The Housekeepers

By: Alex Hay

Narrated by: Jasmine Blackborow

The night of London's grandest ball, a bold group of women downstairs plot a daring revenge heist against Mayfair society in this dazzling historical novel about power, gender, and class

Named a Best Book of Summer by The Washington Post * Good Housekeeping * Harper's Bazaar * Reader's Digest

“Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this.”
—Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

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.

“A deliciously clever novel... You’ll never have so much fun cheering on grand larceny.”
—Nina de Gramont, New York Times bestselling author of The Christie Affair, a Reese’s Book Club Pick

*Don't miss Alex Hay's clever next novel, The Queen of Fives, in which a mysterious heiress with a secret sets her sights on London's biggest wedding of the season

©2023 Alex Hay (P)2023 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Tough to follow.

Hard to follow - couldn’t finish it - 2 hours left and still couldn’t tough it out.

Great Audio

The voices were so good, it made the characters come to life. I did enjoy the characters. The hidden story of using the girls was good, especially given the human trafficking epidemic going on now.

A thoroughly satisfying experience

This is an in depth exploration of the talents, dreams and skills of the “downstairs” staff under very difficult circumstances. The scope of the theft they create, plan and execute is amazing, and the characters are so well drawn that one worries about about their welfare as if they are close friends.

Great read. Fun. Original.

I couldn't put Housekeepers down. I loved the characters and the plot twists were completely original.

Suspense-filled romp

What a fun and gripping period piece that follows the countdown to a planned heist. So authentically written and narrated - it’s hard to believe that this wasn’t actually written in the early 1900s. Really enjoyable characters, plot and dialogue.

Pleasantly Surprised

I had never heard of this book until a friend recommended it. I felt pride in the female characters portraying strength, pulling off the impossible together. The character build up made the characters come alive. Wonderful choice for a narrator! Will recommend to those that like this genre.

Intriguing premise

I enjoyed listening to the Housekeepers. It was taunt with suspense, and had very interesting well-drawn characters.

recommend if you enjoy heist stories

This was a well-written book, but it just didn't catch my attention as much as I thought it would based on the description - I did like the representation of an all-female group of burglars!

Still recommend if you enjoy heist stories where you get multiple characters' perspectives as the story unfolds.

A thrill and a joy!

This book was a joy from the first page to the last! It kept you guessing and took you on a wild ride! It’s like a 1905 version of Ocean’s 11, it just needs the spunky music. It’s an absolute thrill and a very satisfying read. 

Great potential but it didn’t deliever

Too bad this book wasn’t better. The concept was fun, but there were way too many subplots and the final description of the heist was a letdown. Such a great narrator was wasted on this.