The Maid

"The Maid is set in a boutique hotel in Manhattan. The protagonist is Molly the maid, who tells the story. There is a crime, Molly is blamed and we have to figure out what the truth is. Lauren Ambrose is the narrator. She is an American actress who I don’t think has done a lot of audiobooks, but she really gets the character of Molly. Molly is an excellent maid; she gets everything right every time and is very precise. That’s very important to her because although it’s not specified, Molly is somewhere on the autism spectrum. Everything has to be in its place and that’s how she gets through her work and her life. There is a slight speech pattern that Lauren gives Molly that is so subtle and so beautifully articulated. I have no idea how she invented this voice but it is perfect for reflecting the psychology of the character. You really feel you are listening to someone whose whole life has to be in the details done the same every time and that if anything goes awry then you’re off kilter. It’s just brilliantly done. The Maid is also a very good mystery, with lots of red herrings, lots of misdirection. You’re really rooting for Molly to be exonerated."

"Molly Gray works as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel in an unnamed city in the U.S. She has a profound love for order and cleanliness and takes pride in her work and comfort in restoring order. She also has the propensity to take things literally, and social interactions can be challenging. After the death of her grandmother, who raised her, Molly finds herself even more isolated. During the course of her work, Molly finds a guest murdered in the penthouse suite. Through a series of misadventures, she finds herself framed for his murder. I have a late diagnosis of autism , and so found the portrayal of some of Molly’s traits, which could be perceived as neurodivergent, interesting with regards to the challenges which could land her in difficulties, but also the strengths she brings to bear to try and discover the truth of the matter. I find the term ‘cosy crime’ problematic. Whilst it does seem to encapsulate a type of crime novel that might tend towards nostalgia and have many of the ingredients of Golden Age fiction—core puzzle, amateur sleuth, genteel settings—it’s not a label Agatha Christie would have used. Personally, I find it reductive in that ‘cosy’ describes what it’s not, i.e. police procedural or psychological thriller . In this sense, ‘cosy’ means ‘not gritty.’ Perhaps in some cases, the term ‘cosy’ could be substituted by ‘comforting.’ The Maid, along with many other crime novels featuring an amateur detective, essentially posit two fundamental thoughts. Firstly, death is a puzzle we can solve. Secondly, amateur detectives are restorers of order. Whether they subvert or uphold these thoughts is another matter. Ultimately, this flavour of crime may just speak to our need for resolution and neat endings during difficult and uncertain times."