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The Maid

Molly the Maid, Book 1

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The Maid

By: Nita Prose
Narrated by: Lauren Ambrose
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*Molly the maid returns in THE MAID'S SECRET – available to buy now!*

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Get swept away by the million-copy bestseller …

*THE NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES & SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER
*WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER
*WINNER OF THE NED KELLY AWARD FOR BEST INTERNATIONAL CRIME FICTION
*A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME PICK

‘An escapist pleasure’ SUNDAY TIMES
‘An instantly gripping whodunnit’ STYLIST
‘Smart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing ’ LISA JEWELL
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It begins like any other day for Molly Gray, silently dusting her way through the luxury rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel.

But when she enters suite 401 and discovers an infamous guest dead in his bed, a very messy mystery begins to unfold. And Molly’s at the heart of it – because if anyone can uncover the secrets beneath the surface, the fingerprints amongst the filth – it’s the maid . . .

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Everyone’s getting swept away by The Maid:

‘Excellent and totally entertaining . . . the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time’ STEPHEN KING

‘This is phenomenal thriller. Maid or murderer or victim? Find out in the book’ READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I'm recommending it to everyone I know' EMMA STONEX

‘I loved everything about this book’ READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I didn’t think I could love a character any more than I loved Eleanor Oliphant but along comes Molly the Maid. God, I love her’ READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fresh, fiendish and darkly beguiling. The Maid is so thrillingly original, and clever, and joyous. I just adored every page’ CHRIS WHITAKER

‘Felt like a modern day homage to Agatha Christie’ READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Lots of twists and turns and highly gripping’ READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Sunday Times No.4 bestseller for w/c 24/01/2022

A New York Times No.1 bestseller for w/c 31/01/2022

Coming of Age Dark Humour Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Exciting Suspense Comedy
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Critic reviews

‘A smart, riveting, and deliciously refreshing debut. Prose knows how to pen a murder mystery with tremendous heart’ Lisa Jewell
‘The book’s endearing central character and atmospheric hotel setting make it an escapist pleasure — a mini-break between the pages’ Sunday Times
‘Finally booksellers have a concrete answer to the question 'I loved Eleanor Oliphant – what should I read next?'’ Bookbrunch
‘A gripping and heart-warming whodunnit narrated by an intriguing and original heroine. Skilfully layered and masterfully told. I loved it’ Santa Montefiore
‘An endearing debut . . . Prose threads a steady needle with the intricate plotting’ New York Times
‘The Maid is elegant, warm-hearted and wry, and Molly the most winningly off-beat narrator since Eleanor Oliphant. An absolute joy’ Louise Candlish
‘An instantly gripping and delightful whodunnit’ Stylist
‘I enjoyed every minute of this twisty yet tender thriller. The Maid is gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I'm recommending it to everyone I know' Emma Stonex
‘Nita Prose has created a true 21st Century heroine in a brilliantly-written, transformative story’ Janice Hallett
‘Molly the Maid has captured my heart! I loved this charming and utterly original whodunit . . . Put this on your to-read pile immediately’ Sarah Pearse
‘Startingly good . . . a thoroughly beguiling read . . . full of such offbeat charm that you will root for [Molly] all the way’ Reader’s Digest
‘Unlike anything else I’ve read, this kept me up way past lights out’ Katie Fforde
‘This is going to be HUGE! A heroine as loveable and quirky as Eleanor Oliphant, caught up in a crime worthy of Agatha Christie. Loved it!’ Clare Pooley
‘A contemporary murder mystery with a unique heroine who will appeal to Eleanor Oliphant fans’ Daily Mail
All stars
Most relevant
Really enjoyable and moving story which is particularly enhanced by the suberb Narration, wow you are skilled.

Amazing narrator!

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Loved this and if you liked Eleanor Oliphant you will too . Couldn’t wait to get back to it

Brilliant

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Having read the great reviews on this book, I thought I'd give it a go and it was even better than I expected. The characters are a delight and the story is gentle. It lets you discover things slowly rather than run you over with fact after fact. Molly the maid is obviously somewhere on the spectrum scale, although this is never confirmed just alluded to. Her character would be slightly annoying otherwise but once you have discovered this, she opens up a whole new world and this is where the dark humour comes in. We can clearly see what is unfolding but Molly (who sees the world through different eyes) cannot.
The book is enhanced by the narration which is brilliant. Lauren Ambrose is from New England and has a clipped way of speaking. She has exaggerated this to enhance Molly's character and it works brilliantly.
Don't read this if you are a fan of crime novels and expect fast paced action with twists but please read it if you want to lose yourself in a lovely story and discover what goes on behind the doors of the Regency Grand Hotel.

A pleasure to read from start to finish

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Very well read and an interesting story. A different take on the main character, but I easily could place myself in her world and see things from her, very different, perspective. Some things were predictable but enough was not. Different to characterise-yes a murder took place but I never felt it was ‘just’ a novel about solving it.

A twist on a twist

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For as much as this is seen online, I don’t think it lives up to the hype. An ok book, if you want to spend your time listening to an ok book. I loved the main character Molly and thought she was written very well. The story was sad in parts but I feel no major twists or turns.

A slow burner, finished it for the sake of it.

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