A really rollicking romp of a book; with a plot that really does it justice and some twisty bits you will not see coming.

A group of ladies, some far less couth than others, form up to achieve the impossible, namely strip a Park Lane house to its bones...

...and that is as close as I am prepared to get to a spoiler.

This tale is so worth your time and I am smiling with enjoyment as I write these words. Treat yourself, you know it makes sense!

What a clever, cracking, cunning tale!
I love a great heist novel and this is particularly good because it has a darker feel than your usual crime caper.

Such a varied and well drawn cast of characters. I think the author has done justice to his strong female leads and this really helps to draw you into the story.
Secrets and twists a plenty along the way, also keeps you engaged with the plot.

A well written, historical crime caper which had me turning the pages!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Alex Hay and to Headline for the opportunity to read this early copy.

A great heist story with a historical twist. The Housekeepers looks at what could happen if those below stairs, banded together and took everything away from their master/mistress.

Lead by Mrs King, the recently dismissed housekeeper. This band of brave women have all experienced life below stairs, in differing forms and at differing times. Offered the opportunity to be treated as an equal in this, some would say crazy undertaking, you have to admire their pluck, precision and planning.

Filled with family intrigue and disturbing secrets, which only help you condone the actions of the brave band of thieves. While set in the past, it depicts the inequalities which still exist between the uber rich and 'common man', albeit showing the different strata that exist even in the higher classes.

I didn't gel with the writing style and struggled from the start, in particular the dialogue. It felt like everyone was talking in code to each other and I was on the outside not understanding. I was constantly brought out of the story and never felt any connection to the many, oh so many, characters.

There was an extensive build up to the main event which for me was too slow and full of too many sub plots, and the heist itself I found to be unrealistic.

Unfortunately this book was not for me.

Absolutely fantastic, I loved every moment, from the diverse crew of women, to the fantastical plan to complete the Heist of the century.

Much darker than expected. Enjoyed the build up of the story - lots of tension. So many stories within the main story.

What fun crossing Ocean's Eleven with Gosford Park! I picked up The Housekeepers for a bit of a laugh and it fully delivered. A strong novel, full of drama and intrigue with a huge, seemingly impossible caper to boot. Gloriously entertaining, I loved everything about this book.

A great cast of characters bolsters the action in the build up and execution of this smart and deliciously plotted tale. Mrs. King, a housekeeper recently sent packing, devises the heist of the century during a costume ball in 1905 Mayfair, enlisting the help of downstairs staff and some unsavoury characters as well. Lots of promise with lots that could go wrong, this is rich in descriptive elements and feels as if the reader has stepped into Edwardian London. A great escape, The Housekeeper is fun on steroids. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Mrs King, who held the position of housekeeper at one of the best houses on Park Lane for many years, is fired and seeks revenge by devising a plan.

Mrs. King assembles a cast of colourful personalities to assist her in carrying out a cunning and intricate scheme, but is it all simply about retaliation?

We tend to concentrate on the upper class in this day and age, disregarding the lower class, who are expected to remain in their place. Our focus here is on the voices of those below and how they can unite to claim what's rightfully theirs.

There are many characters in this novel, but I adored each and every one of them, as well as their personalities and contributions to the overall plot. Despite being set in the Victorian era, each of them just leapt off the page. This was completely relevant and believable. As the plots progress, more connections are made and secrets are exposed.

For a good portion of the book, the plots expertly entwined around one another, but as they came together and the plan was carried out, it became clear just how brilliant the entire scheme was.

I adored everything about this book. Everything from the atmosphere to the characters and storylines is beautifully crafted. I was so engrossed in the book that I wanted to keep reading even after the end!

London, 1905. Mrs King has been dismissed from her job as the housekeeper to the great de Vries mansion. But she's not worried. She's got a plan and a lot of friends in low places willing to help her.

Unfortunately, I really struggled with this one - although I did persist and finish it in the end. Although the premise sounded entertaining, I felt the pacing rather slow and I really struggled to connect with any of the characters. Although I liked that there was a lot of different points of view, the scope meant I didn't spend enough time with any of them to get that invested - and if anything, the book seemed to want to hold them at arm's length. It was very much focused on the intricacies of the plot, rather than lingering on the emotional beats that were hinted at.

I appreciated the originality of the story, but I just couldn't buy into the narrative or the characters overall. It's a shame because I could see how much thought and effort the author had put into the details of the plot, but ultimately this just wasn't the book for me.

If I had to sum up Alex Hay’s debut novel, The Housekeepers, in a single line, it would be this: Downton Abbey meets Ocean’s Eight, with a dash of Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith added for good measure. Sold already?!

If the premise of didn’t send you immediately running off to your bookshop or online bookseller of choice, however, then hopefully the rest of my review might convince you that this assured debut is well worth your time and attention.

