By Holly Cuthbert

Intrigue, lust and murder, Sarah Waters’ latest novel, The Paying Guests has it all.

Frances and her elderly mother are short of money in 1922 and are forced to take in lodgers, Mr Leonard Barber and Mrs Lillian Barber. After a few awkward exchanges on the stairs Frances begins to make friends with the couple, particularly Lillian. Frances and Lillian fall in love and begin an affair. This remains secret until Leonard comes home early and discovers them and ends up dead after a struggle. Now the women must cover up what they’ve done.

Their relationship unravels quickly and accusations are thrown around. The two women find themselves separated and unable to speak to get their story straight. Waters excellently creates tension and the reader is on the edge of their seat to see who, if anyone, will give it all away.

This has many of the elements of a Waters novel - the lesbian awakening, the tension, the secrets to be discovered and a dramatic incident. However, for me, it was missing a twist. Sarah Waters novels often contain a moment when everything you thought you knew about a character is pulled like a rug from beneath you. This book seemed somehow more straight forward and dare I say it - predictable - than her other novels.

This, however, is nit-picking. By any other author’s standards it is an excellent, well-written book with likeable characters and a very engaging prose style. The suspense of the second half of the novel is built up expertly and I found myself rushing through the pages to find out what would happen next.