Come and chat to the phenomenal SARAH WATERS, Booker-nominated author of The Paying Guests, The Night Watch and Fingersmith (among others) on Tuesday 29 September, 9-10pm

[TillyMumsnetBookClub]

August's author, Sarah Waters, is simply incomparable. She is a writer who can deliver pulse-racing, page-turning blockbusters that also become contenders for the Man Booker Prize. Her historical accuracy and mastery of atmosphere places her reader directly in the scene, whether it be a Victorian asylum or a London bomb shelter.

Her new novel, The Paying Guests, conjures a shifting, uneasy post-WWI London, where men and servants are thin on the ground, and attitudes to class and gender are in a state of flux. Impoverished aristocrat Frances and her widowed mother are forced to take in lodgers to pay the bills in their crumbling Camberwell mansion. But when the young married couple arrive, a simmering tension begins to brew between Frances, Mrs Barber and her husband, pulling everyone towards a passionate and devastating crime.

As previous Mumsnet guest Rachel Joyce put it, the story is "so evocative and compelling that all the time I was reading, I had a feeling it was me who had done something terrible, instead of her characters".
Many Mumsnetters have already given their approval: "One of her best yet. Very Waters-ish…I was completely utterly gripped." (FrancesHB).

Virago have 50 copies of The Paying Guests to give to Mumsnetters: to claim your copy please fill in your details on the book of the month page. We’ll post on the thread when all the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of those, you can always get a Kindle version here or paperback here.

We are delighted that Sarah will be joining us on Tuesday 29 September, 9-10pm to discuss The Paying Guests, her many award-winning novels and her writing career. Please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month and then come and meet Sarah on the night, and ask her a question or simply tell her what you thought of the book. Look forward to seeing you on the 29th…

I'm a big fan of Sarah Waters and The Paying Guests was one of my favourite books of the last few years. Looking forward to the web chat and will read the rest of her books that I haven't read already.

Same here, Southeast , although I think my favourite so far is Fingersmith. I was completely drawn into that world and felt rather bereft when I got to the end.

This has been on my to-read list for months, but has just gone up to the top. Love her books!

Really looking forward to this bookchat. I'm hoping to read The Night Watch shortly (that will be my fourth SW novel) - is very near the top of the pile of books teetering on my bedside cabinet :o

Have also got questions about The Little Stranger which I read a couple of years ago - this might be a good time to find out the answers :)

My copy arrived yesterday! Big thanks to Mumsnet and Virago. Looking forward to reading it and joining in the webchat.

Thanks to Mumsnet and Virago for my copy which has just arrived. Looking forward to this webchat.

A mixture of a love story and crime novel, Paying Guests is a beautifully written. It's full of suspense and a really engaging read. The story starts slowly then draws you in and bounds along until it's nail biting end.
Thank you for my copy. It's definitely one I'll be passing on to my friends.

Thanks to MN for my copy. This is a book I've picked up several times in bookshops but stupidly never bought. It kept me gripped over a few rainy days and I did not anticipate the ending.

I enjoyed immersing myself in post war London, particularly in the social/class expectations and roles. I loved the image of Frances tying her hair up in a scarf to do the housework whilst her mother was out, so she didn't have to see her daughter in such a role. The relationship between them was beautifully portrayed and, although Mrs Wray does not appear often, I felt she saw a lot more than she let on.

I can't really say any more without spoilers, apart from that it's a delicious piece of social satire, and is both witty and shocking in parts.

Thank you very much to Mumsnet and the publishers for my copy of the book, which I finished this morning. I had never read any books by Sarah Waters before, although aware of them, and am delighted to have had this introduction. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the depiction of character entrancing as well as the rendering of so many interesting details of London life post World War One. (I research British culture in the FWW era and was so very pleased to find what seemed a really accurate rendering of the variety of responses to war and its aftermath.)
I really loved Frances as a character and enjoyed the juxtaposition of her life with Lilian and her family, and how that developed.
I was very happy with the way the story progressed - though surprised - and also how it ended (won't say more for fear of ruining it for others).
There were one or two lines that were so true in their understanding of human nature that I was blown away (can't find them now, of course!). Would thoroughly recommend this book. The book did what reading does at its best - transport you somewhere else, and when you put the book down you are slightly discombobulated to find that you are where you are!
Many thanks again for a great read.

Over s month away?

Thanks for my copy of the book. Have read most of her other books and this one is not a disappointment. Am about a third of the way in and was totally into the world of the book from page 1. The characters all seem to jump off the page and are very believable. Don't know much about post WW1 history but the book is very evocative of time and place and the social upheaval of the time. Am trying to avoid the 'spoiler' threads but can't wait to find out what happens.

