The Housekeeper
A Novel
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3.4 • 5 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"An addictively dark tale full of psychological drama, long-hidden secrets, and the dangers of fabricating a pristine public façade, The Housekeeper will satisfy any reader’s cravings for family drama." —Redbook
"[The Housekeeper] will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page." —Buzzfeed
“A tantalizing glimpse into the everyday lives of the rich and famous—and the people who work for them.”—Shelf Awareness
When Anne Morgan’s successful boyfriend—who also happens to be her boss—leaves her for another woman, Anne finds herself in desperate need of a new job and a quiet place to recover. Meanwhile, her celebrity idol, Emma Helmsley (England’s answer to Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey), is in need of a housekeeper, an opportunity which seems too good to be true.
Through her books, website, and blog, Emma Helmsley advises her devoted followers on how to live a balanced life in a hectic world. Her husband, Rob, is a high profile academic, and her children, Jake and Lily, are well-adjusted teenagers. On the surface, they are the perfect family. But Anne soon finds herself intimately ensconced in the Helmsley’s dirty laundry, both literally and figuratively. Underneath the dust, grime, and whimsical clutter, everyone has a secret to hide. And Anne’s own disturbing past soon threatens to unhinge everything...
For fans of Notes on a Scandal and The Woman Upstairs, The Housekeeper is a nuanced psychological drama about the dark recesses of the human mind and the dangerous consequences of long-buried secrets.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Anne Morgan, the heroine of this mesmerizing suspense novel from British author Dainty (After Everything), used to work as a sous-chef at a restaurant in London's tony Mayfair district, until chef Anton, her boss and boyfriend, dumped her for another woman. Resolved to find a new job, Anne is delighted to get hired as the housekeeper for former psychologist Emma Helmsley, now a TV celebrity regarded as "England's answer to Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey." Emma lives in suburban Petersham with her psychologist husband, Rob, who's famous in his own right, and their two teenage children. Rob's research for a book about an infamous psychologist and cult leader sparks vivid recollections and dreams of a past that Anne has buried away. An orphan raised by her grandmother, Anne has always longed for a loving family, but she slowly realizes that her employer's is not as perfect as it seems. Readers will relate to the very human Anne as she struggles to gain her emotional balance.
Customer Reviews
Anyiclimatic
There’s a lot of buildup with this book and it doesn’t quite deliver at the finish. I was left with a lot of questions, craving that sense of finality. And the book never gives you that confrontational moment where you get the satisfaction of everyone having all the knowledge you as the reader have, that laying it all on the table moment. I suppose the character got what she needed but it left me as the reader feeling bereft. Just my two cents though. Overall, an okay read.