Call number
MYST HAY
Collections
Genres
Publication
Graydon House (2023), Edition: Original, 368 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML:The 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 Named a Best Book of Summer by The Washington Post * Good Housekeeping * Harper's Bazaar * Reader's Digest "Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this." �??Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary 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. "A deliciously clever novel... You'll never have so much fun cheering on grand larceny." �??Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair, a Reese's Book Club Pi… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member kmartin802
THE HOUSEKEEPERS was an entertaining heist story set in London 1904. A group of women from the working class decide to strip the house of recently deceased Wilhelm deVries from top to bottom during a ball held by his daughter.
Each of the women has their own reason to want revenge on deVries and the
Fans of heist stories and of the time period will enjoy this one.
Each of the women has their own reason to want revenge on deVries and the
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plot twists and turns as each reason is revealed. The story was filled with twists and turns. It is a rather grim story spending a lot of time in the underworld that supports the glorious upper class with their homes, fashions, and folderols. Fans of heist stories and of the time period will enjoy this one.
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LibraryThing member Twink
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
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.
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
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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.
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LibraryThing member VanessaCW
The servants in a prestigious house in Mayfair are plotting an elaborate heist. To all intents and purposes it’s going to be the crime of the century if all goes to plan. Will they pull it off? Pick up the book to find out!
This is an unusual and fascinating tale, it’s very different. It’s
This is an unusual and fascinating tale, it’s very different. It’s
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written in the present tense in a quirky and engaging style. It’s full of colourful, well drawn characters. The Edwardian era is depicted wonderfully, giving a great sense of time and place. The plot is quite complicated - there’s a lot going on at the same time so some concentration is needed. If I did have to nitpick I would say that I found the pace a little slow at times but, nevertheless, it’s a very enjoyable read. I read this book via the Pigeonhole app, one stave at a time over a period of ten days. Reading other pigeons’ thoughts adds to the fun especially with a story like this one! 🙂 Show Less
LibraryThing member Sucharita1986
The Housekeepers by Alex Hay is a heist fiction drama with full of planning and action. The first few pages felt boring, and I was even thinking of leaving it. But, still wanted to give it a shot, and it turned out to be a different one. It would be my first book on heist, and I really liked it.
Definitely, 4 stars for the book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to be a part of the blog tour.
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The characters are definitely something to think about. They are professional and strong, love what they do and of course women. The plot ended totally different from what started. You need to have patience to finish the book, as it is not going to absorb you right away.Definitely, 4 stars for the book. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to be a part of the blog tour.
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LibraryThing member bookchickdi
Alex Hay's intriguing historical mystery novel The Housekeepers has a lot of balls in the air. Set in the early 20th century, it begins with Mrs. King, who runs a grand Mayfair home, being dismissed from her prestigious position for the crime of being seen going into one of the male worker's
Mrs. King does not intend to take this firing lightly and plots her revenge against the unpleasant young woman who has inherited the stately manor from her recently deceased father. She will rob the home of all of its possessions on the night of a grand ball, held to impress a wealthy suitor for the new mistress of the mansion.
Mrs. King rounds up a posse of women who each have something they want- the queen of the black market with connections to the everyone in the criminal underground, a young seamstress who becomes the confidant of the mistress and whose loyalty becomes confused, and a fading actress looking to create the performance of a lifetime.
Each of these women has a reason for participating, and as their secret connections are revealed one by one, the reader is surprised and taken aback (in a good way). As Mrs. King learns more about nefarious events that took place in the home, she becomes even more determined to get justice.
The story can be a bit outrageous- Mrs. King and her cohorts plan to strip the manor of its entire contents, furniture and all, while the home is filled with revelers- but it is interesting reading how it is done. Think Downton Abbey meets Ocean's Eleven and add in the #MeToo movement, and you've got The Housekeepers, a caper story with serious undertones. It would make a fantastic movie, and if you liked Deanna Raybourn's recent novel, Killer of a Certain Age, The Houskeepers is your next good read.
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rooms.Mrs. King does not intend to take this firing lightly and plots her revenge against the unpleasant young woman who has inherited the stately manor from her recently deceased father. She will rob the home of all of its possessions on the night of a grand ball, held to impress a wealthy suitor for the new mistress of the mansion.
Mrs. King rounds up a posse of women who each have something they want- the queen of the black market with connections to the everyone in the criminal underground, a young seamstress who becomes the confidant of the mistress and whose loyalty becomes confused, and a fading actress looking to create the performance of a lifetime.
Each of these women has a reason for participating, and as their secret connections are revealed one by one, the reader is surprised and taken aback (in a good way). As Mrs. King learns more about nefarious events that took place in the home, she becomes even more determined to get justice.
The story can be a bit outrageous- Mrs. King and her cohorts plan to strip the manor of its entire contents, furniture and all, while the home is filled with revelers- but it is interesting reading how it is done. Think Downton Abbey meets Ocean's Eleven and add in the #MeToo movement, and you've got The Housekeepers, a caper story with serious undertones. It would make a fantastic movie, and if you liked Deanna Raybourn's recent novel, Killer of a Certain Age, The Houskeepers is your next good read.
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LibraryThing member cathyskye
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
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 book has a definite Dickensian feel to it with its
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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.
