The Maid by Nita Prose

This is a very enjoyable and slightly off kilter debut crime novel. I don't usually write much about this genre, but I read quite a bit of it, and I am making an exception for this book. Unfortunately for Molly, her attention to detail when it comes to cleanliness doesn’t extend to understanding social cues or knowing how to navigate the complex waters of conversations or relationships. Molly the Maid is seen as a slightly off by her co-workers, who don’t appreciate or comprehend her boundless desire to do her best at her job or her probably Asperger's symptoms. She was protected by her grandmother, who left her lots of clues as to how to handle different situations and people, but she is easily duped by conniving people. When she enters the penthouse suite at the Regency Grand one afternoon to return it to perfection, she finds very much the opposite: The most prized hotel guest, Mr. Black, is collapsed dead in his bed, murdered. Sadly, because of a series of unfortunate events that I won’t detail here because they’re incredibly amusing to uncover as a reader, Molly finds herself the prime suspect in his killing and the center of a swirling scandal threatening not only the reputation of the hotel she adores but also her own livelihood. It all gets sorted out in the end, and is a light and enjoyable read.