TL;DR: Feeling a little rusty reviewing new books after spending the last week counting down my 50 favorite books from the past 5 years, but time to get back to it. I really enjoyed this period mystery, part OCEAN’S ELEVEN, part DOWNTON ABBEY, about a group of housemaids who plan an elaborate revenge heist to steal every single item out of the house of the wealthy family they work for. I wish there had been more focus on the execution of the heist itself, but it’s a small complaint, and overall I found this to be soapy, scandalous, and serious fun; it’s easy breezy beach reading and a really enjoyable book for those looking for something to get them out of a reading slump. I listened to a good chunk of it on audio and found the narrator to be just delightful. Thanks to my friends at @graydonhousebooks for the gifted copy!

In English writer Alex Hay's glittering debut novel, The Housekeepers, a band of disgruntled employees and their criminal cronies seek revenge via a heist on a London mansion in 1905. When Dinah King is dismissed from her position at the de Vries' grand home on Park Lane, she immediately concocts a plan. Three weeks from now, Miss de Vries plans to host a costume ball she hopes will coincide with her engagement to Lord Ashley. With the help of two black-market mavens--pawnshop owner Mrs. Bone and Winnie Smith, Mrs. King's predecessor as housekeeper--along with a bevy of faux maids, actresses, and crooked cops, Mrs. King intends to clear the house of its opulent contents, sell them, and live off of the profits.

The countdown to the ball sets a rollicking pace. Hay gradually unfolds the various players' motivations to create an intriguing backstory. Wilhelm de Vries, who died just two months ago, was faking a posh background and, in fact, Mrs. King believes she has a legitimate claim to his riches. Others want vengeance for the abuses that went on under his roof. The ball is a showy affair that Hay describes with panache. The entertainment and the burglary alike involve circus-level feats of disguise and agility. Hired actresses add a veneer of nobility that distracts from the large-scale theft. Some characters, like Alice the seamstress, bridge the upstairs-downstairs divide. The ensemble cast is a delight of this delicious, Downton Abbey-like tale of the reversal of fortunes.

If this were movie it would be an all female Edwardian heist film with a touch of Peaky Blinders. When wealthy diamond merchant De Vies dies his daughter plans a big ball to seal the deal of her marriage. She also fires her housekeeper, Mrs. King. None of these people are exactly what they seem. Mrs. King has connections and plans a big heist to empty the wealthy mansion on the night of the ball. The crew is made up of an interesting group of women, all with particular skills and secrets. This is a fun read.

Mrs. King may have been born into a world of con artists and thieves, but 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 is to rob the house of every possession, right out from under the noses of the distinguished guests and their heiress host, on the night of the house’s highly anticipated costume ball.

This book was so much fun. You should never underestimate a woman, you know, especially one on a mission. I loved the cast of characters, every one of them was unique. I think my favorite may have been the two Janes. They were hilarious. The plotting in the middle of the book seemed to drag on a little bit, but once the night of the ball came, it was non-stop chaos. A bit comedy of errors, there were several things that went wrong, and you were sure that they were going to be found out. I liked that the book finished up by telling where everyone ended up and how they spent their "earnings". Overall I would give this a solid 4.

This book is for those who enjoy shows like Downton Abbey, a glimpse into those who help the upper class, making sure their lives run smoothly. The House Keepers by Alex Hay centers around Mrs. King, a housekeeper in charge of running a huge home with servants and making sure everything ticks along like clockwork. But what happens when a woman like Mrs. King wants to get revenge on the people who employed her after being let go from her position?



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.

This entertaining read is out now.

A wonderful, fast-paced and twisty take on Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, focusing on the lives and ambitions of the staff and former staff. Despite the non-stop action, this also is a character-driven novel, with plenty of quirky and memorable characters. If you like to root for the underdogs, you'll enjoy this well-planned and colorful heist story.

THE HOUSEKEEPERS is the historical heist novel you never knew you needed to read. It is entertaining and quick-moving, all with the pomp and circumstance of the early 20th century. Hay effortlessly brings together a unique cast of characters to pull off a subterfuge on the grandest scale.

