The Lodger

Product Information

Please note: I have read the ARC copy. However, all the opinions and views are my own as any other review I make. 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. 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.

The Lodger | Helen Scarlett | 9781529407594 | NetGalley The Lodger | Helen Scarlett | 9781529407594 | NetGalley

Edward & Robert's friend, Arthur, comes to visit & brings with him another colleague, Tom, who was injured & had to have several fingers amputated, putting to an end his music career. Tom is bitter about the war & clashes with Grace's father who keeps the quintessential English 'stiff upper lip' about his emotions & believes in the sacrifices made. When the body of a woman is found in the river, the description of what she was wearing is familiar & Grace goes along to the police station with a photograph & gets confirmation that sadly Elizabeth is dead. She cannot believe that the police are going to write it off as a suicide though - the Elizabeth she knew was not in that frame of mind, but as Grace investigates what happened with the surprising help of Tom, she finds that perhaps she didn't know their lodger as well as she thought.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 is a story of a young woman Grace who lost her brother and fiancé. Recently her friend had disappeared and then was found dead. Grace couldn't believe in her friend's suicide and started an investigation.

The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Waterstones The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Waterstones

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. Grace Armstrong believes that she has come to terms with her own loss, the death of her dazzling fiancé who was declared Missing in Action. But soon he starts to reappear both in her waking life and dreams. I found the story to be an enjoyable easy read, albeit set in ghostly and grim conditions. It thoughtfully handled the depiction of grief and the ghosts of the past, using it unravel our characters as they confront their shared histories and pain. Grace is a compelling main character and I very much enjoyed following her as she begins piecing together the clues as to what happened to Elizabeth. It worked well against the story threads related to her own family using it to highlight the impact of social change following the war Grace must find out what happened to Elizabeth, yet the more she discovers, the more she loses of herself and in doing so could lead to her own tragic end when it becomes clear that her former lodger and friend wasn’t particularly innocent.The Lodger is Helen Scarlett’s second novel (following The Deception of Harriet Fleet in 2020) who, once again, delivers a tale of mystery and intrigue set amid a gothic atmosphere set amid a period of mourning in 1919 following the First World War. The detective story had unexpected but believable turns and it was interesting to follow the investigation I was very keen to read Helen Scarlett's latest Gothic treat, having enjoyed her previous book The Deception of Harriet Fleet so much. I wasn't disappointed. Once again, I was transported to a note-perfect historical setting in the company of a spirited protagonist who is determined to solve a mystery despite being haunted by tragic events.

The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Goodreads The Lodger by Helen Scarlett | Goodreads

Added to this, there is the disappearance of the woman who has been lodging with the Armstrong family for the past eight years. Elizabeth Smith was a very private person though had become a good friend to Grace. Then a woman’s body is dragged from the Thames and is identified as Elizabeth. 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 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 * I found ‘The Lodger’ a slow burn, character-driven mystery with a strong emphasis upon its post Great War setting. This includes examining the various changes that the war had brought about in society. There is also the theme of dealing with loss and grief.