The Maid by Nita Prose

I absolutely ADORE this book. It has cleverness, wit, heart and charm, plus a fun murder myster to boot! Also, I typically don’t get teary over books, but this one actually made me cry, I’m not gonna lie.
 
What was the last book, movie or show that made you teary?

One-sentence summary:
Molly is a delightfully neurodivergent twenty-five year old struggling to navigate the complexities of life and her job as a maid in a posh hotel, but when she discovers the body of a murdered hotel guest and becomes the prime suspect, she realizes that she’ll need to find the real killer before it’s too late.

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Molly will go down as one of my favorite characters in recent memory. She is lovable, unique and charmingly complex. This read brought to mind one of my favorite books from last year, The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth. 

I feel like I honestly can’t read enough of these types of books that are told from the POV of a neurodivergent person. It is such a fun way to recognize how odd we neurotypicals can be. It also allows for such fun and engaging humor, provided the author is up to the task, and Nita Prose most definitely is!

I honestly thought everything was done so well here. The characters were specific and interesting;  the dialogue was believable and witty; plotting and pacing was excellent.

The only thing I might (gently) point out is that the book does take its time, in the beginning, introducing you to the various characters in the hotel. It starts out quite a bit slower than other reads in the Mysteries & Thrillers genre. For those of us with busy lives and limited attention spans, we may start feeling a bit restless with such a long intro, but do not give up! If you practice a little patience, you’ll most likely find yourself entirely absorbed.

This is a stand-out in the genre! Or even a damn good read for those who don’t like mysteries.

My advice: get it, read it, love it. (And maybe have tissues at the ready)

It came out this month! 

Thank you Random House and Ballantine Books for the ARC!