Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tea room floor.
When Detective Stark, Molly's old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know who killed J.D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
As the case threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer's identity. But that key is buried deep in her past—because long ago, she knew J.D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery post-haste. If there's one thing Molly knows for sure, it's that dirty secrets don't stay buried forever...
My Review:
Rating: 4/5 stars
Firstly, I'd like to thank Tandem Collective UK and Harper Collins for the gifted copy as a part of the Tandem Readalong.
Having been lucky enough to have read The Maid with Tandem last year, I was so grateful to get to read The Mystery Guest with them as well. Molly is a comfort character through and through, and I was so happy to be back with her. Her growth is massive from the first book to this book. I enjoyed the 'before' chapters where we get to see Molly as a young girl and the steps it takes for her to get to the person she is today. The ways the education system dealt with a neurodivergent child was saddening and completely failed her. I liked how the past connected to the present and pushed the mystery forward one chapter at a time.
It was lovely to be able to be a part of the same host of characters as the first book. Molly really proved to herself and those around her that she is more than capable of independence and thriving at that. I enjoyed the murder mystery and how it played out. This is definitely a cosy mystery that is unique with its narration from Molly Gray. I would love to see more of the Molly that was revealed at the end of the first book. I'm intrigued to see if this series goes further and what Molly Gray will do next. Nita Prose has done a fabulous job with her second novel, and I'm looking forward to following her career onwards.