I was disappointed by The Maid, having seen it on several bestseller lists. Although it is a quick-paced, easy read with a decent mystery, I found the characters lacking interest and wasn't crazy about the ending.
The protagonist (and maid) Molly Gray works in a ritzy hotel and loves her job. She finds the routine and attention to detail fulfilling and rewarding. Although the author never uses these terms, Molly presents as on the autism spectrum. She takes people at their word and interprets things very literally, until someone points out the alternative. Unfortunately, her grandmother (who raised her) played this role but passed away in the last year or so. Not having her Gran around to talk through her day leads Molly into danger.
After finding a wealthy, frequent guest of the hotel dead in his hotel room, Molly becomes a prime suspect.
Molly is portrayed as an easy target; easy to trick, gullible and rarely questioning other people’s motives. She enjoys simple activities; episodes of Columbo, puzzles and cleaning. However, she puts together pieces of the crime. The author jumped pretty far for me to believe she could help solve the mystery.
While I LOVE a mystery with a clever twist at the end, this twist was just dropped in without enough support.
If you are looking for a quick, cozy mystery this is a nice read. The story itself is good, I was just disappointed by the portrayal of Molly. She could have been a more well-rounded character capable of solving the mystery.
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