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Quick answer: If you loved The Maid, try The Mystery Guest, The Thursday Murder Club, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Remarkably Bright Creatures, The Rosie Project and A Man Called Ove. Each one features a quirky narrator, a cozy tone or a gentle mystery with a big heart.
Nita Prose's debut introduces Molly Gray, a hotel maid who sees the world a little differently and loves order, routine and etiquette. When she finds a wealthy guest dead, she becomes the prime suspect. Readers adore Molly's voice, the mystery and the kindness of the people who rally around her. These books share the same charm: lovable oddballs, cozy mysteries and stories about finding your people.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mystery Guest | Nita Prose | Cozy mystery | readers who want more Molly |
| The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | Cozy mystery | readers who love older amateur sleuths |
| Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine | Gail Honeyman | Literary fiction | readers who loved Molly's voice |
| Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt | Literary fiction | readers who like found family |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Romantic comedy | readers who want an unusual hero |
| A Man Called Ove | Fredrik Backman | Literary fiction | readers who love a curmudgeon with a big heart |
| Anxious People | Fredrik Backman | Literary fiction | readers who like comedy with heart |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Mark Haddon | Literary mystery | readers who like an unusual detective |
| Finlay Donovan Is Killing It | Elle Cosimano | Comic mystery | readers who want laugh-out-loud humor |
| Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers | Jesse Q. Sutanto | Cozy mystery | readers who love a meddling heroine |
| Dial A for Aunties | Jesse Q. Sutanto | Comic mystery | readers who want family chaos |
| The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency | Alexander McCall Smith | Cozy mystery | readers who want gentle mysteries |
| The Appeal | Janice Hallett | Epistolary mystery | readers who love puzzles |
| Lessons in Chemistry | Bonnie Garmus | Literary fiction | readers who love a determined heroine |
| Killers of a Certain Age | Deanna Raybourn | Action comedy | readers who want older heroines |
1. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Molly, now head maid, is pulled into a new mystery when a famous author dies in the hotel's tea room. More of the same warmth.
Best for: readers who want more Molly.
2. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four retirees in a peaceful village meet weekly to solve cold cases, until a real murder happens. Funny and clever.
Best for: readers who love older amateur sleuths.
3. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor lives a rigid, lonely life until an act of kindness begins to change it. Funny and moving.
Best for: readers who loved Molly's voice.
4. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
A widow who works night shifts at an aquarium befriends a clever octopus who knows more than she does.
Best for: readers who like found family.
5. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
A genetics professor designs a questionnaire to find a wife and meets a woman who fits none of the criteria.
Best for: readers who want an unusual hero.
6. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A grumpy widower's routine is upended by new neighbors who will not leave him alone.
Best for: readers who love a curmudgeon with a big heart.
7. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A failed bank robber takes hostages at an apartment viewing, and the hostages turn out to be unforgettable.
Best for: readers who like comedy with heart.
8. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Fifteen-year-old Christopher investigates the death of a neighbor's dog and uncovers family secrets.
Best for: readers who like an unusual detective.
9. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano
A struggling novelist is mistaken for a contract killer and gets pulled into a real crime.
Best for: readers who want laugh-out-loud humor.
10. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
A lonely tea shop owner finds a dead man in her shop and decides to solve the case herself.
Best for: readers who love a meddling heroine.
11. Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
After accidentally killing a blind date, a young woman and her aunts have to hide the body during a wedding weekend.
Best for: readers who want family chaos.
12. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Precious Ramotswe opens the first female-run detective agency in Botswana. Warm, wise and calm.
Best for: readers who want gentle mysteries.
13. The Appeal by Janice Hallett
A murder in a small theater group is told through emails and messages, and the reader solves it alongside two law students.
Best for: readers who love puzzles.
14. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A chemist in the 1960s becomes the unlikely star of a TV cooking show. Witty and inspiring.
Best for: readers who love a determined heroine.
15. Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Four female assassins nearing retirement discover their organization wants them dead.
Best for: readers who want older heroines.
How to Choose
Start with The Mystery Guest if you want more Molly. For lovable, quirky narrators, try Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, The Rosie Project or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. If the cozy mystery side drew you in, choose The Thursday Murder Club, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers or The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. For lighter, funnier reads, try Finlay Donovan Is Killing It or Dial A for Aunties.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a sequel to The Maid?
Yes. The Mystery Guest was published in 2023, followed by The Maid's Secret.
Is Molly in The Maid autistic?
The book never labels her, but many readers see her as neurodivergent.
What genre is The Maid?
It is a cozy mystery with literary and comic elements.