{"product_id":"the-maid-nita-prose-9780593356159","title":"The Maid: A Novel | Nita Prose","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-family: inherit; color: #333; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: 500; margin-bottom: 20px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2c3e50;\"\u003eA charmingly eccentric hotel maid discovers a guest murdered in his bed, turning her once orderly world upside down—and inspiring a motley crew of unexpected allies to band together to solve the mystery—in this utterly original #1 \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling debut. \u003cstrong\u003eThe Maid\u003c\/strong\u003e by Nita Prose is a Clue-like, locked-room whodunit and a heartwarming journey of the human spirit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 20px;\"\u003eBook Overview \u0026amp; Core Themes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eMolly Gray is not like everyone else. She struggles with social skills and interprets people literally, relying on the etiquette lessons of her late Gran. Her obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette make her an ideal fit as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel. But when she enters the suite of the wealthy Charles Black and finds him dead in his bed, Molly's unusual demeanor makes her the lead suspect in a high-profile murder investigation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eKey areas examined within this work include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eAn unconventional, neurodivergent-coded protagonist with a unique eye for overlooked details.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eA classic whodunit with a locked-room murder mystery structure set in a luxury hotel.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eThe dignity of service workers and the societal invisibility of manual labor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003eThe power of unexpected friendships, loyalty, and human connection in uncovering truth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNita Prose\u003c\/strong\u003e (the pen name of Nita Pronovost) is a Canadian author and longtime book editor who served as vice president and editorial director at Simon \u0026amp; Schuster Canada. Her debut novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Maid\u003c\/em\u003e, was a massive global publishing success, winning the Anthony Award, Barry Award, Goodreads Choice Award, Macavity Award, and Ned Kelly Award.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eCore Audience \u0026amp; Intended Use\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCozy \u0026amp; Traditional Mystery Readers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Essential reading for admirers of character-driven whodunits and locked-room mysteries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBook Clubs \u0026amp; Reading Groups:\u003c\/strong\u003e A widely loved choice exploring neurodiversity, social isolation, service labor, and friendship.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScreen Adaptation Followers:\u003c\/strong\u003e A must-have bestseller optioned for a major Universal Pictures feature film starring Florence Pugh.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 25px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eProduct Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 15px; font-size: 0.95em;\"\u003e\n      \u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left; width: 35%;\"\u003eFull Title\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eThe Maid: A Novel\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eAuthor(s)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eNita Prose\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePublisher \u0026amp; Imprint\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eBallantine Books (Random House \/ Penguin Random House)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eJanuary 4, 2022\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eBinding Format\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eHardcover (HC)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePrint Length\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e289 Pages\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eLanguage\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eISBN-13 \/ ISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e9780593356159 \/ 0593356152\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003ePrimary Genre (BISAC)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eFIC022000 \/ FICTION \/ Mystery \u0026amp; Detective \/ General\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eSub-Genres (BISAC)\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003eFIC022020 \/ COZY; FIC022040 \/ TRADITIONAL; FIC031000 \/ CRIME THRILLERS\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eItem Condition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: left;\"\u003eDimensions \u0026amp; Weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px;\"\u003e6.15 x 1.05 x 9.25 inches | 17.6 oz (approx. 1.10 lbs)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n    \u003c\/table\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\n  \u003csection style=\"margin-bottom: 30px;\"\u003e\n    \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.5em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions About The Maid\u003c\/h2\u003e\n    \n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat is the primary narrative premise, main character profile, and inciting mystery of The Maid?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThe Maid centers on Molly Gray, a twenty-five-year-old hotel maid at the grand Regency Grand Hotel who struggles with social skills and misinterprets the intentions of others, relying heavily on the etiquette lessons of her late Gran. Molly's orderly world is upended when she enters the suite of the wealthy and infamous Charles Black, only to find him dead in his bed. Because of her unusual demeanor and naive interactions with police, Molly quickly becomes the lead suspect in a high-profile murder investigation, forcing an unlikely group of friends to unite to clear her name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eHow does Nita Prose utilize Molly’s unique worldview to reframe the classic locked-room mystery?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eProse leverages Molly’s neurodivergent-coded perspective to craft a classic whodunit with an unconventional narrator. Molly notices subtle physical details, cleanliness anomalies, and hidden clues that traditional investigators overlook, while simultaneously missing deceptive human behavior. This contrast creates dramatic irony, as the reader frequently recognizes the ulterior motives of hotel staff and guests long before Molly does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat major critical accolades, commercial milestones, and international adaptations did the novel achieve?