The Maid is the debut novel from editor-turned-author Nita Prose, published in 2022.
The Maid seems to have been so heavily promoted as it’s been EVERYWHERE recently. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. Since the film rights have been snapped up by Universal Studios, I was desperate to see what all the fuss was about.
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Plot
Molly has grown accustomed to going unnoticed. She’s invisible in her job as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. After all, nobody ever takes notice of the maid. In her personal life, she is alone since her beloved Gran passed away. Molly, though proud of her job, feels like a nobody.
However, her quiet existence is thrown into chaos when she discovers a guest dead in his bed. The infamous Mr Black is dead and his wife, Giselle, was seen fleeing the hotel in tears. This is one mess Molly can’t easily clean up.
As Molly hunts for the truth she realises she has a power that others do not. She sees things nobody else does. Could Molly be the key to unlocking the case?
The Maid Book Review
I really enjoyed this book and would describe it as cosy crime. For a book with murder at its centre, it was a fun, quirky read.
Molly Gray is charmingly eccentric and a very unlikely sleuth. She is a neurodivergent character and probably on the Autism spectrum, although the term is never used.
I found reading the book from Molly’s perspective really enjoyable. As she struggles with the nuances of language and communication, we as readers have the opportunity to pick up on clues that Molly herself seems to miss.
It was so cleverly written and I could visualise the Regency Grand Hotel perfectly, so much so it almost became a character in its own right.
However, while Molly is a brilliantly drawn character, some of the others lack depth as the focus is purely on Molly. We have the ‘baddies’ and the ‘goodies’ and there isn’t really much in between. I would have preferred a bit more ambiguity.
It’s not a fast-paced thriller so don’t expect any explosive action. It’s definitely more of a cosy mystery with an Eleanor Oliphant meets Agatha Christie vibe.
It was different from anything I’ve read recently and I did really enjoy it.
What should I read after The Maid by Nita Prose?
If you enjoyed The Maid, I’d definitely recommend reading the sequel, The Mystery Guest.
If you’re a fan of cosy crime, I’d also recommend Richard Osman’s books, starting with The Thursday Murder Club, and The Man Who Died Twice.