The Paying Guests

By Sarah Waters

Categories: Literature & Fiction

The Paying Guests (2014) by Sarah Waters is a novel set in London in 1922. After World War I has taken her brothers and her father's debts have reduced the family's means, Frances Wray and her mother take in lodgers at their house in Camberwell. The arrival of Leonard and Lilian Barber, a young married couple from the clerk class, changes the household, and as Frances and Lilian grow close, a sudden act of violence leads to a criminal investigation.

Recommended by 1 person

• Meghan Markle: “If you're a fan of Downton Abbey (and if you're not, add that to your binge watch list), you'll love the new novel by the talented writer Sarah Waters. [...] if you're patient, you'll be drawn into a page-turning crime thriller and an enrapturing love story that's one for the ages.”