Title: THE HOUSEKEEPERS
Author: Alex Hay
ISBN: 978 1525 8050 28
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 336
Source: NetGalley
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
The night of London’s grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs launch a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class.
Mrs King is no ordinary housekeeper. Born into a world of con artists and thieves, she’s made herself respectable, running the grandest home in Mayfair. The place is packed with treasures, a glittering symbol of wealth and power, but dark secrets lurk in the shadows.
When Mrs King is suddenly dismissed from her position, she recruits an eclectic group of women to join her in revenge: A black market queen out to settle her scores. An actress desperate for a magnificent part. A seamstress dreaming of a better life. And Mrs King’s predecessor, with her own desire for vengeance.
Their plan? On the night of the house’s highly anticipated costume ball—set to be the most illustrious of the year—they will rob it of its every possession, right under the noses of the distinguished guests and their elusive heiress host. But there’s one thing Mrs King wants even more than money: the truth. And she’ll run any risk to get it…
After all, one should never underestimate the women downstairs.
Official Summary
07 July 2023
I generally stay away from historical fiction, but The Housekeepers caught my eye when it was compared to Ocean’s 8. This made me curious and I had to find out what the fuss was about. When you reach for this book you can expect a bit of everything; mystery, intrigue, suspense, action and a heist that would give Ocean’s a run for its money.
This debut novel is lots of fun. It delivers some laughs while some serious subjects came up as well. The backdrop is a marvellous mansion filled with the division between upstairs and downstairs personas. The author brought 1905 London to life allowing you to experience the complex world of the turn of the 20th century.
Mrs King is the Housekeeper at the grandest house on Park Lane Mayfair until the butler finds her sneaking around the men’s quarters after hours. An instant dismissal leaves Mrs King out on the street. But this woman is no ordinary housekeeper. With revenge in mind, Mrs King gathers a group of friends to help her pull off the heist of the century. She is determined to steal everything from the mansion on Park Lane on the same night that the lady of the house has planned the ball of the century.
This book was an entertaining, intriguing read that held my interest right to the end. I found myself enjoying 1905 London and the surprises and twists along the way were brilliant.
The women in this book were fabulous. The characters were strong, determined, likeable women who left you rooting for their success. Mrs King was born into a world of con artists and thieves, she puts everything she has learned from these people to use as she plans the perfect heist. She may be a villain – but she steals your heart and wins your support.
This was a rather unusual choice of book for me, but I must admit I loved it. I will be looking at historical fiction a little differently after reading this one.
If you enjoy historical fiction, then you won’t want to miss this debut novel. This book is lots of fun and will keep you on the edge of your seat as go along for the ride. I absolutely recommend you give this book a try – even if historical fiction is not your thing.
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About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Alex Hay grew up in Cambridge and Cardiff and has been writing as long as he can remember. He studied History at the University of York and wrote his dissertation on female power at royal courts, combing the archives for every scrap of drama and skulduggery he could find. He has worked in magazine publishing and the charity sector and is a graduate of the Curtis Brown Write Your Novel course. The Housekeepers is his debut novel and won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. Alex lives with his husband in South East London.
A big thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for including me on this blog tour – this book was a fun read, and I will be looking at historical fiction a little differently from now on.
As always, thanks to you for visiting the blog and reading my review. When you add this book to your TBR, remember to drop me a line to share your thoughts. Or leave a comment below.
Sounds like a great read!
Yep, I enjoyed it
Thanks for the blog tour support x
Always a pleasure