Kate Furniss, the housekeeper at Coldwell Hall, lives every day dreading that her secrets will be revealed. While the estate has been left to deteriorate, she manages the staff with authority. With the death of the lord his son returns from London to settle down and take over the estate. It is the perfect opportunity for Jem Arden, a stranger who arrives looking for work. He has come to Coldwell Hall to learn the fate of his younger brother who was last seen visiting the estate with his employer. Hired as a footman, Jem catches the eye of Mrs. Furniss, Offering help wherever it is needed, the two become close. When the lord is in residence he is accompanied by his valet Mr. Henderson, who takes an instant dislike to Jem. Henderson is a vile character who loves to discover other’s secrets and use them to his advantage. When he decides to pursue Mrs. Furniss he arranges Jem’s disappearance. Furniss, however, has an ally in the lady of the estate who helps her get away.

Iona Grey’s story alternates between Jem’s experiences in the trenches of WWI and the developing romance between Jem and Kate. Life on the estate is a reminder of the conditions endured by the servants. With the war approaching it was also a time of change. The arrival of the new lord brings the first automobile to replace the traditional carriages and the installation of the first bathrooms. While Jem is serving in the trenches he composes letters to Kate that he hopes will reach her in the event of his death. The letters and the conditions that he experiences are heartbreaking. Grey gives you a story of romance, secrets and murder that introduces characters that you can genuinely care for. Fans of Downton Abbey will find The Housekeeper’s Secret an enjoyable story. I would .like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press for providing this book.

The Housekeeper's Secret by Iona Grey
#historicalfiction
⭐⭐⭐✨ (rounding down to 3 for ratings)

I so wanted to like this book more. It was so close to me loving it. I think it was the writing. The writing was a bit inconsistent. At one point it would be very fluid and the next very choppy. It's almost like it needed another go around or two by an editor. I liked the story. But I was surprised by how much the writing itself would pull me back out of the story. And I rarely comment on the writing.

I enjoyed the way the secrets of the 2 MC's were slowly released. I enjoyed the plot of the of the earlier timeline. I wish that the 2 timelines were revered. It was a bit confusing with the later time being formatted into the book at the end of the chapters. I feel that if the time in the war was first and then slipped back in time to tell the origin story, it would make more sense.

#netgalley
#stmartinspress

The story is told in alternating timelines with multiple POV. There are a lot of characters and details to remember at the beginning which gives it a slow start. There were too many characters and storylines for me to personally feel invested in all of them; it seemed chaotic and I would have preferred a narrower focus. That said, it's a well written and well researched book that will be of interest to readers who enjoy an upstairs-downstairs Edwardian/Downton Abbey vibe.

I love historical fiction and was really excited to read this book. However, it took months for me to muddle through this and I found it incredibly dull and at times difficult to figure out the time period/narrator. I think this book may have turned me off the author altogether.

I don't enjoy leaving negative reviews, but I received this as an ARC from NetGallery and promised my honest opinion.

Excellent fiction for fans of Downton Abbey and historical fiction set in the Edwardian years. Though similar to recent books and series about household servants during this time period, this novel had a deliciously dark, tense vibe. The housekeeper is a relatively young woman who is not who her colleagues think she is. The love interest is a footman hired because no one else will work in this house, and he has his own agenda. The sexual tension between the two is great.

Well written, well plotted, great characters. It's a fairly long book, so perfect for taking on a long trip.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: WW1 fiction, Downton Abbey vibes, historical mystery, and forbidden romance.
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The book focuses on two perspectives: Kate, the housekeeper of an estate in northern England just before WW1, and Jem, who shows up at the estate as a new footman. Each has different reasons and secrets for being at the estate, and neither can afford the forbidden romance that they embark on.
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This book had many things that I love in a historical fiction book, and I liked how the book was told through alternating perspectives and timelines so that the reader could piece together what happened. Overall, I was fully immersed in this book and loved it!

Title:  The Housekeeper's Secret
Author: Iona Grey
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Duty, desire, and deception reside under one roof.

Standing in the remote windswept moors of Northern England, Coldwell Hall is the perfect place to hide. For the past five years, Kate Furniss has maintained her professional mask so carefully that she almost believes she is the character she has created: Coldwell’s respectable housekeeper.

