Downton Abbey meets Ocean’s 8? I was intrigued…

As revenge for being dismissed from her housekeeping position, Mrs. Dinah King plans a heist on the evening of the grandest ball in London. She recruits an eclectic group of women, also previous house staff, in her endeavor. An audacious plan? Yes! Impossible?…

Taking place in 1905, Hay did an excellent job exploring gender and class relations at the time. These women would’ve been considered “lower class” with little to no rights. He created characters you couldn’t help but root for and I loved the strong female MCs.

While the buildup was slow, it did pick up momentum. However, it simply wasn’t an edge of your seat read. Too much backstory bogged it down and the thrill was a bit lost. The historical fiction was much more engaging than the suspense.

Solid 3 1/2⭐️

*Review shared August 14, 2023 on Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon.

I want to thank everyone for this gifted copy of The Housekeepers.

First of all, I want to say that this book had a lot of promise, but it felt short. I feel like the author could have used some more support from their editor in the long run.

This book had a lot of promise from the overall premise, but there was never really that moment of me sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, waiting for what would happen next. I think that part of the problem could be that there was really no emotional connection to any of the characters (even with backstories), but it could have also just been how the flow of the book worked out.

Alex Hay’s debut novel, The Housekeepers, was originally described to me as Downton Abbey meets Ocean’s 8. I didn’t need to know any more than that. I was all in. And Hay delivered a historical heist novel that I was completely and totally invested in and had so much fun reading.

Here’s the book’s description:
The night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs launch a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class.
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.
I love heist stories. I would watch the Ocean’s movies every week if I could. There’s something about a group of “good” guys trying to take on the bad guys by stealing everything those bad guys care about. Will it work? Will there be serious moments and ridiculous ones along the way? Please say yes to all of the above! Hay delivers all that and more with this book. I really wasn’t sure how the women were going to pull off their heist and I definitely didn’t have it all figured out before bits and pieces were revealed. I do think I was missing something at the end but I think I’m to blame by wanting to know how it was all pulled off so badly that I may have skimmed past something vital. I was happily surprised by a lot of the twists and applaud Hay for making it work.

The historical element was really smart and makes this unlike any story I’ve read before. It gave a fresh setting for a popular trope and allowed Hay to - as the description mentions - explore gender and class relations in the very early 1900s. The majority of the women in this story were from the so-called “lower” class and would have been found below stairs in any grand household. They wouldn’t have had many rights at all, as the women’s suffrage movement was only just starting to gain some serious ground. While the mystery part of this book was far more important than the historical, Hay did enough research and set the scene so well that I really felt like I had been plopped into a grand house in 1905 London.

There were a ton of characters in this book but I was easily able to keep them all straight (other than The Janes, naturally). Each woman had their own job to do and, for the most part, they didn’t interact while out in public - just during their meetings and the Big Heist. The plan depended on them not being connected to one another. As you might expect, each job was unique so each woman was very unique as well (again, other than The Janes) and I loved that. Their personalities came through and I was completely rooting for them and hoped the heist would be successful.

Anyone who likes heist stories needs to read The Housekeepers. And if you also like historical fiction? You’ll be just as thrilled as I was with Alex Hay’s debut novel. I enjoyed this one so damn much and kind of wish I could read it for the first time once again. Read it!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay
Publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing Graydon House
Release Date July 4, 2023


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

Oh hell yes! This book is awesome and I was caught right in the middle of this tale of the rich who have it all and housekeepers who will get their revenge and take it.

