The Housekeepers: They come from nothing. But they'll leave with everything...

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The Housekeepers is a smartly written Downton Abbey like story with humor, intrigue and empowered women during the early 1900’s. When a group of housekeepers band together to plot the heist of the century from the estate of a recently departed wealthy businessman who it seems left everything to his narcissistic spoiled daughter, well, they have had enough. Especially because as housekeepers they see all and know all and it’s not pretty. The housekeepers plan the con of cons, and chaos ensues! The twists or secrets were not that big, in my opinion, and, at the end, it all felt farfetched. Also, the reason for the heist was a bit weak and unrealistic.

The Housekeepers | Alex Hay | 9781525805004 | NetGalley The Housekeepers | Alex Hay | 9781525805004 | NetGalley

The two lead scammers are Mrs. King who works as a housekeeper at The Mayfair a huge estate owned by the wealthy late Wilhelm de Vries in Park Lane London and Mrs. Bone, the owner of a pawnshop in town, but owner of much more. They have much in common, especially intelligence and a history of getting what they want. I was intrigued by the plot, setting and period - the promise of a good heist from a wealthy London mansion - all very ‘upstairs and downstairs’ vibes. There are secrets and revelations to keep readers engaged as the countdown to the big day plays out. How are the various characters connected? Why is Mrs King so driven? Is this plan feasible? The rich house descriptions and eclectic group of characters are certainly unique. Named a Best Book of Summer by The Washington Post * Good Housekeeping * Harper's Bazaar * Reader's Digest 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.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… Mrs. King plans to strip the de Vries house of all its opulence and wealth with the help of her crew of carefully recruited servants, from its priceless art on the walls to the books in its library, furniture, and plush carpets to all the silverware, until nothing is left.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay | Waterstones

Set in 1905 (but often with a more Victorian era vibe), from the blurb I expected a story about a good 'ol heist with a nod to Upstairs Downstairs. But the execution of the story, with its myriad of characters and subplots fell far short of my expectations. As with any good heist book or movie, we have only partial advance views of the plan, and Hay’s writing makes our experience of the actual execution a ton of fun. What gives it an extra dimension are the varying, and at times competing, motivations of the women.The latest to join this roster is Alex Hay’s debut novel, The Housekeepers, an Edwardian-era-set (1905 to be specific) heist thriller that enlists a group of lower-class women, all entrapped or debased by societal systems, to steal from the household of a wealthy scion of a new money family, creating an engaging and thoroughly enjoyable story set for mass appeal. Of course, things rarely go exactly according to plan, and there are hiccups along the way. The night of the ball is fraught with difficulties, and Mrs. King and her team of workers must adapt and think on their feet to escape the notice of others. I adored the incredible women Mrs King draws from the underbelly of Edwardian London to pull off her outlandish endeavour – each with their own score to settle and very particular take on morality – and couldn’t help but urge them on in their pursuit of revenge, riches and the truth.” That being said, Alex Hay does a spectacular job of navigating sensitive issues and topics in his engaging prose without veering into an exploitative territory. I pledge allegiance to this plan, and to the bonds herein defined - with firm intent, free will, in ridicule of all doubt and fear.’

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay - Fantastic Fiction The Housekeepers by Alex Hay - Fantastic Fiction

Punch-the-air good, this is the Edwardian heist novel you never knew you needed. Flawless, lawless fun." - Kiran Millwood Hargrave London. When Mrs King is suddenly dismissed from her position as housekeeper at the de Vries home, she isn't worried because she has an ace plan up her sleeve. On the night of the de Vries's ball coming up about three weeks later, Mrs King, along with her carefully chosen group of six women, will strip the de Vries mansion of its valuables. Is this just a revenge for being fired, or does Mrs King have some ulterior motive? How will this heist proceed? The novel, which won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022, follows the story of Mrs King, who on being unfairly dismissed from her position as a housekeeper in one of the grandest houses in London recruits an eclectic group of women from the fringes of society to launch an audacious robbery and enact her revenge.My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Housekeepers”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. It’s 1905, the somber colors and repressive sensibilities of the Victorian era are gone along with the 19th century, and the glittering Edwardian era is in its full if brief splendor of wretched excess in the pursuit of pleasure while so-called ‘Radicals’ agitated towards reform and the world lurched towards the Great War that upended society, killed a generation of young men and hastened the British Empire towards its sunset.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay – Deborah the Book Junkie The Housekeepers by Alex Hay – Deborah the Book Junkie

A lush and exhilarating heist novel that deftly explores the splendour, decadence and corruption of upper class living in Edwardian London — through the eyes of the women who know it best. The Housekeepers by Alex Hay is a great historical fiction that has it all: mystery, intrigue, suspense, action, and a heist like no other. Enter Dinah King (or Mrs. King as she’s referred to throughout the story), housekeeper to the late Mr. de Vries, who has been dismissed from her position and seizes the opportunity to exact her revenge by planning the most daring robbery of the century under the very nose of Miss de Vries and her privileged invitees. Named a Best Book of Summer by The Washington Post * Good Housekeeping * Harper's Bazaar * Reader's DigestThe night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs plot a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class