The blurb on the cover of this book is quite deceptive—you don’t see her, but she sees you. I picked up this book thinking it was going to be quite a dark and suspenseful story. That’s not the case. It’s quite a sweet, cozy mystery about an autistic (not explicitly mentioned, but all characteristics point to autism) hotel maid who gets entangled in a murder and now needs to determine the mystery.
About The Maid
Molly Gray isn’t like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads others’ intentions. Her grandmother 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 life’s complexities alone. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, obsessive love of cleaning, and proper etiquette make her an ideal fit. 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 Molly’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 what’s happening, Molly’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 united with her in a search for clues to what happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late?
~ Synopsis from GoodReads
My Review (with some spoilers)
I have two issues with the book – its representation of neurodiversity isn’t convincing, and the resolution to the mystery is quite bad. Molly is portrayed as almost childlike, and while that’s sweet, it doesn’t seem consistent throughout the book. Sometimes, she seems quite dumb, but at other times, she seems very observant. Also, Molly is frequently described as having an eye for detail. So, I expected her to see the clues and determine the mystery. But that isn’t the case.
Worse is the resolution to the mystery. It’s supposed to be a twist, but it doesn’t make sense. Why would the murderer be someone who has never appeared on the scene in the book at all? Yes, real life is like this. But in mysteries, some hints are usually thrown in, and at least one interview or encounter with the murderer. I don’t like books that wait until the last couple of chapters to tell the reader something so germane to the story.
So, yes, this is one seriously flawed book, and I almost stopped reading it several times. I eventually finished it and ended up liking it because of all the friendships in the book; the relationship between Molly and her grandmother was adorable, and overall, I am inclined to think this is probably a rough start, but the rest of the book in the series (yes, there is a series – Molly the Maid) are likely to be more polished.
So, yes, not one of my favorite books, but I am inclined to give the series a chance.
