The Household cover art

The Household

The utterly captivating, page-turning Sunday Times bestseller from the author of THE FAMILIARS

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 15 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

The Household

By: Stacey Halls
Narrated by: Sophia Money-Coutts, Stacey Halls, Tuppence Middleton
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £14.88

Buy Now for £14.88

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, SET AGAINST CHARLES DICKENS' HOME FOR FALLEN WOMEN

'Absorbing . . . Halls weaves together the elements of her story with great skill' Sunday Times
'Acutely observed and beautifully written' Daily Mail
'Compelling and richly detailed' Good Housekeeping
'Captivating' Woman
'Meticulously researched and compelling' Red
'Keeps the reader enthralled' Prima
'Exquisitely written . . . full of heart and hope' Fabulous

The house, she was promised, is the first clean page in a new book for girls like her . . .

1847, Shepherds Bush. Charles Dickens' home for fallen women is about to open its doors. Part refuge, part reformatory, the house and its location are top secret, and Martha Gelder and Josephine Nash among its first inmates. But faced with the chance to redeem themselves, how badly do they want it?

Across town, in her Piccadilly mansion, Dickens' friend, the millionaire Angela Burdett Coutts, receives news that turns her orderly world upside down. Her stalker has been freed from prison, and she knows it's only a matter of time before their nightmarish game resumes once more.

As the women's worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price . . .

PRAISE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD and STACEY HALLS

'Undoubtedly my favourite novel written by Stacey Halls so far. I loved it' Susan Stokes-Chapman, Sunday Times bestselling author of Pandora

'I devoured The Household . . . Meticulously researched and thoroughly entertaining. This is undoubtedly Halls' best novel yet - I can't wait to see what she writes next' Elizabeth Macneal

'Atmospheric, intelligent, accessible, every Stacey Halls novel is worth reading, then reading again and again' Kate Mosse

'The very definition of unputdownable' Louise Hare

'Halls' most ambitious and brilliant book so far. A triumph' Anna Mazzola

'I loved The Household . . . Full of heart, humaneness and menace. I enjoyed every second' Beth Underdown




*Sunday Times bestseller 19.04.25*
*Winner of the Women's Prize Futures Award 2022- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/lifestyle/editors-choice-book-reviews/a41610537/stacey-halls-winner-futures-award/* Historical Mystery Thriller & Suspense Victorian England Exciting
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

With warm and artful prose this is a story richly realised and sympathetically imagined, making THE HOUSEHOLD undoubtedly my favourite novel written by Stacey Halls so far, whose writing goes from strength to strength. I loved it (Susan Stokes-Chapman, Sunday Times bestselling author of Pandora)
This novel is the very definition of unputdownable. I loved every one of the women connected to Urania Cottage. Original, engrossing and so true to life. My favourite Stacey Halls novel yet (Louise Hare)
I devoured The Household by Stacey Halls. Meticulously researched and thoroughly entertaining, I was struck most of all by its hopefulness: about forgiveness, friendship, the choices we make and the opportunity for a second (or third) chance. This is undoubtedly Stacey Halls' best novel yet - I can't wait to see what she writes next (Elizabeth Macneal, bestselling author of The Doll Factory)
Stacey Halls' most ambitious and brilliant book so far. Complex and brilliantly-drawn characters and, at its heart, a message of friendship and hope. A triumph (Anna Mazzola)
I loved The Household. Moving expertly between perspectives and locations, it is full of heart, humaneness and menace. I enjoyed every second (Beth Underdown)
Meticulously researched and compelling
Inspired by real people who resided at Charles Dickens' home for fallen women. Elegant prose keeps the reader enthralled
Compelling and richly detailed
Based on real-life events, this captivating tale explores kindness, sacrifice and challenges societal norms
Absorbing . . . Halls weaves together the elements of her story with great skill
All stars
Most relevant
Love her historical fiction. But with this book, whilst there was lots of character development and immersement in victorian London, it seemed to lack purpose and a constant thread sufficient to hold my interest.

Meandering

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved the characters and the lives they led. There are so many modern day equivalents although keeping a place quiet would be impossible now I think!

Great Tale of Dickensian Life

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Good story based on fact with Charles Dickens helping to set up a house to help “ fallen women”

Interesting story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Another great book! Stacey has enormous skill at creating her characters and giving them enormous depth. This ensures that right from the start you have favourites, people to root for, feel sympathy for and of course those you love to hate. I have loved all of Stacey's books and this was no different. I also enjoyed the chat/interview with Sophia at the end, opened up some more of the real family history.

Another fabulous read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved the reader. The story was good if a little predictable sometimes. Characters well fleshed out. All felt a little rushed at the end though.

Interesting historical insights

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews