The Paying Guests

By: Sarah Waters

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 21 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling author of The Little Stranger, an enthralling novel about a widow and her daughter who take a young couple into their home in 1920s London.

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' 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' finest achievement yet.

©2014 Sarah Waters (P)2014 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Awesome, full-bodied novel. 'It's like she's saying, hey dudes, this is how you do it'." (Stephen King, via Twitter)

“Superb, bewitching.... Forget about Fifty Shades of Grey; this novel is one of the most sensual you will ever read, and all without sacrificing either good taste or a 'G' rating.... [The Paying Guests] is a magnificent creation, a book that doubles as a time machine, flinging us back not only to postwar London, but also to our own lost love affairs, the kind that left us breathless.” (NPR)

“A beautifully observed tale of murder, suspense, crumbling class distinctions and steamy lesbian love in post-Edwardian London. Like something Virginia Woolf might have written if she’d been racier.” (People)

Superior historical fiction/romance/suspense

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I was eagerly awaiting this offering by Sarah Waters, one of my favorite writers of literary/historical fiction. I enthusiastically recommend it to anybody that is willing to read at a leisurely pace, at least for the first half of the novel. Sara Waters makes beautiful use of language to fully develop her characters and construct her meticulously researched settings. This particular piece takes place in post World War I England. As it is typical of Waters, she has the ability to take the reader to the period of her choice and immerse the reader in it but this is not accomplished in 5 pages. The narrative picks up speed during the second half of the book.

Some of the themes that frequently appear in Water's other works are present here. The division of classes in Britain, the strong female characters who are struggling to grow and survive and the lesbian romance are all part of this books but, fear not, this work is in no way repetitious or formulaic. Crime and suspense are added here, and there are even courtroom scenes (which I really enjoyed). Waters works very well with the element of suspense. The reader gets involved not only in the courtroom drama but also in the human drama....although we know who did what from the beginning, we do not know how the court verdict will turn out or how the two main characters will evolve emotionally after the specific event. The end took me by surprise and I liked that (I had figured it out quite differently).

What did you like best about this story?

I was really taken by the fact that the two protagonist and their behavior and responses to certain events are unpredictable in a way that makes them very human. They may at times behave in ways that do not necessarily make the reader sympathize with them but they remain real. The characters in this book were indeed very alive.

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to other narrations by Juliet Stevenson. She was superb in this book. She helped make each character and individual entity. I can sincerely say that this is one of the best narrations I have heard.

Any additional comments?

Towards the end of the book there is a scene in the courtroom, right before the verdict is read that is masterful. The writer does a wonderful job of building up the suspense. It is a relatively short thing but it proves without question that Sara Waters is one of the authors of literary fiction writing today.

Juliet Stevenson is a genius

Where does The Paying Guests rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the most amazing and moving performances I've ever heard. Maybe the best ever!

What did you like best about this story?

The performance

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the best of all of them. She's masterful.

A perfect literary novel with suspense

If you could sum up The Paying Guests in three words, what would they be?

A great read.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Frances, as the protagonist, was clearly my favorite, but I also liked Lillian. Frances perhaps the most as the the voice of the novel and the one we are most intimate with as she goes about her life.

Have you listened to any of Juliet Stevenson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not sure as I listen to so many books. Ms. Stevenson was excellent. I will look for her again, most certainly.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My reaction was visceral. The prose was captivating as was the sense of place and times. There was an intimacy with the character that deeply moved me.

Any additional comments?

I am telling all my friends who love to read GREAT books to read this one. Ms. Waters is a rare and exceptionally talented writer. Brava!

Brilliant Narration of an Excellent Story

Juliet Stevenson is certainly one of the great narrators of British literature. This novel by three-time Booker Prize Nominee Sarah Waters offers is glimpse into a time and place, post-WWI London, and into the lives of a group mostly of women. Suffrage, post-war trauma, women’s changing roles, economic shifts, and a loosening of social class rigidity all play a part in this ever-changing, engrossing novel. Waters is a masterful storyteller, and she reveals information piece-by-piece with a deft hand and a sharp eye. I highly recommend The Paying Guests.

Once again.

Sarah Waters is such an amazing writer. Her writing puts the reader right in the middle of the story. As if one is on the sidelines watching every scene, hearing every word spoken by such wonderful characters. The mystery of it all,the feelings, the depth of emotion is simply incredible. Not one wasted word. How very rare is that?The performance was wonderful. The perfect voice for a perfect story. Perhaps the best performance I have heard. Overall fantastic.

Feel bad

It is very well written. You can’t let it down but it is a major downer, all the way.

perfect quarentine distraction

This was a perfect thing to listen to while I did housework and pass the time during lockdown. It was a nice balance of romance, politics of the time, I'm very good descriptions of London during the era.

Not Historical Fiction

Seems as though most people are one of two minds on this - I was one that did not enjoy this being billed as historical fiction when it really should have been listed as romance. The story is very, very slow to start and doesn't get much better. The main issue, as other reviewers have written, is merely laid into the historical context, with no real commentary or perspective. The characters could have been written in a way that would have offered this perspective, but were not. It was a murder mystery without the whodunit aspect. It was a romance with real, but created drama, not the sort that naturally occurs in society and culture but manufactured by the characters. I kept waiting for a twist or some sort of resolution and did not get it.

Unique and satisfying

Reminiscent of a Sherlock mystery but omniscient and without lull.
Definitely recommend for bored mystery lovers.

Awesome fun. Read or

Amazing

Another wonderful surprise by Sarah Waters. Don't miss this treat!
Love, murder, and a British accent!