Books by Lauren Ambrose
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.
“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
Interviews where books by Lauren Ambrose were recommended
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1
The Body in the Library
by Agatha Christie -
2
A Morbid Taste for Bones: The First Chronicle of Brother Cadfael
by Ellis Peters -
3
The Maid
by Nita Prose, narrated by Lauren Ambrose -
4
The Way of All Flesh: A Raven & Fisher Mystery
by Ambrose Parry -
5
Dear Little Corpses: A Josephine Tey Mystery
by Nicola Upson
The Best Amateur Detective Novels, recommended by Jess Kidd
The Best Amateur Detective Novels, recommended by Jess Kidd
The ‘everyman’ quality of an amateur sleuths makes for a particularly readable subgenre of mystery book, says Jess Kidd—the author of a new series starring a crime-solving former nun. Here, she recommends five brilliant amateur detective novels with finely calibrated puzzles at their hearts.
The Best Mystery Books of 2022
2022 was a great year for books in the mystery genre, with some great plots and unforgettable characters, at least one of which (The Maid) has gone on to start a series. Settings included everything from snowy Scandinavia to World War II Hawaii.
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1
The Marriage Portrait: A Novel
by Maggie O'Farrell & narrated by Genevieve Gaunt -
2
The Maid
by Nita Prose, narrated by Lauren Ambrose -
3
You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays
by Zora Neale Hurston and narrated by Robin Miles -
4
Inside Voice: My Obsession with How We Sound
by Lake Bell -
5
In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss
by Amy Bloom
The Best Audiobooks of 2022, recommended by Robin Whitten
The Best Audiobooks of 2022, recommended by Robin Whitten
Every year AudioFile magazine reviews thousands of new audiobooks and in its annual best-of-the-year lists its editors include only books that make exceptional listening. Here Robin Whitten, AudioFile’s founder and editor, picks out five outstanding audiobooks in a range of genres and explains what it is that makes them special.
