Born into a world of con artists and thieves, Mrs. King is no ordinary housekeeper. She's very respectable, she's very good at her job, and she runs the grandest home in Mayfair-- a huge house packed to the rafters with treasures, with wealth, with power, and with dark secrets.
When Mrs. King is fired, she recruits an eclectic gang of women to join her in revenge. Her plan? On the night of the house's highly anticipated costume ball, this group of women will empty the house of every one of its treasures-- including the curtains and carpets-- right from under the noses of the guests and the host. You see, Mrs. King wants more than the money these treasures will bring; she wants the truth.
Never underestimate the women downstairs.
~
I've loved a good heist story since I was a teenager. There's just something about vicariously getting one over on the rich and shameless. So when I learned about Alex Hay's The Housekeepers, I grabbed a copy and tucked in with enthusiasm.
The book has a definite Dickensian feel to it with its descriptions of the setting (the smell of dead mice under the floorboards being common, for one!), the characters' names, and the scope of the heist is incredible, too. I mean, who's ever heard of robbing a huge mansion of everything down to the floorboards? With something on such a monumental scale, setting the stage takes some time, and as the story unfolds, readers quickly learn that there's more to this story than mere theft. There are family connections to unravel, there are motivations to uncover. And as these things are revealed, the shadows in the halls of this opulent mansion take on a sinister feel. No one should linger long in these passageways.
There is so much to like about The Housekeepers, but I found the writing style so... subdued... is the only word I can think of... that I found it difficult to become fully engaged in the story. However, I do like how Alex Hays' mind works, and I will be looking for his next book.
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
ISBN: 9781525805004
Graydon House Books © 2023
Hardcover, 368 pages
Historical Thriller, Standalone
Rating: B-
Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen.
It sounds like a really interesting premise for a story, Cathy! And what a great idea for a protagonist! I get what you mean about the writing style, though. Still, I can see how it would be appealing to follow these characters around!
ReplyDeleteFollowing them around was what kept me reading the book.
DeleteYeah...no, I think I'll give this one a pass. The concept just seems a bit too unbelievable. I think my reading time would become nitpicking time which is no way to enjoy a book.
ReplyDeleteNo, it's not.
DeleteI do find the general plot outline to be an interesting one, but these days I find myself giving up on books when the writing style doesn't flow well, especially if I find myself constantly having to reread sentences to make sure I got the point being made. I'll take a pass on this one, I think.
ReplyDeleteIt's not as though we don't have TBR piles tall enough to crush an elephant, right? ;-)
DeleteFor sure...I'm starting to wonder if it's time to cull the TBR itself. There's almost no point in adding to it anymore the way that it is.
DeleteI've culled my TBR several times.
DeleteThe premise of this one is very fun. It's too bad the writing style wasn't more engaging.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely needed to be a bit more lively.
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