The Lodger

"The Lodger" by Marie Belloc Lowndes is a thrilling book set in London at the beginning of the 1900s. It is about a couple named Robert and Ellen Bunting, who are having a hard time financially. To make ends meet, they decide to rent out a room in their house to a mysterious man named Mr. Sleuth. At first, Mr. Sleuth seems like the answer to their problems, but soon his strange actions and fascination cause them concern. As the city is gripped by a series of terrible murders committed by someone called "The Avenger," the Buntings begin to suspect that their new lodger might be involved, as the crimes began when the lodger moved in. The book creates a mood of tension and suspense, as the Buntings struggle with their need for money and their growing fear of Mr. Sleuth.