Anita Frank has penned a cracking debut in The Lost Ones. Set in 1917 the language used by the author evokes both the period and the well described bucolic setting. The cast of characters are so well drawn that each leaps from the page. I was immediately drawn to Stella who is heartbroken after the loss of her fiancé but who puts this aside to help her pregnant sister Madeleine as she has been sent from London to the family seat for her safety. We soon learn however that Greyswick is not the safe haven her husband, Hector, thinks it is. Stella, accompanied by Annie Bellows, a rather quirky maid, finds a sister much changed in an inhospitable place ruled by her indomitable mother in law and a divisive housekeeper, Mrs Henge. Strange things happen in Greyswick and finally Stella is forced to believe Madeleine in her assertions that the house is haunted. The household is mired in lies and deception and when Hector elicits help from a disabled soldier, Tristan Sheers, who has an interest in disproving the paranormal, the story gathers pace. It’s a compelling tale of heartache, ghostly goings-on, nasty characters you love to hate, lies and the ultimate deception. A perfect story for those who enjoy historical fiction married to a ghost story. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Still grieving after the shocking death of her fiancé Gerald, Stella is struggling to move on with her life. So when she is invited to help care for her sister during her pregnancy, she can't help but feel that it is a welcome escape. But the estate of Greyswick is anything but welcoming...

Personally, I must admit, I'm not a big one for ghost stories, if only for the reason that they scare me too much! But the cover of this one was beautiful, and I thought it was time to step outside of my comfort zone. I am so so glad I did, as this book was simply wonderful.

While there are elements of the supernatural, I would say this isn't so much a ghost story, as a story with a ghost. The focus is more on solving a long-standing mystery, which was great as it meant it wasn't too traumatic for me to read! The story is brilliant though, so complex and threaded together so well. The writing was also very strong - it was atmospheric and chilling, yet also emotional and moving. To say I was impressed by this debut would be an understatement.

Now, there's little else I can say, as the joy in this book is in the unexpected. But I for one felt that it was absolutely brilliant, a new take on the old classic if you will. And the fact that it is a debut just makes it more impressive. Anita Frank is definitely one to watch.

This is a fantastic debut - Anita Frank evokes 1917 excellently and is definitely a rising star. This is incredibly atmospheric, gripping Gothic fiction - just what I needed at this time of year. I really look forward to Anita Frank’s next book.

I found this book truly gripping! A story of love, loss, family, and a fair amount of scare! Stella, who is getting over the loss of her beloved is sent to her sisters family house, Grayswick whilst pregnant. It’s not all happy families though, family secrets, arguments, and ghostly happenings? Or is it all in their imagination?!!!

A really good read!

Mysterious and intriguing, I enjoyed this book a lot.

Greyswick is an old, grey and haunted house - or is it? Stella has come to keep her pregnant sister company, but they are soon both distressed at the eerie noises which disturb them at night, and Stella's maid Annie seemed to be the only one who can lead them to what's really going on.

Not frightening or horrific, but a good old fashioned creepy read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and HQ UK for an electronic copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was the perfect book to be reading in the run up to Halloween, it was spooky, suspenseful and completely immersive.
I remember thinking to myself for the first half of the story that it reminded me so much of another spooky mystery that I studied once during my English Lit degree. The Woman in White, it was just the atmosphere the author created was very reminiscent of that novel for me then low and behold the main character picks up a book once given to her as a gift and that book only happens to be The Woman in White. Fantastic little touch. I will be looking out for this author in future.

The Lost Ones is the exquisite debut novel from Anita Frank, it’s a historical, gothic novel that’s haunting and steeped in atmosphere. Set in the latter days of the First World War Stella Marcham returns from the battlefields of France a broken woman following the recent death of her fiancé. Whilst recovering Her brother-in-law asks her to travel to Greyswick Hall, (along with her maid Annie Burrows), to keep her pregnant sister Madeleine company. On arriving at the imposing Greyswick, Stella realises all is not as it should be. Madeleine is far from ‘blooming’, she appears apprehensive and terrified, she believes she can hear a child crying at night, but how can that be? When no child lives there. Stella experiences what can only described as supernatural incidents and she finds herself convinced the house is haunted.

Greyswick is a house that bears many secrets, they are as much the fabric of the house as the bricks and mortar. As we step into Greyswick alongside Stella, the house immediately feels claustrophobic, a growing sense of creepiness wraps itself around you, and the tale grows darker in tone. This isn’t a “jump out your skin” ghost story, it’s much more subtle, it’s more like a classical ghost story, never-less it’s creepy, intense with a very dark, horrifying tale at its core.

