Book Review: The Mistletoe Mystery

Start thinking cooler thoughts as you count down the days until Nita Prose’s newest installment of the Maid series releases in October! 

I’ve been captivated by Molly the maid since Nita Prose first introduced her to the world to her in The Maid in 2022. Since that initial book, Prose has furthered Molly’s storyline with 2023’s The Mystery Guest. 

Read our review of The Maid here. 

On Oct. 1, Prose is set to release the next installment of the Maid series, The Mistletoe Mystery, a holiday-themed novella that gives readers a glimpse into Molly and Juan’s first Christmas together. Recently, I got the chance to read an advanced review draft of the upcoming book and highly recommend adding it to your pre-Christmas reading list! 

An Overview of The Mistletoe Mystery

In The Mistletoe Mystery, we find Molly and Juan getting ready to celebrate Christmas as a couple. They’re living in Molly’s apartment, where Molly keeps things nice and tidy and Juan Manuel whips up delicious meals in the kitchen while singing Christmas carols. Juan Manuel has taken an extra step to make the season even more special, counting down the days until Christmas with a homemade Advent calendar that reveals a special gift for Molly each day—and perhaps hints at more. 

But even as Juan is intent on making this Christmas one of Molly’s happiest holidays, Molly begins to notice a few inconsistencies about her boyfriend and starts to doubt. Remembering an old story her gran once told her, Molly wonders if she has mistaken a prince for a frog again. Is Molly misunderstanding the clues or is she headed for disappointment again? 

What I Love About the Book

I have always read Prose’s Molly as being on the spectrum. Throughout the Maid series, Prose has never labeled Molly, but, for me at least, it’s refreshing to see a character who struggles with social cues and thrives on order and consistency who is the hero of the book. 

All of the Maid books, and The Mistletoe Mystery is no exception, are told in Molly’s voice. We get a chance to experience her inner processing and logic and see how these things influence her actions and decisions. As an aunt to a child on the spectrum, it’s powerful to read books that present someone who is “different” but still considered valuable, kind and beloved by her coworkers, friends and neighbors. 

As a novella, The Mistletoe Mystery is also short. I often don’t have as much time to read during the holiday season, so a shorter story seems perfect for the a quick, sweet read that gets me in the mood for Christmas. 

Parting Thoughts

The Mistletoe Mystery is a short, sweet novella that’s a perfect holiday-themed addition to the Maid series. Is it action-packed? Yes, but in the sense of regular people living regular lives, meaning the action is a little mundane and slower paced. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller with a new mystery unraveled at every turn, this probably isn’t the book (or the series) for you. Yes, you may see the ending coming from a long, long way off—but Molly doesn’t, and, in some ways, it’s fun to be in on the secret with so many of the characters in the book who try to hide it from her (badly, I might add). 

Getting used to Molly’s syntax, logic and pacing takes a little time, but The Mistletoe Mystery might be the perfect way to spend a cozy Sunday afternoon this fall or holiday season. 

The Bookery Rating: 📙📙📙📙

A sweet, short, holiday-themed story that continues the Maid series and gives greater insight into Molly’s reasoning, logic and relationships. Getting to know Molly takes a little time and understanding, but the effort is well worth it! 

Nita Prose is set to release the next book in the Maid series, The Maid’s Secret, in April 2025. Pre-order now. 

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