird by others. She is honest to a fault, is far too trusting, and is susceptible to being taken advantage of. She was raised by her grandmother who died recently, and she used to rely on her to interpret the confusing behavior of others. Gran always knew what to say, always had an adage to live by.
"If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life."
One day Molly discovers the body of a "guest very dead in his bed," the millionaire Mr. Black. Through a series of complications Molly is arrested on a number of charges, including first-degree murder... and this interferes with her work schedule! She is the last person in the world you would suspect capable of such behavior and she has trouble comprehending how she landed in this predicament.
It is impossible not to cheer for this character Nita Prose has found for us. Molly is adorable, totally honest, and she lacks any filters. It is ironic that a murder mystery delivers a needed break from today's headlines, but I recommend checking into "The Maid" for a brief stay.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this book so much! Molly is a delightful character to root for. She is quite naive and has recently lost her Gran. She has tidbits of wisdom and guidance her Gran taught her to live by. Once she discovers a dead body in a hotel suite her troubles begin to seem insurmountable. But she learns the value of true friendship and trust along with other life lessons. We follow the mystery and experience a surprise or two along the way. I loved the ending. I will definitely read more by this author.
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting premise but oh so boring and slow. I almost quit but a friend encouraged me to finish. I found the constant mutterings of Molly tiresome; yes, we realize she's "different", she doesn't read social clues like most people, she's obsessed with cleanliness, she lives with her Gran who spouts 'truisms' in every conversation. The book went on and on with these traits for over half way!
When Molly gets arrested for the murder of one her hotel guests, the story shifts a little. But I couldn't buy into her sudden "normal" behavior. Overall, it was a pleasant read but I wouldn't seek out another book written by same author.
When Molly gets arrested for the murder of one her hotel guests, the story shifts a little. But I couldn't buy into her sudden "normal" behavior. Overall, it was a pleasant read but I wouldn't seek out another book written by same author.
Helpful Score: 1
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 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.
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 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.
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. What first attracted me to this book was that it was labeled as a cozy mystery. What attracted me to this book secondly was that it intrigued me about accuracy since I worked in the hotel industry for over 20 years.
The author created an interesting group of characters in this story, who were each unique but fit the group to make them feel like family.
And the ending...! I don't want to spoil it, so I'll simply say that the ending is not the ending, and the final "twist" made you realize that people are not always how they appear.
I would read it again!
The author created an interesting group of characters in this story, who were each unique but fit the group to make them feel like family.
And the ending...! I don't want to spoil it, so I'll simply say that the ending is not the ending, and the final "twist" made you realize that people are not always how they appear.
I would read it again!
If you liked Eleanor Oliphant, this book may be your next favorite read. Molly is a wonderful character and watching her solve the mystery, find her people and tell her truth moved me to tears.
Rather sweet, I thought. I liked Molly, as the author intended I should, even if I didn't totally believe in her as a person. She's obviously "on the spectrum" even if it's not spelled out in the text, and in reading other reviews I saw a lot of criticism about how she was portrayed. More criticism comes for Juan Manuel, a Mexican immigrant roped into a drug ring. But I still thought it was an engaging little mystery, not to be taken very seriously, with a happy ending. I wasn't thrilled with the identity of the murderer, although I'm happy my initial guess turned out to be wrong. It was a fast read too, I finished it in a day.
Read this if you like unique mysteries without a lot of gore.
Summary: Molly the Maid finds a dead businessman in a room she is supposed to be cleaning. Suspects abound in this unique mystery set in a hotel.
What I Liked:
1. Her unique job and characteristics. Even during lulls in the plot, I was genuinely interested in her and her life.
2. The layers of meaning behind clean vs. unclean and invisibility.
3. Twists and turns
What I didn't like:
1. Things felt a bit too neatly wrapped up at the end
Summary: Molly the Maid finds a dead businessman in a room she is supposed to be cleaning. Suspects abound in this unique mystery set in a hotel.
What I Liked:
1. Her unique job and characteristics. Even during lulls in the plot, I was genuinely interested in her and her life.
2. The layers of meaning behind clean vs. unclean and invisibility.
3. Twists and turns
What I didn't like:
1. Things felt a bit too neatly wrapped up at the end
