Episode Details

EPISODE 709 - Sandra Schnakenburg - The Housekeeper’s Secret - Uncover the story hidden by a family’s beloved housekeeper, Lee Metoyer

In this episode of Living The Next Chapter, author Sandra Schnakenburg shares the extraordinary origin of her memoir The Housekeeper's Secret, born from a deathbed promise to her beloved housekeeper, Lee Metoyer. A corporate finance veteran with no formal writing training, Sandra recounts how Lea, who raised her from age three on their 44-acre estate starting in 1965, lived with them for 30 years under a fabricated identity. Lee often teased the family about her unbelievable life story she planned to write, but lung cancer cut her plans short in 1994, leading her to implore Sandra to tell it instead.​

Fifteen years later, while clearing her late mother's home, Sandra discovered Lee's ashes hidden in a closet, reigniting her quest. What began as a search for Lee's supposed husband and son—lost in a car accident, per her cover story—unraveled a shocking truth: Lee had reinvented herself to escape a traumatic past tied to a prominent Creole family in Louisiana, marked by resilience amid hardship. Clues like her aversion to baths, frostbitten feet, false teeth, and evasive one-word answers to Sandra's probing questions fueled the mystery, transforming the book into Sandra's own healing journey through 3,000 pages over a decade.​

Sandra dove into writing classes at Rice University, formed critique groups, and battled resistance, inspired by books like Stephen King's On Writing and Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. The memoir blends family love, historical Creole lore, and investigative suspense, readers experience the unveiling alongside her, falling for Lea's electric spirit before grappling with revelations of survival and reinvention. Now a top seller celebrating its first birthday, it's sparking film interest and global resonance on themes of abuse, narcissism, and legacy.​

Key Takeaway: Honor the call to share your story, no matter your background; perseverance uncovers truths that heal and connect across generations, proving words outlive us

https://sandraschnakenburg.com/

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