I love a good ghost story, especially one involving a haunted house, so I was very excited to start this book. Happily, I was not disappointed; The Lost Ones is one of those rare finds; a good old fashioned ghost story filled with glorious gothic gorgeousness.

Frank deftly uses her ability to write beautiful, almost musical prose, to invoke chills and raise the hairs on your neck. I was utterly consumed by the beautiful language used in this book; it made for a very atmospheric and creepy read. I read whilst surrounded by suspicion from very early on!

I was gripped by the story; shrouded in mystery and never far from the supernatural, this was a wonderfully suffocating read, which I found to be both intriguing and compelling.

What came as a surprise to me was that not only is this a spooky ghost story, perfect for Halloween, it is also a story steeped in sadness. This is a surprisingly emotional read and I was touched by the tragedy entwined therein.

Dark and shadowy, haunting and harrowing, this is a truly accomplished debut and I look forward to reading whatever Frank offers us next!

This book is different to the type of books that I usually read. Due to this, it took me a few chapters to get into this book. This book spans many different genres- historical fiction, WW1 and ghostly tales. This book is written so well and the author builds the tension so well. This book is filled with larger than life characters. I felt so sorry for Annie the maid as she was blamed for so much that wasn’t her fault.
The ending was not what I had expected and made me gasp at times.
No matter, what genre you like, this book has something for everyone. It is sad and moving along with the ghost story.

Thanks to netgalley and HQ for a copy of this book

A wonderfully spooky tale, so well written, it build the tension perfectly, is so atmospheric I find myself looking over my shoulder ! Such a fabulous gothic story, wonderful characterisation, addictive reading, you won’t want to put it down. A truly gripping debut and I look forward to more from this author, I’ll definitely be picking up her next book. Highly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Pretty much your regular ghost/hunted house novel, somewhat predictable, but I've still enjoyed it. It kept me curious and willing to turn page after page hoping for a twist that never came, but still a nice, pleasant read. Solid writing style and a good narrative progression. I've enjoyed the character's development, especially the 2 main characters: Stella and Tristan. Complex characters, yet more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Their connection was heartwarming and the potential of a budding love story was satisfying, especially seen they were two broken souls. Tristan's theories made me laugh out loud and in fact I really wanted to see a sort of twist coming out of that, I believe it would have made for a really nice surprise/development/take on a ghost story.

A perfectly spooky ghost story, this is well-paced and intriguing. Stella, still mourning the death of her fiancée in the war, goes to stay with her sister Madeleine in her husband’s country home, where Madeleine’s mother-in-law still rules the roost. It soon transpires that the house, and the family within it, are holding a dark secret, and it falls to Stella to try and bring it to light.

Anita Frank’s writing is atmospheric and the setting she creates at Greyswick house is dark and foreboding. The strange night time occurrences and spooky sounds and sightings are really well imagined and leave a sense of unease, but for me one of the book’s great strengths is that there is a dense mystery at the heart of the book, and the reader is given all the information they need to solve it alongside the characters.

A perfect read for a winter evening.

This was a complete change to my usual genre of book but when I read the synopsis it sounded really interesting.. Well I am so glad to have read this book. It was just brilliant. It was a book that I didn’t want to put down, filled with excellent characters and a mystery ghost theme through it. Perfect for thus time of year. A massive 5 stars from me..

Stella Marsham is still grieving the loss of her fiance in the war. Her sister is married and pregnant now living away but she is struggling so Stella goes out to stay with her at Greyswick. She soon discovers that the house might just be haunted. She and her sister are hearing things but no one believes them. A supposed expert arrives but he doesnt believe them, can Stella and her maid Annie who sees things convince them of the truth.

This is quite a haunting tale. A fascinating story that kept me interested until the very end. The plot is quite slow at times but it adds to the story. The atmosphere created is quite chilling at times. I really enjoyed the mystery and had figured out much of it but a few twists still took me by surprise. The ending was really good and ended the story exactly how I hoped it would. Stella's grief is well written and shes an interesting lead character. I really liked Annie too. A brilliant mystery with lots of twists.

A truly compelling read. Beautifully written book that had me gripped to the end. A mystery and ghost story beautifully put together.

England 1917. Stella Marcham is in mourning following the death of her fiance, Gerqld durning The Great War. Stella's brother-in-law asks her to visit Madeleine, (Stella's sister), who is "out of sorts". Madeleine had been sent to stay at her mother-in-laws house. Lady Brightwell is a widow. Stella and Madeleine experience strange happenings in the house. Are these happenings supernatural? Or is it human interference?