It is the summer of 1911 that brings new faces above and below the stairs of Coldwell Hall―including the handsome and mysterious new footman, Jem Arden. Just as the house’s shuttered rooms open, so does Kate’s guarded heart to a love affair that is as intense as it is forbidden. But Kate can feel her control slipping as Jem harbors secrets of his own.

I enjoyed this historical fiction read! Even the reader didn’t know Kate or Jem’s secrets all at once, and the gradual reveal was well-done and immersive. The servants’ lives in the early 1900s was fascinating to read about, and even the secondary characters tugged on my heartstrings.

Iona Grey is an award-winning author. The Housekeeper’s Secret is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Thank you St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review The Housekeeper's Secret by Iona Grey on NetGalley.

Published: 08/13/24

Stars: 4

Reminiscent of Downton Abbey without the glamour. I had to remind myself several times people lived and worked under conditions I can only try to imagine through the Arts. Life was hard and there were no conveniences. Strict social protocols were followed. Reputations and references were paramount. The ease at which an upper class person could tarnish a lower class existence kept most people in check. Knowing all this, I thought Grey wrote the historical portion well. I liked the characters and the roles that they played. At times I had to stop and adjust mentally who was who. People worked hard, but they didn't cross over in their positions, and consequently there are quite a few people. I thought the story ran long.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, and would recommend it.

This book had too many characters and that distracted from the story, but good overall.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Historical fiction, romance and mystery. All the things that make a great book.

The story is a dual timeline that follows Kate and Jem two individuals working for a wealthy family in England at a remote country house called Coldwell. Kate is the no nonsense housekeeper that has a secret hidden under her mask of professionalism. Jem, the footman, is new to the ranks of Coldwell Manor and has ulterior motives trying to solve his own mystery. I don't want to give too much away but lets just say dangerous events start to unfold that bring the housekeeper and the mysterious footman closer together.

I have to say that the amount of time Iona Grey put in to research really shows in this book. It is expertly described and really added layers to the story. I agree with other reviewers that during this time period 1911-1919 is glamorized from shows like Downton Abbey but the lives of the servants during that time were not glamorous at all and the book really opens the door to understanding what life was like during that time. I truly feel like I received an education reading this book!

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect book for Downton Abbey lovers, of which I am one.

A young man takes a job at an estate looking for answers about his brother’s death and falls in love with the housekeeper who has a secret of her own. Then there’s the maid and the valet - what are they hiding?

Gray does a marvelous job with the little details. Her crumbling estate has just the right amount of shadowy mystery to give her book a good gothic feel.

The story itself has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.

A good read.

The story line is fantastic, but I struggled reading this book. I could not focus on who was who and made it challenging to follow the plot as I always felt like I was missing details. Was truly excited for this book. Now that I have read it once, will definitely reread it and give it a second chance.

The Housekeeper’s Secret, set in the early 1900s, is atmospheric historical fiction with an Upstairs/Downstairs and Downton Abbey ambiance. The place is a character in itself—the remote Coldwell Hall, a once-magnificent structure lingering past its prime in the moors of Northern England. The protagonist, Kate Furniss, is a respectable, younger-than-usual, no-nonsense housekeeper who keeps everyone at a distance. When a mysterious, handsome footman, Jem Arden, joins the staff, Kate is reluctantly but irresistibly drawn to him. Both Kate and Jem have secrets they are eager to hide, and as their relationship develops so does the conflict.

I can't gush over this book as much as I expected to. One thing that kept me from being fully invested was that I had difficulty at first keeping all the characters straight. That could totally be my fault, though, since I was reading it amidst some personal distractions! But I’m still giving it four stars because it is impeccably researched and does a great job of being moody. And who doesn't like a moody book?

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC of The Housekeeper's Secret. While I appreciate the opportunity to read and provide a review, I must say this was not the book for me. I found the writing to be much to formal and stilted. That is often what puts me off about reading books set in the United Kingdom. I gave up on this book at about 30%.

