08 October 2019

The Lost Ones

Photo of the book cover of The Lost Ones by Anita Frank
Horror
Historical Fiction
A 2019 Top Rated Read

By Anita Frank

Hardcover 464 pages
Publisher HQ (31st Oct 2019)

‘If you liked A Woman in Black, you’ll love this utterly gripping and atmospheric book.’ Woman & Home




📕My Review


In 1917, after the recent death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham is invitied to visit her pregnant sister, Madeleine Brightwell, at the family's country mansion. Before long, Stella realises all is not well. Her sister is fearful and constantly on edge, claiming she can hear a child crying at night - yet no child lives there. Stella also begins to experience supernatural phenomena and is convinced the house, Greyswick, is haunted by the spirit of a child.

I adored this book and thought it was an amazing debut by author Anita Frank. It was beautifully written - each sentence, paragraph and page a pleasure to read. The imagery was remarkable and I genuinely felt transported in time to England during the First World War.

Although quite slowly paced and relatively descriptive, I surprised myself by thoroughly enjoying it. Once in a while you're left with the feeling you've read something pretty special. For me it was this.     

Book Source: Review copy from the publisher
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📗The Blurb


Some houses are never at peace.

England, 1917

Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion.

Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house.

Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side…

📘The Author


Photo of Anita Frank
A farmer’s daughter from Shropshire, Anita studied English and American History at the University of East Anglia before moving to London to work in media analysis and communications.

She left paid employment to become a stay-at-home mum when she had the first of her three children. Sadly, Anita‘s youngest child developed a rare form of epilepsy in infancy which has left him severely mentally disabled and she is now his full-time-carer, but she has begun snatching what time she can to pursue her lifelong ambition of writing historical fiction.

Anita now lives in Berkshire with her husband, her two lovely girls and her gorgeous boy, a fluffy cat with an attitude, and a bonkers Welsh Springer Spaniel.

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