The Maid and The Guest Room were both highly anticipated reads for 2022 on my TBR. Both books had things I liked and I really wanted to love them, but there were things that bothered me. I know I am not in the majority in my thoughts, so please read some other reviews as well. The things that bothered me might not be an issue for you at all.

The Maid

The Maid by Nita Prose

Published January 4th 2022 by Ballantine Books

3.5 Stars:

This was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2022. It has received high praise from may reviewers and having a neurodivergent grandson, I was excited to read about Molly the maid. Molly was raised by her grandmother, who taught her how to act, how to speak and how important it was to do a good job. Molly took it all to heart, although to others, she may seem a bit odd. She does not really have any friends, so when the wife of a client staying at the hotel befriends her, she is happy. Molly does have some friendly relationships with co-workers, but there is a very odd relationship between her and Rodney the bartender as well as a dishwasher that she finds an empty room for each night. When Molly finds her friend’s husband dead in their room, first she faints, the she calls for help. It ends up that he was murdered and Molly is first a witness, then a suspect, then arrested for the crime. Can Molly and her co-workers find out who really killed Mr. Black.

Molly Gray is a lovable character who is a creature of habit. As long as she follows her routines, she is okay. She works hard at her job and takes her role as a maid very seriously. She is requested to clean some rooms and receives good tips due to her excellent work ethic. I loved the mystery and thought it was fun to try and figure out. I thought I knew where the story was going but wasn’t quite right. Some reviewers have referred to this story as a cozy mystery, but I don’t agree, I think it is a crime mystery, soft-boiled. The story is told from Molly’s POV and I love her exacting way of speaking. What I did not like was how she was duped and used a couple of times. There was a lot I liked about the story, but some things irked me. I worked as a chamber maid while in University and I would never have given rooms out at any time, while working there. First, I had no access to the reservation system to know what rooms would be empty and second, unless I gave out my master key, I had no key to give out. The second thing that bothered me was the fact that Molly was such a rule follower, yet when the final twist came, it went against her character completely. Now, saying that, if you suspend belief and just enjoy the story, you will probably love it.

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The Guest Room by Rona Halsall, Emma Gregory (Narrator)

Published January 31st 2022 by Bookouture, Bookouture Audio

3 Stars: ⭐⭐⭐

Steph had it all, a loving husband, two wonderful children and their lovely home. When her son was old enough, he left home to join the armed forces and Steph hasn’t heard from him in a long time. Her daughter marries a retired footballer and moves to a nice house leaving Steph and her husband as empty nesters. When Steph is downsized at work, she takes a job at a homeless shelter and realizes that although she doesn’t make a lot of money, she loves her job. Out of the blue, her husband accuses her of infidelity with her boss and moves out. He wants Steph to sell the house so he can get his share, but she refuses. She does not want to move from the house where she has happy family memories. But then, then things start to go wrong. Vandalism and someone getting into her house is a bit creepy. Steph realizes that if she wants to buy her husband out, she will need a lodger. Will she find someone she can trust?

The Guest Room

The story is basically told from Steph’s POV, but there are some others scattered throughout. Steph loves her job, but is a bit too trusting if you ask me. Noah, a homeless young man reminds her of her son, so she makes some questionable decisions were he is concerned. I found the beginning of the story quite creepy, and could feel Steph’s fear and apprehension. As a mother, we tend to think the best of our children, but it seemed that Steph was blind to what they are and were really like. There were several people who might be responsible for the things happening, but I had my suspicions and was proved correct. Although there was suspense and some mystery, I didn’t connect with Steph. She was a woman who had raised two children was smart and well-respected at her job, but was naive and made way too many confusing and dangerous decisions. I know this book had a lot to like and I do recommend it, but be prepared for the shortcomings I mentioned. The audiobook was narrated by Emma Gregory and I was very pleased with her narration. Her emotion and tone added some tenseness to the story, which made it more enjoyable for me. If you enjoy a slow burn story, with some suspense, this might just be the book for you.