The author has created well-drawn characters, especially ‘plucky’ Stella and her ‘creepy’ maid Annie, despite their different upbringings and class, there’s a tie that binds the two. Stella with the aid of Annie investigate the strange events, are the ghostly occurrences caused by malevolent spirts looking for justice or retribution? Or is there something more sinister behind the occurrences? The second part of the book was the part I enjoyed the most, it’s here the story takes a menacing turn, shocking revelations come to light, and Anita Frank deftly weaves the threads of The Lost Ones together.The Lost Ones is an emotional, haunting mystery that I found tragic, yet compelling. I really enjoyed this book in case you haven’t already guessed, it’s definitely one I would recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction and traditional ghost stories

This review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

This is a fantastic novel, perfect for fans of Susan Hill. Set in 1917, Stella is grieving for her fiancée who was recently killed in the First World War. Her pregnant sister, Madeline invites her to stay in her husband’s sprawling estate, and Stella agrees to go. It soon becomes obvious that Madeline’s mother in law is not the only unwelcoming member of the household, and Stella soon finds herself attempting to solve an injustice done a generation ago.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can imagine that it would make a fabulous, atmospheric thriller. The ending did not disappoint and the intrigue kept me hooked throughout.

OMG! WOW!

I don't think I can do this book justice, honestly!
Mysteries, thrillers, not usually my thing. I do love stories set in the past though.
And from the first few pages I was totally hooked!

It is 1917 and England is in the midst of the war, Stella Marcham is grieving for the loss of her fiance, Gerald. Her family is concerned about her mental stability and rather than send her to some asylum that many grieving women were incarcerated in, she is shipped off to visit her sister, Madeleine, who is expecting her first baby, and living at her husband's large mansion in the countryside,
From the moment Stella arrives, with her maid, Annie, at Greyswick, there is a strange feeling about the house.
Inexplainable happenings spark a chain of investigations and events that uncover some deep, dark secrets that were once buried within the house, and the memories of its inhabitants.

A truly gripping read. I cannot recommend it enough!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After the death of her fiance Stella is invited by her brother in law to stay at his home with his mother and her sister Madeleine, who's heavily pregnant. Not long after arriving Stella hears a child crying and footsteps on the stairs. When she finally asks about it it seems she's not the only one to have heard it. Both her sister and her maid Annie have also heard the unexpected noises. Other members of the family try to discredit her as they claim to have heard nothing.. If others have heard it then she can't be losing her marbles so there must be more to it. Even though everyone thought she was just grieving she was determined to get answers.
This is quite a good ghost story and I enjoyed the way it unfolded bit by bit and the lengths she went to to uncover the truth. It came as a bit of a shock when all was revealed.
It gets four stars from me. Many thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

This was a wonderfully spooky book that drew me in right from the start and held me in its grasp all the way through, leaving me satisfied at its conclusion. It's the story of Stella who is still grieving the loss of her fiance to the war. Her family are worried and overprotective and she feels suffocated by it all. So, she jumps at the chance to visit Madeleine, her married and pregnant sister, at her husband Hector's country house whilst he works in the city. Times are hard so to assist the household, she takes Annie, her maid, along with her.
It soon becomes evident that there is something weird happening in the house. Spooky happenings at night, toy soldiers turning up in Stella's bed and there's a child's cries at night. The rest of the household deny all that Stella and Madeleine claim to have witnessed but they are determined to get to the bottom of things and start to look into the history of the family. The only other person who believes them, Annie, has her own reasons for keeping quiet. Hector brings his old school chum to visit but it's soon revealed that he is no friend, rather he is a sceptic brought in to disprove the ladies' claims. But there is something going on and Stella is determined to get to the bottom of things once and for all, for the sake of both her sister and her own sanity.
This is a very character driven book. It has some very strong characters all vying for attention; each playing pivotal parts in the narrative as it flowed. As such, characterisation needs to be well done and here, Ms Frank has excelled herself. She has created some of the most emotive characters I have read about in time. Some in a positive way, others notsomuch! But all with their parts to play and all played to perfection.
The story contained within the book isn't a happy one. It's a tale of loss and sadness on the whole but there are the most uplifting parts throughout which keep the book on an even keel. I'd love to expand on some of the more moving elements but fear that doing so might include spoilers so I am reluctant to expand further. You'll just have to take my word for it.
Indeed, there is so much more I could wax lyrical about this book but, with a Halloween release date, if you are looking for a mysterious spooky read, I would definitely recommend this one!
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

