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One day, when Molly enters the penthouse suite to clean, she discovers the most prestigious hotel guest, Mr. Black, has been murdered. Due to a series of comically unfortunate events, Molly becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation, leading to a scandal that not only threatens the hotel's
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Molly Gray is a dedicated maid at the
Regency Grand Hotel, where she finds immense joy in her job, particularly in returning messy rooms to a state of perfection. Her love for cleaning is palpable, and she takes pride in the well-stocked maid's trolley with all its cleaning supplies. However, Molly's
242:, saying, "Not every twist feels earned, but on balance Prose delivers a gratifying, kindhearted whodunit." NPR's Patrick noted that "while some readers may guess who the killer is immediately, it doesn't really matter, as the book is more about Molly — who does not".
207:'s Kathleen Gerard wrote, "It's the pure, learning-as-she-goes charm and naiveté of Molly and her inimitable narrative voice--the truth of her lovably eccentric old soul--that readers will not soon forget." Tara Laskowski of the
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highlighted how "Molly's voice is distinguishing from the very first page: 'Every day in every way' and 'Need a tissue for your issue?'", as well as "her unique take on life and her plucky optimism." In a more negative review,
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Molly is considered odd by her co-workers, who don't share her enthusiasm for their work. Her closest friend, her grandmother, has passed away, leaving her feeling alone. Molly is also easily deceived by cunning individuals.
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referred to it as "a compelling take on the classic whodunit", writing, "Though the unusual ending might frustrate some readers, this unique debut will keep them reading". Tara
Laskowski of the
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265:'s Jennifer Kinnavy noted that "Ambrose delivers a pitch-perfect performance of Molly and the interesting cast of characters." Similarly, Laurie Muchnick, writing for
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Margaret Madden called Molly "charming," though noted she " is not consistent enough—either verbally or in her thoughts—to be believable".
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novel "captivating, charming, and heart-warming", noting that "this unusual crime novel will leave readers with a warm glow".
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passion for cleanliness doesn't translate into an understanding of social cues or the ability to navigate relationships.
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called Molly "a sharply drawn protagonist for whom readers can't help rooting." Amidst other praise for the novel,
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included the novel on their list of the best books of 2022. The audiobook landed on
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232:'s Kathleen Gerard called it "delightfully crafted" and "suspenseful".
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was generally well-received by critics, including starred reviews from
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said, "This cozy whodunit is a joy from the first page to the last."
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786:"She Thought Her Brother-in-Law Was a Killer. No One Believed Her"
718:"Nita Prose's the Maid isn't the tidy triumph it could have been"
1006:"Announcing the Winners of the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards!"
752:"New Best Sellers Run the Gamut from Escapist to Galvanizing"
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Multiple reviewers discussed Prose's main character, Molly.
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In 2021, a film adaptation of the novel was announced, with
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bestseller. It was also the second-most borrowed book from
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228:'s Melton called the plot "clever" and "original", while
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912:"Seattle Public Library Reveals Most Borrowed Books"
1162:"'Deadly Pleasures' Reveals Barry Awards Finalists"
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944:"Libro.fm Reveals Bestselling Audiobooks of 2022"
849:"When the Audiobook Narrator Feels Like a Friend"
443:"Florence Pugh to Star in Universal's 'The Maid'"
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306:'s list of the top ten audiobooks sold in 2022.
1194:"Edgar Award Nominations for 2023 Are Revealed"
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238:highlighted the numerous plot twists in
141:reputation but also her own livelihood.
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880:"Combined Print & E-Book Fiction"
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1041:"Anthony Award Nominations 2023"
815:Kinnavy, Jennifer (2022-03-01).
649:Patrick, Bethanne (2022-01-05).
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455:from the original on 29 May 2021
403:Barry Award for Best First Novel
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847:Muchnick, Laurie (2022-08-15).
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765:from the original on 2022-11-27
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731:from the original on 2022-09-14
715:Madden, Margaret (2022-01-09).
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663:from the original on 2023-06-19
628:from the original on 2022-12-05
593:from the original on 2023-08-30
557:from the original on 2022-05-27
543:Gerard, Kathleen (2022-01-07).
493:from the original on 2023-08-30
113:debut novel by Canadian author
1192:Schaub, Michael (2023-01-19).
1160:Schaub, Michael (2023-03-02).
1132:"Barry Award Nominations 2023"
942:Schaub, Michael (2022-11-20).
910:Schaub, Michael (2022-12-29).
749:Egan, Elisabeth (2022-01-13).
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614:Laskowski, Tara (2022-01-10).
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1039:Easter, George (2023-05-08).
783:Weinman, Sarah (2021-12-23).
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1075:Audio Publishers Association
479:Melton, Emily (2022-01-01).
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1070:"2023 Audie Awards Winners"
351:for Mystery & Thriller
257:The audiobook, narrated by
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415:Edgar Award for Best Novel
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685:"The Maid by Nita Prose"
16:2022 novel by Nita Prose
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391:Audie Award for Mystery
176:'s Emily Melton called
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124:cast in the lead role.
1241:Ballantine Books books
448:The Hollywood Reporter
349:Goodreads Choice Award
336:Goodreads Choice Award
292:Seattle Public Library
84:Goodreads Choice Award
1231:2022 Canadian novels
616:"The Maid: A Novel"
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1106:AudioFile Magazine
885:The New York Times
791:The New York Times
758:The New York Times
511:Gray, B. Allison.
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283:The New York Times
247:The New York Times
20:The Maid: A Novel
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215:Irish Independent
201:Publishers Weekly
106:The Maid: A Novel
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310:Awards for
1225:Categories
1210:2023-01-21
1178:2023-03-02
1146:2023-03-02
1117:2023-08-30
1086:2023-05-08
1055:2023-08-30
1022:2023-08-30
991:2023-08-30
975:"The Maid"
960:2023-08-30
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833:2023-08-30
817:"The Maid"
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581:"The Maid"
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545:"The Maid"
524:2023-08-30
513:"The Maid"
497:2023-08-30
481:"The Maid"
428:References
419:Shortlist
288:IndieBound
115:Nita Prose
109:is a 2022
37:Nita Prose
1011:Goodreads
980:Goodreads
395:Finalist
294:in 2022.
145:Reception
60:Publisher
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453:Archived
407:Nominee
383:Nominee
371:Nominee
341:Nominee
312:The Maid
304:Libro.fm
278:The Maid
263:Booklist
252:The Maid
240:The Maid
226:Booklist
178:The Maid
174:Booklist
155:Booklist
150:The Maid
42:Language
324:Result
54:Mystery
45:English
459:29 May
355:Winner
321:Award
280:was a
267:Kirkus
164:, and
86:(2022)
80:Awards
34:Author
363:2023
332:2022
327:Ref.
318:Year
50:Genre
461:2021
286:and
128:Plot
92:ISBN
656:NPR
194:NPR
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