Prompt 5 – Plot includes a heist

What it’s about?

Molly the maid is no stranger to secrets…

She sees everything behind closed doors at the Regency Grand hotel: wiping away the dust and grime of guests passing through.

But one secret lies much closer to home.

An old trinket – a faux Fabergé egg – is revealed to be a precious antique during an appraisal at the hotel, making Molly a rags-to-riches sensation. But no sooner has the egg shown its value than it’s stolen: vanishing without a trace.

Determined to crack the case of the missing Fabergé, Molly begins dusting for clues – uncovering a mystery that stretches deep into the past.

For in the pages of a long-forgotten diary, written by her late gran, lie the secrets that could unlock all others – and only Molly holds the key…

What I think:

In all honesty, I was really disappointed with the third installment of Molly’s adventures.

I absolutely loved the first book in the series, but this one fell really short of my expectations.

The ‘heist’ was really underwhelming. I found the host of the Antiques Roadshow style appraisal programme irritating and unlikeable. And the idea that Molly had a priceless Faberge egg just sitting on a shelf was a bit daft.

Much of the book is her Grandmother Flora’s diary. And young Flora is a million miles away from the wise, caring woman that raises her granddaughter. The whole family is just so awful, with attitudes that seem ridiculously outdated for the time period.

There were some moments of magic, but sadly this one didn’t hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for my gifted digital copy of The Maid’s Secret.