Tuesday, July 4, 2023

The Housekeepers - Alex Hay

Oh. My. Gosh. The Housekeepers is Alex Hay's brilliant debut novel. 

Say the word 'heist' and I'll watch it, or in this case, read it. (Plus that cover caught my eye.) 

Hay's heist takes place in 1905 London England. Hay does a wonderful job of bringing the time and place to life. Society and mores of the time play a large part in this tale. There's the rich, who want for nothing. And then there are the staff, those who cater to every whim and want of the upper-class. And then there's those outside the manor who do what they need to survive - the con men, thieves and more. 

Hay has created some truly memorable characters, each with their own reasons to undertake the heist of all heists. Mrs. King is the driving force behind the group of six women, all looking for retribution. There are tangled threads of connections amongst them that I didn't see coming. 

Their plan is audacious and bold and the reader can't help but behind them. The details of the 'how' are wonderfully imagined. 

From the author's notes - "And the thrill and joy of writing this novel was to imagine what might have happened if some of the women working below stairs had decided to claim some of that privilege for themselves."

What a inventive, ingenious, captivating read The Housekeepers was! Definitely in my top five for the year. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Housekeepers

I received a review copy of this title from the publisher. This in no way influences my opinions. 

2 comments:

Ethan said...

Like you, I'm a sucker for a good heist. Add in the historical setting, and I'm in. This one wasn't on my radar, but now it is on my TBR.

Luanne said...

Ethan, it's a must read! You're going to love it.