Mrs England

Mrs. England by Stacey Halls is a 2022 Mira publication.

West Yorkshire -1904

Ruby May is unable to immigrate to the United States with her employers, so and in dire need of funds, she accepts a Nanny position, working for Charles and Lilian England. Charles is a wealthy mill owner, but only employs a small staff. But that is not the only odd thing Ruby notices about her new situation.

It would seem that Mrs. England is mentally unwell, and her husband is a bit overly familiar with Ruby on occasion, which puts her at odds with the staff. Slowly, Ruby begins to fall under Charles’ spell, relishing the extra attention he gives her- but Mrs. England may not be as aloof as she seems…

What a terrific story. Yes, this story has some Gothic show more tones, which by now, everyone knows is my favorite- but there’s something deeper here than the creepy atmosphere, mystery, and intrigue. At its core it is the story of two women from differing backgrounds who are stronger than they are given credit for, but forced to work within the confines of the strictures of the society they must conform to. But they also lean on and help one another, while still maintaining their individual independence- which is a message we should all pick up on and practice.

Overall, the author did an amazing job with this book. It’s hard to capture that special Gothic atmosphere- these days- but Stacey Halls has it down to a science. Yet, she also creates fabulous characters and provides rich historical details that kept me enthralled, on the edge of my seat, and turning pages well past my bedtime.

5 stars show less

I've been highly anticipating Stacey Halls' third book for what seems like ages and Mrs England proved to be the treat I was expecting it to be.

Ruby May is a Norland children's nurse. It's 1904 so being a children's nurse actually means being a nanny with a touch of governess thrown in. She's happy with the London family whose young daughter she looks after but for personal reasons she has to leave them and find a new position. Enter the England family in West Yorkshire, a quite different prospect to what she is used to but Ruby is determined to fit in and look after their four children as she has been trained to do. However, there are disturbing things that she is unable to put her finger on at Hardcastle House. She hardly sees Mrs show more England who seems very remote and Mr England is everything Ruby does not expect from the man of the house and at times she feels quite uncomfortable in his presence.

This is not a book where there are loads of twists and turns, and major events, more one that simmers nicely before coming to the boil. I loved the way in which I was able to follow Ruby in her work, understand what her role involved and really get a sense of her as a person. I particularly enjoyed understanding what was expected of her as a Norland nurse and also the workings of an Edwardian house. That's not to say that there aren't some thrilling events though. I was absolutely riveted by the narrative and by the underlying but all-pervading sense that there is something very wrong in the England household.

Mrs England is a very atmospheric read full of intrigue and secrets, with a slow-burn tension that slowly rises to a crescendo at which point so many aspects of the story become clear as though a net curtain has been drawn back to reveal them. I love a character driven story and this is one that is very much about the different characters, from the upper classes to the servants, with Ruby sometimes in a limbo land between. I adored the upstairs downstairs vibe and I loved the quiet, yet plucky, Nurse May.

This is another brilliant, beautifully written and multi-layered book from the pen of Stacey Halls. I can't wait to see what is next. show less

Mrs England by Stacey Halls is one of my most highly anticipated releases for 2021 and I was thrilled when it delivered on all of my hopes and expectations. From the stunning cover design, the enticing premise, the Edwardian era setting and location at Hardcastle House in West Yorkshire, Mrs England is everything I love in historical fiction.

Ruby May is a qualified nurse from the Norland Institute in London and after her employers move to America, Nurse May finds herself frantically looking for work so she can continue to support her ailing sister. Accepting a position at the isolated Hardcastle House, Ruby eagerly agrees to look after three children from the family of wealthy mill owners Charles and Lilian England. The previous nurse show more had cared for Charles as a boy and died of natural causes and Nurse May finds her new surroundings lacking. She immediately embarks on a drastic 'makeover' of the nursery, cleans and dusts, mends the children's clothes and takes the children outdoors to play every day. This kind of 'manor makeover' is total bookish catnip to me. I love when a governess or nursemaid shakes things up for the better, and I was in heaven during these pages.

