I admit I don't know this time period of history very well. I find it very fascinating leaning about the industrial revolution and the men that were the head the companies that really helped build America into a superpower. It is a time of great growth but also a lot of greed and corruption. I thought that was illustrated pretty well through this book. Through the eyes of the lady's maid to Mrs. Carnegie, mother of Andrew, we get to see some of the inter workings of how these companies were able to climb and build and swallow up. It was interesting to see how there seemed to be two sides to Andrew Carnegie, he was the ruthless business man ready to buy out and wheel and deal to build his empire while at the same time he was the immigrant who made it to the top through a lot of hard work and good timing. The maid, Clara Kelley, was able to help him see his callous actions to the workers in his factories and the plight many of those workers faced everyday and how he could help them better their situation much like he was helped in his raise to power. Very interesting time period and while I know this is fiction it helped spur an interest in the real life people that helped create the America we know now.

There was a touch of romance in this book and honestly it was forced and a bit unlikely but it was the means to further the story and spur the direction Carnegie would take his life. I liked the book and recommend it for those that like to learn a little history through a good story. It isn't history though go look up Carnegie and his real history and study that time period. It is hard to know what is real and what is fiction in his story. I would lean more on fiction until doing a bit more research.

I was looking forward to reading this novel and thought that it was an interesting premise for a book to explore the relationship between Andrew Carnegie and his maid.
The book does a good job of highlighting the social injustices that were occuring in both Ireland and America at the time, and the often vastly different experiences of life that were experienced by different social classes.
I like historical fiction but this book did not engage me as much as I thought it would, I felt that certain events were rather unbelievable and unlikely to happen, such as the maid of the title Clara, taking on the identity of a person of the same name who had died on board ship, and then managing to take on and keep the role of a lady's maid without any prior experience, also towards the end of the book the mention of a wealthy influential man like Carnegie hiring private detectives to search for his mother's ex maid.
I think the author is clearly very interested in, and has researched her subject matter in depth, but I felt overall that there were times the plot was too implausible and relied too much on coincidence. Having said that I would be happy to read more from this author
Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Clara is a young women who comes to America in the 1800s. She pretends to be another woman with the same name and becomes the ladies maid to Andrew Carnegie's mother. She is instrumental in making Andrew Carnegie the philanthropist he turned out to be.

This was a nice read about "Clara Kelley," and the life of the she lead and the service she provided for the Carenegie family. As a historical fiction novel, I was hoping to learn a lot more about Pittsburgh, and Carenegie himself, not 90% about a possible life of the help.

Note: I will post reviews on other sites (Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing, etc) as the release date gets closer.

“Carnegie’s Maid”, set in the late 1860’s, takes us into the home of one of the richest men in the world and one of the greatest philanthropists of all time – Andrew Carnegie. The story is revealed through the first person account of Clara Kelley, an Irish immigrant who becomes the “lady’s maid” to Mrs. Carnegie, Andrew’s mother. Clara, strong and determined, has come to America on the chance of finding a job that will allow her to send much needed funds back to her family in Ireland. Clara learned quickly to adapt to a country and a position that were totally foreign to her. We also see the disparities among the economic classes – the lavishness and extravagance of the wealthy against the suffering of the poor – through Clara’s unique position in both worlds.

Ms. Benedict’s writing drew me into Clara’s life and her determination to put her family’s needs over her desires. The writing allowed me to feel her loneliness from being away from her family and her isolation in the Carnegie’s home by the servants. The moments of kindness from her only friend in the house - the cook, Mr. Ford – were touching and showed her depth of compassion for others. Clara’s astuteness is revealed when through observation of Mrs. Carnegie’s stained and chapped hands obtained through decades of hard work, she realizes that Mrs. Carnegie is also trying to fit into a society foreign to her. When Clara visited cousins already living in Pittsburgh, I felt her utter despair and frustration over the poverty they were forced to live in; and I applauded her grit and determination to face social injustices head-on.

The role of Clara in Andrew Carnegie’s life is fictional; however it made for a lovely romantic story – the master of the house falling in love with the maid. Clara took an interest in his business dealings, and he listened closely to her ideas and opinions. And in the end, she changed his total view of the world. I was left curious as to what really did change his view. He came to America determined to make his fortunes and did so through the steel industry. Then in the end, he realized that was not what life was about and devoted his life to philanthropy. He established more than 2500 public libraries around the world and made endowments to research in science, education, and world peace, among others. And we can’t forget the fabulous Carnegie Hall.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was totally engrossed in it. It is educational in its presentation of the social classes at the time. At the end I went back and re-read the Prologue which made Andrew’s change of heart so much more powerful.

A fictionalized story of how Andrew Carnegie became so generous with his fortune. The romantic aspect of the story I found very cliched but the historical telling was much more interesting. For a sort book I found the reading a bit of a slog but worth a read anyway.

