I had such a hard time picturing how they would carry out the heist even when those parts were mentioned. If the housekeeper wanted the money from the master's businesses, she should have gone through with getting it. The author really captured the golden age in England , not just the wealthy and over privileged but the real circumstances of the people who worked for the rich and their huge homes. There is a touch of darkness to The Housekeepers, but overall, this was just a really pleasurable and entertaining read that I never wanted to end.

Book review of The Housekeepers by Alex Hay - BookPage

The exploration and exposure of the class structures, their respect “worlds”, and how that is incorporated into the narrative is that is so crucial in setting the scene for story. I did have to read some chapters a couple of times to understand who was who and what was going on, but all in all I was gripped. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as the plan unfurls, step by step, with one surprise after another, and one twist after another. Its owner, parvenu Wilhelm de Vries, has died and his daughter, who wishes to gain social clout by marrying into the aristocracy, flouts the conventions of mourning by hosting a ball.After dream homes built by Adrian Gale and his partner turn out to be a jerry-built nightmare, with several inhabitants, including three children, dying of carbon monoxide poisoning, Adrian sinks into depression.

The Housekeepers (Alex Hay) – Book Review – Set The Tape The Housekeepers (Alex Hay) – Book Review – Set The Tape

The Boiserie, the Red Parlor, the Oval Drawing Room, the ballroom: all dressed with peacock feathers and lapis lazuli and an endless supply of lilies. Well, maybe an Ocean’s Eight/Ocean’s Thirteen hybrid, since there are a couple of revenge elements involved. The final third of the story is, naturally, the edge of the seat thrill nail-biter of pulling off the meticulously planned caper. There’s the financier, the actress, the mole inserted into the household, the circus performers for the tricky bits, and Mrs.

Guy’s mother has dementia, but neither of his two sisters – teenagers at the time – is keen on the idea, possibly because they have something to hide. Her plot bands together a fantastic group of women that made my feminist little heart want to own a petticoat containing a secret plan too. The prelude, planning, and scheming…all the way to the action, the heist, the high stakes…and finally to the conclusion and ending.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay – Deborah the Book Junkie The Housekeepers by Alex Hay – Deborah the Book Junkie

Hays populates this world with a cast of well-shaded characters, particularly the heist crew themselves, whether that’s kind and competent Winnie, talented artist Alice who seeks a better life, or the mysterious Mrs Bone who helps provide the financial backing for the heist. I had supposed that the housekeeper had a beef against the mistress and that the plot was that the staff intended to get back at a hard woman. Since the recent death of her autocratic father, Miss de Vries has begun to enjoy the power to make her own decisions.Housekeeper, Mrs King, has been dismissed from her role at one of the luxurious houses in Park Lane, Mayfair, London. sad about this one because I loved the premise but I just didn’t gel with the writing style and couldn’t connect with the characters. I do not usually enjoy books that are set in the past or are so far-fetched that the plot is ridiculous. In 1905, a lot of young girls going into service would have come from poverty the likes of which we can’t imagine now, and, far from resenting their situation, would have been glad of sanitary conditions free of vermin, clothes that weren’t falling apart, a warm bed, regular good hot meals and a reliable income.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay | Crime Fiction Lover The Housekeepers by Alex Hay | Crime Fiction Lover

I loved the way Hay structured this debut, and the countdown to the day of the heist was an excellent way to build extra tension. I don’t feel like I got to know the characters, the heist was so unrealistic to me, there was so many character subplots that it got confusing at times, so many complicated words (for me anyway), I just couldn’t connect with any of the characters or their motives. Replete with likeable characters, a winning plot, and a satisfying approach to both, Hays’ The Housekeepers is one of the year’s best summer reads, combining explorations of class and gender with the giddy thrill-ride of a well-honed heist adventure that, while rooted in the past, helps propel the genre into the future.The Housekeepers is a smartly written Downton Abbey like story with humor, intrigue and empowered women during the early 1900’s. However, it gradually becomes clear that unspoken family history simmers beneath the pleasant surface, not least the fact that Jed’s mother died giving birth to him. Mr Shepherd, the Butler, has advised the lady of the house, Miss de Vries, that Mrs King was seen entering the male quarters the night before.