Set in London in 1905, The Housekeepers opens with the recently bereaved Miss De Vries is planning the party of the season at her lavish Park Lane home. With her suspiciously wealthy father now dead, Miss De Vries knows that it is vital that she makes a successful (and lucrative) marriage in order to protect the family ‘interests’. Downstairs, the equally shrewd and ambitious Mrs King is being shown the door. But whilst her tenure as housekeeper at Park Lane might be over, her connection with the house – and with the De Vries family – most certainly is not. Turning to the well-connected (in certain circles, at least) Mrs Bone, and aided by former and current staff members of Park Lane, Mrs King is planning the heist of the century. On the night of Miss De Vries’s ball, she’s planning to take the house and expose the De Vries name for what it really is.

As with it’s movie counterpart, The Housekeepers does a fantastic job of combining drama and comedy. The whip-sharp dialogue between the various members of the all-female heist crew – and the shifting power dynamics at work between them all – was probably my favourite part of the book, although I also enjoyed watching all of the moving parts come together as the heist progressed. And as with Ocean’s Eleven, what good heist movie would be complete with a few on-the-night mishaps!

There are, however, some surprisingly deep themes underlying all the heist capers. Without giving away any spoilers, the connections between several of the key players in the heist – Mrs King, Mrs Bone, Winnie, and Alice in particular – and the De Vries family and fortune are considerably more complex than they might first appear. Each of the women involved in the heist has their own reasons for risking it all and getting involved in the scheme, and some of these touch upon social issues such as poverty and sexual exploitation. Whilst these more dramatic elements are, for the most part, well integrated, there were one or two moments where the shifts in tone felt somewhat jarring, as well as a couple of personal storylines that felt somewhat extraneous.

That said, the characters are certainly varied enough to be interesting in and of themselves. My particular favourites were down-on-her-luck actress Hephzibah and the ‘Janes’, a pair of expert planners with a gift for machinery. The narrative alternates primarily between the perspectives of Mrs King, Mrs Bone, Winnie, Alice, and Miss De Vries which was, especially at the start of the book, somewhat disconcerting. Just as I felt I was getting to know one character, I’d be whisked into the head of another! I also didn’t really warm to any of the POV characters. They’re all very interesting in their own ways but I guess I just didn’t really like any of them all that much. And whilst unlikeable characters certainly aren’t a dealbreaker for me when reading a book, it would have been nice to have at least one perspective that felt like a variation. As it was, although I enjoyed the ‘voice’ of the novel as a whole, the individual voices of each character didn’t always come across strongly to me.

That isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy The Housekeepers, however. Indeed, I think it’s a very impressive and assured debut. Although it does take a few chapters for all the pieces on the chessboard to be arranged, the pace really picks up once the heist planning is set in motion and it rattles along nicely despite the occasional digression into a subplot or character backstory. Although the storyline is somewhat fantastical, I never felt that it jumped the shark completely. Rather, like all good heist movies, it provided just enough twists and turns to keep things unexpected and entertaining. It is also clear that Alex Hay has done their research when it comes Edwardian London life. The streets, houses, back alleys, and shops came to life vividly on the page as did the people who inhabit them!

Overall, The Housekeepers is a cracking (insert groan for bad pun here) debut that would make the perfect fast-paced holiday read. With a range of interesting characters and some surprisingly deep themes underlying all the strategic capering, this would also make a fantastic book club read.

NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher and to NetGalley UK for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

First of all many thanks to Alex and to the publisher headline review for such a brilliant read .

Wow that how I'll start this review the book definitely blow my mind at times in such a fantastic way .so I'll explain a little don't want to give to much away .An Heiress is organising a fancy ball for her debut in to society, well downstairs a group of woman are planning a very adventures Heist . Oh my gosh I was so invested in the plot it is just spectacular there was parts where I was yessssssss I want to be these women the danger and adventure was right up me street .

The plot of the story was ten out of ten you will be thinking why didn't I pick this up before when your shopping in the bookstore .

The writing was just totally incredible,. Alex is great at setting a scene you can really picture in your mind what she wants you to see. The writing also flowed so well pacing was great .

I felt there was alot of girl power in the book yes we had are male side characters which if n
Honest was bullies I'm being nice but it showed alot how things can chance .

If you love a bit of historical fiction then this is for you

I've rated the book a incrdable 5 stars

Great debut - was such an interesting concept when I saw the blurb I was so excited to read it. Quite a unique idea and setting and good to see so many strong female leads shown in this story

This book has an overall feel of upstairs downstairs with a twist.
Think of Oceans 11 & put the two together & you have a wonderful storyline.
Whoever said never underestimate the help would be spot on in this fun imaginative read.
this turned out to be an interesting story although pace a little slow in the first half.
With so many characters to get a handle on it took a while but you definitely get there in the end.
Set in twentieth century London the heist is planned to happen during a ball that has been planned by the mistress of the house.
Mrs King originally the housekeeper of the house before she lost her job is the main instigator of the heist.
One of the very grandest houses on Park Lane & full of riches you can only dream of.
As she plots to get her revenge & the secrets unfold there is more to Mrs Kings story that slowly begins to reveal itself.
Overall a cracking idea for a story & I quite enjoyed it.

