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challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Murder, Classism
Moderate: Physical abuse
The heroine has overt autistic traits (and possibly OCD traits? it’s unclear what the author’s intent was) but the manner in which her neurodivergence is handled was vaguely… flat. Like a caricature rather than a real person. I’m not sure if the author had a sensitivity reader/discussed what it’s like to be autistic with actual autistic people. Fantastic premise that would have made 5 stars if neurodivergence was handled with better care.
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
⚠️ CW: grief, murder, cancer, bullying, ableism and domestic abuse ⚠️ If you're looking for an intricately detailed murder mystery that is so much more than it seems then you need to read this book. It begins like any other day for Molly Gray as she silently dusts and cleans her way through the luxury rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel. But when she enters suite 401 and discovers an infamous guest dead in his bed, a very messy mystery begins to unfold. And Molly is at the heart of it all because if anyone can uncover the secrets beneath the surface and the fingerprints amongst the filth then it’s the maid. This book had me absolutely hooked from beginning to end and was filled with so many clever twists and turns. I loved Molly so much, especially her relationship with her Gran, but also I found it so infuriating how the majority of people treated her due to her being on the Autistic spectrum even though unfortunately this ignorance made it feel all the more realistic. And the ending was just so perfect! Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Grief, Murder
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A soft-hearted murder mystery that's perfect for anyone who loves Amelia Bedelia and unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Alcohol, Deportation
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is giving Amelia Bedelia meets Agatha Christie novel, and I was living for it the entire time.
I do have to say, if you get secondhand embarrassment very easily, this book may not be for you. Molly, the main character of this fast-paced mystery, is clearly neurodivergent in some way. This makes her perspective very interesting; however, the first person point of view forces readers to experience her social ineptitude as if they were her. When I read the novel, I could feel when other characters were taking advantage of her and wanted to warn her; however, you can't jump through book pages.
This is a Rodney hate group. Rodney is literally the worst, and I have never read a more disturbing scene than him at the Olive Garden. Juan Manuel has my whole heart.
The twists were unpredictable, but they made a lot of sense after you had gone through the majority of the novel, so they stayed believable. That is such a difficult line to toe, so I applaud Nita Prose's ability to strike that balance.
Overall, I cannot recommend this book more. My stress level was at a ten because of the high stakes and other characters' mistreatment of Molly, but it was so worth it in the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I do have to say, if you get secondhand embarrassment very easily, this book may not be for you. Molly, the main character of this fast-paced mystery, is clearly neurodivergent in some way. This makes her perspective very interesting; however, the first person point of view forces readers to experience her social ineptitude as if they were her. When I read the novel, I could feel when other characters were taking advantage of her and wanted to warn her; however, you can't jump through book pages.
The twists were unpredictable, but they made a lot of sense after you had gone through the majority of the novel, so they stayed believable. That is such a difficult line to toe, so I applaud Nita Prose's ability to strike that balance.
Overall, I cannot recommend this book more. My stress level was at a ten because of the high stakes and other characters' mistreatment of Molly, but it was so worth it in the end. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Death
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Deportation
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Only minutes into this book it became one of my favorites ever! It is beautiful book about human relations with a murder sprinkled over. And the main character is an Eleanor Olyphant type character, you’ll either live her or hate her.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Terminal illness
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Deportation
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Toxic relationship
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Deportation
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder
Minor: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Grief