Coldwell Hall in the windswept moors of Northern England is made for secrets. Everything from its remote location to its small and dedicated staff is practically made to keep things hidden. It's here that Kate Furniss, the housekeeper, has lived as the character she created to stay safe, but the summer of 1911 brings new faces and even more secrets to the house. Secrets are made to be found out with time and Kate's time is running out even as the handsome new arrival, Jem, comes with his own set of secrets and an attraction that neither can fight.

It's a plot that develops as slowly as a leisurely summer afternoon, yet it pays off in unexpected revelations and explosive actions. Everyone in Coldwell Hall seems to have their secrets and fears, which makes for engaging reading even when things seem to be developing at a snail's pace.

My main complaint is that I did have issues sometimes with how abrupt the character perspective changes are, but it might just be a me thing and a preference for clearly marked sections. It's not something that killed the story for me; it was just a little annoyance that I had to stop and figure it out every once in a while.


Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the intriguing read!

DNF. Unfortunately this was a miss for me right off the bat. I was and still am very confused as to what's happening and whose POV this story is being told from. It feels like we have multiple POVs, but the switch could have been a little clearer.
The war aspect is interesting, however not enough to hold my attention.
I really wanted to like this one! It's just missed the mark for me and I unfortunately can't bring myself to continue.

This historical romance starts in the French trenches of WWI and reflects back on the summer of 1911 at Coldwell Hall in the English countryside. The summer where the quiet, secluded lives of the staff were forever changed with the return of the troublesome heir and his sinister valet. This major upheaval in the household has dire consequences and ultimately leads to the front lines of war. Here truths are written with the last hope of making amends and finding peace.

I enjoyed this novel and the way it unfolded to reveal each piece of the greater mystery and romance. It took me a little bit to get invested in the story, but once I got there I had a hard time setting the novel down. The story of and between Jem and Kate was heartbreaking and sweet, a mix of loss and love, and just plain well done. A good setting embracing the end of an era with The Great War. 4 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. Thank you!

I really enjoyed the historical fiction aspects of this book. A lot of research was put into it - although some of the information does not seem relevant to the actual story. The romance was cute and I thought added to the storyline. I felt that the mystery portion just became too much. I felt that there were too many storylines which made it hard to become invested as it felt that none of them were developed and detailed enough. The descriptions of the locations, people and sciences was done incredibly. I felt as if I was in the book at times. There was an alternating timeline, which although well done, did not seem necessary to the story. Overall I enjoyed this book - and definitely recommend for anyone interested in historical fiction, downtown abbey feels.

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

I feel a little badly not rating this higher because I’m not entirely sure it deserves a mediocre rating. I started it during a really busy family time and had a hard time concentrating and getting into it. So I’m not sure my review is worth much.

The setting worked really well here and if you’re a Downton Abbey lover, this is perfect for you. Lots of servant dynamics, secrets, a mystery, a very angsty romance…it’s all mostly interesting. The first third of the book felt very slow, and I was a little confused by the perspective switching, mainly because it wasn’t always immediately clear whose perspective it was. The romance was sort of meh; I didn’t really understand what the actual draw to each other was so I wasn’t invested. The letters from the warfront felt unnecessary too.

I do enjoy Gray’s writing and wish I had been able to focus better because I think it would have been more of a win for me.

Coldwell House, Derbyshire - 1911

Coldwell House is a 50-room mansion that is a century old. It is located in a fairly remote area. Its current owner is the elderly Baronet, Sir Henry. Money is very tight here so the staff is quite small. In addition, the house and furnishings are old and faded. The housekeeper is Mrs. Kate Furniss. She has been there for several years now. She does her best to keep the place running with limited funds to do so. She is also hiding a secret which makes staying in this secluded location beneficial for her.

A recent visit from the heir to Sir Henry to introduce his bride to be to him and to show her the house required that the skeleton staff work very hard to care for and feed the visitors. As always they are short staffed so when a young man, Jem Arden, happens in looking for work, they are happy to take him on as a footman. He, too, is hiding a secret. He and Kate seem to understand one another and an attraction sparks between them.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I am rather disappointed in it. There seemed to be so much misery expressed by all of the characters throughout the book. I wanted to see some happiness but that was not to be. The identity of the person writing letters was not revealed until the end of the book. I kept trying to keep up with the plot but it was just too confusing. So sorry.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.