Stories about grand houses with lots of servants are a staple in historical fiction. A lot of the time, the house and servants are a backdrop for the story. Author Valerie Anne Hudson’s Maids of Maddington: Welcome To The Madhouse is a twist on that kind of story. Yes, it takes place in the home of a fabulously wealthy family. However, the story is very light on the “upstairs” part of the drama. Instead of focusing on fashionable upstairs intrigue, this story is told entirely by a housemaid.

Our narrator, Eliza, is a young woman who comes from grinding poverty. She works as a servant in the homes of wealthier people as a means to support herself, her mother, and her siblings. She is good-natured and dutiful. Eliza has no flaws to speak of. The story kicks off when Eliza starts working in the eponymous Madhouse’s Montague household. She finds a true friend, only to nearly lose her in a classic morality tale.

On the first page, the reader is immediately flung, in medias res, into the hubbub surrounding a high-profile murder trial. But, while a crime was committed, there is a long buildup. Hudson takes readers on that journey, seen through Eliza’s eyes, which builds the suspense. Eliza’s character is one that you grow fond of as she is courageous and kind, and you follow her on her journey as she struggles to take care of her family. Eliza and Annie form a beautiful relationship, and the drama that surrounds them makes this one read that is hard to put down.

Welcome To The Madhouse is an entertaining and engrossing story. The reader gets to see the ugly side of life in the Victorian era is at the heart of the tale, and Hudson effectively uses the contrast between the elegant lives of the Montagues and the difficult lives of Eliza’s family. This cozy little story is definitely worth reading, and I look forward to reading more books in the series.

Pages: 195 | ASIN : B09ZK9RB7P