Molly is a maid, and it's a dream come true. Molly has always loved to clean, to polish, to return things to a state of perfection. She knows she sees the world differently than most people, but that's okay. Molly doesn't always understand social cues or correctly interpret facial expressions, but she loves her job, and she's good at it. So good at it that some of the other employees have taken to calling her Roomba when they think she isn't listening. But Molly takes it all in stride the way her late Gran, who raised her, taught her to. She does her best and has an adage for every situation.

The Regency Grand Hotel where Molly works seems like a sparkling palace, a place of beauty and perfect order. That is, until a guest turns up dead in his bed. And now Molly is the chief suspect.

This is one of those books you devour to find out “whodunnit,” but also to find out what will happen to the dear main character you have come to care about. The author, Nita Prose, made me feel for Molly and care about her and her friends. The plot was believable based on Molly's differences, but some of the characters were rather unbelievable. Molly makes a friend who wipes her very shoes for her, insists on helping her clean up because it brings him joy, and wants to do all the dishes all the time. Yeah, right. Cute, but too good to be true.

I loved Molly for most of the book, but I was disappointed in some of her decisions and actions that came to light later on. One of Molly's adages is that sometimes you have to do something wrong to make something right. Without giving spoilers, she also feels the world would be a better place if more people would take justice into their own hands. These are dangerous concepts I can't agree with. Truth should not be relative and subjective, and who alone is fit to be lawgiver and judge? I would argue, not the individual.

Just like the Regency Grand Hotel in the story, The Maid sparkles on the surface but hides a flawed interior. Not all is as squeaky-clean as it appears. The Maid is a fun, easy read with good writing, some unbelievable secondary characters, and moral flaws that come to light. I give it 3.5 stars.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. The opinions I have expressed are my own.