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A review by antiopelle
The Lodger by Helen Scarlett
3.0
London, just after WWI, and the city and its inhabitants are trying to get back to some normalcy, but are grappling with profound loss and societal changes. It is with this background that a young woman, Grace Armstrong, is trying to find the family of their former lodger who committed suicide. As she tugs along, she gets more and more suspicious that her death was in fact murder.
What I really liked is the description of post war London, even if it reminded me very much of Downton Abbey. The characters could just have been taken from this grand house to the slightly more family home of Ryedale Villa. And the pacing and escapism reminded me of "All creatures, great and small". However, midway through I found the pacing to become very slow and more and more emphasis was put on romance which is just something I don't like in mysteries.
All in all very well written, and if the mystery would have been more appealing and a little less romance, it would have made a a perfect read.
Many thanks to Quercus Books, NetGalley and the author for ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What I really liked is the description of post war London, even if it reminded me very much of Downton Abbey. The characters could just have been taken from this grand house to the slightly more family home of Ryedale Villa. And the pacing and escapism reminded me of "All creatures, great and small". However, midway through I found the pacing to become very slow and more and more emphasis was put on romance which is just something I don't like in mysteries.
All in all very well written, and if the mystery would have been more appealing and a little less romance, it would have made a a perfect read.
Many thanks to Quercus Books, NetGalley and the author for ARC in exchange for my honest review.