This was an interesting book and a change from my normal. I found the beginning of the book to be a little slow and slightly confusing but it picked up and the relationships and connections became very clear about 1/3 of the way through. I found the ending to be quite satisfying. Overall I would give it a 3 out of 5. ( )

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.

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 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. ( )

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 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 ( )

Strong women working together to right social wrongs. Strong women coming to terms with their individual pasts to create a path forward. Either or both of those are strong concepts for a compelling story. The Housekeepers by Alex Hay is entertaining but has too many subplots and takes too long to bring all the threads together. This book is concepts with potential that, for me, do not quite attain their promise.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/the-house-keepers.html

Reviewed for NetGalley. ( )