I’m a few years late reading “The Maid” by Nita Prose, an author with an excellent last name for a writer, but in my defense, I don’t read a lot of mysteries. I prefer fantasy, sci-fi, and literary fiction. But I do sometimes like a quick little mystery as a palate-cleanser and “The Maid” is perfect for that. It’s a refreshing little sorbet of a book, clocking in at just under 300 pages, starring a quirky main character (Molly, the titular maid) and presenting a pretty low-stakes (IMO) mystery.
Molly the Maid (and yes, some characters call her that) works at a grand and lovely boutique hotel somewhere in what I think is America, given context clues such as immigration issues for the dishwasher from Mexico and people’s love of The Olive Garden. Molly loves being a maid. She loves cleanliness, which she learned from being raised by her loving-but-now-deceased grandmother. And she loves being able to “leave a room pristine and to slip out and disappear without a trace.”
Because most people don’t really notice Molly and when they do, it’s often to bully her or otherwise make fun of her. They steal her tips, prey on her innocence, and call her Roomba, mocking her for her absolute dedication to her job. And yes, Molly is different. She uses terms like “beau” and “ruckus,” is terrible at reading social cues, and offers up such phrases as “Need a tissue for your issue?” She’s also likely OCD and a germaphobe, so when a murder occurs in one of Molly’s rooms, her odd behavior makes her an easy target for both the police and for the actual culprits.
Rating: 3 stars; it’s truly a fine, easy read
CBR18 Bingo Circle: “Clown” because most people treat Molly like a fool. (Which results in my third and final BINGO (Left – Free – Right – Clown – One)).
