Book Review | The Mystery Guest: Cosy read with layers of meaning tucked in

Nita Prose has picked up from where she had left her debut murder mystery The Maid. The hotel remains the venue for Molly Gray, the maid, to clean up a murderous mess yet again. Known for keeping the guest rooms in a state of sparkling perfection, the hotel’s reputation has been sullied again by the death of a famous mystery writer moments before he gets up to address the press. That the teacup was laced with some poison seems apparent but the motive and the person executing the sinister crime offers a pitch-perfect plot that is intriguing and enthralling. It is a slow but tasteful whodunnit worthy of any vintage.

The devil is in the details, more so in a murder mystery that remains loaded with both the innocuous and the obnoxious but in which no one is above suspicion. Having been relieved of any suspicion in the past, Molly remains concerned that despite being diligent in their work, the maids are assumed to be delinquents, murderers and thieves. Why is the lowly maid always to be blamed?

An internal mirror

The words carry layers of meaning that leave the reader seething and feeling sad about the society we have morphed into. Prose’s writing functions as mirrors for our internal landscapes.

The Mystery Guest makes for a slow reading of an immaculately crafted narrative, which makes it hard to discover clues lying amidst what gets thought of as asides.

Not without reason was Molly surprised when the world-renowned celebrity author had missed noticing her dominating presence in the team making arrangements for the event. It unfolds later in the story that Molly knew the dead guest during her younger days and remembers some of the secrets that may hold the key to the mystery. However, unlocking it means thinking about the past.

Sharp imagery

It is not only the gentle observational quality of the author’s prose but also her aphoristic brilliance that shines through the story.

The control over language and choice of words help create sharp visual imagery to unlock the mystery. A segment of Molly’s past flashes before her eyes to remind her of the idiosyncrasies of the celebrated author as she accompanied her granny for domestic work at his sprawling mansion.

Much later it occurs to her that the celebrated author used the talents of others to palm them off his own. The difference between a fraud and a predator is hairline. It goes without saying that making a choice between what is morally right and what is economically beneficial is tricky. At times, the choice gets made in the wrong setting, focusing on one’s weaknesses instead of strengths. For making a lucrative choice, the celebrated author had to pay a price with his life. Prose reminds her reader that at the end of it all, people are a mystery that can never be solved. That is precisely what makes The Mystery Guest a truly enjoyable novel.

Molly’s take on life is enjoyable and reflective. The mystery is not about events that disturb people but the judgements concerning them. Nita Prose has evolved a style of her own in making the genre exquisite and enchanting. Every sentence is a treat to read, even when it is plumbing the bleakest truths of society and humanity. It is rollicking and emotional, tender and sharp, absurd and relatable.

The writing is packed with sharp observations on the most eccentric of human behaviours, all propelled by a story that is slow-paced but addictive. Let it be clear that the mystery is not solved till it gets solved: There are many slips between the celebrated author’s lips and the poison-laced tea cup.