The Maid-Storyline and Book Review
Molly Gray, a young woman who lives alone and works as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, is quite different from everyone else. She lacks social skills and is unable to gauge people’s intentions. She struggles to differentiate between opportunists and well-wishers. Till her grandmother was alive, Molly had it a bit easy because Grandmom would talk and explain everything to Molly, simplifying things enough for Molly to understand. But her passing away has left Molly with no one to turn back to in this world that she cannot quite understand.
Fortunately, Molly has a stable job. And what makes it even better is that she enjoys and takes pride in it. Every day, Molly is motivated and overjoyed to wear her maid uniform, report punctually at work, load her cart with cleaning materials, soaps and shampoos and get on with her job of cleaning the rooms-removing every spec of dust and stain, and making it perfect for the next guest. No matter the condition of the room, Molly never complains. She wants to be the best at her job and does it with complete dedication.
Molly is happy in her everyday routine, and one may not imagine anything exciting to happen in a monotonous and dull life like Molly’s. But one day, Molly’s life takes a turn. Molly finds a wealthy and infamous guest, Mr Black, dead in his suite. Since Molly is the first to spot him, she is immediately taken for questioning by the police. Mr Black and his wife had been regular guests at the hotel, and Molly and other staff knows them well. Molly, in particular, knows a bit more about them. Unaware that even her simple and innocent remarks and statements could be used against her, Molly speaks her heart out and says all that she is aware of, and before she knows it, she is the prime suspect in the murder of Mr Black.
Molly wonders how that happened. She is innocent but doesn’t know how to prove it. Just like there are people in Molly’s life who want to take advantage of her lack of social skills and inability to understand the ways of the world, there are her well-wishers too. Molly is unaware of the presence of either. So, when she lands in a problem, her friends rescue her. With their help, Molly investigates and figures out the real culprit. On the one hand, this untoward incident in Molly’s life shows the true face of some people and some not-so-good things about life; on the other hand, it brings friends into her life whom she never knew existed, and whom she can now trust and cherish for life.
The Maid is a simple book. I found the interpretations in Molly’s mind charming and endearing. Her innocence and take on the world are a delight to read. The unpleasant incidents in her life and how life is unfair make one feel sad and empathise with her. But if you are looking for a complex murder mystery with twists and turns, this may not be a book for you. This book is about how a person struggling with social skills sees the world and manoeuvres through it when faced with the most challenging situation. It is an interesting read, with a bit of everything- emotions, relationships, and friendship intertwined with a murder mystery.
- Publisher : HarperCollins; 1st edition (3 Jan. 2023)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 352 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0008435766
- ISBN-13 : 978-0008435769
- Dimensions : 12.9 x 2.6 x 19.8 cm
Read my other book reviews here.
Please subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on social media.
Follow me on:
Please note that this article contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for the sale if you buy through the links. This has no effect on the price for you.
Leave a Reply