The Housekeeper's Promise
A gritty, heartbreaking saga from Sunday Times bestselling author Evelyn Hood for fans of Dilly Court
Published on 31. October 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-1-80635-392-7 (ISBN)
Description
THE QUEEN OF SCOTTISH SAGAS ?? An unforgettable historical story of love, loss, and resilience! Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Catherine Cookson ??One orphan's courage could change everything ??Step back in time to Paisley, Scotland 1828
Orphaned Elizabeth Cunningham is taken on as a companionto the lady of the Montgomery household at the age of fourteen.When the mistress dies, Elizabeth becomes housekeeper. and runs the fine household for domineering Rab Montgomery andhis sons Matthew and James, all who work for the family's shawl manufacturing business.
Elizabeth is only seventeen on the fateful day when overseas naval surgeon Adam Montgomery, Rab's eldest son, briefly returns hometo his father's house after the death of his fiancee in India. From that day, Elizabeth's life is changed forever.
As tensions grow, family loyalties are tested as cholera sweeps through the town of Paisley and illness ravages those close to Elizabeth. Elizabeth's position as housekeeper is under threat when Rab loses the respect of the town, and hard decisions have to be made about her future.
Can an orphaned young woman find her way in a time of social upheaval? ??
From Sunday Times bestselling author Evelyn Hood, the breathtaking finale to The Paisley Women saga.A story of optimism and finding a beacon of light and hope through the harsh times ??Previously published in paperback as A Stranger to the Town
PRAISE FOR EVELYN HOOD
PRAISE FOR EVELYN HOOD
'Compelling from the start, heartfelt and beautifully written.' - Rosie Clarke
'An engrossing read, I loved it and am sure you will too' - Fenella J. Miller
'If you like Catherine Cookson, you'll love Evelyn Hood's books.' - Lizzie Lane
'Evelyn Hood's characters step off the page and into your heart.' - Sheila Riley
'This is addictive and heartfelt storytelling, with colourful characters you'll never want to say goodbye to.' - Jane Lark
'Wonderfully descriptive, with memorable characters and a true sense of place.' - Tracy Baines
'Faultless historical detail and emotionally complex characters makethese engrossing and intelligent Evelyn Hood's sagas deeply satisfying' - Maisie Thomas
'Evocative, beautifully rich, brilliantly detailed and meticulously researched - this story transported me and kept me up way past my bedtime - a triumph of a story. I very highly recommend Evelyn Hood' - Renita D'Silva 'Scotland's Catherine Cookson' - Scots Magazine
'Hood is immaculate in her historical detail' - Scottish Herald
'Quite simply, I couldn't put it down. A rich and rewarding read' - Emma Blair
'Evelyn Hood has been called Scotland's Catherine Cookson. Unfair. She has her own distinctive voice' - Scots Magazine
'Touching, romantic and unforgettable' - Reader Review
'Love all her books' - Reader Review
'Evelyn Hood produces the best of stories' - Reader Review
'I cannot put her books down' - Reader Review
'Love everything Evelyn Hood writes' - Reader Review
'Evelyn Hood is a fantastic writer, bringing the past to life and drawing you right into the story' - Reader Review
Orphaned Elizabeth Cunningham is taken on as a companionto the lady of the Montgomery household at the age of fourteen.When the mistress dies, Elizabeth becomes housekeeper. and runs the fine household for domineering Rab Montgomery andhis sons Matthew and James, all who work for the family's shawl manufacturing business.
Elizabeth is only seventeen on the fateful day when overseas naval surgeon Adam Montgomery, Rab's eldest son, briefly returns hometo his father's house after the death of his fiancee in India. From that day, Elizabeth's life is changed forever.
As tensions grow, family loyalties are tested as cholera sweeps through the town of Paisley and illness ravages those close to Elizabeth. Elizabeth's position as housekeeper is under threat when Rab loses the respect of the town, and hard decisions have to be made about her future.
