It is the second volume in The Maid series. Molly Gray is the head maid at the elegant Regency Grand Hotel. A famous mystery novelist suddenly dies during an event in the tearoom. Only Molly holds the key to solving the mystery. Will she succeed?
The plot alternates between the past—Molly’s childhood with her grandmother Gran—and the present, which serves as the current setting. The main characters are very well developed. It is easy for the reader to end up liking them—the good ones—or rejecting them—the bad ones. The style is classic, fresh, easy to read, addictive, and engaging, with plenty of intrigue and unexpected twists. The overall setting of the novel is secular: for example, Molly lives with her boyfriend and this is seen as completely normal. There are no disturbing scenes, although abuse and serious betrayals from the past are mentioned.
It contains very clear values such as honesty, love of work, and the high regard the protagonists have for service professions—going against current social trends—as well as the close relationship between grandmother and granddaughter, among others.
The author is a Canadian writer and editor (born 1972), and her first book became a bestseller, selling more than two million copies and winning several awards.