all about the egg

Molly Gray has built a good life for herself. She is the Head Maid and Special Events Manager of the Regency Grand Hotel, and she is planning a wedding with her fiancé Juan Manuel. But when it’s announced that the Bees are coming to the hotel to record an episode of their show Hidden Treasures, she is beside herself with excitement.

The Bees are two art and antique experts and owners of a high-end auction house, a married couple, Baxley Brown and Thomas Beagle. Their television show is wildly popular, with people bringing them items to appraise, hoping to find out that something that has been collecting dust at home turns out to be worth millions. It rarely happens, but the fans are ever hopeful.

Before the show is set to start filming for the day, the employees of the hotel have a chance to bring their beloved objects in and see if there are any hidden treasures in their own homes. Molly, a big fan of the show, puts several items that had been her grandmother’s into a box to take to the hotel with her. She takes her grandmother’s favorite teacup, some souvenir spoons, a Swarovski swan, and old key, and a golden egg that she got when it was going to be thrown away.

Molly had been raised by her grandmother, who was also a maid. Gran had taught Molly everything she knew about being a good maid and a good person. Before her death, Gran had worked for a famous author, and he had had that gold egg on his mantel. Molly had gone to the house with her Gran when she was young and had been mesmerized by it. So when the author was dead and they were cleaning out his house, a gardener remembered Molly’s love for the egg and gave it to her. She thought it was a worthless trinket. But when Brown and Beagle take a look at it, they announce that’s it a one-of-a-kind prototype of a Faberge egg. It’s worth millions.

The Bees want to set up an auction for it as soon as possible, which will also be filmed at the hotel. Molly decides to go along with the auction because that much money would mean that she and Juan Manuel won’t have to worry about money anymore. She could plan the wedding of her dreams. They could find a new place to live. But as soon as the winning 10 million dollar bid is accepted, Juan Manuel notices that the egg has gone missing.

But the real treasure is the old key that Milly had brought with her to be appraised. It goes with her grandmother’s diary. And when she is given the diary and unlocks it, Molly finds that her grandmother’s life story is the key to unlock the entire mystery.

Told in alternating chapters between Molly’s life and her grandmother’s diary entries, The Maid’s Secret takes a little bit of a detour from the other Molly the Maid books. But learning about Gran’s journey as a child and young woman adds a lot of backstory to Molly’s current life and relationships. I thought this was a great addition to the series. I also really loved the story line of the antiques experts with the television show, which added some contemporary texture to this traditional hotel. As a neurodivergent reader, I love Molly the Maid, as I can see her differences and also how well she has overcome the challenges she’s faced. She is an inspiration, and I love reading about how her ability to see life differently helps her solve crimes even before the police.

Egalleys for The Maid’s Secret were provided by Ballantine Books through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.