【 THE HOUSEKEEPERS 】

If Downton Abbey was written by Agatha Christie, this is what you’d get.

Genre: Crime/mystery
Author: Alex Hay
Published: July 2023
Publisher: Hachette
Pages: 399 (paperback)

And honestly, what more could you want? Thank you to Hachette for sending me a copy for review, this was a really fun read. Easy, entertaining and filled with strong women supporting each other, you’re in for a good time.

I found all of the characters really intriguing in this, and there were so many subplots going on. At times, I found it a touch confusing as something big would be alluded to and throw me, and then gradually throughout that chapter it would be explained. I felt a bit on the back foot in these moments, but it sure did raise the stakes. I do think this would have been 100% still amazing without them, and maybe less confusing at times.

But more importantly, I just loved the atmosphere. The cunning, the planning and the daring goals of the women were so much fun to read about. The execution of the heist is great fun, it has you tearing through pages as they attempt to pull it off, all amidst a grand ball.

This book gets brownie points for me for being an irresistible setting, set in a well-loved era and adding an addictively dramatic event.

If you’re looking for your next easy, cosy, soft-British-crime read, this is it.

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Title: The Housekeepers
Author: Alex Hay
Purchase: Angus & Robertson
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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.