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emotional
funny
inspiring
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Murder
Minor: Cursing
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An easy, cozy mystery. Molly was likeable enough as a protagonist although a lot of her interactions, worldviews bordered very closely on infantilising. The characters are pretty flat, what you see is what you get and I won’t say I was necessarily surprised at their choices/parts in the narrative. The best part was the relationship between Molly and her grandmother and its revelation throughout the story. It was very tender, wholesome, and bittersweet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Torture, Violence, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Deportation
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Murder, Gaslighting, Deportation
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racism, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation
TW: assisted suicide
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was a little disappointed with this book. I don’t think it lived up to the hype for me. While I didn’t mind the mystery and how everything played out, I am not sure what it is that I couldn’t fully connect with. To be honest I’m not sure the fact that Molly is neurodivergent was handled well. It was just something that didn’t sit well with me. At times it did feel like she was childlike and other times it felt like she was the adult that she was. I did enjoy the fact that she didn’t curse unlike some of the other characters. It did feel good that she realized who were real friends were at the end. However, I’m not sure if I will continue the series, it didn’t “wow” me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Suicide
Minor: Deportation
funny
lighthearted
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:
No
This book was so fun, I had a great time reading it! Molly the Maid was such a unique character and I really enjoyed getting to know her.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 ⭐️ Quirky, mysterious, and I enjoyed the writing style
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting
Minor: Racism, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 9/10
Molly Gray is a national treasure and I will not be accepting dissent. She’s awkward, literal, meticulous, and an absolute masterclass in characterization. I could describe her to a friend in painful detail—the bob haircut parted down the middle, her deep love for cleaning, her confusion with social cues, her literal-mindedness that veers dangerously close to heartbreaking. I cared about Molly so much I wanted to reach into the pages and give her a snack and a therapist. Even the secondary characters—Mr. Preston, Giselle, Rodney the snake—were memorable and served more than just background wallpaper duties. They added to the plot, her evolution, and the web of deceit she’s untangling in the most “please stop trusting everyone” way possible.
Molly Gray is a national treasure and I will not be accepting dissent. She’s awkward, literal, meticulous, and an absolute masterclass in characterization. I could describe her to a friend in painful detail—the bob haircut parted down the middle, her deep love for cleaning, her confusion with social cues, her literal-mindedness that veers dangerously close to heartbreaking. I cared about Molly so much I wanted to reach into the pages and give her a snack and a therapist. Even the secondary characters—Mr. Preston, Giselle, Rodney the snake—were memorable and served more than just background wallpaper duties. They added to the plot, her evolution, and the web of deceit she’s untangling in the most “please stop trusting everyone” way possible.
Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10
The Regency Grand Hotel is basically its own character, dripping in “old money” class and gleaming marble. I could practically smell the lemon polish on Molly’s perfectly stocked maid’s trolley. The Art Deco details, the hushed elegance of the hallways, the sense of being watched but invisible at the same time—it all screamed cozy mystery with teeth. The tone fit like a silk glove: behind all that polish was tension, secrets, and the quiet horror of being underestimated.
The Regency Grand Hotel is basically its own character, dripping in “old money” class and gleaming marble. I could practically smell the lemon polish on Molly’s perfectly stocked maid’s trolley. The Art Deco details, the hushed elegance of the hallways, the sense of being watched but invisible at the same time—it all screamed cozy mystery with teeth. The tone fit like a silk glove: behind all that polish was tension, secrets, and the quiet horror of being underestimated.
Writing Style: 8.5/10
Nita Prose’s prose (yes, it’s on the nose) is charming and deceptively simple. Molly’s first-person narration is consistent, endearing, and a bit maddening—in the best way. I never got lost, never felt like I was being lectured, and never doubted who Molly was or how she saw the world. The balance between inner monologue and action was spot-on. Prose pulled off a delicate tightrope act: giving Molly a unique voice without making her a caricature.
Nita Prose’s prose (yes, it’s on the nose) is charming and deceptively simple. Molly’s first-person narration is consistent, endearing, and a bit maddening—in the best way. I never got lost, never felt like I was being lectured, and never doubted who Molly was or how she saw the world. The balance between inner monologue and action was spot-on. Prose pulled off a delicate tightrope act: giving Molly a unique voice without making her a caricature.
