Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor.

When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?

As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.

I am one of the more than a million readers who devoured The Maid, Nita Prose’s brilliant debut. Turning its last page left me so delighted and satisfied, it felt greedy to ask for a sequel. But when The Mystery Guest appeared? I devoured it with even more delight. Nothing could be better than a chance to spend more time with Molly Gray, who keeps the Regency Grand “polished to perfection” and sees the world more clearly than the rest of us.

With Molly now head maid, the Regency Grand is posher and tidier than ever—the perfect place for legendary mystery writer J.D. Grimthorpe to make a major announcement to his ardent fans. But instead of sharing his revelation, Grimthorpe drops dead on stage, turning Molly into a witness, suspect, and sleuth. Luckily, she has some experience in these roles. And it turns out, her own past may hold the key to solving this very public crime.

You don’t need to have read The Maid to adore this novel. It’s a perfect standalone. It’s also a perfect sequel, because it takes nothing away from Molly, instead building on all the ground she gained in the original book. Molly navigates this new story—its past and present—with her head held high. Cleverly full of twists and turns, The Mystery Guest is as goodhearted as it is suspenseful, and as cozy as it is captivating. Not to be missed!