There are some characters you will like and there's some you will loathe in this story. My favourite was Annie who had second sight. With the descriptive writing, you could picture yourself there. The tension builds the more you read. Not y usual type of read but I loved it from beginning to end.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Anita Frank for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A superb debut novel, this gothic supernatural mystery has ensured that I will be on the lookout for future books by Anita Frank.

Set in WW1, it tells the story of Greyswick, a country mansion that holds some dark secrets. The characters all seem to be rather unpleasant and the whole feel of the book is sombre and brooding, but this sets the ideal tone for what is an irresistible storyline.

Atmospheric, compulsive, spooky, intriguing and throughly enjoyable, this is a book not to be missed!
5 stars.

Than you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

The Lost Ones, by Anita Frank is an unsettling and harrowing tale of ghosts, lies, and secrets.

Home from serving as a nurse during the war, Stella Marcham is distraught and drowning in grief due to the loss of her fiance. However, when her brother-in-law asks her to visit her sister Madeleine to help settle her nerves during her pregnancy, Stella jumps at the chance.

However, as Stella settles in, as much as she can with the dire company that the house provides, she begins to suspect that the country mansion, Greyswick, is hiding something sinister. As her sister’s terror and unease rises, Stella also begins to experience some unsettling circumstances, from crying in the night to little toy soldiers appearing, she soon realises these dark halls are hiding even darker secrets.

And she soon learns that

“Some Houses Are Never At Peace.”
This debut historical ghost story certainly hits the mark, it is a stunning debut with gorgeous and immersive writing, and interesting and in-depth characters!

— Beautiful and Immersive —
The Writing Style and The Narrative. Anita Frank’s writing style is beautiful and immersive. Her writing style is reminiscent of literary and classic fiction, it is incredibly descriptive and is filled with pathos. While some may prefer less description, I did not – I loved the descriptive writing style and felt it was the perfect choice for this particular novel. Frank’s writing is beautifully metaphoric and has an element about it that just draws you in and keeps you hooked, elements that are sad and hard-breaking are written to be hard-hitting and emotional, while moments of grief and silence are melancholic. The writing is full of emotion and really connects you with the story.

The writing style also aids the narrative. The story is told from Stella’s point of view, you get to see her thoughts, her feelings and her mindset. This was an excellent narrative choice, the character is in grief, she is mourning and you can see that, you can feel it as you read through the novel. Moreover, the weaving of the past and present is simply outstanding and shows the dreadful contrast of before and after the war, it creates a resounding affect for the books tone and atmosphere and makes you truly empathise with Stella’s grief. However, Stella is so much more than this, yes she is grieving and it affects her mind and behaviour, but it does not control her. The grief changes through the novel and the narrative shows this while also showing how logical and clever Stella is. This narrative choice helps complete the character and add to the story. It adds to the story extraordinarily well because Stella is in the dark about the mystery of Greyswick, thus the reader is as well. We learn and theorise with the character and it helps to create mystery and suspense throughout.

— Haunting and Heartbreaking —
The Plot/Story. The plot of The Lost Ones takes you back to a more classic type of ghost story. The plot itself does concede to some classic horror tropes, but they are done extraordinarily well and captures your interest throughout the whole story. Frank ties together predictable and unpredictable elements to create mix of satisfaction and shock as the story progresses, for example, some elements of the story are easy to work out and will not come as much of a surprise, but this is soon thwarted by the addition of elements that, though they make sense, the reader does not expect at all. I enjoyed this mix of shock and surprise because it kept me entertained and made me feel more included in the novel. I was delighted when I worked out what was going on but then equally delighted to find I had missed crucial elements of the story which shocked me.

However, this story is more than just a ghost story, it is a haunting and heartbreaking tale of loss, grief and personal ghosts. There is a mystery to Stella’s relationship with Gerald and his demise, adding another dimension to the story which is emotional and sweet. Moreover, there is a mystery to the Annie, Madeleine, and the past of those not of Greyswick Mansion. There are so many layers to this story, and the ghosts are not always physical – this adds so much more depth to the plot and the characters which makes this book even more enjoyable.

The supernatural elements of the story are very interesting and definitely helps to create a sense of unease, many of these scenes were truly unsettling as were the revelations and had me on the edge of my seat! The ending and revelations were truly horrifying and deeply sorrowful – It is an ending that truly works its way into your heart and sits heavy, but does a wonderful job in concluding the events.

Moreover, the portrayal of grief throughout the novel was wonderful and interesting to read about. The idea of grief added to the plot in many unexpected ways and was a source of emotion and sympathy, but also of anger and rage. The grief of Stella is used by many to dismiss her, to ignore her or to belittle her but for Stella it serves only to drive her even more. This created a unique dynamic in the story, and while it is something I have seen before, I thought this was one of the best uses I have seen as it added so much more to the story and to the characters.