Mrs Lilian England keeps strange hours, doesn't interact much with the children and doesn't involve herself in the running of the household. Mr England is friendly, relaxed and approachable and it's soon clear who really runs the house. This is a slow moving gothic tale, with Ruby's past carefully revealed and the relationships between the characters slowly evolving.

Reading Mrs England felt like being immersed in the world of Downtown Abbey. Not much happens but I just loved being there, the interactions and back stories of the characters being enough to keep me transfixed. It is for this reason that the denouement came as quite a surprise and everything I thought I knew was turned slightly on its head. Oh, and the last line of dialogue between the characters made me exclaim out loud and impatient to discuss it with another reader.

I've read all of Stacey Halls' books, beginning with The Familiars in 2019 and The Foundling in 2020, both of which were 5 star reads. You can understand why Mrs England was high on my watch list, and I'm thrilled to report it was also a 5 star reading experience. This makes Stacey Halls an automatic must-read author for me and I can't wait to find out what what she's working on next.

Highly recommended for historical fiction fans.

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin * show less

This third book by Stacey Halls follows Nurse Ruby May. Ruby takes a new position as a nurse maid to the four children of Charles and Lilian England in Yorkshire.

I really enjoyed this story very much. It follows Ruby and what happens when she takes up the position and also has snippets into her life at home in Birmingham.

This story plods along nicely with a few dramas along the way. The story is a slow burn and does keep that pace but keeps the interest.

The story is a nice easy read and one I found I did settle into. When I was a teenager before I discovered horror and thrillers I did read a lot of Catherine Cookson, so for me stories like this remind of the books I used to read.

My only niggle is that when Ruby is asked where she is show more from and says Birmingham, the other character will remark and say The Black Country. I'm from and live in The Black Country and Birmingham isn't part of it. This does not distract at all from the story, it's just a niggle of mine. The Black Country and Birmingham are two separate areas.

Stacey Halls is another author I would automatically read without knowing what the books are about. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend. show less

What carried me through this novel was the nicely done reconstruction of Edwardian settings and interactions, any British historical background or bourgeois milieu from the XIX and XX centuries being a guilty pleasure of mine; pretty much like looking at a dolls' house as an adult, but with a story to go with the tiny furniture and characters.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!





This said, the focus of the story - what horrors men can make women endure, nearly without noticing any of the consequences but their own feelings, motives and needs - was a bit askew in its realisation. The point was obvious since the start, and well done for the ever so subtle insight into the creeping, silent expectation that an abused daughter needs justification for not show more wanting to address, forgive or see her father again; however, when it came to the disfunctional Englands, the narration fell short of conveying the effects of gaslighting on people around the victim. I never really believed the "good husband" deception, it all felt quite contrived when it came to the main plot - a nursery maid moving to an isolated wealthy family mansion and being drawn into the abusive household's secrets. The female characters, the nurse and the lady, felt real and likeable, but I could tell the big reveal since the start, and the psychological tricks and manipulations on the part of the husband never looked realistic to me.
All in all, there were a couple of powerful statements here and there, such as when Ruby, the protagonist, refuses to see her father just because she doesn't want to, without yielding to the temtation to justify herself further after all hhe had put her through; and I could feel her back straightening as if it were mine. But the writjng is discontinuous in defining characters and motivations, and this pulls the whole novel down from memorable feminist literature to mere entertainment. show less

This is a thoroughly absorbing work of historical fiction.
Wonderful sense of place and with excellent characterisation, the real winners here are her splendid narrative drive and the reader who is treated to an immersive experience that is rare in today's modern fiction.
Kudos to Ms. Halls and I will certainly go and gobble up her two earlier novels.

''The woods at night were far from silent. Nightjars and owls called their strange solos, and my boots crunched on the stones littered across the track. All around was the sound of water: noisy little brooks and streams made their ceaseless descent to the river, bubbling, chattering, murmuring. The rain had stopped, and the moon peered out from behind her misty veil.''

An interesting Historical Fiction novel that focuses on family drama and the sins of the past. I didn't enjoy this one as much as The Familiars or The Foundling and the melodramatic finale was a bit simplistic for my taste, but a Stacey Halls novel will always find a place on my bookshelves.