Happy publication day!
Having 2022’s ‘The Maid’ and been charmed by Molly the Maid, I was very happy to be granted an advance copy of ‘The Mystery Guest’ for review. This is Molly’s second outing and a lovely sequel.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book starts with Molly Gray – now Head Maid – preparing for a big event at the Regency Grand Hotel. A famous crime writer has a big announcement – but, before he can make it, he drops dead on the floor of the tea room. Molly, with her quirky ways and ability to be in the wrong place when it counts, immediately comes under suspicion as the police start digging into secrets in the hotel. However, Molly knows that she has important information – even though it means confronting some truths about her past…
There was so much I loved about this book – it’s a very worthy successor to ‘The Maid’. The character of Molly remains charmingly naive – although now a little more savvy about her ability to spot things that other miss, something that is obviously helpful in a murder investigation! Her retelling of the key past events and memories of her beloved Gran do bring the book alive – there’s a real warmth in the relationship and I absolutely loved Gran’s resilience and strength in always doing the best for Molly.
As with the first book, the humour is hugely appealing. There are some darker moments around Gran’s employment and living situation (I found the blackout particularly heartbreaking – and I’m a tough, no-crying kind of reader!) but this is always seen through Molly’s slightly innocent and naive eyes. This softens some of the tougher bits and the humour throughout is absolutely gorgeous – I particularly loved the writer’s in-fighting fan club!
I’ll admit that I’m still a bit puzzled about where the Regency Grand Hotel actually is. Maybe it’s my British sensibilities, but it all sounds kind of English – with fancy tea rooms, a remote grand house and a definite sense of upstairs/downstairs. However, there are some American words scattered in which made me doubt myself and threw me off occasionally. I don’t know whether I’ve missed the location somewhere along the line!
Either way, this is a good mystery and another charming look into Molly’s world. I’d recommend it to fans of funny, quirky mysteries – it’s all that you’d want in a cosy crime novel, with the added bonus an unforgettable heroine at its centre.
Header photo by Wasil Ahammed on Unsplash
