Molly the Maid is very endearing to us, the way she quotes her beloved gran, the loyalty and love she has for her fiancé Juan-Manuel, and most importantly, the dedication she has for her role as head maid at the Regency Grand. I have loved this heartwarming cozy mystery series from the beginning, so I jumped at the chance to read an Advanced Reader Copy. This is the first one that I did not listen to audiobook, and frankly I missed it, this is one of the best audio narrated series. The narrator always made Molly’s voice come alive to me, and reading this I could not help but read it in her voice.
Molly and Juan-Manuel are preparing for their city hall wedding in a few weeks when they learn that their favorite show, Hidden Treasures, will be filming an episode in the Regency Grand. This is an Antiques Roadshow type program, hosted by two husbands. Although they are a little star struck, the staff is allowed to bring their treasures to be evaluated. Molly brings a box filled with her Gran’s old “treasures” and is shocked to find out that their golden egg is actually a Faberge egg worth millions! The hosts set up an auction and Molly is catapulted into stardom…. the audience is just as enthralled with Molly as we have been for the last two books and novella, and for good reason. Molly now has a stage and a following.
I really LOVE the relationship between Molly and Juan-Manuel. He has Gomez Addams level adoration for her. They are such a great pair. The fact that this story is a theft and not a murder to solve makes it very readable and much more in the “cozy” mystery category, which I loved. Interspersed with Molly’s narrative are diary entries that Gran passed down to Molly talking about her young life. We finally get to learn of Gran’s origins, how she came to have Molly’s mother, Maggie, and what led to her finding John Preston late in life. The Maid’s secret, as noted in the title, is not Molly’s secret, but Gran’s.
Molly is very surprised at her “fans.” She doesn’t know if they are laughing at her or with her. Even though Molly is surprised, we aren’t. Because we have loved her since the first blue book.
To me the Gran chapters were slower, I honestly missed Molly’s voice and the no-nonsense way she looks at the world. But it was a great payoff at the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House- Ballantine for the ARC. Book to be published April 8, 2025.
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