Molly

Molly is the protagonist and first person narrator of The Maid. The novel transpires in the days following Molly’s discovery of Mr. Black’s body. At the outset of the narrative, Molly introduces herself as an archetypal maid and defines herself as her vocation. She uses her uniform and maid persona to hide from herself and others. After finding the dead tycoon at the hotel where she works, Molly’s life is upended and she is forced to grapple with questions of identity she previously avoided.

Throughout the novel, Molly is uncomfortable with social situations, afraid of misinterpreting linguistic cues and being teased. Without her grandmother’s counsel, Molly feels alone and incapable of engaging in social activities. She uses memories of Gran, who is dead in the narrative present, to help navigate new settings, people, and social situations. When Molly must confront her social anxiety she...