The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel

The value of unnoticed work is examined from many different angles as the novel progresses. Because the protagonist and her grandmother are career maids, the theme pertains most strongly to their largely unnoticed and undervalued work. However, Molly often finds ways to subvert these assumptions and emphasize her inherent value. Molly’s direct confrontation of the reader’s assumptions shows that although she knows that the world undervalues her job, she feels strongly enough about it to disagree. As she states, “You think my job is lowly, that it’s a position meriting shame, not pride. […] You are dead wrong” (6). Both Molly and her grandmother take pride in their jobs, and Gran’s practice of using cleaning as a form of therapy also emphasizes the fact that their work has positive effects. In times of stress, Molly always recalls Gran saying, “Deep cleaning gives life meaning. Just grab a duster, Buster” (153), and this memory makes her feel better about engaging in work that will inevitably go unnoticed.

By eventually convincing Detective Stark of the inherent value of her work, Molly symbolically makes the same statement to society at large. Her success in changing Stark’s outlook is a distinct victory for Molly, and by the end of the novel, Stark even compares her own work to Molly’s, saying that they both “clean up all the messes people leave behind” (257). Molly and Gran’s positive reclamation of their work helps to show their resilience and emphasizes their inherent dignity in the face of adversity. Their pride in their work is not dependent on the recognition of others, and this mindset strengthens them against the cruelty of the world. Thus, they stand in contrast with other characters who base their self-worth on external factors. Cheryl is a good example of this dynamic, for her resentful declaration that she is underpaid suggests her underlying belief that her unnoticed work as a maid should gain greater recognition. While she is mostly using this argument to justify her theft, she does make valid points about the fact that people do not see or value her type of work. Instead of developing pride in what she is doing, however, she lets the feelings of society shape how she feels about her job. Cheryl’s personal form of resistance is to do as poor a job as possible and to take what she can get, and for this reason, she does not pass up the opportunity to steal valuable items.

This theme is presented from a different angle when Mr. Preston continues to engage in unsung attempts to help the Gray women over the years; his love and support are deeply valuable despite the fact they are hidden until the end of the novel. In the past, Mr. Preston was denied the ability to help Gran raise their child, yet he continually strove to do what he could, patiently offering help until Gran finally accepted his assistance with issues such as replacing the stolen rent money. He never stops caring for the Gray women, and after Gran’s death, he is constantly by Molly’s side to make sure that she has a safe place to land metaphorically and physically, such as when she faints at the Social (195). Throughout the novel, he is content to have his work remain unnoticed, and it is only at the novel’s conclusion that he finally reveals that he is Molly’s grandfather. Mr. Preston’s storyline therefore shows that there are many different ways of seeing value. For characters like Cheryl, value can only be measured by a mix of money and respect, but for Mr. Preston, being able to help his loved ones is his highest calling. Ensuring the happiness and safety of the people he cares about is its own reward, and he needs no credit or recognition for his efforts.

Nita Prose also presents a more negative example of this theme in the unnoticed work of Grimthorpe’s ghostwriter and secretary. According to Serena, Abigail Sharpe labored for years to write quality mystery novels, remaining unnoticed and undervalued because she didn’t want to lose her stable job even though she deserved much better. When Grimthorpe reaps the rewards of her hard work and enjoys an unearned reputation as a literary giant, Abigail’s unnoticed work becomes her curse. Serena makes it clear that Grimthorpe has always taken advantage of Abigail in many ways, keeping her under his thumb. In this case, the value of Abigail Sharpe’s unnoticed work is vast, for it is enough to make Grimthorpe into a moral monster and Serena into a murder suspect. As with her other themes, Prose examines the value of unnoticed work from multiple angles, showing positive and negative examples. By the end of the novel, however, Prose demonstrates that even unnoticed work carries its own inherent rewards.