When I selected this book didn't realise it would be quite as creepy as it is, it's not my normal go to genre but I persisted and was glad I did. Set in a country house during the first world war, Stella comes to stay with her pregnant sister following the death of her own fiance. Strange unsettling events start to happen. As the mystery unravels there is a decent amout of suspense & intrigue to keep the pages turning. This is a good first novel, well written and engaging, the author's use descriptions helped paint a picture as I read.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

i really couldnt put this one down at all,... a haunting storyline that just got better as you got further into the book

stella is recovering from losing her fiance in the great war...she was actually there when he succumbed to his injuries...she never quite recovered from the ordeal and was sent home to recover...she never went back to her nursing career....

madelaine, stella sister is pregnant and is not in a good way...so when her husband visits stella asking for her help stelle sets off with her maid anne to help

but when they arrive stella can see that things are very wrong with the household and madelaine is acting strangely

things get stranger when stella is woken up at night with a childs crying...but there is no child in the house...and anne is starting to act more stranger than normal

what is the secret that is held in this house

oh my word what a book..just in time for hallooween, a spooky tale that will grip you till the end...loved how the story flowed

another author to add to my list to keep an eye out for..

The Lost Ones by Anita Frank is a chilling, compulsive historical read that had me gripped from the start.
The novel is set in 1917 at the height of World War I. Already there had been terrible losses in the bloodbath at the Front. A generation of young men lost forever. Lives were devastated as loss consumed. “You learn to live with it. We all learn to carry on in the end.”
Females are seen as having weak constitutions when in reality they were suffering from grief or pregnancy. Their ‘weak’ constitutions meant men tried to dominate and exert their wills. It took strong females to resist them.
Families are complicated affairs. Some have strong bonds, other members dictate. A warped sense of loyalty prompts an unthinkable course of action.
A house is a character in its own right. It seems to take on the personalities of those who have gone before. All is not as it first seems. Secrets and lies have travelled down the years. The house longs to shed its secrets and proclaim the truth.
The Lost Ones is written in the style of Gothic horror. Dark, creepy houses set the atmosphere and mirror the action. It is a marvellous novel and a total departure from my usually genre but I loved it. I am looking forward to much more from Anita Frank.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

The Lost Ones is an engrossing, sufficiently creepy story. The characters and setting are rich, and the plot thrilling.

A DARK and gothic ghost story. The story is about Stella who has tragically lost her fiance in WW1. Her struggle with her grief sends her to stay with her sister Madeleine and this is where the story really begins. An enjoyable read, predictable in places and the story becomes stagnant several times. This is my own personal opinion and I am sure other readers will enjoy it more. It just did not grab me.
I would like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book is just what I needed on these darker evenings and a great ghost story.
Stella is back from nursing the soldiers on the front line in 1917 but she is also mourning her fiance who was killed and when her brother in law asks her to go stay with her sister Madeline whilst hewil be away from home. Madeline is pregnant and not coping well in his ancestral home so Stella jumps at the chance, she takes her maid Annie with her and when she gets there her sister is very distraught and Stella vows to stay for however long she is needed but it seems not everyone is as welcoming.
When Stella experiences the toy soldiers left in her bed and the child crying during the night she has no idea where this will lead her but she must protect her sister and try and keep her calm.
I loved the story and could just picture the old house and the other characters although I didn't like them all it still had me glued to the pages. I did find a bit of a lull in the middle but it picked up again quite quickly. A great read. Thank you to TBC and NetGalley for the copy of the book.

This is not my usual genre of novel but I was intrigued from the beginning.

This follows the story of Stella who has tragically lost her fiance in WWl. Her struggle to deal with the grief leads her to visit her sister Madeleine and there begins a tale of ghosts and a web of lies.

On the whole I found this an enjoyable read but there were times when I found the progress slow and difficult to hold my interest. The characters were all well developed and not all likeable, though my views of this changed through the novel.

Some of the twists were predictable but not all and I would recommend this to readers.

A promising first novel by Anita Frank and I would certainly read more.