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThe Maid was a massive global publishing phenomenon, debuting at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list and winning the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery \u0026amp; Thriller. The book was optioned for a major film adaptation by Universal Pictures, with Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh attached to star as Molly and produce the project.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat core themes regarding invisible labor, social isolation, and friendship does the novel explore?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eThe novel explores the dignity of service workers and the societal invisibility of manual labor. Through Molly’s experiences, Prose critiques how upper-class hotel guests and management look through service personnel, while demonstrating how genuine connection, loyalty, and empathy among overlooked workers can dismantle corrupt power dynamics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fcfcfc;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eWhat professional background informed Nita Prose’s debut as a bestselling novelist?\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eNita Prose (the pen name of Nita Pronovost) brought decades of publishing experience to her debut, having worked as a vice president and editorial director at Simon \u0026amp; Schuster Canada. Her long career editing acclaimed authors provided her with a deep structural understanding of pacing, narrative voice, and genre conventions, allowing The Maid to resonate deeply with international readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n    \u003c!-- BDB Condition Notice Disclaimer --\u003e\n    \u003cdetails style=\"margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #eaeaea; padding: 10px; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #f4f6f8; border-left: 3px solid #2c3e50;\"\u003e\n      \u003csummary style=\"font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; color: #2c3e50; outline: none;\"\u003eCondition Notice: Pre-Owned \/ Second-Hand Product\u003c\/summary\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAll books, box sets, and multi-volume collections\u003c\/strong\u003e offered by Bust-Down Books are sold in pre-owned, used, and second-hand condition, unless explicitly designated as new in the individual product listing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Details \u0026amp; Grading:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cul style=\"padding-left: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrevious Ownership:\u003c\/strong\u003e These items have been previously owned, handled, and read. As such, copies may exhibit typical signs of shelf wear, including but not limited to minor creasing, scuffing, edge wear, bent page corners, remainder marks, or spine softening. Hardcover editions may show minor dust jacket wear, edge chipping, or board rubbing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMarkings \u0026amp; Personalization:\u003c\/strong\u003e Items may occasionally contain inscriptions, library stamps, owner names, marginalia, or highlighting. Individual item descriptions reflect significant deviations from standard acceptable condition.\u003c\/li\u003e\n        \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 6px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSupplemental Materials:\u003c\/strong\u003e Secondary and digital components—such as publisher access codes, CD-ROMs, bonus inserts, registration keys, or workbook activity pages—are not guaranteed to be included, active, or unredeemed unless specifically stated in the product description.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Sale Doctrine \u0026amp; Non-Affiliation Statement:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAll items sold on this platform are original, lawfully acquired copies being resold under the protection of the First Sale Doctrine (codified under U.S. copyright law, 17 U.S.C. § 109, and applicable international equivalents permitting the secondary resale of lawfully manufactured goods).\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003cp style=\"margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 0;\"\u003eBust-Down Books, LTD. is an independent, secondary-market bookseller. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, authorized by, or sponsored by the original authors, copyright holders, publishers, or trademark owners of the titles offered for sale. All registered trademarks, author names, book titles, and publisher imprints remain the sole property of their respective owners and are used strictly for nominative identification and descriptive purposes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": [\"Product\", \"Book\"],\n      \"name\": \"The Maid: A Novel\",\n      \"author\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Person\",\n          \"name\": \"Nita Prose\"\n        }\n      ],\n      \"isbn\": \"9780593356159\",\n      \"sameAs\": \"0593356152\",\n      \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Hardcover\",\n      \"numberOfPages\": 289,\n      \"publisher\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Ballantine Books\"\n      },\n      \"datePublished\": \"2022-01-04\",\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n      \"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780593356159.jpg?v=1793311483\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/the-maid-nita-prose-9780593356159\",\n      \"offers\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n        \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n        \"price\": \"1.99\",\n        \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n        \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/UsedCondition\"\n      },\n      \"about\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"FIC022000 \/ FICTION \/ Mystery \u0026 Detective \/ General\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"FIC022020 \/ FICTION \/ Mystery \u0026 Detective \/ Cozy\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"FIC022040 \/ FICTION \/ Mystery \u0026 Detective \/ Traditional\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n          \"name\": \"FIC031000 \/ FICTION \/ Thrillers \/ Crime\"\n        }\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What is the primary narrative premise, main character profile, and inciting mystery of The Maid?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"The Maid centers on Molly Gray, a twenty-five-year-old hotel maid at the grand Regency Grand Hotel who struggles with social skills and misinterprets the intentions of others, relying heavily on the etiquette lessons of her late Gran. 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