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The Hotel Maid
I straighten the apron wrapped around my waist and swipe the key card in the guest room door. As I place the cleaning bucket by my feet, I see the woman lying unmoving on the plush carpet, her eyes frozen.
Each morning, I arrive at the luxury Cedarwood Manor hotel, put on my crisp maid’s uniform and clean the rooms. I take great care in my work as I slip from one floor to the other.
Most guests barely know my name. I’m invisible to them. That’s ok. I prefer people didn’t know my secrets.
But today a woman has been found dead in her room and a ten-year-old little girl has been reported missing from the hotel.
Today, someone has left me a note saying they know who I am.
But they must be mistaken. I’ll make sure they are.
A tense ‘just one more page’ emotional rollercoaster of a read that will have you racing to the twisty end. Readers of The Woman in the Window, The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl will be absolutely gripped by The Hotel Maid.
Each morning, I arrive at the luxury Cedarwood Manor hotel, put on my crisp maid’s uniform and clean the rooms. I take great care in my work as I slip from one floor to the other.
Most guests barely know my name. I’m invisible to them. That’s ok. I prefer people didn’t know my secrets.
But today a woman has been found dead in her room and a ten-year-old little girl has been reported missing from the hotel.
Today, someone has left me a note saying they know who I am.
But they must be mistaken. I’ll make sure they are.
A tense ‘just one more page’ emotional rollercoaster of a read that will have you racing to the twisty end. Readers of The Woman in the Window, The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl will be absolutely gripped by The Hotel Maid.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 23, 2024
193 people are currently reading
341 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Dunne
11 books122 followersMichelle Dunne is a crime and thriller writer from Cork whose new number 1 Best Seller The Good Girl is out now. A psychological thriller that begs the question: Would you know a serial killer if you met one? What if she served you your coffee every day?
Her much anticipated follow-up, The Hotel Maid follows June Calloway, a maid who finds the body of a murdered woman in her hotel room, just as a child is reported missing on hotel grounds. The Hotel Maid was released to rave reviews in August 24.
Michelle also wrote While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible, a series of thrillers following former soldier and UN Peacekeeper Lindsey Ryan as she tries to adapt to her new life in the clutches of PTSD. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper.
Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland's very own Alcatraz!
Her much anticipated follow-up, The Hotel Maid follows June Calloway, a maid who finds the body of a murdered woman in her hotel room, just as a child is reported missing on hotel grounds. The Hotel Maid was released to rave reviews in August 24.
Michelle also wrote While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible, a series of thrillers following former soldier and UN Peacekeeper Lindsey Ryan as she tries to adapt to her new life in the clutches of PTSD. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper.
Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland's very own Alcatraz!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
August 23, 2024
Happy publication day!
3.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ Ireland (I think)
Publication date ~ August 23, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 266 (36 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 40 minutes
Narrator ~ Jacqueline Milne
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ murder, self harm, child abuse, child neglect, mental abuse
June is our hotel maid who discovers a dead body. We follow her time working at the hotel and at home where she lives with an 80 year old woman named Tess.
Mia is a 10 year girl that is abused physically and mentally. She’s basically a slave for the family doing all the cooking and cleaning. She's told she mentally handicapped over and over again, but the author uses the R word and I am not a fan when that word is used.
Overall, the main twist is not particularly surprising and the journey there is full of difficult subject matter and unlikable characters. I did enjoy it as much as one can with those hard to read parts. I'll for sure read Michelle's next book.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job, but I could have gone for a younger sounding tone for Mia's parts.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
3.5⭐
Genre ~ psychological fiction
Setting ~ Ireland (I think)
Publication date ~ August 23, 2024
Publisher ~ Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing
Est Page Count ~ 266 (36 chapters)
Audio length ~ 8 hours 40 minutes
Narrator ~ Jacqueline Milne
POV ~ multiple 3rd
Featuring ~ murder, self harm, child abuse, child neglect, mental abuse
June is our hotel maid who discovers a dead body. We follow her time working at the hotel and at home where she lives with an 80 year old woman named Tess.
Mia is a 10 year girl that is abused physically and mentally. She’s basically a slave for the family doing all the cooking and cleaning. She's told she mentally handicapped over and over again, but the author uses the R word and I am not a fan when that word is used.
Overall, the main twist is not particularly surprising and the journey there is full of difficult subject matter and unlikable characters. I did enjoy it as much as one can with those hard to read parts. I'll for sure read Michelle's next book.
Narration notes:
She did a fine job, but I could have gone for a younger sounding tone for Mia's parts.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
August 29, 2024
I was worried that this story was going to be similar to (Molly) "The Maid" which I didn't enjoy as much as the majority of readers but I was soon disabused of that worry. It's a story about June, a maid who works at the Cedarwood Manor Hotel located in Cork, Ireland. She's cool and detached and very unemotional, but has a quick mind.
June lives in rented accommodation with an 80-year-old woman named Tess. We can tell from the start that June has some psychological issues and is harboring secrets. Mia is a 10-year-old girl who is physically, mentally and emotionally abused by the woman she calls Mammy. Mammy (Erica Kelly) often uses the "r" word to describe Mia which is disturbing to hear but I think it fits with Erica's meanness plus I don't think Erica would take the time to think of a politically correct way to say that Mia is mentally challenged which she really isn't anyway. The whole book is dark and twisty but definitely worth the read, or listen, in my opinion. There's a huge twist near the end that turned the whole story upside down. I suspected something of the sort was coming but it was chilling all the same.
I loved Jacqueline Milne's narration of the audiobook and thought she did a superb job of bringing out the emotions of the various characters.
TW: Self-harm; physical, mental and emotional child abuse.
My thanks to Dreamscape Select via Netgalley for providing early access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: August 24, 2024
June lives in rented accommodation with an 80-year-old woman named Tess. We can tell from the start that June has some psychological issues and is harboring secrets. Mia is a 10-year-old girl who is physically, mentally and emotionally abused by the woman she calls Mammy. Mammy (Erica Kelly) often uses the "r" word to describe Mia which is disturbing to hear but I think it fits with Erica's meanness plus I don't think Erica would take the time to think of a politically correct way to say that Mia is mentally challenged which she really isn't anyway. The whole book is dark and twisty but definitely worth the read, or listen, in my opinion. There's a huge twist near the end that turned the whole story upside down. I suspected something of the sort was coming but it was chilling all the same.
I loved Jacqueline Milne's narration of the audiobook and thought she did a superb job of bringing out the emotions of the various characters.
TW: Self-harm; physical, mental and emotional child abuse.
My thanks to Dreamscape Select via Netgalley for providing early access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: August 24, 2024
September 7, 2024
This is a dark, intense tale of the power of being invisible to others and the danger of secrets. I enjoyed how the story was told from multiple POVs. I was immensely engaged as secrets were revealed throughout this character-driven emotional mystery. I loved how cleverly the pieces of the story came together with a chilling twisted conclusion. Thank you, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my copy.
November 26, 2025
3.5 - 4 stars
There are some very dark themes in this book, so be aware before you jump in.
It seems to me that Michelle's books are very hit or miss, so I never know what to expect, and the ending! Completely turns things upside down and sideways.
The Hotel Maid has a plot that is complex and multilayered, and there are a lot of different characters, and we get their story from their POV in this dark thriller, and most of them are unlikable. However, the story is compelling, which keeps the pages turning.
There are some very dark themes in this book, so be aware before you jump in.
It seems to me that Michelle's books are very hit or miss, so I never know what to expect, and the ending! Completely turns things upside down and sideways.
The Hotel Maid has a plot that is complex and multilayered, and there are a lot of different characters, and we get their story from their POV in this dark thriller, and most of them are unlikable. However, the story is compelling, which keeps the pages turning.
August 16, 2024
“The hotel maid” starts off very much giving “The Maid” vibes - a seasoned hotel maid who flies under the radar and leans towards being on the spectrum, rude and quirky guests and a suspicious dead body.
After the opening chapters the book diverts into much darker territories. We have different timelines and POV and a lot of trigger worthy material (child neglect, child abuse, child bullying, self harm, SA, peadophilia etc).
Because of the subject matter i struggled to connect with the characters and found myself just feeling bad for the FMC. I was hoping for a fun murder mystery and found myself just feeling uncomfortable.
Unfortunately this one just didn’t vibe for me. I will say that the audiobook narrator did a great job on her part, everything was clear and concise and it was easy to differentiate between characters.
Thank you to Michelle Dunne, Dreamscape select and storm publishing for the ALC.
Publish date: August 23rd
After the opening chapters the book diverts into much darker territories. We have different timelines and POV and a lot of trigger worthy material (child neglect, child abuse, child bullying, self harm, SA, peadophilia etc).
Because of the subject matter i struggled to connect with the characters and found myself just feeling bad for the FMC. I was hoping for a fun murder mystery and found myself just feeling uncomfortable.
Unfortunately this one just didn’t vibe for me. I will say that the audiobook narrator did a great job on her part, everything was clear and concise and it was easy to differentiate between characters.
Thank you to Michelle Dunne, Dreamscape select and storm publishing for the ALC.
Publish date: August 23rd
July 4, 2024
This was a very difficult book to get through.
Although the premise is interesting and the plot itself was different and kinda cool, the writing style was too confusing for me. Right off the bat, you’re introduced to a bunch of characters. A few chapters in and I was already confused as to who was who. I had to stop reading and recall who A, B, C were. And more were introduced throughout so imagine that. I was not a fan of the multiple POVs told in past and present.
I truly disliked the writing style, it was messy and it just didn’t flow easily. The plot was complex but thought-out as it all comes together, so if you enjoy dark thrillers with several characters and POVs, give it a try!
Although the premise is interesting and the plot itself was different and kinda cool, the writing style was too confusing for me. Right off the bat, you’re introduced to a bunch of characters. A few chapters in and I was already confused as to who was who. I had to stop reading and recall who A, B, C were. And more were introduced throughout so imagine that. I was not a fan of the multiple POVs told in past and present.
I truly disliked the writing style, it was messy and it just didn’t flow easily. The plot was complex but thought-out as it all comes together, so if you enjoy dark thrillers with several characters and POVs, give it a try!
August 5, 2024
Maids should be seen, not heard, and June is good at fading in to the background. Quiet and unassuming, she is good at her job. It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch though…
This thriller is DARK. Some scenes may be upsetting for some and I’d probably have preferred some trigger warnings with this one. Namely suicide, self harm and child abuse.
I liked June, and my heart ached for little Mia. The rest of the cast were very unlikeable, which added to the emotion this book pulls from the reader. I felt the pace was fast enough to keep me turning the pages and I finished the book pretty quickly.
A solid 4 stars from me, but I couldn’t understand how some might not be able to finish if they’ve gone in blind.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.
This thriller is DARK. Some scenes may be upsetting for some and I’d probably have preferred some trigger warnings with this one. Namely suicide, self harm and child abuse.
I liked June, and my heart ached for little Mia. The rest of the cast were very unlikeable, which added to the emotion this book pulls from the reader. I felt the pace was fast enough to keep me turning the pages and I finished the book pretty quickly.
A solid 4 stars from me, but I couldn’t understand how some might not be able to finish if they’ve gone in blind.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.
June 28, 2024
3.5/5
Fast paced quick read.
There’s so many twists and turns.
There’s multiple perspectives which help keep the book moving. There’s a lot of moving parts so you have to pay attention to all the names.
Jane is a maid in a hotel. She likes it because she can be invisible. She deals with a difficult guest a lot. She has more connections with that guest than she knows.
Fast paced quick read.
There’s so many twists and turns.
There’s multiple perspectives which help keep the book moving. There’s a lot of moving parts so you have to pay attention to all the names.
Jane is a maid in a hotel. She likes it because she can be invisible. She deals with a difficult guest a lot. She has more connections with that guest than she knows.
June 25, 2024
I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this book. It started out kinda iffy for me, but as the story went on I got more and more interested. I was constantly trying to put the puzzle pieces together and then I thought they came together well. I loved the multiple POVs.
August 16, 2024
When I see a psychological thriller on audiobook written by an Irish author and performed by an Irish narrator, I’m all in. I love great Irish authors like Catherine Ryan Howard and Liz Nugent. I also enjoy great Irish narrators like Alana Kerr Collins. Now I have a new author and narrator to add to those lists! And of course no one can resist talking about the Irish without claiming to be Irish. My mother’s maiden name was McFarland, so there you go. I didn’t want to disappoint.
The story is well plotted with excellent character development and I enjoyed the multiple points of view and the author’s sarcastic humor. This is a dark tale with self harm and abuse triggers you will want to know about if you have sensitivities. I loved the twists and turn the story took and I also loved how the different points of view came together so brilliantly. And that ending…! The performance on the audiobook is outstanding.
The story is well plotted with excellent character development and I enjoyed the multiple points of view and the author’s sarcastic humor. This is a dark tale with self harm and abuse triggers you will want to know about if you have sensitivities. I loved the twists and turn the story took and I also loved how the different points of view came together so brilliantly. And that ending…! The performance on the audiobook is outstanding.
August 19, 2024
I love the premise of a hard-working hotel maid who sees a lot on her job, but keeps everyone's secrets (and who has secrets of her own!) I enjoyed getting to know June Calloway, a young woman who keeps to herself and has a small flat she shares with an elderly woman. The book is compelling, and nothing is as it appears.
However, as the story progresses, it gets darker and darker. There are detailed scenes of self-harm, suicide attempts, and child abuse so large parts of the story are hard to read. There are a few different timelines and points-of-view so I was confused how everything was related. It is clever how everything comes together at the end and I was interested to see what would happen next, so I have given the book 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance copy of this ebook. Although I received the book at no cost, my review is voluntary and unbiased.
However, as the story progresses, it gets darker and darker. There are detailed scenes of self-harm, suicide attempts, and child abuse so large parts of the story are hard to read. There are a few different timelines and points-of-view so I was confused how everything was related. It is clever how everything comes together at the end and I was interested to see what would happen next, so I have given the book 3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance copy of this ebook. Although I received the book at no cost, my review is voluntary and unbiased.
August 18, 2024
Thank you, Storm Publishing, for the advance reader copy.
Trigger warnings for Ped, child abuse, SA, infidelity.
I struggled to read because of these TW.
The writing is gripping and the main lead is quite interesting.
