The Housemaid by Sarah Denzil
Blurb
Housemaid wanted.
Skills required: Discretion, and the willingness to go the extra mile.
It seems like the perfect job. Great wages, accommodation provided, and all located within the walls of Highwood Hall, a stunning stately home owned by the Howard family.
Not many little girls dream of becoming a maid, but this is an opportunity for me to get back on my feet. And for me to revisit my past…
But I soon realise I’ve made a mistake.
The strict housekeeper, Mrs Huxley, watches my every move, emerging from the shadows when least expected.
Lord Howard’s son, Alex, takes an interest in me, and as a former addict, I find myself drawn to him because I know he’s bad for me.
There’s a general atmosphere of unease at Highwood Hall, from the narrow tunnels laced throughout the sprawling house, to the abandoned north wing, rumoured to be haunted.
It’s easy to imagine the secrets hidden within these walls, like the secrets I hold close.
On my first day, I receive a mysterious package.
I open up the pretty gift box to find a miniature doll version of me trapped inside a dollhouse.
In this scene I’m dead, lying in a pool of red paint at the bottom of the perfectly recreated staircase.
Someone sent this threatening diorama to me, but who even knows I work at the hall? And what do they want?
I know only one truth: my perfect job is turning into my perfect nightmare.
My Review
What was it all about
The Housemaid by Sarah Denzil was a suspenseful, almost gothic tale where the housemaid whose dream job turned out to be the one that nightmares were made of.
How it made me feel
I felt transported to the Victorian ages, where reality and fantasy intermingled.
There was something outworldly about the writing that kept me gripped to some parts of the prose.
The Good
The atmosphere was brilliant. Slightly haunted, with different shades of gray, where I was unsure about everything around the main character.
The Bad
The book was verrrryyyy slow, even the audiobook didn’t feel interesting. I had to switch over to the digital copy as I wanted to skip sections that were not interesting.
The twist was far-fetched. Somehow there was an air of unbelievability in the book. It needed modern day suspense to make it entertaining.
A lot of unanswered questions. The subplots were not seamless.
The Conclusion
An enjoyable read in some parts if you were willing to hop, skip, and jump around the prose.
Book Links
Book Details
Publication Date: 2021
I downloaded the digital version of the book from an online retail, and this is my journey down its pages, straight from the heart. STRICTLY HONEST and UNBIASED.
If you’ve loved the review, buy me a cuppa to perk me up.
Check out my other posts here