BOOK REVIEW ALERT – Review, Recommendation, Rating & Opinion are my own.

The story begins in the immediate aftermath of World War II, with Anne Frank miraculously surviving the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Emaciated and haunted by her experiences, Anne returns to Amsterdam, only to find her home and family gone. Determined to honor their memory, she decides to publish her diary, which soon captures the world’s attention.

As Anne navigates her newfound fame, she struggles with the burdens of being a symbol of the Holocaust. She meets other survivors and delves into activism, seeking justice and remembrance for the millions who perished. Along the way, Anne grapples with her personal trauma and the challenge of rebuilding her life from the ashes of war.

Rating – 3.0/5 Stars
Recommendation – Moderately High

The Lost Ones by Anne Frank is a beautifully crafted piece of historical fiction that pays tribute to one of the most iconic voices of the Holocaust. It is a must-read for those interested in history, human rights, and the enduring power of hope and resilience. Through Anne’s imagined journey, readers are invited to reflect on the past and find inspiration for the future.

It's slow start getting to know Stella and her grief, what she'd been through with her family. It doesn't really start until Stella visits her sister at Greywick house. The atmosphere is dark and the housekeeper severe. It starts as a gothic novel but turns into a mystery as Stella starts to unravel the secrets of Greyswick house and who is behind the strange hauntings. This book was so riveting I lost all track of time reading the conclusion. I'd love a spin off series with Stella, Annie and Tristan. Slow start but amazing otherwise.

Wonderful! #TheLostOnes by #AnitaFrank is set during #WWI in England. Stella has just lost her fiance, her sister is pregnant and they're living in a haunted house. This book is beautifully told and is mostly free of the tropes commonly associated with the genre. 100% would recommend to readers who enjoy Sarah Waters, Sarah Rayne, and Kate Morton.

Hearing a child’s cry but there’s no child? I’d be packing my bags and getting out of there.

Grief-stricken Stella is struggling after the loss of her fiancé. She moves in with her pregnant sister and brother-in-law at his family estate when unsettling and eerie events begin.

Anita Frank created characters very well, as well as setting the scene. However, some aspects were bordering on waffle territory.

Definitely not my usual read, The Lost Ones was a creepy historical thriller that revolved around a Stella and her maid who travel to stay with Madeleine, Stella's sister following the death of her fiancee.
I enjoyed how the story developed and the inclusion of the spooky elements as these kept me reading past my bedtime! Stella was an excellent character to read about and so was Madeleine but I didn't particularly like either of them and they were quite horrible to the maid.
This one is a slow burn but it does pick up and I think it would suit other lovers of historical fiction.

This was interesting and ful of reasons to like it but the writing wasn’t for me. Not bad, but not for me…

Spooky season isn't too far away so I feel I wanted to start reading books that are a bit more scary.

The Lost Ones follows Stella who is grieving for her dead fiance. It's 1917 and the first world war is still happening, but Stella has returned home from France. Her sister Madeleine is pregnant and Stella is invited to keep her company at Greyswick. It isn't long before things go bump in the night and starts to get spooky.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this book. I loved the setting of Greyswick, give me a story with a haunted house anyday. The ghostly happenings for me were typical haunted house, strange noises and sounds that are connected to a story that is uncovered connected to the house. I didn't find the story scary but it does take a lot for me to get spooked from a book, whereas a scary film has me jumping out my seat. However the story has got a creepy feel to it and I found very atmospheric at times.

I enjoyed the story but did guess some of the reveals especially as the book progressed. This book was quite a satisfactory ghost story. I did think I dragged a little in the middle but glad I carried onto the end.

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the book although I'm a little behind getting to reading the book.

Beautifully written, felt a little posh at times. I did not relate to the story and for most of it I was skimming it. Yet it might appeal to others but for me it did not hit the spot, sorry.

Thank you Netgalley for this review copy.
I dragged my feet reading this one as it did sound a bit predictable. Nevertheless, it caught me from the the very first pages as it was beautifully written and engaging.
It was atmospheric and sent shivers up your spine as a good gothic horror should and it was a book that had me up later than I should as I didn't want to put down.