It’s 1917 Stella Marcham is grieving over the loss of her fiancé Gerald who died due to the war. When brother in Law Hector visits her and asks her if she can visit her sister Madeline and their country estate Greyswick. Her sister is struggling, and she is pregnant. So, she agrees and takes her maid Annie Burrows with her.
When she arrives, her distraught sister tells her of a baby crying in the night and Stella herself witness toy soldiers left in her bed and other mysteries start happening. Then they realise a ghost child is haunting the manor. Annie is thought to be able to see dead people. But the other members of the family don’t believe them, and they think that the women are just been hysterical and making things up. Even bringing someone in to investigate and prove them wrong.
I really enjoyed the lost ones. This is an addictive, gripping read. I love historical novels. This reminded me a bit of Laura Purcell and Bone China and the corset. This had a great storyline, characters and the story flowed easily. Very good for a debut novel. Can’t wait to see what Anita Frank does next.

The Lost Ones by Anita Frank

I am a real sucker for a historical, gothic novel with strong female characters and this is up there with the best. The Lost Ones centres on Miss Stella Marcham and her new lady’s maid Annie Burrows. Stella is still in mourning for her fiancé Gerald who she lost in the World War One. She keeps the locket he gave her close to her chest still. When she is invited to stay with her pregnant sister Madeline at her in-laws family home, Greyswick, she looks forward to a change of scenery. She sets out with Annie, who is a new addition to the household. Stella is unsure of Annie, but her family’s loyalty to the Burrows is long held and she resolves to get to know the unusual young woman.

Greyswick is a country estate, with formal gardens and ostentatious decor. Madeline is married to the heir of Greyswick, Hector Brightwood, who is away on business in London. At home are his mother Lady Brightwood and her companion Miss Scott, plus their staff, housekeeper Mrs Henge and ‘Cook’ whose name no one uses. However, Stella soon learns that they are not the only residents of her sister’s new home. Madeline confides that she can hear crying in the night and soon Stella finds a toy soldier in her bed. It’s not long before Stella is woken by the crying and follows the sound up the nursery stairs. On the stairs is a vivid portrait of a little boy with a hoop and in the background Stella sees a pile of toy soldiers. The portrait is of Lucien Brightwell, the original heir from Lord Brightwood’s first marriage, who died in a fall down the nursery stairs. This is only one of many secrets being kept by the Brightwood family and Stella senses a mystery to be solved. The creaks, bumps and cries in the night are her only clues.

This book sits in a long tradition and I had thought of Marian from Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White even before Anita Frank mentions the book which is a reading recommendation from one character to another. When Hector returns home, bringing with him Mr Shears I could sense that tension between men of reason and women of instinct and intuition even more strongly. Franks brings together other historical threads I love. Frank’s book is set post WW1 and the tensions of this time are apparent. Women’s roles have changed and Stella represents this. She expected to be a married woman by now, but has instead chalked up experience nursing wounded soldiers and like most of the country is mourning a terrible loss. She is intelligent, and restless after moving back into her ‘normal’ middle class role. She has also undergone psychiatric treatment following her bereavement, complicated by the fact that her severely wounded fiancé was brought to her hospital and care, and fears being thought of as mad or hysterical. She feels a constant pressure to be measured and rational.

Other women in the novel are equally complex and class is another tension. Stella’s family are indebted to the Burrows family after Annie’s father died trying to save their younger sister Lydia from a house fire. Annie has been trusted with a job beyond her experience and is trying to remain under the radar due to her own incredible gift that could mark her out as crazy. Since the family lost their main bread winner Annie needs the job and doesn’t want to draw attention to herself, but Stella has her concerns since she has seen her talking to empty rooms and knows she saw something on the nursery stairs. Lady Brightwood’s companion Miss Scott lives in a very precarious position, living with the family but being of a lower class than them. She was once a servant in the house, so how did she become so close to her mistress and does her devotion go beyond that of a companion? Also, what is her relationship with Mrs Henge and why is their contact so secretive?

Finally, the paranormal elements of the book are genuinely scary. The tension ratchets up from small events like the crying or the marble rolling across the room that could possibly be explained away. Mr Shears tries to find a rational explanation for all of it and I did find myself thinking Annie’s presence was a potential cause. Then slowly, as people start to identify the poltergeist as Lucien Brightwell, the ante is upped as more characters experience what seems impossible. The atmosphere is creepy and unsettling, reminiscent of Susan Hill or Laura Purcell. It is also a female led detective story and builds to a denouement that doesn’t disappoint. Anyone who loves historical or gothic fiction will enjoy this novel. It’s a great Halloween read that sits in the Victorian genre of sensation fiction. Perfectly pitched, beautifully written and full of interesting and complex female characters.