London, 1919: a city of ghosts and absences, haunted by the men who marched away but never came back.

'A poignant and readable mystery' THE TIMES

Grace Armstrong believes that she has come to terms with her own loss, the death of her dazzling fiance who was declared Missing in Action. But soon he starts to reappear both in her waking life and dreams.

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.

Elizabeth had been more than a lodger; she had become a close friend to Grace, who feels compelled to uncover the true circumstances of her death. In doing so, she is drawn reluctantly into the sordid and dangerous underbelly of London and a scandal that rocked Edwardian society.

Will Grace find the answers she so desperately craves, or will she lose herself in the search?

********************

Praise for The Lodger

'A deliciously Gothic page-turner' BEST

'A gripping historical mystery' A. J. WEST

'[Helen Scarlett] has a gift for pulling readers into the twists and turns of her story' SUNDAY TIMES

'A devastating reveal and a tangled web I won't forget' AMANDA GEARD

About the Author
Helen Scarlett is a writer and English teacher. Her debut historical novel, The Deception of Harriet Fleet, a chilling take on nineteenth-century classics such as Jane Eyre, was highly praised. Her second novel, The Lodger, is another Gothic tale set in London in the aftermath of the Great War. Helen lives in County Durham with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews
A poignant and readable mystery * The Times *
[Helen Scarlett] has a gift for pulling readers into the twists and turns of her story * Sunday Times *
A gripping historical mystery that confounds the impossible. The Lodger takes the longing of wartime heartbreak and wraps it in a wickedly deadly conundrum * A. J. West, author of THE SPIRIT ENGINEER *
I was gripped. A clever and richly imagined recreation of the Edwardian world with all its politesse and hypocrisies after the First World War * Elizabeth Buchan, author of TWO WOMEN IN ROME *
An intriguing mystery layered with deeper themes of loss and regeneration after the Great War. London in 1919 is richly atmospheric, and Grace Armstrong is a sympathetic and spirited protagonist * V. B. Grey, author of SISTERHOOD *
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 *
A ghostly, immersive mystery threaded with twists and turns as evocative as the 20th-century London in which it is set . . . A devastating reveal and a tangled web I won't forget * Amanda Geard, author of THE MIDNIGHT HOUSE *
A deliciously Gothic page-turner * Best *
An atmospheric, haunting tale * Woman's Own *
An atmospheric and tense period piece that drips in gothic brilliance * Sun *



Book Information
ISBN 9781529407624
Author Helen Scarlett
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Quercus Publishing
Publisher Quercus Publishing
Weight(grams) 260g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 32mm