Thank you for my copy, I have just finished it. Its quite a lengthy book but I never battled reading it. I must admit I didn't know what it would be about, but it was very interesting. I loved the setting being after the war with Frances and her mom battling financially and having to take in lodgers. I have read Sarah Waters before, but I have enjoyed this one the most.

Posting again to remind myself to read my copy of The Little Stranger before the web chat. Hope to read Affinity, too.

I have just reached a crucial part of the book and I am absolutely gripped. I have also read all Sarah Waters' novels and this is one of the best. Marking place for webchat.

I'd like to know how Ms Waters does her research. Each novel seems so pitch-perfect in terms of settings, vernacular and little touches down to how people cleaned their homes. (Although having not lived through the post-war period or any other period Waters has written about maybe there are glaring errors that I'm not aware of. Can any post-Victorian, post-war MNers comment?!).

I loved The Paying Guests, and indeed all of the Sarah Waters books I've read. I agree withchicky that I'd love to know more about how Ms Waters researches the novels, given the apparent effortlessness of moving from the Victorian to Interwar to WWII periods.

I also really enjoyed the TV adapations of both Tipping the Velvet and The Night Watch, and wonder whether any more adaptations are planned.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it. I was particularly interested in the social history and how women like Francis seemed to have very limited choices. I did not know much about the "clerk" classes either. Another thing that struck me was how someone such as Francis's mother acted old but she wasn't. Also would our generation put up with some like her mum controlling our every move when we were adults.

It was interesting that Sarah referred to the Pinhole Peepshow novel as I remember reading it in the 80s and the trial scene in this novel reminded me of it in some ways

My question to Sarah Waters is in regard to the character Lillian. You described her family as having sharp features and foxy I think. Does this implicate slyness in Lillian's character and did she as one male character stated need her bum slapping by Leonard or words to that effect. She was an interesting character.

I have just finished my free copy, thank-you. I really wanted to read this book and enjoyed it enough to get through it quickly, but it wasn't my favourite Sarah Waters novel. What I did really enjoy was the reality with which life post WW1 was portrayed, the roles women took and the pigeon holes they fought to break out of. Part 2 was all about F&L's relationship, and yet despite its length, I just didn't buy into Lillian's side. As I neared the end of the book, I expected some kind of twist of character which didn't come about. Normally I love when I book doesn't go along with my expectations, but this one left me feeling flat. But that said, I do think the characters' actions were entirely appropriate given the era, and am glad Sarah Waters didn't compromise this for a plot twist.

My question for Sarah Waters is in regard to the expectations that are put upon her when she writes a new novel. Does having so many highly acclaimed novels under her belt make her excited to write more or wary of living up to expectations?

I had heard of the author before but never read any of her books but found her book very enjoyable and very well researched regarding the period it was set in. Wouldn't be surprised to see it turned into a television series. Thank you for the copy.

If only I didn't have a tiny toddler, I'd have finished by now! It's a gripping read and I'm 400 pages in. I hope I can finish in time for the web chat...
It's my first Sarah Waters book and I'm enjoying it, despite its somber storyline.

Hello everyone, thank you so much for all the comments and reviews so far.

Please don't worry if you haven't finished the book by Tues 29th, do come along anyway and ask a question. And remember you can ask Sarah about any of her novels, or about writing in general...

I'm hugely looking forward to this chat, hope you can all make it and look forward to seeing you then.

Big big fan, just seen this, how exciting! I especially like the final line of "Tipping the Velvet" about applause in the park.

Qs!

When/what is the next book please?

Often the books have cheerier endings than might be expected from the story - especially The Paying Guests. Do you prefer happy(ish) endings?

I understand that you apply a lot of your past research and knowledge in your writing: is it important for a writer to know loads about the relevant era/places/people and attitudes in that time and so on?

Big big fan here. I love all the period details. Particularly thank you so much for the descriptions of being an ambulance driver in WW2 in The Night Watch. My grandmother did that job and it really brought it alive for me.

Deep, deeply humble fan here - but not so respectful I can't ask you what I really want to know.

You have cats - how do you stop the adorable little pumpkins jumping on the PC and hassling you for food every 5 min? When you're hacking through a tricky bit?

As you climb the final steps towards the climax of another meganovel, does your special cuddly friend spring onto the keyboard, flip onto its back with legs splayed and demand a belly rub? While the other one, working as a team, bites your leg?

When I'm working (or MNetting) I blank out my fat pet, tabby Mr Cory. But he hates it and I feel bad. Also, that fluffy tum is tempting. So what I really want to know is, how do you manage the stressful twin careers of top novelist and concerned pet parent?

Brilliant, I hope to be here for this. I am a big fan and I have liked all of the books, I think my favourite is The Night Watch.

Will The Little Stranger or The Paying Guests be adapted for tv in the future do you know?