Plot: 7.5/10
Let’s not pretend this was the twistiest whodunit in the genre. It wasn’t. But I wasn’t there for a brain-bending thriller. I was there for character and justice. The pacing was decent, though a bit saggy in the middle (like the second act forgot it had places to be). The mystery of Charles Black’s death, Molly’s arrest, and the web of lies and misjudgments did come together in a satisfying way—even if the resolution felt just a touch too tidy. But did I cheer when Molly got her revenge-by-cleanliness? You bet your vacuum I did.
Let’s not pretend this was the twistiest whodunit in the genre. It wasn’t. But I wasn’t there for a brain-bending thriller. I was there for character and justice. The pacing was decent, though a bit saggy in the middle (like the second act forgot it had places to be). The mystery of Charles Black’s death, Molly’s arrest, and the web of lies and misjudgments did come together in a satisfying way—even if the resolution felt just a touch too tidy. But did I cheer when Molly got her revenge-by-cleanliness? You bet your vacuum I did.
Intrigue: 8/10
I was hooked from Molly’s opening monologue about being your invisible maid who knows all your secrets. I kept turning pages not because I had to know whodunit, but because I needed to know Molly would be okay. I was invested in her job, her loneliness, her fierce belief in etiquette, and her heartbreak over being constantly misunderstood. I chose reading this over actual social interaction, which is saying something.
I was hooked from Molly’s opening monologue about being your invisible maid who knows all your secrets. I kept turning pages not because I had to know whodunit, but because I needed to know Molly would be okay. I was invested in her job, her loneliness, her fierce belief in etiquette, and her heartbreak over being constantly misunderstood. I chose reading this over actual social interaction, which is saying something.
Logic/Relationships: 7.5/10
The book rides a fine line between clever and convenient. Most of the time, characters made choices that felt true to who they were—Molly’s trust issues (and trust misfires) were painfully consistent. But some plot elements asked for a bit too much suspension of disbelief—like, really? A gun in a vacuum? And we’re not checking maids’ carts during a murder investigation? Okay, sure. Relationships like the one with Giselle felt both touching and maddeningly messy—which was the point, I think.
The book rides a fine line between clever and convenient. Most of the time, characters made choices that felt true to who they were—Molly’s trust issues (and trust misfires) were painfully consistent. But some plot elements asked for a bit too much suspension of disbelief—like, really? A gun in a vacuum? And we’re not checking maids’ carts during a murder investigation? Okay, sure. Relationships like the one with Giselle felt both touching and maddeningly messy—which was the point, I think.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Did I love it? Heck yes. Was it a perfect book? Nah. But it was a deeply enjoyable one, with a protagonist I won’t forget and enough emotional resonance to lift it far above average. I laughed, I teared up, I wanted to slap half the hotel staff. And I would 100% recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries with heart, heroines with quirks, and a little soap-scum satire on the side.
Did I love it? Heck yes. Was it a perfect book? Nah. But it was a deeply enjoyable one, with a protagonist I won’t forget and enough emotional resonance to lift it far above average. I laughed, I teared up, I wanted to slap half the hotel staff. And I would 100% recommend it to anyone who likes mysteries with heart, heroines with quirks, and a little soap-scum satire on the side.
Final verdict? The Maid was a sparkling little gem—just don’t expect it to be a diamond. It’s more like one of those polished hotel lobby rocks: unexpectedly beautiful, a bit weird, and hiding more depth than you think.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Classism
Minor: Cursing, Violence, Police brutality, Alcohol
The book features a neurodivergent protagonist, though her condition is never explicitly labeled. Some readers might find the way she is treated by other characters frustrating or uncomfortable.
While The Maid is a murder mystery, it leans more toward a character-driven narrative rather than being a dark or gruesome thriller.
The novel deals with themes of loneliness, social misunderstanding, and found family, balancing moments of humor and warmth with tension and emotional depth.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed the first 50 pages and, after that, everything went downhill. I understand the author was trying to present a neurodivergent main character but that doesn’t mean the character had to be flat out dumb. I felt like the representation was almost demeaning to those who are neurodivergent. And her character and the plot was just wholly unbelievable. Except for the “whodunit.” Disappointingly, that was obvious. There wasn’t really a major twist or hook. I was disappointed, given all the hype with this book.
But it should be noted; I don’t usually read mysteries so perhaps that bias has soured my enjoyment as well.
But it should be noted; I don’t usually read mysteries so perhaps that bias has soured my enjoyment as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism