Novella Review: The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Holiday

Series: Book 2.5 of Molly the Maid

Publisher: Random House Audio (October 1, 2024)

Length: 2 hrs and 38 mins

Author Information: Website

I don’t usually go out of my way to read novellas in the series because they often feel like throwaway or filler stories that are entirely skippable. But since it’s nearing Christmastime and Molly the Maid is at the center of The Mistletoe Mystery, I couldn’t resist picking it up to get into the holiday mood.

Nita Prose returns to the world of her beloved character with this short tale that takes place after The Mystery Guest. Molly and her boyfriend Juan Manuel have taken the big step and moved in together, and now they are preparing for the holidays. For Molly, Christmas has always been bittersweet since the passing of her dear Gran, who had carried on cherished traditions for the two of them that aways made the season feel magical, but Juan Manuel is determined to bring back the cheer by making this year’s festivities extra special.

Still, it wouldn’t be a Molly the Maid book without a mystery, and our eponymous protagonist has been noticing her boyfriend’s unusual behavior—his sneaking around, keeping secrets, and overall acting suspicious. It’s starting to concern her, making her worried their relationship isn’t as strong as believes. Emotional turmoil aside, though, sleuthing is what Molly does best. As the Regency Grand Hotel where she works prepares for its annual Secret Santa gift exchange event, she uses the commotion to uncover the truth about Juan Manuel’s strange behavior, putting her detective skills to the test.

If you’re like me and waiting impatiently for the next Molly the Maid novel, The Mistletoe Mystery makes for a great distraction to tide you over. While it’s not going to be anywhere near as satisfying or complex as a full-fledged story from the main books, it’s a lighter and more intimate interlude that will delight fans all the same. Rather than the usual high-stakes murder mystery, we’re getting to spend more personal time with Molly and the people closest to her, getting a look into her day-to-day life outside of her escapades at the hotel. It’s a sweet, heartfelt story that makes character relationships its focus.

Characterization continues to be this series’ main strength. Though we still see her struggle with reading and communicating with people, Molly is as charming and endearing as ever. However, one downside is that I think many of her personality quirks were played up to manufacture drama and miscommunication, which I confess is one of my pet peeves. On a more positive note, Juan Manuel gets his chance to shine in this story as Molly’s boyfriend, getting the attention he deserves. The two of them are so adorable together, but again it pained me a little to see how the book’s main conflict was deliberately created to stress the bond between them—especially since he of all people should know how Molly has trouble interpreting social cues.

As the title suggests, The Mistletoe Mystery also perfectly captures the atmosphere of the cozy and festive season, and as expected, leans heavily on the kind of tropes you see in romantic holiday movies. This makes the plot entirely predictable, but that’s probably not a bad thing for a novella about the warmth, joy, and love of being together at Christmas.

In the end, The Mistletoe Mystery is a pleasant little side story offering a low-pressure, comforting read for fans of Molly the Maid. Sure, it’s not going to be packed with the intricacies of a full-length novel, but it’s still a great opportunity to revisit the characters and immerse yourself in their world again while awaiting the next installment of the series.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Maid (Book 1)
Review of The Mystery Guest (Book 2)