Nita Prose is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid. With over 2 million copies sold, the cozy mystery has reached readers all over the world and spawned subsequent sequels in the Molly the Maid series. Now, Prose has released a holiday novella, The Mistletoe Mystery with the cozy cast you love at Christmastime. We got the chance to talk to Nita about her new story and the Molly-led adventure her literary career has been on.

Tell us about your new book, The Mistletoe Mystery.

It’s the holiday season. Molly from The Maid, like many of us, finds herself taking stock of her life at this special time of year—thinking about family, friends, and her beloved boyfriend, Juan Manuel, whom she’s lived with for several years. But Molly finds herself with a new mystery to solve, and this one is very close to heart and home.

This novel is a celebration of the holiday season.  It’s a reminder that what really matters at Christmas isn’t the value of a gift but the spirit of generosity that comes with it.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What inspired you to write a holiday novella?

This novella was partly inspired by O. Henry’s wonderful short story, “The Gift of the Magi,” a tale that reminds us gift-giving isn’t about consumerism but about thoughtfulness. Molly has her own “Magi moments” in The Mistletoe Mystery where generosity reveals itself­ in surprising and hopefully inspiring ways.

How do you feel Molly has changed (or grown) over the course of your series?

The Molly we meet in The Maid is dealing with the grief and loss of her grandmother who served as a navigational force in her life. In that novel, she finds herself truly alone for the first time ever. But in The Mystery Guest, she’ coming into her own, building her own social life and becoming confident in herself for the very first time. In The Mistletoe Mystery, however, she still grapples with the shadows of the past and her own self-doubt.

What are some holiday traditions you look forward to? (If they are also reading/writing related… bonus points!)

The food! I love a good holiday meal, complete with all the fixings, and I’m lucky that my family does, too. I also love the post-gift-giving-and-feast glow, when family members have a chance to play with new toys and try out new gifts. For me, there’s nothing like starting a brand-new book over the holidays and reading it in pyjamas under a comfy blanket with cookies fresh out of the oven.

You’ve seen the publishing industry from both angles—both as an author and working internally—as we wrap up another great year of reading, do you have any predictions for the book industry in 2025?

There are often rumors of doom and gloom in the publishing industry, but the good news is that people continue to read, proving that books are not going anywhere.

What books and authors have inspired your writing?

Fredrik Backman, Gail Honeyman, Liz Nugent, Agatha Christie.

What has surprised you the most on your journey with the Molly the Maid series?

I’m so pleased and “delighted,” as Molly would say, at the reader response to the series. Readers have embraced Molly and really do root for her. I find this both inspiring and hopeful.

Do you have any updates on your film adaptation? How involved are you in the process?

No updates at present. : )

Can you give us a hint about any upcoming projects?

Next April, I’ll publish the next Molly installment, entitled The Maid’s Secret, a dramatic heist novel mixed with an epic, star-crossed love story. For the first time ever, readers will get to hear from Gran herself!