Stephanie Sullivan: Review - The Maid’s Secret

TITLE: The Maid’s Secret

RATING: ★★★

RELEASE DATE: April 8th, 2025

Summary (from Goodreads): Molly Gray’s life is about to change in ways she could never have imagined. As the esteemed Head Maid and recently promoted Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, good things are just around the corner, including her marriage to her beloved fiancé, Juan Manuel, only two months away.

But Molly’s entire existence is upended when a film crew descends upon the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures, starring popular art appraisers Brown and Beagle. On a whim, Molly brings in a shoebox containing a few of her gran’s old things for appraisal, and much to everyone's surprise, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless treasure. Instantly, Molly is both a multi-millionaire and a media sensation—the world’s rags-to-riches darling—until the priceless piece vanishes from the hotel in the boldest, brashest antiquities heist in recent memory.

The key to the mystery lies in the past, in a long-forgotten diary written by Molly’s gran. For the first time ever, Molly learns about Gran’s true-to-life fairytale, a young girl to the manor born, the only child of a wealthy magnate. But when Gran falls head over heels in love with a young man her parents deem below her station, her life is thrown into turmoil. As fate would have it, the greatest love of Gran’s life is someone Molly knows quite well…

Together with her friends, Molly combs the past and the present to catch the thief before looming threats against her become real.

REVIEW: First off, let me say that I love Nita Prose, and her Molly Gray books have always been near and dear to my heart. But while The Maid’s Secret was an enjoyable read, it wasn’t anything like I’ve come to expect from this series. If you’ve read the first three books then you already know there is a certain tone and…what’s the word…format? Well, that didn’t apply here. Even Molly’s voice and dialogue seemed different. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it just felt “off”. The only parts I really enjoyed were Gran’s diary entries to Molly and being able to learn more about her life and past history. The actual present day mystery aspect of the story was lackluster and at times difficult to grasp. I would still recommend it if you’re just looking for something quick to read, but of all the Molly Gray books I have to say this one is my least favorite.

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.)