Content Warning: This section of the guide refers to the source text’s depiction of alcohol addiction and sexual violence.

Molly recalls a story that her gran told her about a maid whose wealthy employers blamed her for stealing a silver spoon. Despite her apologies and protestations, she was humiliated and dismissed. Years later, the house was redone, and the mummified body of a rat was found under the floor alongside a single silver spoon.

Molly is now the head maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a position she is proud to have achieved by working her way up from the bottom. Molly’s deceased grandmother was also a maid, and Molly still hears her voice giving her advice during tricky situations. One such situation occurred this morning when a famous mystery writer named J.D. Grimthorpe died in the hotel’s tearoom. Because Molly and her gran used to work for Mr. Grimthorpe directly, Molly knows that he is irritable and badly behaved. He was going to make an important announcement that morning to a large crowd of reporters and fans, including the Ladies Auxiliary Mystery Book Society members (LAMBS). He asked for tea just before he spoke and put extra honey in his cup with the help of