"The Mystery Guest": A Must-Read Sequel

I don’t read mystery or thrillers as much these days, but Nita Prose’s 2022 award-winning debut The Maid was an exception, thanks to its unforgettable protagonist Molly Gray. When I saw Prose had written a sequel, I knew I had to read The Mystery Guest.

Plot Summary

Fours years later and now head maid at the five-star Regency Grand Hotel, Molly Gray is tasked to prepare the new tearoom for an event featuring J.D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author. When the writer drops dead in the middle of his speech, the police suspect foul play and turn their attention to the hotel employees, including Molly. What no one knows is Molly once worked at the Grimthorpe mansion as a child with her grandmother. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery before someone gets falsely accused of murder.

“You can fight monsters you can see, or you can run away from them. But the invisible ones are inescapable.” — Nita Prose, The Mystery Guest

Review

Although sequels don’t usually top or even equal their predecessors, I enjoyed The Mystery Guest as much as The Maid. Whereas some mystery books’ biggest appeal is their plot, the series is all about Prose’s quirky, endearing, and neurodivergent protagonist. Written in first person POV in her overly formal voice, Molly makes for a fun and hilarious narrator.

I’m a big fan of oddball characters and Molly’s struggles with social interactions in the first book felt relatable. I was thrilled to return to her world and see how much she’s grown. While she’s moved beyond viewing the world in a rigid black-and-white way, she still learning and embraces who she is. It was fitting how the shy maid-in-training, Lily, serves as a contrast to show Molly’s progress. It was also a treat to head back to the Grand Regency Hotel and get reacquainted with Mr. Snow, Mr. Preston, Juan Manuel, the other maids, and even Molly’s nemesis, Detective Stark.

Compared to the death of Mr. Black in the first book, I was more engaged in this mystery surrounding J. D. Grimthorpe because of the personal connection to Molly’s past.

Consequently, the narrative alternates between present and “Before.” The flashbacks gives us a glimpse of Molly accompanying Gran who worked at Grimthorpe’s mansion. Aside from the relevance to the main plot, the past sections give us insight into Molly’s childhood, how she came to live with Gran, and her reasons for being a maid. In particular, I enjoyed seeing Gran as a more active character, going beyond the voice in Molly’s head filled with idioms and life advice. As a whole, I could read a whole book about Molly’s past and wouldn’t be surprised if Prose delved into more backstory in future installments.

As for the mystery, I found it less predictable and more engaging than the first book even if it didn’t feel as dramatic or high-stakes. Prose kept me guessing and the twist surprised me.

I like writer stories and could see Prose had a ton of fun writing this story. J. D. Grimthorpe along with his rabid fan club of older women called the LAMBS made for a fun and campy cast of characters. Despite being a problematic misanthrope, it was entertaining to see Grimthorpe’s encounters with ten-year-old Molly. Having one of Grimthorpe’s books about a maid and another titled The Mystery Guest was also a nice meta touch.

“What do you call it when there’s truth in a story but it’s not a fact?” I ask.

His face morphs. All the hard lines soften. All the pain dissolves. For the first time ever, he looks giddy and happy and light.

“A novel,” he replies. “You call it a novel.”

— Nita Prose, The Mystery Guest

Overall, The Mystery Guest was a delightful read. While it’s hard to say if I liked it more or less than The Maid, I enjoyed both. Although I don’t often follow series, I’ll be looking forward to another chapter of Molly Gray’s adventures. If you’re a fan of The Maid or like character-driven, cozy mysteries, I highly recommend The Mystery Guest.