While it is still summer right now, my mind is already in autumn. There is nothing like a chilly afternoon or evening where you curl up with a good book and escape. And that goes double if the book includes a mystery. This book lets you into the mystery in some ways but keeps you in the dark in other ways, making it an even better choice for a binge read. For this week’s Book Bite, let’s chat about The Housekeepers by Alex Hay!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Housekeepers, Alex Hay
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.
Why You Should Read This…
Wow. I knew from the description alone that I had to read this novel. However, I did not expect the entertaining and thrilling book that I got. If you combined Downton Abbey and Ocean’s 8, you would have The Housekeepers. And that kept me hooked from start to finish.
This is a novel in the Ocean’s style, meaning that there are a lot of characters to keep track of- this “cast” is full of fascinating women who all have their own stories to tell. And if I’m being honest, their life stories (and motivation to do the heist) drew me in as much as the heist itself. As yes, you will notice that I said women; the men are very much in the background and quite frankly, that gives the story more room to breath.
The only slight “warning” I have for this novel is to read it in as few settings as possible, as the heist has a lot of moving parts and you will need to be paying attention to keep track of it. I read this in two settings, roughly 50% in one go, and I felt like that let me follow all of the action.
Finally, I didn’t expect the twists and turns throughout. Or I should say, I expected there to be some but not the specific ones that come along. Hay does a fantastic job of weaving the threads throughout so that once it happens, you can see how we got there without standing out along the way.
Is The Housekeepers by Alex Hay on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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