Not only is the plot a delicious ghost story, it is beautifully Gothic as-well, and we all know by know that I am a sucker for Gothic elements! So, I adored the Gothic elements in this book, particularly the setting. From Greyswick Mansion to the lands surrounding it, to the graveyards – the settings in the book are magnificent. They are large, isolated, desolate, dark and inherently creepy. The mansion if imposing yet lonely, with unsettling shadows and creepy corridors. The grounds are vast and isolated, creating an island of Greyswick. And, the graveyards are grey and dark, melancholic and almost peaceful, and yet there is still the element of death and sorrow. I simply adored this and the descriptions of each are gorgeously written.

— Complex and Well Crafted —
The Characters. Each of the characters are complex and well crafted. They are diverse in terms of personality, ability- with one character even having a physical disability resulting from the war- and some other diverse elements which I will not divulge. The personalities of each character are individual and complex making you have strong feeling about each of them.

Stella. Our main character! Stella is a wonderful main character. She is determined, headstrong, loyal and dedicated. She is grieving for the loss of her love, and this grief has caused her to view her own life as pointless, she struggles to cope and is heart-broken. But, in spite of this, and people viewing her ac frail or crazy, she is loyal to her sister. Though at times she can be selfish or simply consumed by her grief, she does her best to support her sister and goes to great lengths to ensure she feels safe. She is strong and adamant in her beliefs and is not afraid to show this, though she tries to avoid intentionally hurting others feelings. Her intelligence, sympathy and logic makes her easy to connect with and relate to, she is believable and realistic. Her characters is very complex and has many layers to her, she is a woman in a world were men deem them mentally weak, easy to succumb to madness and yet she stands up to this and proves her own strength. Though not perfect and not over her grief by the end of the novel, she does progress, she does improve, little by little she does fight the grief and come to terms with it. Her personal development is well written and believable, there is no new love interest to save her, she is not magically ‘fixed’ by then end, she saves herself while she tries to save others – it is a wonderful character arc that I really enjoyed.

Annie. Annie’s character is an enigma, she is an odd girl who people notice and avoid, she is seen as weird or creepy by most characters and the reader is also inclined to see her as odd. However, Annie is much more than that and her character becomes pivotal. She is kind, but secretive and introverted. I cannot say too much without spoilers but I loved her character and her personal development was also interesting to read about. Her relationship with Stella is also a very interesting element. She is Stella’s maid, and Stella is wary of her but as the novel progresses the two form an odd almost friendship with each other that inspires fierce loyalty and it was fantastic!

Mr Sheers. Now this man is a character and a half. He is a realist, logic is his companion and ghosts are most certainly not, this is rooted in his service in the war. This man could explain away the manifestation of the devil without batting an eyelid! So, Mr Sheers is brought in to prove the home is not haunted, and every single even that occurs he blames on some psychological issue. At this moment in time I hated the man an was definitely on Stella’s side. But, there was something about him that I could not shake, an allure. After he has been at the mansion a while he begins to realise there is more going on and he becomes a character I loved! He is stubborn, determined and brutally honest but is also loyal, protective, and desperate for the truth – his development is wonderful and by the end you will surely love him.

Madeleine. Madeleine is kind, sweet and obedient, until she reaches her breaking point. She is Stella’s sister, pregnant with her husband Hector’s child, she is fearful for her baby because of the odd happenings in the home. Out of frustration and exhaustion, Madeleine can become hot-headed, brutal and angry. But, overall she is sweet, kind and caring, devoted to her sister and her family and is a lovely character whose determination equals Stella’s.

The Brightwell Household. Lady Brightwell, Miss Scott, Mrs Henge. This trio is completely and utterly against the idea of a haunting. Each seem cold and distant with complete reluctance towards helping their guests find out the truth. Lady Brightwell is bold, commanding and unlikable, until the end of the novel where you soften to her ever so slightly. Miss Scott is obsessed with the well being of Lady Brightwell, is loyal to her, kinder than Mrs Henge, but still unwilling to help. Mrs Henge is unlikable ,cold and harsh. She will not help, is stubborn and despises intrusion. The characters are well developed and I felt strongly about each of them.

Other characters include: Maisie (the gossipy maid who is sweet and kind, generally likeable), Cook (kind, homely and helpful, a sweet character that I liked), Hector (Madeleine’s husband, I flitted between liking a disliking him, but overall he is kind, noble and loyal to his wife), Gerald (sweet, noble and naive- he is a contrast to some of the other male characters), and Dr Mayhew (unlikable, cruel and sexist – the Dr has no regard for grief and is constantly trying to undermine Stella – he is a villain in his own right and adds another dynamic to the book), Lucien, I cannot say much here but keep an eye out for his story – I simply adored it and it broke my heart.