Can an orphaned young woman find her way in a time of social upheaval? ??
From Sunday Times bestselling author Evelyn Hood, the breathtaking finale to The Paisley Women saga.A story of optimism and finding a beacon of light and hope through the harsh times ??Previously published in paperback as A Stranger to the Town
PRAISE FOR EVELYN HOOD
PRAISE FOR EVELYN HOOD
'Compelling from the start, heartfelt and beautifully written.' - Rosie Clarke
'An engrossing read, I loved it and am sure you will too' - Fenella J. Miller
'If you like Catherine Cookson, you'll love Evelyn Hood's books.' - Lizzie Lane
'Evelyn Hood's characters step off the page and into your heart.' - Sheila Riley
'This is addictive and heartfelt storytelling, with colourful characters you'll never want to say goodbye to.' - Jane Lark
'Wonderfully descriptive, with memorable characters and a true sense of place.' - Tracy Baines
'Faultless historical detail and emotionally complex characters makethese engrossing and intelligent Evelyn Hood's sagas deeply satisfying' - Maisie Thomas
'Evocative, beautifully rich, brilliantly detailed and meticulously researched - this story transported me and kept me up way past my bedtime - a triumph of a story. I very highly recommend Evelyn Hood' - Renita D'Silva 'Scotland's Catherine Cookson' - Scots Magazine
'Hood is immaculate in her historical detail' - Scottish Herald
'Quite simply, I couldn't put it down. A rich and rewarding read' - Emma Blair
'Evelyn Hood has been called Scotland's Catherine Cookson. Unfair. She has her own distinctive voice' - Scots Magazine
'Touching, romantic and unforgettable' - Reader Review
'Love all her books' - Reader Review
'Evelyn Hood produces the best of stories' - Reader Review
'I cannot put her books down' - Reader Review
'Love everything Evelyn Hood writes' - Reader Review
'Evelyn Hood is a fantastic writer, bringing the past to life and drawing you right into the story' - Reader Review
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
284 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80635-392-7 (9781806353927)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Sunday Times bestselling author, Evelyn Hood was best known for her Scottish family sagas set in her hometown of Paisley (Renfrewshire) and on the Clyde Coast, where she also lived. Her seven-volume Prior's Ford books are set in a modern-day fictitious village in Dumfries and Galloway.
Throughout her distinguished career, she published more than 40 novels, numerous short stories, as well as plays, pantomimes, musicals, and poems. She also authored "Forward by Degrees," a commissioned history of the University of Paisley, and "Mill Memories; Interviews with Former Employees of Paisley's Thread Mills," which preserves the legacy of the town's textile industry. A former journalist, Evelyn wrote under several pen names, including Eve Houston, Elizabeth A. Webster, Louise James, and Evelyn Steel.
Passionate about literature and the arts, Evelyn frequently adjudicated competitions, gave public readings, and mentored emerging writers. She was also deeply involved in amateur dramatics in Paisley, directing musicals and plays.
Evelyn Hood passed away in Ayrshire in 2023, but the legacy of her writing continues, inspiring a generation of saga writers and touching reader's hearts worldwide.
Throughout her distinguished career, she published more than 40 novels, numerous short stories, as well as plays, pantomimes, musicals, and poems. She also authored "Forward by Degrees," a commissioned history of the University of Paisley, and "Mill Memories; Interviews with Former Employees of Paisley's Thread Mills," which preserves the legacy of the town's textile industry. A former journalist, Evelyn wrote under several pen names, including Eve Houston, Elizabeth A. Webster, Louise James, and Evelyn Steel.
Passionate about literature and the arts, Evelyn frequently adjudicated competitions, gave public readings, and mentored emerging writers. She was also deeply involved in amateur dramatics in Paisley, directing musicals and plays.
Evelyn Hood passed away in Ayrshire in 2023, but the legacy of her writing continues, inspiring a generation of saga writers and touching reader's hearts worldwide.