Stephen King is a huge advocate for other horror and thriller authors, as he often recommends books from both genres, either by blurbing them or talking about them online. And King’s praise for one mystery-thriller book speaks to how fun it is. It gives readers looking for a lighter addition to the genre a great incentive to pick it up. While many mystery-thriller books that go off the rails lean into darker themes, there are some that get by on charm instead. Their central mysteries offer plenty of suspense, but humor and heartfelt interactions prove the bigger appeal.

That’s the case for 2022’s The Maid, a novel King had great things to say about. Not only did King call Nita Prose’s novel “excellent and totally entertaining” (via NitaProse.com), but he pinpointed exactly why it’s such a hit. There’s a reason it won awards, including the Ned Kelly Award for International Crime Fiction and the Fingerprint Award for Debut Novel of the Year. King nails the best element of The Maid, so readers should take his review to heart. It’s well worth picking up, especially now.

Stephen King Is Right: The Maid By Nita Prose Is A Fun & Engaging Mystery Thriller Book

Its Main Character & Tonal Balance Stick The Landing

King’s praise for The Maid is spot on, as the 2022 novel does a great job of keeping readers engaged and delivering on its fun premise. The book follows Molly, who is working as a H๏τel maid when she finds the body of a wealthy and influential guest in one of the rooms she’s cleaning. A murder investigation spins out from there, with Molly becoming a suspect — a development that pushes her to track down the killer herself. And as King notes, Molly is “the most interesting (and endearing) main character in a long time.“

The Maid also strikes an impressive balance, even as it proves more lighthearted than most thriller books. The novel still manages to tackle deeper topics, like grief and feeling like an outcast. But its explorations of these themes never gets too heavy, even as it sticks the landing with its poignant commentary. The Maid is yet another example of how King’s book recommendations are worthwhile. And as of April, there’s even more incentive for readers to pick it up.

As Of April 2025, You Can Binge The Entire Molly The Maid Series

The Maid’s Secret Came Out This Spring

If Stephen King‘s encouragement isn’t enough to sell readers on The Maid, the fact that all three books in the Molly the Maid series are out is another motivator. While this cozy mystery series features different whodunits with each of its installments, there’s something special about binge-reading an entire series in one go. As of April 2025, readers can do that. The Maid’s Secret came out on April 8, completing Prose’s series and ensuring readers could spend plenty of time with the charming and sleuthing Molly.

Source: NitaProse.com