I really enjoyed this novel and finished it in one afternoon. The writing was great and I really liked the overall plot. Clara is an interesting protagonist and I enjoyed reading about her and her relationships. The relationship between her and Carnegie developed believably and the depiction of her life as a lady's maid felt realistic. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical novels.

Being from Pittsburgh, I found this a very enjoyable book. Andrew Carnegie is legend here, but very little is known about his personal life. The fictional retelling of the reason why we have Carnegie libraries today was engaging, well paced, and interesting. The tough little Scot finds his heart. I wanted so much for Clara and Andrew to get together! I would recommend this book to lovers of historic fiction with just a touch of romance.

Clara is a common name in Ireland and Carnegie's maid takes advantage of this by taking the place meant for another. Educated at home she is clever and able to slip into a role as Mrs. Carnegie's ladies maid in 19th C. Pittsburgh. She draws the attention of Mrs. Carnegie's elder son. Will Clara be able to maintain the illusion and her position? Was Clara responsible in part for the birth of Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy? An interesting account of what might have led Andrew Carnegie to become one of America's great philanthropists. Whatever the reason I for one am so glad that he chose to donate so much to help so many.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this egalley.

The description of this book was not that exciting, so I wasn't that excited to read it, however I totally enjoyed this historical fiction novel.
Almost impossible to put it down. The characters so came to life and pulled you into their stories.
This was so engaging and a definite must read!

If ever there was a market for this book, it would be me - a born and raised Pittsburgher who has read nonfiction works about Carnegie's life, is a massive historical fiction fan, has visited the former house museum of his arch enemy, Henry Clay Frick, (twice) because I am so fascinated with the era...I even got married at Carnegie museum. So a fictional account of a love story involving Andrew Carnegie? Sign.me.up.

However.

I can't be sure if it's this bias that left me disappointed with this book; if my expectations were too high. So please take my review with a grain of salt, and please pick this one up to make your own opinion - you may love it much more than I did.

This is a fictional account of "what would have happened had Andrew Carnegie's mother had a lady's maid who he fell in love with and changed his view of the world?". An interesting concept for a romantic soul as myself.

I believe it's strongest point was how this book highlighted the social injustices of the time. It gives factual, historical evidence of how those in the lower classes were treated and forced to suffer during these times, all from the perspective of someone who is experiencing these injustices yet is thrown into the world of luxury and opulence. This juxtaposition of her two worlds lays heavily on her heart and truly demonstrates the difference between the upper and lower classes of the gilded age.

For a relatively short book, this took me an awful long time to complete. It's slower pace left me feeling a bit underwhelmed and I believe I read two other books from the time I picked this one up because I kept putting it down. As I mentioned before, my expectations may have been too high based on my personal experience. I would recommend this to historical fiction fans.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Carnegie’s Maid” is an enthralling piece of historical fiction. The prologue gives us Andrew’s perspective, which sets the tone for a mystery. He speaks about the maid and we know that something has happened to her but not what. We then go back to where it all began with Clara Kelly, Carnegie’s maid. We follow her perspective exclusively throughout the rest of the book in the first person. Although this book is framed around the Carnegies, I really found it to be more poignantly about immigration to the US in the mid-nineteenth century.

Clara travels to America from Ireland as her family needs her to be able to make money and send it back to them- they are concerned about losing their tenancy on their farm. After a grueling voyage, Clara arrives in America with a stroke of luck- someone looking for Clara Kelly who wants to take her to Pittsburgh. The name is common, but as she does not have much cash, she takes the other Clara Kelly’s place. This Clara Kelly was destined to be a lady’s maid, a much better prospect than what could have awaited her on her own (with people taking advantage of new immigrants- and even those who “make it” live a tough life as we witness). Clara soon finds herself attending to Mrs. Carnegie, Andrew Carnegie’s mother, who helps him with his burgeoning business. Although the Carnegies were recent Irish immigrants themselves, they have burst their way into the upper class scene in Pittsburgh.

We follow Clara as she navigates this new life and although her life is easy/lucky, she witnesses what it is like for other immigrants through the cousins she knows in Pittsburgh (and it’s not pretty). She is lucky to have been educated by her father, but even that education can only go so far in the new America. Additionally, she observes the way the Civil War impacts the classes differently- where the wealthy men can pay new immigrants to take their place on the battlefield. As the synopsis mentions, Clara runs into Andrew on occasion and a romance of sorts takes place. She observes his business dealings and contributes ideas of her own. I found that the romance between them was mild and took a backseat to the more engaging storyline of immigrants in America and the class lines that appeared and were carefully delineated, modeled after those in Europe. America was not so much the land of opportunity it appears, but did have the possibility for social mobility if one was able to make the right connections.

