Author: Helen Scarlett
Publisher: Quercus Books
Publication Date: 19 January 2023
Pages: 352
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: ARC via NetGalley
London in 1919 was a
city of ghosts and absences, haunted by the men who marched away but
never came back from 'the war to end all wars.'
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.
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.
Catherine had been more
than a lodger; she had become a close friend to Grace, who feels
compelled to find out what happened. In doing so she is drawn
reluctantly into the sordid and dangerous underbelly of London and a
scandal that rocked Edwardian society. Soon Grace finds herself under
threat, and the only person prepared to listen is the brooding Tom
Monaghan. But Tom has dark shadows of his own to navigate before being
able to put his past behind him to help Grace in her quest for the
truth.
The Lodger was an okay historical fiction read. The premise sounded interesting from the blurb, and in some ways it was, but I never really got completely invested in the story, nor in the romance aspect, which seemed a bit thrown in without a lot of page time or development. But, that said, there was nothing wrong with the writing and the pacing was fine. I certainly didn't dislike it; I simply didn't love it. If you are into historical fiction with a bit of a mystery twist, you are sure to find something to appreciate here. It gets 3.5 stars from me.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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