This thriller will not be for everyone.
Trigger warnings for Ped, child abuse, SA, infidelity.
I struggled to read because of these TW.
The writing is gripping and the main lead is quite interesting.
This thriller will not be for everyone.
July 4, 2024
This is one of those wonderfully-convoluted books that had me saying, "what???" every few pages! June is a maid at the Cedarwood luxury hotel and cleans like there's no tomorrow! But when strange things begin happening, she becomes frightened as she receives notes saying, "I know what you did. Keep your mouth shut" and it terrifies her! We also witness her cutting herself and wonder why she would mutilate herself. "Roommate"and boarder, 80-yr-old Tess may be hiding something but she has no idea what. Of course it all boils down to earlier years where there are secrets and lies everywhere you could imagine! This may make you think twice about staying in a legendary hotel, but it's a great novel!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
September 27, 2024
The Hotel Maid - Michelle Dunne
This one was a little dry but actually the last 3rd of the book was a wild ride. No one ever notices the maid… But someone seems to know her secrets and when an important guest is found dead at the hotel… Things all come to a head.
It was an interesting story. All the threads had some super cool elements to them and I enjoyed the build up but the story didn’t move very fast and there were some pretty repetitive parts in the book.
WARNING… Self harming triggers in the book and abuse.
All in all it was a decent read and the twisty end will have you breathless and chilled to your core.
4 stars
This one was a little dry but actually the last 3rd of the book was a wild ride. No one ever notices the maid… But someone seems to know her secrets and when an important guest is found dead at the hotel… Things all come to a head.
It was an interesting story. All the threads had some super cool elements to them and I enjoyed the build up but the story didn’t move very fast and there were some pretty repetitive parts in the book.
WARNING… Self harming triggers in the book and abuse.
All in all it was a decent read and the twisty end will have you breathless and chilled to your core.
4 stars
September 5, 2024
Wow. This is a crazy psychological ride. I always love a good maid book. This one however, took a dark turn that I didn’t expect. There’s definitely a lot of triggers in here so check those if you need to. I liked the crazy, twisted way the characters all come together in the end. This book is a little dark for my preference but it had me quickly turning pages and needing to get some answers. This was my first book by this author, I’ll definitely be reading her again.
August 16, 2024
I loved The Good Girl by this author, so was excited to get this book. Although it was an easy, bingeable read, I struggled to connect with the characters, who felt mostly two dimensional. There were coincidences, self harm, suicide, murder, grooming, child neglect and abuse… lots to unpack
June is a hotel maid that likes to keep her head down and work hard. She has very little money and lives in a shitty apartment with Tessa, an 80 y/o woman
At first, June reminded me of Molly from Nina Prose’s The Maid… lots of similarities until there weren’t… there seemed to be a disconnect with her personality and I couldn’t work her out
Then there’s 10 y/o Mia who lives as a servant to her adopted family - I’m not certain we ever found out why or what that weird/abusive family dynamic was all about - or why mammy Erica frequented the hotel quite so much…
The plot requires the reader to suspend their belief to a degree - timeline, character personalities, backstories etc
Everything eventually comes together and is explained, but the repetition of names got me spinning. It’s not that there were too many characters, rather names and timelines blurred…. Flashbacks might have helped - not just with the confusion, but connecting to characters and their motivations…
The audiobook was a great listen - the Irish accents lovely, I might recommend the book though and have a highlighter ready
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
June is a hotel maid that likes to keep her head down and work hard. She has very little money and lives in a shitty apartment with Tessa, an 80 y/o woman
At first, June reminded me of Molly from Nina Prose’s The Maid… lots of similarities until there weren’t… there seemed to be a disconnect with her personality and I couldn’t work her out
Then there’s 10 y/o Mia who lives as a servant to her adopted family - I’m not certain we ever found out why or what that weird/abusive family dynamic was all about - or why mammy Erica frequented the hotel quite so much…
The plot requires the reader to suspend their belief to a degree - timeline, character personalities, backstories etc
Everything eventually comes together and is explained, but the repetition of names got me spinning. It’s not that there were too many characters, rather names and timelines blurred…. Flashbacks might have helped - not just with the confusion, but connecting to characters and their motivations…
The audiobook was a great listen - the Irish accents lovely, I might recommend the book though and have a highlighter ready
Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
August 23, 2024
This book was more intriguing after every page I turned, and I was shocked at all the multiple twists in this book. The Hotel Maid is a very dark and puzzling psychological thriller with POV’s from three different characters, which I found a nice number as it wasn’t too much to keep up with. It was a very quick and easy read that kept my attention throughout the book, it was very hard to out down and not just keep reading to find out more! Michelle Dunne wrote this book incredibly well and I would definitely pick up another book from her again.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy of this book.
July 5, 2024
I absolutely LOVED this book, it kept me guessing 99% of the time. This was my first book by this author and I hope it becomes a sequel! I hope this book gets the hype it's deserved when it comes out!
