Set in 1905 (but often with a more Victorian era vibe), from the blurb I expected a story about a good 'ol heist with a nod to Upstairs Downstairs. But the execution of the story, with its myriad of characters and subplots fell far short of my expectations.
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.
My issues were many. From the slow pacing and loooong set up, to the very large cast and their convoluted motivations, to extraneous subplots and the actual heist. The heist for which the whole story is centred around, doesn't happen until almost 60% into the story and requires readers to suspend disbelief that a group of people can clear out an entire grand home under the watchful eyes of the homeowner and her large group of guests who are attending a grand ball on the main floor. The 'take it all' mentality of the thieves made me immediately think of The Grinch and how he steals every morsel from Whoville. The next time I move, I'll be hiring Mrs. King and her cronies to pack up my whole house with nary a sound in 8 hours flat.
This book didn't live up to its hype for me and wasn't a story I was eager to pick up. I wanted an exciting caper with a ragtag group of interesting characters and a big heist! Instead, I got a story with too many moving parts, unnecessary subplots, a mess of characters that blended together and a feeling that too much was going on and also not enough was happening.
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Graydon House Publishing for my complimentary advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.
My Rating: 2 stars
Author: Alex Hay
Genre: Historical Mystery
Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley
Publisher: Graydon House (Harlequin Trade)
First Published: July 4, 2023
Book Description from GoodReads: 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments totally make my day!! I read each and every one and really try to reply to all messages posted. Thanks for stopping by my blog!