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The Chambermaid's Key: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 21 Apr 26From #1 bestselling author Genevieve Graham, “the reigning queen of Canadian historical fiction” (Kristen Harmel, #1 New York Times bestselling author) comes a dazzling novel set at an elegant hotel in Toronto in 1929 about a young chambermaid, a handsome waiter, and a murder that will reverberate for a century.
Welcome to the Dominion, where secrets lurk behind every locked door.
1929: Rosie Ryan wants nothing more than to escape the poverty of The Ward, Toronto’s roughest neighbourhood, and become a chambermaid at the brand-new Dominion Hotel. Until she meets Damien, that is—a charming and ambitious waiter who promises her a better life—and adds him to the top of her list. The Dominion offers her a chance to do well, but behind the gleaming chandeliers and polished marble lurk dangerous secrets involving its most notorious guest, a wealthy gangster who’s about to profit from The Crash that will decimate the economy. When a friend is murdered, Rosie finds herself tangled in a web of betrayal—one that just might cost her everything.
Present City building Inspector Bridget Kelly is assigned to scrutinize the recent renovations at the elegant old Dominion Hotel, a task she relishes as a lover of history and architecture, and that gets even better once she starts working with a brilliant and fascinating archivist. But when a routine inspection uncovers mysterious boxes, locked doors, and secret corridors, bringing to light a long-buried clue to a decades-old murder, her inspection is thwarted, and threats rise round her on every side. Bridget soon realizes someone doesn’t want the truth to surface—and they’ll do anything to keep it buried.
Spanning nearly a century, The Chambermaid’s Key is a gripping dual-timeline novel about ambition, betrayal, and the secrets that bind us across generations.
Welcome to the Dominion, where secrets lurk behind every locked door.
1929: Rosie Ryan wants nothing more than to escape the poverty of The Ward, Toronto’s roughest neighbourhood, and become a chambermaid at the brand-new Dominion Hotel. Until she meets Damien, that is—a charming and ambitious waiter who promises her a better life—and adds him to the top of her list. The Dominion offers her a chance to do well, but behind the gleaming chandeliers and polished marble lurk dangerous secrets involving its most notorious guest, a wealthy gangster who’s about to profit from The Crash that will decimate the economy. When a friend is murdered, Rosie finds herself tangled in a web of betrayal—one that just might cost her everything.
Present City building Inspector Bridget Kelly is assigned to scrutinize the recent renovations at the elegant old Dominion Hotel, a task she relishes as a lover of history and architecture, and that gets even better once she starts working with a brilliant and fascinating archivist. But when a routine inspection uncovers mysterious boxes, locked doors, and secret corridors, bringing to light a long-buried clue to a decades-old murder, her inspection is thwarted, and threats rise round her on every side. Bridget soon realizes someone doesn’t want the truth to surface—and they’ll do anything to keep it buried.
Spanning nearly a century, The Chambermaid’s Key is a gripping dual-timeline novel about ambition, betrayal, and the secrets that bind us across generations.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Want to read
December 17, 2025More Canadian fiction to arc.
January 17, 2026
Loved this book! As always Genevieve Graham writes a book I can’t wait to read and can’t put down
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
When “just one more chapter” turns into 24 chapters later. I devoured the digital advanced readers copy of Genevieve Graham’s latest ‘The Chambermaid’s Key’ in less than 24 hours and give it a solid 💜💜💜💜💜. I was enthralled from the beginning. I am a longtime fan of Genevieve Graham and this may just be my favourite yet. The mix of historical fiction and mystery were exquisitely executed and each swap from 1929 to 2024 found me holding my breath and wishing for me. What an eclectic mix of characters with just enough fiction to remind you it’s a story and not reality but also enough humility to have me grasping for Kleenex to cover the sobs. And as any good historical fiction should, I found myself deep diving into the history of Toronto’s “Ward” as well as visual photos of the hotels inspiration. This was an excellent start to the 2026 reading season and an absolute must read upon its release in April. Thank you to @netgalley, @simonschusterca and @gengrahamauthor for the phenomenal novel. “In your life, it’s important you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Genevieve Graham NEVER disappoints and with this latest one she leans into the mystery/suspense genre to add an extra element to her Canadian history fiction love story. The Chambermaid's key has something for everyone - there's a heartbreaking love story, a moving intergenerational coming of age story and a feel good women's fiction wmystery story.
Full of suspense, action and heartbreaking romance, this was great for anyone who loves a love story that has lots of action, mystery and suspense. There was mob connections, hold Toronto architectural history and an utterly moving intergenerational family history story. 10/10 recommended and so grateful to have gotten an early copy by one of my favorite author's newest books!!
Full of suspense, action and heartbreaking romance, this was great for anyone who loves a love story that has lots of action, mystery and suspense. There was mob connections, hold Toronto architectural history and an utterly moving intergenerational family history story. 10/10 recommended and so grateful to have gotten an early copy by one of my favorite author's newest books!!
Read
January 19, 2026Yeah yeah. Big deal. It’s a mystery - something different for Ms. Graham.
No matter - it still reads the same as every other Genevieve Graham general historical fiction novel.
Just because it’s grounded in real historical Toronto is not good enough to make up for it being totally trope and then let’s talk about the oh so mediocre writing.
This is completely inter-changeable with any other similar title published by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
DNF
No matter - it still reads the same as every other Genevieve Graham general historical fiction novel.
Just because it’s grounded in real historical Toronto is not good enough to make up for it being totally trope and then let’s talk about the oh so mediocre writing.
This is completely inter-changeable with any other similar title published by this author.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me access to an early digital review copy.
DNF
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
For me, every Genevieve book is a hit! I enjoy her books so much. Can’t believe I have to wait a year for another one!!!!!❤️
Passing the Royal York everyday on my way to and from work, i’m aware of the history that it folds. I love how Genevieve adds a layer of history to my knowledge with this fascinating story. Although the book is fiction and the events didn’t happen, the environment in which they happened were made all too real by the history, she wove into the story. I love learning about Toronto history, and hope you will write more!
Passing the Royal York everyday on my way to and from work, i’m aware of the history that it folds. I love how Genevieve adds a layer of history to my knowledge with this fascinating story. Although the book is fiction and the events didn’t happen, the environment in which they happened were made all too real by the history, she wove into the story. I love learning about Toronto history, and hope you will write more!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an advance copy of this book from Simon & Schuster. I have been in the lobby of the hotel that this book is based on and this was so fun for me to read to picture myself in those rooms of the hotel and in the lobby and basement both in the past and in the present. I loved the description of the hotel and the surrounding area. This book was such a lovely book to read I was able to feel the energy of the characters both in the past and present. I really enjoyed this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and the author Genevieve Graham.
I read everything novel written by this author and she never disappoints.
Set in Toronto, dual timeline
Rosie Ryan 1929 Chambermaid at the Dominion Hotel
Bridget Kelly, present day, building inspector at the Dominion Hotel.
How their two lives intertwined a century apart was very interesting,
I could not put this novel down.
Highly recommend.
5 stars
I read everything novel written by this author and she never disappoints.
Set in Toronto, dual timeline
Rosie Ryan 1929 Chambermaid at the Dominion Hotel
Bridget Kelly, present day, building inspector at the Dominion Hotel.
How their two lives intertwined a century apart was very interesting,
I could not put this novel down.
Highly recommend.
5 stars
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews