An interesting and thought provoking novel set on the battlefields of France and Belgium during World War 1 in 1917 and its aftermath in 1921. Beautifully written, there is a strong sense of time and place, the author transports the reader to the bloody battlefields as seen through the eyes of soldier and later photographer Harry. A promising debut novel.

I loved reading this book. It takes you through the First World War and and was quite thought provoking. The loss and the knowledge of not knowing is gut wrenching. A beautifully written book.

Caroline Scott's knowledge of the landscape of Belgium and France during the First World War is evident as the reader accompanies the Photographer of the Lost. Certainly you are left wondering how on earth the local people managed to salvage any remnants of a normal life after such catastrophic devastation of life, landscape, buildings and belongings.
This will particularly appeal to fans of First World War novels but also those intrigued by the dilemmas raised for the families of the missing soldiers and, less often touched upon, the overwhelming burden of guilt experienced by those soldiers who survived. Vivid and harrowing in its accounts of the men fighting at the front-line, this novel also successfully paints the soul-searching journey of the main characters.
Always a keen reader of historical novels set in this period I particularly appreciated the slightly different angle this was written from.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

The photographer of the Lost follows Harry, a ww1 veteran, as he returns to France to take photos of graves for widows, mother's, people left at home. Its 1921,the war ended 3 years ago and the world is coming to terms with it.
Harry's older brother Francis, was listed as missing presumed dead. His wife Edie now thinks that Francis could be alive somewhere and wants Harry to help her find him, or his grave.
This is a poignant story about the uncertainty of soldiers missing in action, how can the family grieve with no body?
I really enjoyed it. 4*
Thanks to net galley for giving me an ARC of this book.

Well written book set around the First World War years. Fascinating plot. The story took me through many different emotions and I found the plot most thought provoking.

The background of the war in France, the anguish of those receiving missing notices of their lives ones, and the desperate hope of those rebuilding from horrific ruins and losses was so well written and totally built the picture. However the story of Eddie, Harry and Francis was drawn out, beleaguered, repetitive and just petered out into nothing that you cares about.

This is one of those books that makes you realise what those women who lost loved ones in the wars actually went through when their men were 'missing'. The phrase 'Hope Springs Eternal' comes to mind when you read this book. It's a book of loss and hope and in its own way is haunting.

Split between 1917 and 1921 this novel looks at the aftermath of WWI through the eyes of Edie and Harry. Brothers Francis, Harry and Will go to war vowing to watch each others backs. By 1921 Will is gone, Francis is missing presumed dead and Harry is travelling France and Belgium taking photos of war graves for widows. When Edie receives a photograph of her husband Francis she becomes convinced he may not be dead and asks Harry to help her find him. The relationship between Edie and Harry is brilliantly portrayed. Harry has always loved her but she is his brother's wife. The relationship between brothers deteriorates as the war destroys everything in its way.

It's an interesting change to read a WWI novel based around trying to find people dead or alive after the war. Seeing how destroyed towns rebuilt, papering over the cracks and building memorials to lost men. How those men vanished sometimes by choice either to repay imagined debts or because they simply couldn't return to a previous normality. Absolutely worth reading.

I have really become more interested in reading about stories based after WWI and II, the recovery and how people were, whether fictional or fact, the stories are usually fascinating and heart wrenching. This story in no doubt provides just that and more.

The story provides so much, from a love of close family, relationships, war as it happens and the affect of the aftermath, is so clear to see.

The story is based I feel more around Harry, he goes to war with his brothers, however when the war finishes, he is not only left with his own few scars, he dedicates his time in photographing evidence of the lost husbands, fathers and relations, that people wish to see - their graves or where they were last seen, hoping to give them some comfort, knowing where they are or have been.

Edie's husband goes missing in action, no one can confirm his grave site, there is no evidence of where he could be, apart from this mysterious photograph that Edie receives in the post, of a much older Francis.

There are secrets of love, confusion between the brothers and times that broke my heart while reading. Would it have been better if the brothers were from the beginning, posted far away from each other, not being able to see what they all went through? That is one question I had, as I read on through the story.

There are always questions throughout this story, what the characters felt, what went through their mind. I thought this was a fascinating touch, we all like to add a few questions ourselves, with knowing what a character was/is thinking, this brought the characters to life.

The descriptions of the environment, the surrounding landscape, along with the sounds that could be heard, during the war and after, for me felt like I was not only there, I could also feel it! It was emotionally driven, providing the reader with a more in-depth experience, fuelling the emotions of the characters and their situations.

During Harry's journey he meets various characters, Rachel who is looking for her husband, who I also feel feels lost within herself, as she is unable to move on. Cassie and her husband Ralph, who help Harry to find out more information about the missing men in action.

The chapters throughout the book jump from during the war in 1916, to the time after in 1921, with some dates in between. It is defiantly not difficult to link these parts up, this helps to clarify some questions and how part of the story connects to one another.

This story is emotional, raw and immensely moving, I loved reading every moment, this is not only one story I could read again, I feel it is one that I could read endlessly. The story telling is effortless, with something that you can take away with you, once you have read it!

I would definitely recommend reading this book.

A wonderful story of loss and devastation, love and hope in the aftermath of the First World War.

An excellent debut novel from Caroline Scott. Her writing is descriptive and excellently portrays the despair felt by those whose loved ones had ‘disappeared’ or were ‘missing’ after the war.

Having been to Ypres myself several times, as well as other places featured in the story - Poperinge, Tyne Cot and many other cemeteries - it is clear that the author has undertaken thorough research both historically and geographically. The scale of loss and devastation during the First World War is just beyond comprehension and the author has done well in conveying this to the reader.

I did feel at times that the first half of the story lacked pace, but this greatly improved in the second half. Overall an insightful and moving story that reminds us of the importance of remembrance.

I am grateful to the publisher, Simon & Schuster UK for an early digital copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This was a heart breaking story of the search for survivors following WW1. The structure of the story was excellent and kept me absorbed all the way through..

This is set after WW1 and is from two perspectives, that of Harry, and his sister-in-law Edie. They both wonder if Francis (Edie's husband) is still alive or not, after he was missing in the war. He was a photographer, and when Edie receives a photo of Francis in the post, she begins to wonder. Harry is a photographer now too, photographing graves and sites of death for families who request these images. This was heart-wrenching in places, I enjoyed the writing style, and I feel as if I really connected with Harry, and a little bit with Edie. With Harry, we also read some chapters from the third-person perspective of him during the war, where we see his relationship with his two brothers. I loved reading their banter, I was smiling in places, and upset in others. These characters are wonderful, I loved the story and the ending was simply perfect for the book. There was enough closure to keep me satisfied as a reader. I wish I had read this during the month of November, and regret not getting to it sooner, yet I am glad I have finally read it. If you're interested in reading books from any war era, or specifically WW1, please read this. Actually, anyone, please read this.

Beautiful, memorable, and moving. This book forces us to think of the after-effects of war not just contemplate what happened during the war years. Highly recommended.

A ‘Bird Song’ of a book! Written with great depth of feeling this story takes us into the depths of desolation and loss of World War One! A photograph of her missing husband is mysteriously dropped through Edie’s Letterbox and the story unfolds. Is he dead or alive? Brother Harry was there when it happened or was he? Who holds Edie’s heart? The lost husband or brother? As the story unfolds we are taken to the hell holes of The Somme, into the rat infested trenches and we see the endless white crosses of the dead. It is a story of despair, of confusion, of loss, love and hope. I was hooked to the very end

A beautiful and haunting book that I couldn’t put down. I sobbed reading this and I look forward to future books from this author.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I wish that this book had been shorter. It's good, don't get me wrong, the story is interesting and the writing is lovely. And yet, there's just too many words, it took too long for anything to happen. There was a lot of hinting and hinting and waiting and it would take forever for a pay off. At first I thought it was because I was reading it on the bus but I started reading it in my hour long lunch break and I still didn't feel like anything was progressing.

I want to like it, it just needed to be a third shorter I think. Also, the introduction at 95% of the way through that Harry might be imagining people was a strange twist.

This book tells a story of a point in time that should never to be forgotten. Ww1 a pointless war that nether acieved much apart from the deversation of towns, countryside and the pointless loss of life. It tells of the aftermath to a young women whos loveone never returned and a man who lost both his brothers.

A well writen book that is a sad reminder of all those men who gave so much for their country.

I have read quite a lot of books set in the war, although more WW2 than WW1 and not sure if the different era or just the storyline was the reason why I struggled getting into the book/storyline.

A unique take on the horror that surrounds WW1 . it made me think about the after math, the physical devastation that was left behind on the landscape and the scale of the operation to mend not just physical but mental wounds . It also made me wonder for just how many years this conflict continued to claim it’s victims
Must read

A wonderful story, telling the soldier's view of W.W 1 and that of the relatives of the missing and the dead..Harry returns to Flanders to take photographs for relatives of soldiers killed or missing. He and his sister in law are also looking for his brother Frances, unsure whether he was killed in action or is still alive. A poignant, realistic tale that really gives an insight into the horrors of the war and the effect it had on the soldiers and their families.