The underwhelming follow-up to Prose's 2022 bestseller The Maid once again centers 29-year-old Molly Gray, who has just been promoted to head maid at the five-star Regency Grand Hotel in an unnamed city. Neurodivergent Molly--whose penchant for cleanliness makes her great at her job, even though her difficulty understanding social cues sometimes gets her into trouble--gets caught up in another scandal when renowned mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe comes to the Regency Grand to make a special announcement in the recently restored Grand Tearoom. Journalists, fans, and eager hotel staff gather to hear Grimthorpe speak, only to be shocked into silence when he falls dead at the podium. Police detective Stark, who believed Molly to be a killer in the previous book, again heads up the investigation, and again suspects Molly of murder on account of her stoic demeanor (and, in this case, her proximity to Grimthorpe's tea before he died). To clear her name, Molly launches her own investigation, which involves digging deep into her past; she used to help her late grandmother clean Grimthorpe's mansion. After the novelist's death, the plot lurches along, stuffed with repetition and excessively long dives into Molly's childhood memories. Along the way, Prose packs in precious few surprises. Molly is still a well-drawn heroine, but this falls short of its predecessor. Agent: Madeleine Milburn, Madeleine Milburn Literary. (Nov.)

Three years after a previous encounter with murder, Molly Gray is head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hostelry. She's trained her new maid, Lily, to handle the tea cart for the inn's guest speaker, J.D. Grimthorpe, the best-selling author of over 20 mysteries, a recluse who seldom appears in public. The media and his rabid fans have gathered at the inn to catch a glimpse. Grimthorpe surprises everyone, first by coming down from the stage to doctor his own tea, and then by dropping dead just before he can finish his speech. Molly has the presence of mind to remove Lily from the scene, but she can't prevent her old nemesis, Detective Stark, from investigating Grimthorpe's death. When it's revealed he was poisoned, Molly realizes she may hold the key to the case; as a young girl, she visited the Grimthorpe mansion, and Molly's past encounters with the author may hold the truth to his death years later. VERDICT The sequel to Prose's award-winning debut The Maid marks the return of a charming protagonist with awkward social skills and a big heart.--Lesa Holstine

Hotel maid Molly Gray (first seen in The Maid, 2022) is bright but slightly odd and socially awkward. Deserted by her drug-addicted mother, Molly was raised by her Gran, who loved Molly devotedly and taught her valuable life lessons. All Molly ever wanted was to be a maid like Gran, and her hard work has paid off with her recent promotion to head maid. But now Molly is faced with another murder at the Regency Grand Hotel. Acclaimed author J. D. Grimthorpe is holding a press conference at the hotel, but just as it's about to begin, he keels over and dies. The police arrive, and Molly's chagrined to find that her old nemesis, Detective Stark, is the lead investigator. It seems Grimthorpe was poisoned; Molly knows she's innocent, but can she find the real killer before she ends up behind bars? Unpleasant memories from Molly's past, secrets, lies, and revenge all play a role in Grimthorpe's death, but once again, Molly proves that she's more than "just a maid" in this heartwarming, feel-good mystery.