#BookReview: The Maid by Nita Prose @NitaProse @HarperCollins

Hi everyone! Today, I have a book review for a read I picked up via NetGalley. This is Nita Prose’s first novel, and what a debut >>>

59452617. sy475 About the Book:

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 lifeโ€™s complexities all by herself. No matterโ€”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 Mollyโ€™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 whatโ€™s happening, Mollyโ€™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. Blackโ€”but will they be able to find the real killer before itโ€™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 differentโ€”and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart.

 

 

My Review:

๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this Advanced Review Copy.

“I am your maid. I’m the one who cleans your hotel room, who enters like a phantom when you’re out gallivanting for the day, no care at all about what you’ve left behind, the mess, or what I might see when you’re gone.”

With these opening lines we meet Molly the maid. In this wonderful debut novel from Nita Prose (and what a debut!) we read from the point of view of a wonderfully naive and unreliable narrator. The prose is excellently written, and I loved that I could guess at much of what Molly missed yet couldn’t warn her. Not only does Molly struggle to gauge facial expressions and body language, she also misses the more obvious clues in social interactions and takes sarcasm literally.

I loved so much about this read and struggled to pull just a few lines to quote in this review. Here goes …

“Your polished mirror reflects your face of innocence back at you. It’s as though you were never here. It’s as though all of your filth, all of your lies and deceits, have been erased.”

And …

“Without her, home isn’t home. It’s as though all the color has been drained from the apartment we shared.”

And …

“My uniform is freedom. It is the ultimate invisibility cloak.”

And …

“I don’t cut corners, I shine them.”

The characters came alive in this novel, and I fell in love with Molly. The plot is all too believable, and the world of the hotel felt realistic and atmospheric. I will be sure to follow this new author and look forward to reading more from her. The Maid gets a resounding five stars from me.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! โ€” Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER โ€” Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! โ€” An okay read. Didnโ€™t love it. Didnโ€™t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS โ€”Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA โ€”Lots of issues with this book.


I’d love to hear what you think of this review. Thanks for stopping by ๐Ÿ™‚

 

For anyone interested, here are the Amazon links …

UK … https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

US … https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R8XRTB2/

 

28 Comments on “#BookReview: The Maid by Nita Prose @NitaProse @HarperCollins

  1. Thank you, Harmony, for this lovely review. This sounds like a good read.

  2. I can see where Molly’s personality could get her in hot water with the police. This sounds like a great read, Harmony!

  3. This book sounds like a lot of fun and very heartwarming, Harmony. I enjoy books with quirky characters and Molly sounds like she fits the bill. Thanks for the recommendation!

  4. What an incredible review, Harmony. Thank you for sharing it. This is one that beckons to be read. ๐Ÿ˜Š

  5. What a fabulous review, Harmony. I have read two other debut novels picked up by HarperCollins this year and am convinced they don’t publish anything less than stellar work. I love the premise of this story! Thank you for sharing!

  6. This is the second blog I’ve seen this book mentioned, and it seems to be the talk of the town. Nice to see such a successful debut. Thanks, Harmony.

  7. Great review, Harmony ๐Ÿ™‚ I loved the lines from the story and I can only imagine all the things she sees.