While all this is happening, Molly discovers another treasure: her Gran's diary. The grandmother who raised her never discussed her mysterious past. Reading Flora Gray's story will give Molly unprecedented insight into her Gran's identity as well as her own.

I've enjoyed all of the books in Nita Prose's delightful Maid series, and this third outing is no exception, even if The Maid's Secret is my least favorite of the installments. This novel is a departure from its predecessors for three reasons: it's not a murder mystery, it's told from two points-of-view, and it uses an alternating timeline structure. The first one is no big deal; in fact, it's an effective way to change things up, keeping the series from getting too formulaic. Telling the tale in two different timelines in both Gran's and Molly's voices, though? Meh. Neither device worked well for me, I'm afraid. As much as I like Flora as a character (at least as a senior citizen—she's rather insufferable as a young woman), there's nothing original about her back story, which makes it fairly dull and predictable. Molly's unique personality and perspective is what gives this series its freshness, and she gets much less page time in The Maid's Secret than she does in the other books. I wanted to spend more time watching her solve the heist than learning about Gran's past. Like I said above, the book is still entertaining; I just didn't love it like I have the other books.

Because I was reading The Maid's Secret for book club (we read the first two books together and all of use enjoyed them), my husband decided to read it as well, even though he hasn't read the first 2 1/2 installments. His verdict? "It was okay, but there's nothing very original about it." A new member of my book club, who hasn't read the rest of the series, DNFd The Maid's Secret because she was bored, not really caring about the characters. Those of us in the book club who had read the previous books agree this newest one is our least favorite of the bunch, but we were still invested in the story because we have learned to love the characters (especially Molly) over the course of the series. Hence my warning at the beginning of this review. Although this book can be read as a standalone, it's much more enjoyable if you've read the previous books and already care about the characters. For me, I just hope Prose goes back to murder and more Molly in the next installment.

(Readalikes: the other books in the series, The Maid; The Mystery Guest; and The Mistletoe Mystery [a holiday novella])

Grade:

1. My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara—I'm about a third of the way into this children's classic that I don't *think* I've ever read before. I need to read a book set in Wyoming to complete the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge and one with the word "friend" in the title for the Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge, so My Friend Flicka seemed like a good double-duty choice. The story is about a boy and the wild horse he wants to tame. Not gonna lie, it's slllloooowww. Hopefully, it will pick up soon. It's supposed to be a beautiful, heartwarming book. We'll see.

2. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose—My book club is meeting on Thursday night to discuss this novel. We all loved The Maid when we read it last year, so we're excited to experience the sequel. This time, Molly, a neurodivergent hotel housekeeper is investigating the murder of a well-known mystery writer. There are suspects aplenty, including Molly herself. If she can't clear her name, she'll be cleaning in jail instead of at her beloved Regency Grand.

3. Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens—This middle-grade series opener qualifies for the "Book Written During NaNoWriMo" PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt, plus it just sounds fun. It's about two schoolgirls who form a detective agency. When one of their teachers dies in a suspicious accident, the duo determine to prove it was murder.

4. The Mesmerist by Caroline Woods—It's 1894 and young women are disappearing mysteriously in Minneapolis. When a young woman named Faith arrives at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers, refusing to speak or explain herself, her superstitious housemates are quick to accuse her of wielding dark magic, which must be the cause of the missing persons. Faith's roommate is secretly assigned to investigate her background, which reveals shocking secrets about the city and its supposedly genteel residents.

6. Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James—I'm a big St. James fan. I've been working through her backlist and this historical mystery is one of the two that I haven't read yet. It's about a woman on the run who falsifies her resume in order to get a job at a remote hospital for WWI veterans suffering from shell shock. Strange things are afoot at the institution and the fake nurse is determined to get to the bottom of what is really happening at the eerie hospital.

7. The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson—What could be more perfect for spooky season than a book about witches? Immanuelle Moore is the product of a mixed-race relationship, a sin in the strict Puritanical society in which she lives. Already an outcast, she tries to keep her head down by always being pious and devout. When she finds herself being beckoned into the mysterious woods around her home, she is given a precious gift by the witches who lived there: her dead mother's diary. As dark truths about her community start coming to light, Immanuelle realizes it is up to her to make things right.

8. Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dexon—Book covers that feature a hotel are surprisingly hard to find and I need one for a reading challenge prompt (What else?). I was tempted to re-read The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James to fulfill this one, since I loved it the first time around, but I decided on this historical mystery instead. It stars Kitty Underhay, a young woman who is temporarily left in charge of her family's hotel on the English coast. Expecting a busy but unremarkable season, she's shocked when several guest rooms are broken into. Rumor has it that someone is searching for a priceless ruby, a jewel that is connected to Kitty's mother. With the help of a handsome hotel employee, she vows to figure out what is happening before the hotel is ruined by bad press.

9. The Unforgettable Logan Foster by Shawn Peters—This middle-grade novel looks cute and entertaining, plus it features a superhero, which makes it perfect for another reading challenge prompt I need to cross off (natch). It's about an "unadoptable" foster kid who is finally chosen to be part of a forever family. His new parents are far from perfect, but they're kind. They're also a little...strange. When Logan discovers they're actually superheroes, he realizes his life has just taken an unexpectedly wild turn.

10. The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter—Carter's books are always upbeat and entertaining. Her newest is a holiday-themed enemies-to-lovers locked-room murder mystery starring rival mystery writers. Say no more. I'm in!

There you go, ten books I'm planning to enjoy this Fall. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's on your Fall TBR list? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. I also reply to comments left here.

Happy TTT!