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
Such a good premise but with lackluster execution. The idea of a group of women normally relegated to the servants' quarters in the early 1900s pulling off a heist in a grand house has so much potential but the author neglects to engage the reader and throws in too many subplots and side
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characters. The fun of a big heist story is watching the characters think on their feet when their intricate plans inevitably hit a snag. Since the reader isn't told the details of the plan, it is difficult to know what exactly is happening and how other events might complicate matters. In terms of character development, the main characters have a tendency to hint about the past, leaving the reader to guess at what happened to them, what their relationship is now, and how it developed. The two "Janes" and their rare, but blunt, opinions are the most amusing part of the story and certain scenes stand out visually but an overall camaraderie of thieves is missing and the plot gets pulled in too many directions. Show Less
LibraryThing member Maydacat
What is the first thing you think of when you are let go from a job? Why, revenge, of course, with a capital R. What should have been a really intense story somehow misses the mark. Maybe it’s the lack of focus, or maybe there are just too many characters with too many stories and too many
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subplots. Mrs. King is, in her mind, is unjustly fired from her job as housekeeper. Now, she wants revenge and money. But more than that, she wants answers. Someone is keeping a secret, and she wants proof. The group of people Mrs. King recruits to help in her quest are a motley group for sure. The most entertaining and clearly the winner among the characters are two women known collectively as “the Janes.” They should have had a bigger role in the story! As a debut novel, this shows promise of better writing to come. The premise is good, but the story would have been better with a narrower and sharper focus. It will be interesting to see how Alex Hay handles his future novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member rmarcin
A wild caper / heist set in the early 1900s.
Mrs. King is dismissed from her job, and she plans to get revenge and take what is hers. She plans a major heist of the DeVries family treasures, involving many of the housemaids and staff, as well as Mrs. Bone.
Miss DeVries is planning a costume party
A fun and enjoyable heist story, where you root for the underdog!
Mrs. King is dismissed from her job, and she plans to get revenge and take what is hers. She plans a major heist of the DeVries family treasures, involving many of the housemaids and staff, as well as Mrs. Bone.
Miss DeVries is planning a costume party
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ball after her father's death, and is seeking a suitor. Mrs. King decides that this would be the perfect night to put her plan into action. But, Mrs. King isn't only seeking treasure, she wants the truth, the acknowledgment of her birthright. A fun and enjoyable heist story, where you root for the underdog!
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LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for:
Fans of mysteries set in a different time.
In a nutshell:
Mrs King has been let go from the fancy De Vries household, where she served as a housekeeper. She now has a plan to pull off the most dramatic heist London has ever seen.
Worth quoting:
“Choose your first move wisely, and you could
Why I chose it:
I was looking for something interesting but somewhat mindless as I’ve been having some trouble finishing the non-fiction books I’ve started reading lately (I have three I’m in the middle of right now).
What it left me feeling:
Decently satisfied.
Review:
This was a fun book with some darkness in it, which I appreciate. Set in London in the early 1900s, nearly the entire story is told from the perspectives of people who society overlooks: housekeepers, servants, shopkeepers, those living in poverty, those trying to get by outside the system because the system doesn’t work for them.
We open with Mrs King being fired from her job as head housekeeper in the De Vries household. One imagines she would be disappointed to lose a job without anything else lined up, and no references, but she’s calm. And we later learn why: she is planning the greatest heist of her former employer.
There are a few characters in the book, including the lady of the manor, a deceased lord of the manor, and many players (all women) helping to lead the heist. But there are some unexpected bits, and until the end it’s not clear what will happen, which is delightful. It’s a fun read that is as described on the tin.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
Fans of mysteries set in a different time.
In a nutshell:
Mrs King has been let go from the fancy De Vries household, where she served as a housekeeper. She now has a plan to pull off the most dramatic heist London has ever seen.
Worth quoting:
“Choose your first move wisely, and you could
Show More
steer things any way you liked.”Why I chose it:
I was looking for something interesting but somewhat mindless as I’ve been having some trouble finishing the non-fiction books I’ve started reading lately (I have three I’m in the middle of right now).
What it left me feeling:
Decently satisfied.
Review:
This was a fun book with some darkness in it, which I appreciate. Set in London in the early 1900s, nearly the entire story is told from the perspectives of people who society overlooks: housekeepers, servants, shopkeepers, those living in poverty, those trying to get by outside the system because the system doesn’t work for them.
We open with Mrs King being fired from her job as head housekeeper in the De Vries household. One imagines she would be disappointed to lose a job without anything else lined up, and no references, but she’s calm. And we later learn why: she is planning the greatest heist of her former employer.
There are a few characters in the book, including the lady of the manor, a deceased lord of the manor, and many players (all women) helping to lead the heist. But there are some unexpected bits, and until the end it’s not clear what will happen, which is delightful. It’s a fun read that is as described on the tin.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Donate it
Show Less
LibraryThing member clamato
I am not much for historical fiction but read the inside cover blurb at a drug store and thought it might be interesting. It was okay till i read a line where someone said an expression that I am willing to bet really good money on that was NOT a saying in 1905! It completely threw me off - yes I
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am that sensitive! ha ha but it did and i found myself skipping over things waiting for the damn heist to begin and got bored with it. Show Less
LibraryThing member quirkylibrarian
A lively romp with some very dark aspects. Wildly unrealistic and a gay character awkwardly thrown in for what- to be in vogue? But amusing in an Ocean’s 11-on-steroids way.
Awards
Pages
368
ISBN
1525805002 / 9781525805004