The Lodger

Product Information

All in all very well written, and if the mystery would have been more appealing and a little less romance, it would have made a a perfect read.

The Lodger - Helen Scarlett - Google Books The Lodger - Helen Scarlett - Google Books

Grace is appalled when a body, dragged from the Thames, is identified as Catherine Smith, who has lodged with Grace and her family for the last eight years before suddenly disappearing. Grace seems to accept the discoveries about Elizabeth's death and life like completing a puzzle. Elizabeth's story is full of secrets and taboos. But the information Grace gathers during the months following Elizabeth's death have no consequence. The final scenario would be exactly the same if the crime of the central plot was any other; and, what should have been the main story of the novel, becomes a secondary plot. I loved that the world building, it was a huge plus as there is something impeccably sexy and mysterious about London based books! 😍 The middle part felt too slow for my taste and there was a lot of speaking about clues and small talk too, but not many active moments. The story lost its atmosphere in this part for me Please note: I have read the ARC copy. However, all the opinions and views are my own as any other review I make.Unfortunately near the end two of the compulsory themes of the decade are dragged in – homophobia and sexual abuse. I assume authors can’t get publishing contracts without them, a bit like the new Oscar rules. At least racism was omitted for once. It’s not that I object to any of these themes – I’d just like them not to be quite so ubiquitous. I love chocolate fudge cake, but I don’t want it with every meal. Believe it or not, there are other aspects of the human condition worth exploring. And in this case, I felt the subjects of loss and renewal were more than sufficient, especially since she dealt with them so well.

The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Hachette UK The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Hachette UK

With the help of her mother’s unconventional friend Lady Bunty and the mysterious and troubled Tom Monaghan, Grace delves into society scandals and London’s murky underworld, risking her safety to expose the truth. Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for the eARC of The Lodger by Helen Scarlett in exchange for an honest review! All opinions Expressed are my own. Elizabeth was much more than a lodger, she had become a dear friend to Grace, and these memories spur Grace on to uncover the true circumstances as to what led her friend to meet such a tragic fate. The Lodger is solid entry into the gothic genre. Using the atmospheric London streets during the aftermath of World War I to its advantage, the story follows Grace who is determined to find out the truth of what happened to her missing lodger, Elizabeth. I found the mystery element of the book less successful. The story of Elizabeth’s past seemed too far-fetched to be very convincing and as more and more of her secrets were uncovered I felt that the plot was in danger of becoming much too complicated. There’s also a romance for Grace which was predictable but satisfying, although I would have liked to have seen her spend more time with her love interest; that would have helped me to become more invested in their relationship.The Lodger is a historical mystery novel set in post-World War I London. We follow Grace, an aspiring reporter in her early 20s as she works to discern the truth of the death of her dear family friend and long-time lodger, Elizabeth. Helen Scarlett] has a gift for pulling readers into the twists and turns of her story * Sunday Times *

The Lodger by Lucy Paterson - Incredible books from Quercus Books The Lodger by Lucy Paterson - Incredible books from Quercus Books

To make matters worse, a body, dragged from the Thames, is identified as Elizabeth Smith, who lodged with Grace and her family for the last eight years before suddenly disappearing.I enjoyed this atmospheric, well-written book and would recommend it to everyone. Especially that, despite the gloom, there is a bit of romance. The atmosphere of post-WW1 London is beautifully evoked and richly detailed . . . I loved the character of Grace . . . It deserves to be a huge hit * Sarah Smith, author of HEAR NO EVIL * Grace seems to accepte the discoveries about Elizabeth's death and life like completing a puzzle. Elizabeth's story is full of secrets and taboos. But the information Grace gathers during the months following Elizabeth's death have no consequence. The final scenario would be exactly the same if the crime of the central plot was any other; and, what should have been the main story of the novel, becomes a secondary plot. It’s 1919 and Grace Armstrong, like many other young women, is mourning the loss of her fiancé and brother in the Great War. She has done her best to move on – having served as a VAD nurse during the war, she is now pursuing a career as a journalist with the London periodical Nursing World – but she is still haunted by the thought that her fiancé Robert, reported Missing in Action at the Somme, could still be alive. Meanwhile her mother, struggling to cope with the death of Grace’s brother Edward, is under sedation in a nursing home. It’s a difficult time for the Armstrong family – and is about to get worse when their lodger, Elizabeth Smith, is found drowned in the River Thames.

The Lodger Helen Scarlett 2023/2024 Release - Check Reads The Lodger Helen Scarlett 2023/2024 Release - Check Reads

Set in post WW1 London, this is a gothic mystery which completely captivated me, I loved it and a contender for my favourite this year. The main issue I find with this book is that characters are flat. Despite the fact that the plot takes place in a space of about 6 months, the events don't seem to have too much influence on the characters' lives, beyond slightly modifying their routine. The few changes that you can be appreciate in Grace, Tom, or in any of the dozen characters in this story, seem come from the natural passage of time and the process of overcoming the trauma of war. This is Helen Scarlett’s second novel; I haven’t read her first, The Deception of Harriet Fleet, but both are standalones so that didn’t matter at all. I will probably look for that earlier book now, as I did enjoy this one. It’s a slow-paced novel, but I still found it quite gripping, mainly because of the vivid portrayal of a world emerging from war, with people attempting to move forward while still struggling with the trauma of the recent past. Nobody in the novel has come out of the war unscathed; we meet men left damaged both physically and mentally by the horrors of the trenches, families grieving for the deaths of loved ones – and perhaps worst of all, people like Grace who are unable to grieve properly without knowing whether their loved one is dead or alive. Grace sees Robert everywhere – in the street, on the bus, in her dreams – and feels that she’ll never be able to rebuild her life until she knows the truth. Helen Scarlett] has a gift for pulling readers into the twists and turns of her story’ SUNDAY TIMES If you read this, go in with zero expectations of it being a gothic murder mystery, because it absolutely isn’t 😅 If you enjoy cozy mysteries, with slight dark elements then you may enjoy this! That’s where I began to feel disappointed was because I expected and wanted a gothic mystery novel but didn’t get any of that.Grace Armstrong believes that she has come to terms with her own loss, the death of her fiancé, the brilliant and dazzling best friend of her brother. He was declared Missing in Action during the Battle of the Somme, but he starts to reappear both in her waking life and dreams.