Review: The Hotel Maid - Michelle Dunne

Review: The Hotel Maid - Michelle Dunne - August 2024

There's always something inherently intriguing about stories featuring maids — the silent observers of hotel life, slipping between rooms like unseen phantoms, privy to secrets their clients would never willingly reveal. Michelle Dunne taps into this fascination in The Hotel Maid, and I have to admit, that premise alone is what initially drew me in. Maids are the perfect mystery novel protagonists — underestimated, unnoticed, and holding all the keys, both literally and figuratively.

The novel starts strong with June Calloway, who works at the upscale Cedarwood Hotel. She's introduced as a diligent maid with a mysterious past, and soon we’re introduced to one of the hotel's wealthy regulars, Erica, who brings with her a whole heap of dysfunction — especially in her cruel treatment of her daughter, Mia.

June’s personal life unfolds alongside the hotel drama, as we learn she lives with Tess, a former nun who once worked at a home for unwed mothers. This connection adds a layer of emotional depth and thematic intrigue, especially as June starts receiving threatening notes at work — someone clearly knows more about her past than they should.

However, as the narrative progresses, things become increasingly muddled. The structure jumps between timelines and perspectives, and the use of unreliable narrators, while intentional, made the final act more confusing than compelling. I found myself going back to re-read parts just to piece the sequence of events together — and not in the satisfying, twisty kind of way I’d hoped for.

By the time the ending rolled around, I was left more puzzled than impressed. The scattered storytelling detracted from the emotional weight and suspense that had been building throughout, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed.

Overall, The Hotel Maid had the potential to be a chilling psychological thriller with a strong concept and fascinating characters, but the fragmented execution made it a slightly frustrating read. Still, for those who love stories about the “invisible” women who see everything, it may be worth a look — just be prepared for a bumpy ride.

 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cExga6