October is the perfect time to read a spooky ghost story. I live in Australia and even though the weather is heating up and daylight savings has begun, I'm still in the mood for a creepy read. Booklovers are engaged in Halloween themed reading challenges and spooky readathons all around the world and it's hard not to be tempted. A talented writer should be able to give their reader the chills no matter the weather or reading environment and debut author Anita Frank has certainly done so here.
Set in England in 1917, The Lost Ones takes place during World War I, when many were grieving the loss of a loved one; be it a son, sibling, spouse or sweetheart.
Stella Marcham is no different. She is grieving the loss of her fiance and is asked to visit her sister Madeleine at Greyswick. Madeleine is pregnant and grieving the loss of an early pregnancy while claiming to hear crying at night.
Greyswick is located in the country and is the classic imposing creepy country mansion. Complete with stern housekeeper and servants quarters, the house conveys quite a gothic presence throughout the novel. In addition to this, the overbearing male characters in the novel dismiss Stella and Madeleine's claims with the excuse they are paranoid and you guessed it, hysterical!
The Lost Ones is a ghost story about grief, family secrets, legacy, class, healing and hope.
Readers concerned about ridiculous ghostly encounters needn't worry here. The supernatural element of the story is subtle and you could easily read this as a haunting historical fiction with a mystery that needs to be solved.
If that doesn't entice you, the cover art is simply superb. How can you resist?
Carpe Librum!
The cover art is lovely, thanks for sharing your thoughts about the story
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Shelleyrae.
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