— A Tale of Loss, Love and Lies —
Overall. This story is a tale of loss, love and lies. I loved the plot, albeit rather traditional, the characters were simply divine and well crafted, the settings were deliciously Gothic, and the writing was beautiful. This is a ghost story that I would definitely recommend – emotional, heart-breaking, creepy and unsettling, it is a horrifying story based on secrets and lies.

This is, in my opinion, a must read and an absolutely stunning debut novel. A ghost story with a classic feel with themes of grief, love, family and strength, it is the perfect read for fans of horror, thriller and mystery novels.

*I received a free eARC of #TheLostOnes by Anita Frank (@Ajes74) from #Netgalley @HQStories @HQYoungAdult @HarperCollins @HarperCollinsUK in exchange for an honest review.*
Posted to Goodreads/my blog/twitter (linked)

Back of the book :

Some houses are never at peace.

England, 1917
 
Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion.

Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house.

Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side…


What I think : 

The year is 1917.

Stella has just lost her fiance Gerald to the war. She is devastated.

Unable to settle, (due to her grief) with her parents at Haverton hall, she feels at odds with everything. So when her brother-in-law Hector asks her to go and stay with her sister, Madeleine, who is pregnant, at his mothers home 'Greyswick' she reluctantly agrees, taking with her, her rather strange maid, Annie.

When Stella gets to Greyswick, she finds her sister looking very pale and jumpy with no real explanation why. Stella has only been there for one night when strange things start to happen. Someone leaves a toy soldier in her bed, on her pillow. Her bedroom door is suddenly wide open when she wakes from a nap, when she knows she locked it before she went to sleep. Then she hears a child crying in the night, there are no children at Greyswick. 

When Stella tells her sister about these odd things happening, her sister tells her that she has had the same things happen to her. Madeleine goes on to say that she thinks the house is haunted by the child that once died there, Hector's half brother, Lucien. Obliviously everybody thinks that the sisters are just making up ghost stories and don't believe a word they say, especially Lady Brightwell, Hector's mother, who is a 'no nonsense' type of woman. 

Hector is worried about his wife so he decides to bring in a supernatural expert, a Mr Tristan Sheers to see, if like the sisters say, there is a ghost at Greyswick. Mr Sheers does an exorcism, and lets just say things don't go to plan, it ends up with the local vicar getting injured. 

Could it be true ? 

Is 'Greyswick' haunted ? 

I enjoyed this book immensely. I really love creepy ghost stories and this debut book is just that ! I love to read in the dark in bed and this book had me peering over the top of my book just to check that I was actually still on my own !!

I thought the characters of Stella and Madeleine were really well formed, they really seemed to love each other as sisters and wanted to lookout for each other. I also liked Madeleine's Mother-in-law Lady Brightwell with her 'no nonsense' way of looking at the world, although I do think she was like that because of the way that her husband Sir Brightwell treated her. 

All in all I thought that this is an brilliantly atmospheric, creepy ghost story that's just in time for Halloween. 

I give this book my highest award of 10/10 ( 5 Stars )

I thoroughly enjoyed this ghost tale and can't believe it is the author's first novel - so brilliantly written. It's 1917 and Stella is blinded by grief after the man she loved died in her arms in a field hospital after being mortally wounded. She sees no reason to live without him. But when her beloved sister Madeleine announces she is pregnant and her brother-in-law asks her to go to stay with her as she is struggling, Stella finds she has a purpose and gladly goes. when she arrives at Greyswick with her maid Annie, she is shocked by her sister's appearence - she is deathly pale and her eyes sunken. The house has a dark presence, and when a baby is heard crying at night, Stella is convinced that there is a dark secret to be discovered. Madeleine's husband Hector arrives with Tristan Sheers, a sceptic who wants to prove that there is nothing paranormal happening, but that there is a scientific explanation or that it is simply the women's overwrought minds playing tricks. But as events get ever stranger, even he is convinced that there is a haunting. Annie is gifted with the ability to see ghosts and reluctantly agrees to assist in finding out the truth. Why is a child crying? Who is Lucien? Why does Annie see a dead baby in the nursery cradle that rocks itself? Without giving away any spoilers, the story gets ever more complex and is concluded in a dramatic fashion. Interspersed with the ghostly tale are flashbacks that Stella has about her burgeoning romance with Gerald, and the scene in which she holds him in his final moments was so tragically beautiful. Stella was a strong female character, ahead of her time, and unapologetic about having strong opinions and a steely determination to discover the truth. An absolutely fantastic read that you won't want to put down.

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.

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.