A clear theme in "The Landlady" is deception and and the naivety of Billy Weaver. The Landlady herself decieves Billy by convincing him of her kind nature and offering such reasonable and humble accomadation. As the story continues, the act slowly fades away, and the reader notices that Billy is beginning to become suspicious. The constant offer of tea and the curious case of the previous residents baffles the reader and raises the tension. Finally, the story ends in a thrilling fashion, whilst also leaving enough information untold to allow the reader to imagine they're own ending for poor Billy.