The Maid
by Nita Prose, narrated by Lauren Ambrose
☆ Shortlisted for the 2023 Edgar Allan Poe Awards
The Maid by Nita Prose falls into the cosy mystery genre, though it has an edge to it that makes it extremely memorable. It’s set in a boutique hotel in New York and the narrator is the guileless and perfectionistic Molly, who cleans rooms there. The audiobook of The Maid is outstanding, chosen by AudioFile magazine as one of its best books of the year.
Recommendations from our site
“Molly Gray works as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel in an unnamed city in the U.S. She has a profound love for order and cleanliness and takes pride in her work and comfort in restoring order. She also has the propensity to take things literally and social interactions can be challenging. After the death of her grandmother, who raised her, Molly finds herself even more isolated. During the course of her work, Molly finds a guest murdered in the penthouse suite. Through a series of misadventures, she finds herself framed for his murder. I have a late diagnosis of autism and so found the portrayal of some of Molly’s traits, which could be perceived as neurodivergent, interesting with regards to the challenges which could land her in difficulties, but also the strengths she brings to bear to try and discover the truth of the matter.” Read more...
The Best Amateur Detective Novels
Jess Kidd, Novelist
“You really feel you are listening to someone whose whole life has to be in the details done the same every time and that if anything goes awry then you’re off kilter. It’s just brilliantly done. The Maid is also a very good mystery, with lots of red herrings, lots of misdirection. You’re really rooting for Molly to be exonerated.” Read more...
Robin Whitten, Journalist
