Unlike Natalie in Yesteryear, the six friends in Half a Dozen Housekeepers by Kate Douglas Wiggin (1903) enjoy playing house when they take over a family cottage during their school vacation (Wiggin is better known for Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm).
Staying with a housekeeping, Housekeepers by Alex Hay (2023) is a historical heist novel set in 1905 London. It follows a dismissed housekeeper, Mrs. King, who assembles a team of women to rob a lavish Mayfair mansion during a grand costume ball, seeking revenge and truth against their wealthy employers. I was intrigued by the concept but found the delivery disappointing.
I always like a revenge theme, and particularly enjoyed Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge by Spencer Quinn (2023), about a generous grandmother who gets scammed when trying to bail her grandson out of jail. Humiliated and broke, she decides to find the criminals who took her money and get it back, against all odds. My review.
Falsely accused and imprisoned, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (1846) is a story of suffering and revenge. The recent PBS series was well cast and enjoyable, and I recommend it.
Another falsely accused protagonist is Sara Dane by Catherine Gaskin (1954). She is convicted of theft and transported to the penal colony of Australia in the 18th century. Marriage to one of the naval officers on the ship gives her the opportunity to make a new life for herself. This is a real page-turner by a gifted author and apparently there is also a great miniseries.
As in Sara Dane, A Far-flung Life by M. L. Stedman (2026) does not pretend life on an Australian estate is easy. Sometimes it is heartbreaking. However, this story of a family’s love and suffering and resilience in the mid-20th century is hard to put down. My review.
6 comments:
I enjoyed all Catherine Gaskins books 'back in the day' when I read all those family sagas.
Fab chain! I haven't read any of these but have chosen A Far Flung Life for my book group later this year.
Here's mine for this month: https://portobellobookblog.com/2026/07/04/6degrees-of-separation-for-july-2026-from-yesteryear-to-the-time-travelers-wife-booksky-%f0%9f%92%99%f0%9f%93%9a/
Oh how I loved Sara Dane when I was a teen. The TV mini-series was wonderful too. My favourite Gaskin though was My Love Must Wait - I read it so many times.
They've held up better than most! My favorite is The Lynmara Legacy. I once lent my copy to a friend and then we had a falling out. Several years later, she invited me to a cocktail party at her home and I hesitated about going but went, found it in her bookcase, and was able to reclaim it.
It will be a good book for discussion although quite long - don't read it in December when everyone is busy.
Is that the one about the Australian Gold Rush? It's not one of the handful I have found at library book sales but maybe it's still on the shelf somewhere - I will check.
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