A beautifully written and gripping gothic ghost story that is a perfect debut novel.
Frank presents the gothic through the eyes of a female protagonist who subverts the usual gothic trope of a hysterical woman in need of rescuing.

I have to say, I’m surprised by just how much I enjoyed this. Don’t get me wrong, this is exactly the kind of book I want to read during the spooky season but I’ve found it so difficult to find ones that scratches that particular genre itch. Add to that, I don’t tend to read a lot of historical fiction or gothic horror so to manage to find a book that ticks most of my boxes is very pleasing.

There’s a good amount of tension and discomfort built up over the course of the story and I’m really glad that it sticks to it’s guns when it comes to the paranormal side of things.

It falters slightly with the pacing and the ending is slightly Scooby Doo in it’s execution but I don’t think that should put people off giving this one a read.

I first read this as a Beta Reader and was entranced by the Historic old house tale with a spooky undercurrent, things that go bump in the night, and family secrets. Even reading it at it's earliest stages it was clearly an outstanding debut novel.

I've now read the published version and it is FABULOUS!
As well as a mystery plot which will keep you turning the pages there is a lot of social history within the story, and the characters are well drawn and interesting Lost Ones is gripping in its pace and plotting, it is also a sensitive portrayal of grief, loss, and the trauma of war and it's fall out. It is truly an outstanding debut that kept me enthralled from first page to last.

I look forward to reading more from this author - with thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

Opening in 1917, and with the First World War drawing to a close, The Lost Ones follows Stella Marcham, a young woman left reeling by the death of her fiancé Gerald in the trenches. Consumed by grief, forced to leave her role as a nurse with the VAD, and now left listless and forlorn at her childhood home, Stella has tried to take her own life – an act that, whilst unsuccessful, has left her at risk of an enforced ‘rest’ in a sanitorium. Given the opportunity to stay with her beloved younger sister whilst she awaits the birth of her first child, Stella sets out for the imposing country manor of Greyswick – only to find a house beset with more unease and suspicion than the one she left behind.

Aided by Madeline, whose own fears about Greyswick Stella is determined to allay, and by her unusual ladies maid Annie, a young woman with very particular hidden gifts, Stella sets out to discover just what – or who – is disturbing the peace and tranquillity of Greywick. The women’s investigations will bring them into conflict with Greywick’s inhabitants, especially the imposing housekeeper Mrs Henge, but will also bring them an unusual ally in the form of wounded war veteran and psychic investigator Tristan Sheers. But as Stella and her companions attempt to lay the ghosts of Greywick to rest, dark forces are moving amongst the living – and they have Stella in their sights.

Packed with unsettling noises and things that go bump in the night, The Lost Ones is the perfect blend of light horror, spooky goings on and sinister family secrets, but also provides a moving and reflective exploration of grief and mental trauma. It packs a lot into its 450 pages and, whilst I don’t want to give any spoilers, touches on a number of issues including a suicide attempt and suicidal thoughts, depression, grief, child death, fire/fire injury, physical trauma, the loss of a limb, infidelity, rape/sexual assault, miscarriage and forced institutionalisation. Whilst all of these issues are handled very sensitively, they are integral to the plot and this makes the novel a reflective – and at times quite tragic – read in spite of the page-turning quality of its mystery plot.

Stella makes for an emotionally engaging and complex protagonist. Capable and strong-willed, her experiences at The Front have made her fiercely independent but her all consuming grief means that, at times, she makes for an unreliable narrator. Whilst I desperately wanted to believe Stella, there were times when I had to question whether her pursuit of a supernatural explanation was a result of her own desperation to be reunited with her beloved Gerald again. The novel does a fantastic job of keeping this balance between the ‘real’ and the supernatural and the inclusion of a sceptical researcher – Tristram Sheers – provided an engaging counterpoint to Stella, especially once the reasons behind his scepticism become clear.

