Skip to main content
Displaying 1 of 1
The maid : a novel
2022
Where is it?
Fiction/Biography Profile
Characters
Molly Gray (Female), Maid, Work at the Grand Regency Hotel; has obsessive love of cleaning and etiquette; struggles with social skills; misreads the intentions of others;
Genre
Fiction
Mystery
Psychological
Topics
Suspicious deaths
Deception
Friendship
Search for truth
Setting
New York - Mid-Atlantic States (U.S.)
Large Cover Image
Trade Reviews
Library Journal Review
DEBUT Twenty-five-year-old Molly Gray loves cleaning at the Regency Grand Hotel. But she's socially awkward, and other employees bully her, even calling her Roomba. Until now, she's had her gran to help explain her mistakes in reading body language. But now that her grandmother is dead, there's no one to explain why the police are upset when she finds the body of a hotel guest, Mr. Black, dead in his bed. What mistake did she make by cleaning the room, picking up glasses, before she found the body? When the police discover a drug ring operating in the hotel, and that Molly moved a bag from room to room, it's easy to suspect her of murder. They can't comprehend that she easily misunderstands situations, especially when requests come from people she trusts. Evidence implicates Molly, but she has a few friends who help her when she's arrested. Molly gets her moment to shine, though, surprising even her lawyer while she's on the witness stand following a drug dealer's arrest for murder. VERDICT Molly is a likable, neurodivergent narrator in this outstanding debut. The character-rich mystery ends with several twists that will appeal to fans of Eleanor Oliphant and other sympathetic heroines.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
Publishers Weekly Review
Molly Gray, the 25-year-old neurodivergent narrator of Prose's assured debut, has sought solace in her maid's job at the Regency Grand, a boutique hotel in an unspecified city, since the recent death of the grandmother who raised her. Molly's uniform makes her feel invisible, which is a relief given her difficulty reading social cues, and she derives great satisfaction from returning things to a "state of perfection." When frequent guests Charles and Giselle Black check into one of Molly's assigned rooms, she's pleased; though tycoon Charles is imperious, Giselle tips well and treats Molly like a friend. To her dismay, upon entering the couple's suite, Molly discovers that Giselle is out, and Charles is dead. The police find Molly's stoicism suspicious, and someone seems determined to make her their patsy, but Molly thankfully has more allies than she realizes. Not every twist feels earned, but on balance Prose delivers a gratifying, kindhearted whodunit with a sharply drawn protagonist for whom readers can't help rooting. Fans of fresh takes on traditional mysteries will be delighted. Agent: Madeleine Milburn, Madeleine Milburn Literary (U.K.). (Jan.)
Summary
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK * "A heartwarming mystery with a lovable oddball at its center" ( Real Simple ), this cozy whodunit introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart.

FINALIST FOR THE EDGAR® AWARD * "The reader comes to understand Molly's worldview, and to sympathize with her longing to be accepted--a quest that gives The Maid real emotional heft."-- The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)

"Think Clue . Think page-turner."-- Glamour

ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Reader's Digest
WINNER: The Anthony Award, The Fingerprint Award, The Barry Award

In development as a major motion picture

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 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.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The Guardian, Glamour, Elle, PopSugar, Newsweek, Mental Floss, She Reads, Kirkus Reviews
Librarian's View
Displaying 1 of 1