If you were planning to steal everything in a home, how would you do it? For the reader, finding out the answer to that question is the fun of reading this book. Mrs. King and her band of thieves have a plan fueled by revenge, a desire to prove themselves, and a little greed. Though the secrets, lies, and underhanded actions only make the story juicer, the heist, and the party propel the novel forward with the intrigue and grandness of it all. However, it is the intimate moments with the characters as well as how the author addresses the class and gender issues of the time, that adds a much-needed balance and refreshing honesty to the narrative.

This book takes all the best parts of a historical novel and seamlessly blends it with a suspenseful, carefully curated theft. Then you have the ladies downstairs to add a bit of gumption, flare, and wit. What more can you want? A must-read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel. At LibLearnX in New Orleans, I had heard it pitched as Oceans 11 meets Downton Abbey and I knew that I had to read it as I LOVE a good heist book! I read it in one evening as the plot moves along pretty quickly and you want to know the motivation of the characters so you keep flipping pages.
I really liked how the book kept surprising me which seldom happens. There’s a large cast of female characters and they are well-developed and distinct from one another.
I think this would make a good book club book as there is much to discuss.
I received an e-arc from NetGalley and a print arc at ALA Chicago 2023.

This was a fun read, perfect for summer reading. Think Oceans 8 but instead of pulling a heist at the Met gala, it’s a 1900's heist being pulled at a Downton Abbey style mansion during a prestigious ball by a group of thieves who were previously employed as the help. The characters backstories are all connected and are slowly revealed as you progress through the caper.

I love a good heist story and this book delivers! The premise is like Ocean's 8 meets the Victorian era (or maybe the Edwardian? I'm not sure). I enjoyed how all the housekeepers banned together to pull off this heist and it was a lot of fun to see all the obstacles that they need to overcome. I was excited to see whether or not they would be able to pull it off. I would love to see these ladies try their hands at thieving again!

Oceans 8 meets Downton Abbey

This was a good tale of a group of housekeepers and other downstairs workers in an early 1900s London mansion who try to pull off the theft of the contents of the house. All of the contents, While a costume ball is being held.

The story was good. There were some very good characters and some creative thievery. Each housekeeper had her own reason for wanting in on the caper and some of the stories were great, My only complaint was that it fell apart a little at the end. A few of the main characters left a lot of money on the table and that didn't ring true to me. They were all broke and looking for a way out. But, otherwise it was a great book.

4/5

Someone described this book as a Bridgeton take on Ocean Eleven, and I think that’s a pretty accurate description. In 1900s London a group of cast aside women come together to execute the a heist and right the scales.

There were a few things taken a bit too dark for the tone of the book for me, but overall a quick enjoyable read.

The concept of this book was excellent. I really love the idea of it... the execution fell flat for me. I did not feel connected to the characters which is huge for me. The story was a bit convoluted. Just don't think it was for me!

The text is quite wordy and I only managed to get through 20% before completely giving up. Unfortunately, I did not find the storyline and characters relatable or engaging.

This is a fun heist story that does a good job of entertaining the reader.

I don't necessarily see the Downton comparisons. Except that both take place on a large estate during the early 1900s, the stories and vibes are pretty different.

The conspiracy hatched in THE HOUSEKEEPERS is somewhat intricate but nonetheless easy to follow. Some steps really require the reader to suspend their disbelief and just go with the flow.

Various obstacles are thrown in their way, which they handle with aplomb.

Recommended for fans of the Oceans 11 movie franchise and readers looking for a fun Robin Hood theme.

Thank you NetGalley & GraydonHouse for the complimentary e-galley; all opinions are my own.

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 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.

Like a Downtown Abbey style mystery - so many hidden secrets and plot lines to unravel. The characters were well developed and I only became more impressed with the story the more it unfolded. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

As someone who loves a good revenge story (nothing is Better Than Revenge ;)) I was hoping to absolutely love this one! The cover and synopsis were perfect!

I was sold on the plot initially but unfortunately became so bogged down with character details that it was so hard for me to actually understand where we were in the story and to remain interested in where it was going. Maybe some of the details should have been left out in order to keep the plot more precise.

I hope this one is still a hit for others!

As I read this one it kind of reminded me of Ocean 11 and the various movies like that. Unfortunately it was pretty slow for me and I really struggled to stay entertained. I do think this will be one that will be loved by many. Sadly it just wasn't for me.

This was a fun book perfect for fans of Upstairs Downstairs and Oceans 8! I definitely think this would be a great book club read with lots of plot points, a grand historical setting, and a cast of unique characters. Worth the read.