August 15, 2024
A maid at a luxury hotel discovers a woman dead in her room and a little girl missing. She receives a note saying someone knows her secrets, but she is determined to prove them wrong...
Get ready for a wild ride!
The opening of the book immediately brought to mind Molly the maid - a character known for her earnest dedication and hard work. This story starts off light and gradually becomes darker, building tension and keeping the reader guessing. Chapters are labeled with different perspectives, helping to keep the story clear. The characters have deep, dark secrets that are slowly revealed, adding to the emotional depth of the story. In the end, everything comes together cohesively, creating a dark and emotional tale that keeps the reader engaged.
The narrator skillfully portrayed each character with distinct voices, making it easy for the listener to follow along. Their upbeat and engaging delivery kept me hooked throughout.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark mysteries filled with unexpected twists and turns.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Get ready for a wild ride!
The opening of the book immediately brought to mind Molly the maid - a character known for her earnest dedication and hard work. This story starts off light and gradually becomes darker, building tension and keeping the reader guessing. Chapters are labeled with different perspectives, helping to keep the story clear. The characters have deep, dark secrets that are slowly revealed, adding to the emotional depth of the story. In the end, everything comes together cohesively, creating a dark and emotional tale that keeps the reader engaged.
The narrator skillfully portrayed each character with distinct voices, making it easy for the listener to follow along. Their upbeat and engaging delivery kept me hooked throughout.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark mysteries filled with unexpected twists and turns.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 11, 2024
4.5⭐️ I was almost expecting this to be like the Housemaid but it’s was surprisingly, interesting, and twisty. I flew through this is about 3 hours. I kept wondering what was going on. I enjoyed the 3 different point of views.
June is just a quiet Housemaid but she starts receiving notes from someone that they know what she did in her past! Who knows and what did she do!?
This book totally caught me by surprise. I did not see any of the twists coming until they were right there in my face. I thoroughly enjoyed this popcorn thriller. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced e-book in exchange for my honest opinion.
June is just a quiet Housemaid but she starts receiving notes from someone that they know what she did in her past! Who knows and what did she do!?
This book totally caught me by surprise. I did not see any of the twists coming until they were right there in my face. I thoroughly enjoyed this popcorn thriller. Loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced e-book in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 11, 2024
Thank you Storm Publishing for a copy on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Hotel Maid is a quick read that is packed with a slap to keep the reader on its toes.
Cedarwood Manor, a luxury hotel with mysterious staff.
June is quiet, stealth and the hotel maid she sees everything but no one notices her.
June also has a secret past.
While the luxurious guests think she’s not listening, June takes it all in.
Then one day her past catches up with her, beginning with cryptic notes.
Will the truth come out and June be unmasked?
As the plot progresses, all is slowly revealed.
I read this one in just over 24 hours, it kept me intrigued.
It’s really good how it all comes together and while I did have my guesses all was not correct.
My first book with Michelle and it had my attention and entertained me.
The Hotel Maid is a quick read that is packed with a slap to keep the reader on its toes.
Cedarwood Manor, a luxury hotel with mysterious staff.
June is quiet, stealth and the hotel maid she sees everything but no one notices her.
June also has a secret past.
While the luxurious guests think she’s not listening, June takes it all in.
Then one day her past catches up with her, beginning with cryptic notes.
Will the truth come out and June be unmasked?
As the plot progresses, all is slowly revealed.
I read this one in just over 24 hours, it kept me intrigued.
It’s really good how it all comes together and while I did have my guesses all was not correct.
My first book with Michelle and it had my attention and entertained me.
December 3, 2024
I'm giving this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Although it was a little slow to start, it was quite the thrill ride once it got going. The twists and turns were truly unexpected, and I enjoyed how dark it ended up being. I also loved that it had an unreliable narrator. That's something I always gravitate towards in thrillers.
Overall, despite the slow start, I did end up liking The Hotel Maid very much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Although it was a little slow to start, it was quite the thrill ride once it got going. The twists and turns were truly unexpected, and I enjoyed how dark it ended up being. I also loved that it had an unreliable narrator. That's something I always gravitate towards in thrillers.
Overall, despite the slow start, I did end up liking The Hotel Maid very much.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 23, 2024
Each morning June arrived at the Cedarwood Manor hotel to clean rooms. She is mostly invisible, but some of the guests know her secrets. Will she be discovered?
The Hotel Maid is told from two different perspectives and two different families. It was a little confusing at first, but I could guess how it was all going to come together at the end and how everyone was related to which family. It was a quick read and very entertaining to see how the two stories conflicted and coincided.
The Hotel Maid is told from two different perspectives and two different families. It was a little confusing at first, but I could guess how it was all going to come together at the end and how everyone was related to which family. It was a quick read and very entertaining to see how the two stories conflicted and coincided.
