About the Book
Forget Everything You Thought You Knew About History’s Housekeepers…
Step into the extraordinary world of Mrs. Finnegan, Brighton’s sharp-witted housekeeper from the 1830s. More than just a servant, Mrs. Finnegan is a reservoir of timeless advice, ready to tackle dilemmas from heartache and hair washing to the tricky business of repelling a bed bug invasion.
This isn’t your average historical account. Painstakingly and begrudgingly edited by a “museum volunteer from Hell”, Mrs. Finnegan emerges from these pages as the Boudicca of the serving classes and an authority on (almost) everything.
Discover the force of nature that is Mrs. Finnegan. It’s possible that your life, and the way you look at history, will never be quite the same.
Format: Paperback (136 pages) Publisher: The Regency Town House Publication date: 20th July 2025 Genre: Historical Fiction, Humour
My Review
In her guide, Mrs. Finnegan, doyenne of housekeepers, dispenses practical advice and words of wisdom in her own inimitable style, complete with erratic use of CAPITAL letters. She’s never short of solutions to problems of the heart or the trials of running a household, which must come as good news to correspondents such as Ursula Uncertain, Desolate Dennis or Molly Mortified.
There were lots of things that made me chuckle such as Mrs. F’s love letter template, amendable for any situation, and her diplomatic suggestions for ways to say no without actually uttering the word.
And who would argue with her when she states, “It is my belief love is not blind, simply shortsighted. On marriage you acquire a pair of spectacles.”
However, it’s probably best to ignore most of Mrs. Finnegan’s home remedies and residents of Hove should attempt to shrug off her dismissive comments.
There are copious footnotes many of which are humorous but also impart fascinating historical detail.
I received a digital review copy courtesy of the author.
In three words: Amusing, witty, fascinating
About the Author
Bridget Whelan lectured at Goldsmiths College on non-fiction courses and taught fiction in adult and community education in London, Sussex, Ireland and Portugal. She has also been Writer in Residence on lottery-funded projects supporting the unemployed and low-waged. Her novel A Good Confession is set in 1960s London and she won a prize for a short story about 1930s Ireland.
Connect with Bridget
What Cathy Read Next... 
Can’t wait to read it!
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It’s a lot of fun and a quick read. It also has great illustrations.
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Well that’s quite the title! 😄
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Isn’t it? That’s what drew my attention and although’officially’ I’m closed to review requests from authors I couldn’t resist this one. It’s a lot of fun, a quick read & has great illustrations.
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Sounds cute… and original!
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It was. A lot of fun, a quick read & great illustrations.
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