GROUP B BOOKS 2023-2024: 10 Nominated books. Vote for no more than 5.

B5 Type: Amateur sleuths: cozies, and/or traditional mysteries The Maid by Nita Prose, 2022 / MVLC: 128

Basics · Briefly: A highly profession maid at a boutique hotel in New York City likes her work, but when a wealthy guest is murdered in his bed, and the police begin to suspect her of the murder, she must find a way to clear her name and get things back to normal. An unusually told, twisty tale. · Protagonist: Molly Gray, is the hotel maid, and the likeable, neurodivergent narrator of the story. · Setting: Contemporary New York City · Context: This the author's first novel. · % of Amazon readers giving 5-star ratings: 48% · Combined % of Amazon readers giving either 4 OR 5-star ratings: 81% · Total all Amazon ratings this book: 73,115 Long Form Molly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and misreads the intentions of others. Her gran used to interpret the world for her, codifying it into simple rules that Molly could live by. Since Gran died a few months ago, twenty-five-year-old Molly has been navigating life’s complexities all by herself. No matter—she throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. Her unique character, along with her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette, make her an ideal fit for the job. She delights in donning her crisp uniform each morning, stocking her cart with miniature soaps and bottles, and returning guest rooms at the Regency Grand Hotel to a state of perfection. But Molly’s orderly life is upended the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself dead in his bed. Before she knows what’s happening, Molly’s unusual demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect. She quickly finds herself caught in a web of deception, one she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, friends she never knew she had unite with her in a search for clues to what really happened to Mr. Black—but will they be able to find the real killer before it’s too late? A Clue-like, locked-room mystery and a heartwarming journey of the spirit, The Maid explores what it means to be the same as everyone else and yet entirely different—and reveals that all mysteries can be solved through connection to the human heart. -------- “A masterful, charming mystery that will touch your heart in ways you could never expect. The endearing, unforgettable Molly reminds us to challenge our assumptions about one another, and shows us how meaningful it is to feel truly seen in the world. More than a whodunnit, The Maid is layered—Prose makes us consider how far we’d go for the people we love, and what we owe ourselves above all else. This is the smart, quirky, uplifting read we need.” –Lis Jewell, New York Times bestselling author of The Family Upstairs “It’s impossible not to love Molly, an endearing, eccentric hotel maid.... Like any cozy whodunit, clean appearances may in fact hide a few smudges. The twists and surprises keep coming until the very last page of this delightfully fresh debut.” –Louise Candlish, bestselling author of The Other Passenger. I read this book a few months ago, because I chose to read all six of the "Finalist" books for the 2023 Barry Award Best Debut Novel, since I have the opportunity to vote for the winner. I have read 5 of the books, including this one. At the moment this strikes me as the best of the best entries. So I nominated this book for our group's list too. –Dick Awards for this Book § 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Novel § Finalist 2023 Edgar Award for Best Mystery § Finalist 2023 Barry Award for Best Debut Novel § Finalist 2023 Anthony Award for Best First Novel § Finalist 2023 Anthony Award for Best Hardcover