August 18, 2024
June is a hotel maid at cedarwood manor who tries to remain as invisible as possible to guests and staff. She lives a sheltered life with only one friend, old lady Tess who she shares a home with. Being this way June learns secrets about those around her, secrets she keeps to herself.
Mia is a 10 year old being treated as a house slave for her adopted family, desperate to find out her biological roots and escape her current life.
So what do Mia and June have in common?
The plot requires you to keep an open mind as it relies mainly on coincidences for the story to work, I did however enjoy the read and felt the little reveals throughout made it come together.
Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Mia is a 10 year old being treated as a house slave for her adopted family, desperate to find out her biological roots and escape her current life.
So what do Mia and June have in common?
The plot requires you to keep an open mind as it relies mainly on coincidences for the story to work, I did however enjoy the read and felt the little reveals throughout made it come together.
Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher and author for my eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 23, 2024
Seriously dark and full of secrets and the past coming home to roost, I loved this. The story centres around, in part, the mysterious dark underbelly and whole new world of behind the scenes at an exclusive hotel, the premise that the maids move around, pretty much unnoticed but integral to the workings of the place was cleverly played upon. There was also so much packed into the interwoven tale, domestic abuse, grooming, unmarried mothers and the harsh treatment them by nuns at homes for the like to name but a few hot topics. The slow drawing out of the truth and the dawning realisations made for a gripping, compelling tale and made me question, sever times over, where my loyalties lay. A definite recommend.
August 2, 2024
The Hotel Maid by Michelle Dunne will be released August 23rd with Storm Publishing and is described as ‘a tense ‘just one more page’ emotional rollercoaster of a read that will have you racing to the twisty end.’
June Calloway has worked for many years as a maid at Cedarwood Manor Hotel, a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Cork city, a place ‘exclusively for the rich and powerful’. June relishes the anonymity of her role as guests check-in and check-out with barely a glance at her. She is almost an invisible presence within the walls and is noted for being a loyal and conscientious employee. She is fastidious in her preparation every morning before starting her rounds, always watching, always listening, always observing. But there’s a reason
‘June Calloway has been keeping her mouth shut all her life. She kept her own secrets, and those of so many others, locked away in the vault of her memory.’
When the body of woman is found dead in her hotel room, there is the inevitable shock and investigation that would be expected but someone knows more than they are revealing. And that someone has their reasons. In a narrative that spins between different POVs, Michelle Dunne delves deep into a darker and more sinister tale, one that unfortunately has its roots in fact as opposed to fiction. Criss-crossing timelines the story unravels revealing lies, grief, regret, revenge and too many secrets for anyone to keep alongside their sanity.
June Calloway is a young woman with a story to tell. Her days are routine. Her life is sparse. Her intentions are slightly skewed but June Calloway’s story is no ordinary story and June Calloway will tell it to you in her own idiosyncratic way. (Because I’m saying no more as it would be all to easy to drop a spoiler accidentally!)
The Hotel Maid is, at times, quite a distressing and disconcerting read. Yet I have come to expect that from the pen of Michelle Dunne. As an author, Michelle Dunne is unafraid of delving into the dark and the downright deplorable, as anyone who has read The Good Girl will attest to. The Hotel Maid is a complex and twisty tale with multiple layers that all do come together at the end. With quite the cast of characters, consider The Hotel Maid as a literary game of Cluedo. Who is the murderer? Why did they kill this lady? Where is the weapon? Mysterious stuff indeed!!
June Calloway has worked for many years as a maid at Cedarwood Manor Hotel, a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Cork city, a place ‘exclusively for the rich and powerful’. June relishes the anonymity of her role as guests check-in and check-out with barely a glance at her. She is almost an invisible presence within the walls and is noted for being a loyal and conscientious employee. She is fastidious in her preparation every morning before starting her rounds, always watching, always listening, always observing. But there’s a reason
‘June Calloway has been keeping her mouth shut all her life. She kept her own secrets, and those of so many others, locked away in the vault of her memory.’
When the body of woman is found dead in her hotel room, there is the inevitable shock and investigation that would be expected but someone knows more than they are revealing. And that someone has their reasons. In a narrative that spins between different POVs, Michelle Dunne delves deep into a darker and more sinister tale, one that unfortunately has its roots in fact as opposed to fiction. Criss-crossing timelines the story unravels revealing lies, grief, regret, revenge and too many secrets for anyone to keep alongside their sanity.
June Calloway is a young woman with a story to tell. Her days are routine. Her life is sparse. Her intentions are slightly skewed but June Calloway’s story is no ordinary story and June Calloway will tell it to you in her own idiosyncratic way. (Because I’m saying no more as it would be all to easy to drop a spoiler accidentally!)