We also glimpse into the life of an escaped slave through Mr. Ford, who serves in the Carnegie’s house as well- I wish we could have heard more from him, to help fully capture this time period in America. The book really focuses on the immigrant experience, and I found it really educational and engaging. I do wish there was some historical context at the end about the characters and how like the real people they are/were… I tried doing my own research, but information about less major characters was not easy to locate. This book seems very well researched, and I would be curious to learn more about the reality versus the fiction presented in the novel. Regardless, I found this to be a really fantastic and enthralling read, transporting the reader to mid-nineteenth century Pittsburgh (and New York). I would definitely be curious to read more from this talented author.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

A sudden death on a trans-Atlantic journey opens up a future far different than Clara Kelley could have ever imagined. As an immigrant to America from Ireland, Clara is expecting nothing more than some steady low paying employment so she could help support her family back home. A tragic accident upon the vessel <i>Envoy</i> has left one Clara Kelley deceased and given the other a chance at a future far better than was anticipated. A caller is waiting for the Clara Kelley who has been offered employment as a highly desirable ladies maid for one of the richest families in America and Clara jumps in the carriage. Clara has only a second to choose her fate and decides to carve out a future for herself.

Clara is transported to Philadelphia where she meets the wealthy and innovative Carnegie family. She learns how to pretend to be something she is not and eventually finds a friend in the eldest son of the Carnegie family, Andrew Carnegie.

<b>Carnegie's Maid </b> is a historical fiction about class differentiation, industrialization and the many forms that love can take. This story reveals how not just the drive for success, but also love for ones family can at times cloud our judgement and affect our morality. Clara and her master Andrew Carnegie share a special understanding of ideals and both want to provide financially for their families. In a way they both help each other succeed.

I really enjoyed <b>Carnegie's Maid </b> and would definitely recommend it. I appreciated the author's writing style and felt like it was a well written, captivating story. However, the ending of the novel fell short for me. I really wished that Carnegie and Clara's relationship did not end so abruptly and never reconnect. Furthermore, I could have also used more of Andrew's point of view; his characterization wasn't developed enough for me. The beginning of the story gives the reader a little taste of who Andrew is but otherwise the story is entirely from Clara's point of view. I feel as though more insight into the thoughts of Andrew Carnegie would have helped the overall success of the story.

I want to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review <b> Carnegie's Maid</b>.

A quick, entertaining read that historical fiction fans will enjoy.

This novel is a wonderfully imagined historical fiction! I loved everything about it--the historical details (both the upperclass, the immigrants, AND their interactions), the possibility of romance, the hesitation, plights, and determination of Clara, the lady's maid. Clara's narrative is plausible and would explain so much if the coreof it was true. I think I will choose to believe this version of Andrew Carnegie's life, because it has a most realistic portrayal of him behaving like every other human being--capable of love.

Usually, historical fiction is one of my favorite genres so I approached Carnegie's Maid with great anticipation. I was somewhat disappointed in this book.

The name Andrew Carnegie is certainly well-known for his many philanthropic actions during his lifetime and beyond. But in this novel, readers really don't get a clear picture of the man. His very humble beginnings as in immigrant are swiftly covered and his business acumen is revealed too quickly. I found it difficult to believe the premise that the business magnate was so taken with a lady's maid that he would discuss business ideas with her.

His interactions with Clara Kelley, his mother's maid who has secrets of her own, are rather implausible. Clara, herself a poor Irish immigrant desperate to save money for her family in Ireland, is a maid in the household because of a rather simple mistake. The expected maid for Mrs. Carnegie, also named Clara Kelley, was travelling on the same ship with the protagonist Clara Kelley, and expected maid dies mid-voyage. Consequently, poor Irish Clara Kelley takes her place in the Carnegie household. Thankfully, this Clara is a fast learner so she quickly learns her duties. Her intellect is hardly challenged by her duties and she begins to learn much about the Carnegie business holdings. Tutored by Andrew Carnegie, she quickly proffers significant and valuable suggestions that are very successful and that serve as a basis for a more personal relationship between Clara and Andrew.

Carnegie's Maid has a few too many improbable coincidences to make it a great read. Benedict's writing is fine but does not truly immerse the reader in the world of the wealthy.

Great book. Brilliant plot and main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Very enjoyable.

Started to read this and just couldn't get interested in it. would not recommend.

Another fascinating book by author Marie Benedict! I love this author and hope she continues to write for a long time. She has the ability to write about historical figures and then ask "What if?" This is the story of Andrew Carnegie and a maid named Clara Kelly. Ms. Kelly is a fictional character, but Marie Benedict asks what if Clara had existed and had a profound and lasting influence on Andrew Carnegie. Loved it!

Marie Benedict really evokes the period and class differences. A joy to read.