Miss King has had an interesting life growing up with con artists as well as thrives. So one might think that she would continue that line yet she became quite respectable while taking care of one of the grandest homes in the town of Mayfair. Yet, she is let go from her job and decides it is time to get even. How would one go about robbing a home full of expensive valuables? Get some friends together and allow revenge and greed to consume you. Can they pull off this heist?
Well that is something that you will need to read for yourself. All I can say is that it was so fun rooting for the “underdog”.
This book has it all.and the author puts it all out there with his writing abilities. The dialog and banter are so unique to the characters and that allows the reader to fully understand the historical era. The characters and the story were built up at a great pace. It was a perfectly paced read with great chapter lengths. I loved this book and am hoping one day soon we might see a movie or series made from it.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

The Housekeepers by Alex Hay was a cross between Ocean's 8 and Downton Abby. Mrs. King comes up with a plan to rob the house that she formally was employeed. With the help of several other former house staff they embark on the grand scheme of taking everything that is in the mansion. Between Mrs. King and Mrs. Bone they put Alice, Winnie, the two Janes and one actress they try to pull off the imposible. This book was a fast paced read that kept you on edge wheather they would suceed with the heist or not.

An audacious plan. A heist during the most prestigious ball of the Season. A group of women, a housekeeper and the help, you would never dream would be involved.

I always enjoy a heist book. But there is a lot more depth to the characters and the circumstances than you would suspect. All the better because it is revealed a bit at a time. It begins a bit slow, but I think that is needed to get a feel for the time, the circumstances and the characters. A very satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Houskeepers by Alex Hay is a well written story about a group of women finding their voice and value. It’s a fast paced, well laid out novel that introduces the characters and their backstory.
Mrs King and Ms Bone lead a group of women in a heist that will give each of them what they need for their future with funny twists and acrobatics. I enjoyed these powerful women and their audacity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alex Hay for this wonderful ARC. Here’s to many more!!

This is a victorian robbery heist that happens during a costume ball, by the servent women that have been wronged! Yes yes yes! Not many myster books have female robbers so that alone should peak your interest. This was extremely good! The absolute perfect blend of historical and mystery.
I just reviewed The Housekeepers by Alex Hay. #TheHousekeepers #NetGalley
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I'm not normally a reader of historical fiction, but was intrigued by the premise of The Housekeepers--it's been described as a cross between Ocean's Eleven and Downton Abbey! When Mrs. King is dismissed from her position as housekeeper of the de Vries mansion, she and her accomplices plot their revenge--a massive burglary during a fancy ball held at the mansion.

I really enjoyed reading about this time period in London, and loved all the twists and turns and the plotting for the heist. A fun read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whoever decided to promote this as Downton Abbey meets Ocean’s Eleven was…half right.

Sure sure, Downton Abbey, but this book has absolutely no sense of humor and little surprise in the machinations of its heist, so Ocean’s Eleven is waaay off base.

It’s not a light, fun, exciting heist novel at all, and that’s frustrating when that’s what the publisher has led you to believe. It’s a perfectly alright revenge story, but the heist itself isn’t especially clever or exciting, and is satisfying only because it’s a step toward some justice for a series of horrible transgressions by the people on the wrong end of it.

To that end, those transgressions feel out of step with the typical vibe of a heist novel, and because the book is mostly backstory and more about the reason for the heist than the heist itself, the whole story just feels depressing and dreary.

I liked some of the characters, which were well written and had some complexity to them, and that helped lift a book that is mostly too bogged down in its tragic backstory to be sufficiently fun and compelling in what’s happening in the present.

This much-hyped debut historical mystery/thriller was a tad disappointing for me unfortunately.

After being marketed as a cross between Downton Abbey and Ocean's Eleven, in which the servants pull off a heist and thwart their employers. I really wanted to root for the main character and while parts of this were fun and enjoyable for the most part it felt longer than it needed to be and I contemplated DNF'ing at multiple points.

It definitely won't be a memorable one for but I will keep an eye out for what the author writes next. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I did listen to this one and perhaps if I had read a physical copy I would have gotten into the story more.

3.5 stars that I'm rounding up to 4 simply because it was a pretty clever and engaging read. It truly is a mash up of Ocean's 8 and Downton Abbey having a lovechild. There were, however, a lot of subplots going on and I soon lost track of who was related to who and what trickery they were all up to. So, I'm sure some of the undertones were lost on me. I think many will definitely enjoy this, but for me this type of plotline works better in a movie than a book.

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.