We start with Mrs King, housekeeper to an uber rich Park Lane household, as she’s unceremoniously sacked and thrown out on her back for an indiscretion. But all is not what it seems as she has a plan - cunning plan.

I loved the premise of this one - it’s very reminiscent of the Ocean’s series (I’m looking at you Ocean’s Eight), with a touch of Now You See Me and Catch Me if You Can - all with a setting of the turn of the 21st century.

There were lots of twists, turns, deceptions and reveals (many that I didn’t see coming) in this one, and the way the cunning plan played out was very ingenious. I also loved some of the characters in this one; particularly Alice and Winnie. But for me, the delivery felt a little flat.

Thanks to NetGalley, the team at Headline and the author for the opportunity to read this review copy.

Set in the beginning of last century, this is a heist story. Mrs King is dismissed from her job and sets up a heist to relieve her former employer of her possessions.
This book just didn't work for me. I didnt warm to the characters. It was slow burning in the build up to the heist and didn't accelerate during the actual heist either.

DNF at 35%.

I've liked the idea behind the plot, as it reminded me of a lovely non-fiction I've read about real crimes committed by real Victorian Londoners. But the reality of reading The Housekeepers has been less enjoyable that I thought it was going to be. I didn't particularly like any of the characters and the plot has seemed a bit too slow for my liking. Unfortunately I don't seem to be able to muster enough patience to continue reading. Maybe at some point in the future...

Many thanks for the opportunity!

This is an upstairs downstairs caper with a twist. It all begins when Mrs King, housekeeper in the household of the late William de Vries is sacked and summarily dismissed from her position. She is full of plans for revenge, but we can see that there is more to it. The climax on the night of Miss de Vries, heir to the household's grand masked ball is daring and daft!! I'm honestly not sure whether I loved this or not, at times I felt I was persevering for the sake of it, but it's an interesting concept and an entertaining read. #netgalley #thehousekeepers

A grand, costumed ball is taking place on the 26th of June 1905 at the House of the Vries on Park Lane in London.

Miss de Vries, the Mistress of the house, is technically still in mourning, after the death of her father, Wilhelm de Vries, who made his fortune in diamonds. She wishes to capture the world’s attention and to secure a good marriage.

The whole household is bustling to get everything ready.

Mrs King, Park Lane’s housekeeper, is dismissed on the grounds of entering the men’s quarters. Miss de Vries wishes to make an example of Mrs King and immediately orders her to leave the house.

However, Mrs King has a trick (or two) up her sleeve… With the help of other women, current and previous employees of Park Lane, Mrs King is planning an incredible feat of her own.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the strong female leads: Mrs Bone was my favourite, her remarks and witty tongue made me chuckle many times.

I liked how the women were linked to the house (or its inhabitants). Mrs King’s plan reminded me of Ocean’s 8, only set well in the past and without the technological advances. The females were sharp, on point, and quick on their feet. Brilliant!

Oceans Eleven meets Downton Abbey! Fabulous! A rip roaring book full of entertainment, intrigue, history, theft, acrobatics and a brilliant plot to boot! Mrs King has recently been evicted from the house in Mayfair where she was Housekeeper but not just any housekeeper - also the daughter of the owner William de Vries aka Danny O’Flynn! All is not as it seems and Mrs King is determined to seek her revenge and along with her own unusual team of avengers, she reveals her plan: ‘Imagine it, ladies: the grandest house in London, licked clean on the biggest night of the season!’ Her team of six take on the mammoth task but Mrs King has a hidden agenda of her own and it’s nail biting stuff right until the end! This would make a brilliant film or TV drama!

When Mrs King, housekeeper to the most illustrious home in Mayfair, is suddenly dismissed after years of loyal service, she knows just who to recruit to help her take 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, who has been keeping the dark secrets of Park Lane far too long.

Mrs King has an audacious plan in mind, one that will reunite her women in the depths of the house on
the night of a magnificent ball - and play out right under the noses of her former employers...

Wow wow wow. And did I say, wow. I revelled in the audacious planning of this brave bunch of women, who didn't miss a beat when it came to planning every single step in their robbery.

From their forethought at making almost every female member of the household servants part of their underhand scheme, to making sure the local policemen were implicated in their clandestine plots.

Every time I thought I had a handle on what was going to happen, another strand of the story would burst in and completely flummox me all over again.

Characters- fabulous. Plot - fabulous. Attention to detail - fabulous. Twists in the tale - fabulous.

Loved loved loved it -thank you and more please.