The Lost Ones by Anita Frank

As a true scaredy-cat, normally there’s no way you’d get me to read a ghost story! I must be getting braver in my old age though, because when Anita Frank contacted me about her book The Lost Ones I jumped at the chance to read it.

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Stella has retuned home from serving as a nurse during the First World War. Her fiancé Gerald has been killed and she is reeling from his death. Her parents and doctor believe enough time has passed and that she should start to move on.

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When her brother-in-law, Hector, tells Stella that her sister Madeline is pregnant and needs some support, Stella readily agrees to go. However, as many of the servants of Greyswick have left due to the war, Stella must bring her own maid, Annie Burrows.

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At Greyswick, they find Madeline on edge and terrified, and it isn’t long before Stella starts to hear things going bump in the night. Greyswick and its residents have secrets to hide, and someone or something is determined for the truth to be revealed.

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I didn’t dare read this one at nighttime because it is incredibly spooky. I did however sit and read it pretty much one sitting, as I was desperate to find out what has happened.

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While this is a brilliant ghost story, it is so much more. One of the things I loved most about this book, also frustrated me the most. It was the way that the women were treated as they started to voice their fears. They were treated as hysterical, Madeline is pregnant and so it must have been her hormones leading her to believe she was living in a haunted house. Whereas Stella and Annie are hysterical and causing drama. I know this is how it would have been at the time but oh my goodness Stella could have been forgiven for punching a man or two!

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This the a debut novel by Anita Frank and it is fabulous. Yesterday in my wrap-up I gave it 4 ⭐️’s but as I sat writing the review I decided to up it to 5! It is so rich and atmospheric, and absolutely gripping but I also found it to be very moving.

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Definitely one I’d recommend, and if Anita Frank has another ghost story up her sleeve, I’d happily read more! Thank you so much for sending it to me Anita.

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What are you reading at the moment?