July 25

The Housekeepers – Alex Hay

UPSTAIRS, MADAM IS PLANNING THE PARTY OF THE SEASON.

DOWNSTAIRS, THE SERVANTS ARE PLOTTING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY.

When Mrs King, housekeeper to the most illustrious home in Mayfair, is suddenly dismissed after years of loyal service, she knows just who to recruit to help her take 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, who has been keeping the dark secrets of Park Lane far too long.

Mrs King has an audacious plan in mind, one that will reunite her women in the depths of the house on the night of a magnificent ball – and play out right under the noses of her former employers…

THEY COME FROM NOTHING. BUT THEY’LL LEAVE WITH EVERYTHING.

 

My thanks to the publishers for a review copy which I recieved through Netgalley. Thanks also to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the opportunity to join the tour for The Housekeepers.

 

It’s 1905 and The Housekeepers is bringing readers a mashup of Gosford Park and Oceans Eight – I am here for that! This is a glorious piece of historical crime fiction, grand in its ambition and delivering some engaging subplots and distractions which all threaten to derail the characters from the successful execution of their ambitious plans.

A word of caution though, this book starts with a bit of a slow burn while characters are introduced (there were a few and I frequently mixed them up) while backgrounds are established and while territories are determined. Keep going! Once the slow burn fully ignites the main event there is plenty of sizzle to enjoy.

In one of London’s exclusive family homes there’s a period of mourning underway. The master of the house, a self-made man who had shaken up London society has passed away. But the new lady of this manor (Miss de Vries) isn’t following conventions – she decides she must host an elaborate party, a grand ball and she wants the guest list to be filled with the great and good (and rich) of the town. Naturally there’s a shocked and scandalised reaction that Miss de Vries would even consider such an event during the official mourning period she is expected to observe.

Below the stairs there’s a very different scandal when Mrs King, the housekeeper, is fired from her post for being with a man. Mrs King isn’t one to retreat and lick her wounds – she’s on a mission to extract revenge and to do this she’s going to need some very special people to help her.

And so begins Mrs King’s recruitment and planning challenge. She wants to rob the house, strip it right down and leave Miss de Vries with nothing. It’s wonderfully excessive and she knows she’s facing huge challenges but the grand party will provide the cover she needs.

With the date set and the plan revealed in stages for readers it’s fun to follow this story and see how the various players in this elaborate heist fit into their respective roles. We see them find places of employment in the house, recruit the brute strength needed to move heavy furniture and arrange costumes, drivers and equipment to make sure they have the tools they need.

Unfortunately for Mrs King there are too many random variables which are out of her control and this is where the fun and thrills will creep in.  Her team will keep secrets from her, the staff in the house unwittingly thwart ideas, there are more secrets in the household that Mrs King can’t know and Miss de Vries is an astute and observant lady – she’s hard to distract.

The Housekeepers offers readers a highly entertaining period thriller. The social history elements of the book feel nicely balanced with that gloriously extravagant crime which is being planned. There are several key characters to follow and you’ll likely enjoy some more than others but you’ll also find yourself sympathetic to these characters too – everyone has their own burden to shoulder.

All in, this was a fun read. Definitely not one I took too seriously but with lots of nice touches and some fascinating characters that I was willing to see succeed.

 

 

The Housekeepers is published by Headline and is available now in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-housekeepers/alex-hay/9781472299338

 

 

 

 

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October 18

Stone Cold Trouble – Amer Anwar

Set in the heart of West London’s Asian community, this is the latest instalment in the unmissable ZAQ & JAGS series . . .

Trying – and failing – to keep his head down and to stay out of trouble, ex-con Zaq Khan agrees to help his best friend, Jags, recover a family heirloom, currently in the possession of a wealthy businessman. But when Zaq’s brother is viciously assaulted, Zaq is left wondering whether someone from his own past is out to get revenge.

Wanting answers and retribution, Zaq and Jags set out to track down those responsible. Meanwhile, their dealings with the businessman take a turn for the worse and Zaq and Jags find themselves suspected of murder.

It’ll take both brains and brawn to get themselves out of trouble and, no matter what happens, the results will likely be deadly. The only question is, whether it will prove deadly for them, or for someone else . . . ?

 

I originally recieved a review copy from the author prior to publicaiton but subsequently bought and read my own copy which I purchased after release

 

No messing about on this review – Stone Cold Trouble is nailed on for a full five star review.  I bloody loved it. My only regret (and this is on me) is that I didn’t read the first Zaq and Jags book – Brothers In Blood – before I read Stone Cold Trouble.  As the books follow the story of the lead characters there were some small spoilers, I assume, as to how the first story panned out.  So I shall hold off for a few weeks then revisit this feisty duo so I can enjoy their debut adventure.

But Stone Cold Trouble is the focus for today and I want to rave about it a little.  It’s fast paced, tension packed, funny, engrossing and one of the best page turners I have picked up for many a month.

Zaq Kahn is the lead character and we pick up his story as he agrees to help his friend, Jag, with a family problem.  It turns out Jags uncle “Lucky” was not so lucky in a high-stakes card game.  He used a family heirloom as a marker against a bet but now can’t get the necklace back – turns out the other guy wants the necklace more than the cash he was owed.  Lucky wants Jags and Zaq to help him get back the necklace before Lucky’s wife discovers it is missing.  Recovering the necklace will prove to be somewhat problematic and these scenes provide much of the light relief in the early part of the story.

The light relief is necessary as Zaq has a much more serious issue to contend with.  His younger brother has been rushed to hospital after being badly beaten and left for dead.  While sitting by his brother’s hospital bed Zaq vows to find those responsible and seek some retribution. Stone Cold Trouble is Zaq trying to juggle a personal investigation into the attack on his brother, recover a stolen necklace and keep his brother company in hospital while his brother fights for his life.  There is no shortage of action points and Amer Anwar juggles the balance of tension, action and quieter scenes perfectly.

I found Stone Cold Trouble to be pure reading fun.  The story flowed and twisted and I got totally caught up in events – one of those gems which you get half-way through and find that you don’t want the story to end. Highly recommended and I cannot wait to see what else Zaq and Jags will get up to in future.

 

Stone Cold Trouble is published by Dialogue Books and is available in paperback and digital format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SZL5BJX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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