Synopsis

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…

Review

Sadly not the book for me.

I struggled to get into it initially (picking it up three times before it clicked), but then I raced through it. However, although I enjoyed the concept – who doesn’t root for the underdog? – and many of the characters (although Mrs King seemed a lot older than she was), it didn’t quite live up to expectations.

It’s a slow burn, and the build up was excellent, with plenty of mystery and intrigue, but unfortunately, the last few chapters descend into chaos with an ending that is a bit of a let-down. It feels like the author tried too hard to fit in a lot of topics, with so many coincidences it just doesn’t feel credible as historical fiction. It would have been nice to have more sense of London at the time, as it feels quite modern in its telling and it’s also hard to relate to the characters and empathise with them.

The book has been optioned, and if it makes it to the big screen I think it’ll be a rousing success. I expected there to be more humour and on screen the actors would really be able to play with this and develop the characters. Sadly, in book form it leaves a lot to be desired.

Thanks to Headline Books for my proof copy. Opinions my own.