This was my first book of 2023! I honestly thought it would be a slower read, and I was planning to take my time with it. But right when I started it I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down, and I finished it in a couple days. I really need to convince some friends to read this one so I have someone to talk to about the ending. Read on for my book review of Mrs. England by Stacey Halls!
Synopsis
Ruby May became a nurse because she always wanted to take care of children and help to give them a safe and happy home. She is placed with the perfect family, but when they announce their plans to emigrate to America, she knows she will need to find a new family to employ her because she is unwilling to leave England due to her sister’s failing health. She pleads with the nursing agency to give her a family called the Englands. Four children is a lot to take on, but she is up for the challenge.
Ruby grows to love the children very quickly, and she’s very impressed with her employer, Mr. England. But something is off with Mrs. England from the very beginning. She barely interacts with her children at all, rarely leaves the house, and is very forgetful. Mr. England is always kind to Ruby, thanking her for her work and apologizing for his wife’s forgetfulness. Mysterious happenings with Mrs. England continue to raise questions in Ruby’s head about what is going on behind closed doors. Nurse May is also dealing with her own past trauma while trying to figure out what’s going on with Mrs. England and keep the four children safe.
Thoughts
Throughout the whole book, the author alludes to something traumatic that happened in Ruby’s past that drove her to become a nurse. I think I read it so quickly because there were so many small hints here and there about what was going on, but it didn’t start coming together until the end. So it really keeps you on the edge of your seat!
Toward the end of the book I thought pretty much all the loose ends were tied and that I knew how it would end. But the last paragraph of this book had me questioning everything. Like, wait a second… did I misunderstand what just happened?? Is the victim not actually the victim? I’m gonna be thinking about this one for awhile. I think Mrs. England would be a great book club pick because this ending would make for a great discussion. I also think it would make a great movie.
More Reviews
You can find your own copy of this book here. If you liked this book review of Mrs. England by Stacey Halls, you can read more book reviews here.
