The Maid by Nita Prose

Published 2022 by Harper Collins Publishers

340 pages

ISBN 0978-0-0084357609

My grade: 5/5

Genre: crime, cozy

Keywords: murder, hotel work, cleaning,

the invisible maid, autistic, grief, loneliness

will I read more of this author: absolutely!

Every now and again a book gives you a surprise, this book did.

The first book by this Canadian author, is a little pearl of fun and laugh for the reader.

Molly the Maid is the best cleaning maid the luxurious hotel Regency Grand Hotel has ever had, her purpose no matter how dirty is to return the rooms to ‘their perfect state’. Molly is different, on the border of being autistic, she knows she is different and has problems understanding remarks and expressions on the faces. The book takes place in Molly’s mind and thoughts, which is not a bad place to be.

She grew up with her grandmother who died some time ago from very painful pancreatic cancer. Molly continues to live at the apartment but has problems to manage with only her salary. Her grandmother also had a thing about cleaning, so the apartment is very very clean!

Molly is proud of working at the beautiful hotel, she is proud of how she cleans everything to perfections, somehow, she manages until one day she finds Mr. Black dead in his hotel bed, room 401. Mr. and Mrs. Gizella Black have been visitors at the hotel every month. Gizella is the 2nd and much younger wife of rich Mr. Black and she has befriended Molly; as a rule, the maid is invisible not seen or heard.  The first Mrs. Black and their daughter are fighting for control of the Black empire mostly in the papers.

SO, there are many suspects in the what turns out to be the murder of Mr. Black. Molly gets arrested mainly because she is different and does not react and respond like a ‘normal’ person. Then the real friends of Molly start to help her and the whole plot is discovered, centered at the hotel.

Molly has her grandmother in her head and hears all the time her remarks which are old fashioned but funny and enjoyable.

The English is easy to read, the book caught me, I could not let it be. I will definitely read by the author!

Throughout the book Molly asks: do you laugh at me or with me? Molly, I have laughed with you!