Books like…

Books Like The Paying Guests

by Sarah Waters · about this book

Loved The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters? If its historical fiction, literary fiction and mystery hooked you, these 20 books hit the same notes — starting with The Kingdoms, Almost Life and The Miniaturist. Every pick is matched by what’s actually inside the book, not just its genre, and we skip other books by the same author so you find someone new.

What’s inside The Paying Guests: Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Mystery · London · LGBTQ+ Protagonist

1. 

   The Kingdoms

   Natasha Pulley

   Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · Slow Burn Romance · London · LGBTQ+ Protagonist

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
2. 

   Almost Life

   Kiran Millwood Hargrave

   Secret Relationship · Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · London · Forbidden Love

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
3. 

   The Miniaturist

   Jessie Burton

   Secret Relationship · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Character-Driven · Forbidden Love

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
4. 

   Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

   V E Schwab

   Historical Fiction · London · Forbidden Love · LGBTQ+ Protagonist · Literary Fiction

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
5. 

   The Weight of Ink

   Rachel Kadish

   Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · London · Character-Driven

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
6. 

   Atmosphere: A Love Story

   Taylor Jenkins Reid

   Secret Relationship · Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · Slow Burn Romance · LGBTQ+ Protagonist

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
7. 

   Memoirs of a Geisha

   Arthur Golden

   Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · Slow Burn Romance · Character-Driven

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
8. 

   This Is How You Lose the Time War

   Amal El-Mohtar

   Secret Relationship · Literary Fiction · Slow Burn Romance · LGBTQ+ Protagonist · Forbidden Love

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
9. 

   The Silver Book

   Olivia Laing

   Literary Fiction · Secret Relationship · Historical Fiction · LGBTQ+ Protagonist · Character-Driven

   ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
10. 

    The Winter Sea

    Susanna Kearsley

    Secret Relationship · Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · Slow Burn Romance · Character-Driven

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
11. 

    Before the Devil Breaks You

    Libba Bray

    Roaring Twenties · Historical Fiction · LGBTQ+ Protagonist · Mystery · Atmospheric

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
12. 

    The God of the Woods

    Liz Moore

    Mystery · Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · Character-Driven · Atmospheric

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
13. 

    The Countess Conspiracy

    Courtney Milan

    Secret Relationship · Historical Fiction · London · Slow Burn Romance · Character-Driven

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
14. 

    A Far Better Thing

    H.G. Parry

    Historical Fiction · London · Literary Fiction · Character-Driven · Atmospheric

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
15. 

    The Mad Wife

    Meagan Church

    Domestic Suspense · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Character-Driven · Atmospheric

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
16. 

    The Night Circus

    Erin Morgenstern

    Forbidden Love · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Character-Driven · London

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
17. 

    1984

    George Orwell

    Secret Relationship · Literary Fiction · London · Forbidden Love · Character-Driven

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
18. 

    Shrines of Gaiety

    Kate Atkinson

    Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Character-Driven · London · Mystery

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
19. 

    The Echo of Old Books

    Barbara Davis

    Historical Fiction · Forbidden Love · Character-Driven · Mystery · Literary Fiction

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla
20. 

    Wolf Hall

    Hilary Mantel

    Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · London · Atmospheric · Character-Driven

    ➕ Add Buy Libby Hoopla