English novelist Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes wrote a book titled The Lodger. The short tale was initially released in the January 1911 issue of McClure's Magazine. The story is told from Ellen Bunting and Mr. Bunting's perspectives as they work together to run a hotel. On their first effort, they experience horrible luck since an epidemic breaks out close to where they started lodging. He only departs after dark, and his experiments involve setting his clothing on fire, which makes her suspicious. She allows him to stay despite her growing fear since they require the cash. After working as a waiter at a party and earning some extra cash, Mr. Bunting asks his daughter Daisy to visit them. He encounters Mr. Sleuth that evening as he travels home, as he is heading to the hotel. The butler notices that it was covered in blood and is suspicious. The next morning, two more bodies are found close by. Mr. and Mrs. Bunting leave the house at the same moment on Daisy's birthday. When they get to their destination, the girl informs them about her chat with the lodger, in which he requested that he may accompany Daisy and Ellen to Madame Tussauds. Mr. Sleuth threatens her and leaves because he thinks she betrayed him. His body was found five days later.