I also really liked Annie, Stella’s maid, who is gifted with the ability to communicate with the dead – although it is not always a ‘gift’ she enjoys possessing. Initially dismissive of Annie, seeing the relationship between the two young women develop over the course of the novel was one of the highlights of the book for me. The sinister housekeeper Mrs Henge, meanwhile, can give Mrs Danvers a run for her money in the ‘creepy family retainer’ department – always popping up from the shadows when least expected and clearly hiding a multitude of secrets!

With atmosphere and intrigue packed into every page, The Lost Ones was the perfect read to kick off my autumnal reading season. With some genuinely frightening moments, its an eerie historical ghost story that is sure to appeal to fans of Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions and Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black, whilst the focus upon female friendships and the traumas suffered by women reminded me of Stacey Halls’ The Familiars. Gripping in its pace and plotting, The Lost Ones is also a sensitive portrayal of grief, loss, and the trauma of war and is an impressive debut that kept me enthralled from first page to last. I look forward to reading whatever Anita Frank writes next!

This is a story about love, loss, family, ghosts and secrets. It wasn’t what I expected from the book synopsis but I enjoyed the read.
There were a few twists and turns, I didn’t work out all of the pieces of the ending in advance, which is always testament to the author and their ability to keep you guessing..
thank you to Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

In The Lost Ones we meet Stella who arrives at Greyswick, a country mansion to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine. However it isn’t long before strange and eerie incidents take place. Stella is instantly intrigued and wants to discover all of the secrets that Greyswick holds.

It’s safe to say that The Lost Ones completely grabbed hold and didn’t let go until the last page. I experienced a wonderful story that at times was both dark and emotive. Anita Frank has created a story that made me feel completely involved. Not only with the story but the characters too. The characters themselves had depth and flaws which all combined to make the story even more compelling.

The pacing is pretty good throughout with the tension creeping and building with every page. There is a definite gothic feel that was right up my street with the imposing mansion bringing its own sense of unease. The war also provides a darker edge as it shows the impact on the characters lives.

The Lost Ones was the kind of story where I couldn’t wait to discover all of its secrets. However at the same time I also wanted to take my time and savour the story. There is a wonderful combination of historical fiction, mystery and even a touch of supernatural. The Lost Ones is atmospheric, engaging and compelling!

I ve never been much of a ghost story person - my imagination can be overactive. But this book might juts ahve changed all that; Its brilliant historical fiction.
Stella's in a bad place having just lost her husband, but when she goes to stay with her sister she find out that the staff arent as sympathetic as they could be becasue her sister is hearing and experiencing things that noone can explain. When Stella hears it too its just considered unbelievable.

I didnt really warm to any of the characters in the book but for some reason I needed to keep reading to find out how it was going to end.

What a fabulous book. This would make an amazing movie. A spooky tale of a grieving heroine. Had me gripped from the first page.

1917 and England is in the full grip of war. Stella Marcham a nurse on the front line in France holds her wounded Fiancé as he dies sending Stella into a spiral of unbearable grief. Back home in England it is her beloved sister Madeleine who helps her through the worst. When Stella is asked to go stay at Greyswick with her sister who is now pregnant she is happy to help.
Madeleine is not happy at Greyswick, she hears crying from an empty nursery and feels an unsettling presence in the house. Her mother in law and the other residents of Greyswick feel that Madeleine is "hysterical" and imagining things. However when Stella also hears the crying Madeleine feels vindicated but still no one is convinced. A wounded veteran is brought in to prove there is nothing untoward going on but as the noises and strange occurrences ramp up it's clear that there are some secrets that must be exposed before anyone in the house will be allowed any peace.
I loved the character of Stella - she is strong in an age when strong women were looked upon with suspicion and having their own ideas and opinions led to them becoming labelled hysterical trouble makers.

what a truly stunning book. the imagery, the setting and the characters were all so alive, I felt them next to me. the writing was so beautiful, I found myself reading page after page not wanting to put the book down. I read this in a few days, and would recommend it to all my loved ones.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Great book. I loved reading it. Very interesting and covers alot of information