The New York Times bestselling novel that has been called “a tour de force” (Wall Street Journal), “unputdownable” (The Washington Post), “a delicious hothouse of a novel” (USA Today), “effortless” (The Economist), “seductive” (Vanity Fair) and “pitch perfect” (Salon) “Superb, bewitching…Forget about Fifty Shades of Grey; this novel is one of the most sensual you will ever read, and all without … Grey; this novel is one of the most sensual you will ever read, and all without sacrificing either good taste or a “G” rating” – NPR
“One of the year’s most engrossing and suspenseful novels…a love affair, a shocking murder, and a flawless ending … Will keep you sleepless for three nights straight and leave you grasping for another book that can sustain that high.” — Entertainment Weekly (A rating)
“Volcanically sexy, sizzingly smart, plenty bloody and just plain irresistible.” —USA Today (4 stars)
It is 1922, and London is tense. Ex-servicemen are disillusioned; the out-of-work and the hungry are demanding change. And in South London, in a genteel Camberwell villa—a large, silent house now bereft of brothers, husband, and even servants—life is about to be transformed as impoverished widow Mrs. Wray and her spinster daughter, Frances, are obliged to take in lodgers.
With the arrival of Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the “clerk class,” the routines of the house will be shaken up in unexpected ways. Little do the Wrays know just how profoundly their new tenants will alter the course of Frances’s life—or, as passions mount and frustration gathers, how far-reaching, and how devastating, the disturbances will be.
Short-listed for the Man Booker Prize three times, Sarah Waters has earned a reputation as one of our greatest writers of historical fiction, and here she has delivered again. A love story, a tension-filled crime story, and a beautifully atmospheric portrait of a fascinating time and place, The Paying Guests is Sarah Waters’s finest achievement yet.
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What a fantastic novel! Sarah Waters, where have you been all my life?
This is the rare work of historical fiction that feels authentic to its time, not ours. In other words, it’s a novel that could have been written in post-WW1 England, not just a novel set in that time period. It’s deeply centered in the lives of two women (a mother and daughter) who are forced to take in lodgers to make ends meet. It is, for this reason, a very domestic novel, concerned entirely with the day-to-day lives of its characters. I just loved being totally immersed in this world and could’ve watched them going around making tea and putting coins in the gas meter for 400 pages–
BUT THEN!
It turns into a passionate, torrid love story that is also totally gripping and surprising!
BUT THEN!
It turns into a crime novel–but also in a way that is totally surprising and gripping!
I can’t say more than that without spoiling it. Just go along for the ride–it’s well worth it. I’m off to read everything else Sarah Waters has ever written.
Anything by Sarah Waters is well worth your time. She does such extensive research into the period then weaves all that information effortlessly into the plot. I so very much wish the BBC would serialize this book.
I came to Sarah Waters’ books late. Everyone else has loved them for ages. When I read this I understood why. She’s a brilliant writer. This is a brilliant story. Brilliant.
One of the finest novels I have yet read. Brilliant characterization, believable. Foundation is provided for each character’s action. No contrivances used to “conveniently” explain events within the plot. Several worthy themes are left for the reader’s consideration.
The story and characters were wonderful
Spell-binding.
Slower than a tugboat
a bit of a strange read – but I ended up enjoying the book.
Could not finish this book. Very boring and hard to read. Dull and boring.
Great portrayal of human nature.
This book takes many unexpected twists and turns. The ending left many loose ends,perhaps #2 is coming????? Idk At the very least an Epaloug would have been nice.
A not so subtle lesbian awakening tale that just got tedious for me and I didn’t even finish it.
interesting people and unusual story
well written!
It was OK but just!
I liked it but found it a bit too stereotypical at the end, as if the main characters were supposed to be too likeable to face any repercussions. Didn’t particularly like the ending.
A clotted old-fashioned writing style. Nothing happened for pages and pages. Couldn’t finish it.
Although the story started slowly, it picked up and the story became very entertaining.
Yet another favorite author, Ms. Waters srikes a home run with this novel. I don’t want to say what it’s about because you can read many blurbs that will tell and because it was so delicious to read and discover this story with no clue what it was about. I read the title , saw who wrote it, and grabbed. I think I devoured this in one sitting which means I didn’t sleep one night but so worth it. Ms. Waters is a true story teller. When I start reading her a movie tell starts in my head and it’s as if I’m watching a film, not reading a book, so we’ll does she describe surroundings, deliver dialogue, and capture emotion. I highly, highly recommend you read.
Icky