The Hotel Maid is, at times, quite a distressing and disconcerting read. Yet I have come to expect that from the pen of Michelle Dunne. As an author, Michelle Dunne is unafraid of delving into the dark and the downright deplorable, as anyone who has read The Good Girl will attest to. The Hotel Maid is a complex and twisty tale with multiple layers that all do come together at the end. With quite the cast of characters, consider The Hotel Maid as a literary game of Cluedo. Who is the murderer? Why did they kill this lady? Where is the weapon? Mysterious stuff indeed!!
July 18, 2024
"Each morning, I arrive at the luxury Cedarwood Manor hotel, put on my crisp maid’s uniform and clean the rooms. I take great care in my work as I slip from one floor to the other. Most guests barely know my name. I’m invisible to them. That’s ok. I prefer people didn’t know my secrets."
The first two lines above relay the overall mystery in the plot of 'The Hotel Maid' by new-to-me author Michelle Dunne. Narrated in the third person and told in dual perspectives, we follow young maid June, as she navigates life as a maid in the fancy Cedarwood Manor, a getaway for the rich. As "the help" June is frequently looked over and even ignored. People sometimes even tell her their secrets. While this may bother most people, she prefers this as she has secrets of her own she wishes to keep. Our second narrator comes in the form of young Mia, who is living a sad life of her own. Twists and turns keep readers guessing, as we wait to find out if either of these characters will have a happy ending.
I must admit that this book started a bit slowly for me; I struggled a bit during the first 20% or so and had to keep reminding myself to come back to it. However, once we began getting more of Mia's chapters, it picked up and I was fully on board right up to the end! Something I really liked was Dunne's writing style as it made the plot easy to follow. At times, having more than one narrator can muddle storylines but Dunne was easily able to overcome this with her clear and precise language.
I will admit I figured out the big "twist" pretty easily, which took away a little bit of the enjoyment for me; however, I kept reading and was happy that I did.
In the end, I give 'The Hotel Maid' a 4-star rating as overall I enjoyed it, having one or two minor issues. I recommend the book if you are looking for a quick and easy mystery to sink your teeth into!
*A great many thanks to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne, and NetGalley for this ARC. It is important to note that I was not committed to providing a positive review; all opinions are undoubtedly my own.*
The first two lines above relay the overall mystery in the plot of 'The Hotel Maid' by new-to-me author Michelle Dunne. Narrated in the third person and told in dual perspectives, we follow young maid June, as she navigates life as a maid in the fancy Cedarwood Manor, a getaway for the rich. As "the help" June is frequently looked over and even ignored. People sometimes even tell her their secrets. While this may bother most people, she prefers this as she has secrets of her own she wishes to keep. Our second narrator comes in the form of young Mia, who is living a sad life of her own. Twists and turns keep readers guessing, as we wait to find out if either of these characters will have a happy ending.
I must admit that this book started a bit slowly for me; I struggled a bit during the first 20% or so and had to keep reminding myself to come back to it. However, once we began getting more of Mia's chapters, it picked up and I was fully on board right up to the end! Something I really liked was Dunne's writing style as it made the plot easy to follow. At times, having more than one narrator can muddle storylines but Dunne was easily able to overcome this with her clear and precise language.
I will admit I figured out the big "twist" pretty easily, which took away a little bit of the enjoyment for me; however, I kept reading and was happy that I did.
In the end, I give 'The Hotel Maid' a 4-star rating as overall I enjoyed it, having one or two minor issues. I recommend the book if you are looking for a quick and easy mystery to sink your teeth into!
*A great many thanks to Storm Publishing, Michelle Dunne, and NetGalley for this ARC. It is important to note that I was not committed to providing a positive review; all opinions are undoubtedly my own.*
August 22, 2024
"She'd never been the type of girl that people noticed. This, she realized, was a valuable trait to have."
Where to start? The end might be the best place. The last few chapters of the upside down rollercoaster The Hotel Maid, by intricate twisty turns murder mystery thriller author Michelle Dunne, left me gasping and my brain hurting from all the WTF reveals.
We meet hotel maid June looking at the dead body of Erica, in the room she's assigned to clean, and soon discover that 10 year old Mae, who is Erica's charge, is missing. Then in alternate chapters we learn about the past of June, Erica and Mae and how they found their way to this hotel.
Make no mistake this is not a cozy mystery. It is a dark thriller with some heavy themes and serious trigger warnings from self child abuse, grooming, and neglect to self harm including cutting.
There are a slew of characters, of which many are extremely unlikeable and some horrible behavior by supposedly religious people. Yet I kept turning the page because I had no idea where it would all lead.
I fell in love with the Irish lilt from voice actress Jacqueline Milne. Every time she said, "feck" I had to smile. The first part of this story was a bit confusing but having both the book and the audiobook really helped me decipher characters and their relationships. I had some theories but when it was over I was half right and half in shock.
The Hotel Maid cleans up in the twist department. But pay attention or you might miss spotting a clue.
