REVIEW: The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
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.
CW: mental illness, violence, classism, alcohol use, sexual assault
Dear Alex Hay,
This sounded delicious. When I was approved for an arc, I think I clapped my hands with glee. Who doesn’t want to see “put upon” people finally getting their revenge? That it’s set in 1905 just added to my interest. How on Earth were five women going to strip a house down to its mouseholes while a lavish party was in progress? I couldn’t wait to find out.
Mrs. King is, of course, not her real name nor has there ever been any Mr. King. For three years she’s run a largest and most vulgar house on Park Lane in London. It was built by a ruthless man who, funded by a relative, went to South Africa during the diamond rush and came home with enough money to make anyone’s eyes pop. Did he care that the house was vulgar? Of course not as he had enough money that his neighbor’s ideas about his taste didn’t matter. Now he’s dead though and one woman wants revenge.
She’d been running the idea through her head for a month before she was suddenly sacked. But if she presents it the right way – the correct way – then she’ll have a backer who can front the initial expenses that will earn seven women (because seven is a lucky number) a fortune. Luckily she already knows whom to approach and how to lay out the plan. The backer will need to check things out first hand though before buying in and a few of the other women will need to be inserted into place as well. Meanwhile, one person will keep an eye on the new mistress, one will train a cadre of actors, and Mrs. King will keep an eye on it all. Can they actually pull it off?
I had no idea how they were going to do it and once the plans began to unfold, I wondered how there would be enough from the haul – magnificent as it seemed it would be – to pay everyone off. A lot of cleverness went into it. A lot of planning was done. It was lucky that Mrs. King could read (most) people well enough to judge to a nicety how they would respond. She was usually correct.
Still a good heist story needs not only interesting robbers with reasons for us to pull for them but also some last-minute snags and unforeseen events. The book has both. Mrs. Bones is not a woman to cross under any circumstances as she’s been ruthlessly running her patch of London for decades. She will, however, snatch women from the common fate of females without protection, as she did with the Janes, two women enough alike to pass as sisters who also have remarkable skills.
It’s Mrs. Bones who discovers a dark secret in the house which uncovers the truth behind another woman’s sudden dismissal three years before and her reason for joining the heist. And Mrs. King’s half-sister will face a temptation even as she hides from and fears the results of an earlier attempt to follow her dream. There’s another prickly woman I never truly got a good handle on. I think I might know why she also left the household but that’s nothing but a guess.
The plan is bold, daring, and audacious. It relies on some advanced planning and expecting normal human reactions from people. There is timing involved but no split-second fuses nor does anyone peel off a fake “Mission Impossible” facial mask. Some ropes and rappelling does take place. I like that there’s an even mix between the heist, the women, why some of them (the ones not only after enough money to set them up for life) are doing this, and the justice that is found for ones who were done terribly wrong. I wish the little ferret faced errand boy had been dealt a round of rough and ready. But for the rest, they find what they’re seeking even if perhaps they didn’t realize exactly what they sought. B
~Jayne
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Whoo. This sounds good. Thanks for reviewing it.
@LML: I think it took me less than two days to read it. It’s a book that when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it.
I have this in my wish list, the premise sounded crazy enough to attract my attention. Your review, as usual, means this is a good choice. Thanks.
@Darlynne: “crazy enough to attract my attention”
Yep, I find myself attracted to those kinds of books, too.