Yeeeaaah, I’m not so sure about this one. It reads as problematic Amelia Bedelia but with murder? I was excited to grab this from the library because I see it vanish off of our mystery shelves at work. Ended up being less entertaining and more… mean? I have no idea how this hit top place on Goodreads Thrillers list of 2022 and I feel like someone should probably be in trouble for that.

Portraying what seems to be a neurodivergent protagonist, and laying those pretty trope-y details on terribly thick, felt like a weird creative choice from the author. I understand there are mixed reviews on the strengths and weaknesses identifying Molly as ND or spectrum aligned, but the absence of any meaningful discourse (which I think was maybe the intent) felt really hollow and, at some points, malevolent. Also, the racial stereotypes?? Lot going on here and none of it was good.

I don’t think it’s fair to place “Maid” in the locked room mystery category: the plot began there but really derailed in a distracting manner. It’s muddled, flimsy, and, honest to goodness, batshit bizarre in places and not in the fun way. Even the “big reveal” felt disingenuous.

1/5 This didn’t feel very good to read at all.