I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Where to start? The end might be the best place. The last few chapters of the upside down rollercoaster The Hotel Maid, by intricate twisty turns murder mystery thriller author Michelle Dunne, left me gasping and my brain hurting from all the WTF reveals.
We meet hotel maid June looking at the dead body of Erica, in the room she's assigned to clean, and soon discover that 10 year old Mae, who is Erica's charge, is missing. Then in alternate chapters we learn about the past of June, Erica and Mae and how they found their way to this hotel.
Make no mistake this is not a cozy mystery. It is a dark thriller with some heavy themes and serious trigger warnings from self child abuse, grooming, and neglect to self harm including cutting.
There are a slew of characters, of which many are extremely unlikeable and some horrible behavior by supposedly religious people. Yet I kept turning the page because I had no idea where it would all lead.
I fell in love with the Irish lilt from voice actress Jacqueline Milne. Every time she said, "feck" I had to smile. The first part of this story was a bit confusing but having both the book and the audiobook really helped me decipher characters and their relationships. I had some theories but when it was over I was half right and half in shock.
The Hotel Maid cleans up in the twist department. But pay attention or you might miss spotting a clue.
I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 5, 2024
Netgalley Review
The writing was good and drew you in. The storyline gradually got darker, which was quite exciting and added extra tension to the overall story. Lots of little things kept being added to the story and building it up which at the time confused me, but by the end I knew what was going on and appreciated the technique used. It certainly kept me guessing as to how the whole thing would end.
The chapters were fairly long and were labelled with the name of the person whose perspective you were reading, which was helpful. The length of the chapters meant that you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. There was a lot of information to be given to the reader, but I didn't feel bogged down. I was intrigued to see how it would all turn out.
There was a good pace and flow to the story so once I picked it up I was quite happy to read it for chunks of time.
The characters were good. They all had dark secrets and it was interesting slowly uncovering them all. It was very emotional in places, which added to the intrigue of the story.
Lastly the settings. I love a hotel setting and this particular setting was a character in itself. I loved the appreciation that the main character had for the building and it made me feel the same.
Overall, it was a dark, emotional story with lots of different pieces that all came together well at the end.
The writing was good and drew you in. The storyline gradually got darker, which was quite exciting and added extra tension to the overall story. Lots of little things kept being added to the story and building it up which at the time confused me, but by the end I knew what was going on and appreciated the technique used. It certainly kept me guessing as to how the whole thing would end.
The chapters were fairly long and were labelled with the name of the person whose perspective you were reading, which was helpful. The length of the chapters meant that you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. There was a lot of information to be given to the reader, but I didn't feel bogged down. I was intrigued to see how it would all turn out.
There was a good pace and flow to the story so once I picked it up I was quite happy to read it for chunks of time.
The characters were good. They all had dark secrets and it was interesting slowly uncovering them all. It was very emotional in places, which added to the intrigue of the story.
Lastly the settings. I love a hotel setting and this particular setting was a character in itself. I loved the appreciation that the main character had for the building and it made me feel the same.
Overall, it was a dark, emotional story with lots of different pieces that all came together well at the end.
August 17, 2024
Michelle’s new psychological thriller is a fast-paced, multiple POV story set across a number of timelines. There are some big subjects included and I want to give a trigger warning for some of these because they feature quite a bit – child abuse, suicide and self-harm. Set in Cork in an exclusive five-star hotel, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Nita Prose’s The Maid and I know that recently there’s been a number of mystery/thrillers that focus on the hotel maid as the main character.
This is a dark read; far darker than some of the other books featuring the maid character. Parts of the story are hard to stomach and it will leave the reader feeling unsettled throughout. The inclusion of the chapters from Mia’s perspective are the most unnerving, especially her grooming by her father and the abusive relationship with her brother. Michelle isn’t afraid to delve into these aspects and as you move through the story, be prepared to feel more and more uncomfortable and disturbed by the revelations uncovered by June.
With a plethora of unlikeable characters, Michelle has put together a solid thriller that readers will not want to put down. At 266 pages, Michelle has managed to pack a lot into this story. I figured out the major plot twist quite early on but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story and some of the smaller twists that popped up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc. The Hotel Maid is out on August 23rd. 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is a dark read; far darker than some of the other books featuring the maid character. Parts of the story are hard to stomach and it will leave the reader feeling unsettled throughout. The inclusion of the chapters from Mia’s perspective are the most unnerving, especially her grooming by her father and the abusive relationship with her brother. Michelle isn’t afraid to delve into these aspects and as you move through the story, be prepared to feel more and more uncomfortable and disturbed by the revelations uncovered by June.
With a plethora of unlikeable characters, Michelle has put together a solid thriller that readers will not want to put down. At 266 pages, Michelle has managed to pack a lot into this story. I figured out the major plot twist quite early on but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story and some of the smaller twists that popped up.
Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the arc. The Hotel Maid is out on August 23rd. 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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