Stella was a nurse in a field hospital when her fiancee is bought in badly injured and sadly dies. She has a breakdown and is sent home. Her sister, Madeleine, is pregnant and staying with her mother-in-law at Greyswick.
Stella is invited to stay with her but when she arrives, she finds Madeleine in a terrible state. She is upset by unexplained goings on within the house and soon Stella starts to hear and feel sounds and noises.
she starts to investigate what has happened within the house in the past. What are the secrets? and can she solve them but to what cost.

A spooky thriller full of strange goings on. Very complex and complicated but resolved in the end. Good characters and interesting tale,lots of twists

Stella Marcham is grieving. She has seen evil in the blooded fields of the great war and that same evil has taken the love of her life. On the brink of being sent into an asylum for ‘rest’, Stella is approached by her sister’s husband Hector, asking her to keep Madeleine company in her last months of pregnancy at his home estate Greyswick. He mentions Madeleine’s unease and bad feelings about the house and hopes Stella’s company will help settle his wife back to her happy self.

How wrong he is! Stella arrives at Greyswick, excited to see her sister’s new home, happy to lend her hand and provide comfort to the one person that stood by her when she lost Gerald. But there is something wrong. With the house, the people living in it. From the first day, when she discovers a toy soldier in her bed, things grow stranger and stranger. There are secrets buried deep within the walls of the house and it is up to Stella and her unwilling accomplice maid Annie to uncover them and set them free.

Brilliant book – I’ve always loved Wilkie Collins’ Woman in White and can see clearly the inspiration here. But this novel is spookier and even tense and reading in the dark of my bedroom wasn’t the best of my ideas. The characters were very well portrayed within the time period lending an authenticity to the story. Let’s be honest, most old manor houses look haunted, so Greyswick lends a perfect hand in setting the scene. I loved the opposites of opinions and beliefs that were given to us in the characters of Annie Burrows and Tristan Sheers. The believer and the sceptic-scientist, both willing to go the distance to prove their own truths.

Bravo – love this book and will certainly look out for more books by Anita Frank. This will be in my top five books I’ve read this year.

Thank you very much to TBConFB, the author and NetGalley for this book.

The Lost Ones is a stunningly haunting gothic novel set during the First World War in 1917. It is steeped in the atmosphere of the time period with our heroine, Stella, dealing with all consuming grief following the death of her fiancé in France. Franks touches on so many pertinent topics which are just as relevant today as they were back then: mental health, family, grief and a country dealing with a state of unrest. The writing is rich with beautifully flowing prose and the characters are well fleshed out - flirting with, but never succumbing to, the stereotypes typical of the gothic novel. It's a thoroughly enjoyable book and a spectacular debut.

I enjoyed this novel, which gradually wove together ghostly happenings, a hidden mystery, and the psychological impact of the First World War. It was an easy and atmospheric read, but I did feel at times that the mystery was a little melodramatic and some of the turns that the plot took seemed like a bit of a stretch - solving this mystery wasn't quite as satisfying as it could have been with a more careful structuring of the clues. That being said, there's lots to enjoy here, and I particularly liked the discourse around madness and gender - if a woman says something, would you believe it less than if a man did? How much proof do we really need before we allow ourselves to believe the unbelievable?

It's been a while since I've read a historical ghost story but this was worth the wait, with welcome echoes of Susan Hill and Daphne du Maurier. Impeccable scene-setting and memorable characters provide the perfect foundations for a cracking winter read, and once I reached the second half of the book I couldn't stop. The Lost Ones is a beautifully written period page-turner,

An enjoyable read which, if not especially spooky or surprising plot wise (look I am really difficult to please with ghost stories plus I have this nasty habit of working a mystery out within three chapters) was still very engaging. The characters were compelling but what sold it for me was the well-researched historical setting. I’ve seen it compared to The Silent Companions which is horrendously unfair to this book – The Lost Ones is far better than that! An author to watch on the mystery front.

What a fantastic debut novel by Anita Frank. I’m not normally big on ghost stories but this book had a bit of everything. It centres on Stella Marcham who is in mourning following the tragic death of her brand new fiancé, Gerald, during The Great War. The whole book is set in 1917 and at the confidential request of her brother-in-law, Hector, Stella goes to visit her married sister Madeleine who is ‘out of sorts’. Hector is in the army but based in London so Madeleine has been sent to stay at her mother-in-law’s house, Greyswick, in the country. Lady Brightwell is widowed but still very much in charge of the house. As soon as Stella gets to the house there are strange happenings and she finds that Madeleine has experienced them too. It is not clear if these happenings are supernatural or the work of meddlesome humans. Stella is determined to get to the bottom of it but has a hard time convincing those around that she is not imagining it or suffering from mental illness.

The story wove around and around and I loved it all – the house, the characters and the plot. I couldn’t put this book down but equally didn’t want it to end. It would make a great film. There was a lot of interaction going on between the gentry and servants which I really enjoyed. A great debut novel and I will be looking out for more work from Anita Frank.

With thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin UK for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy a ghost story, then this one is for you. Set around the time of the Great War, it has a feel of a true gothic tale in the genre of Du Maurier and Bronté.
I loved the paranormal feel to this, disturbing and yet compelling. At the heart of the story, a soul that cannot find rest because of past wrongs, committed against those most innocent.
Treat yourself to this tale - surround yourself with ghosts and unravel the mystery.

A ghost story with everything you'd expect ... chilly atmosphere, imposing house, usual haunting scenarios with an added "who done it" thrown in for good measure.

A readable and well written novel but lacked suspense and the shocks I was anticipating and hoping for, nothing really 'new' when it comes to this genre.

In truth the book is quite predictable, I'd already guessed all twists and turns before they happened.

Personally I found the first half of the book just went on too long, I understand the author has to set the scene but too much time was taken up with describing the setting and characters.

Unfortunately it didnt stand out from the crowd as I'd hoped it would.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

One of the best ghost stories I’ve ever read and how fitting that it’s due for publication on Halloween. Stella a VAD in the first world war, loses her fiancé. In fact he dies in the field hospital where she was stationed. She’s deemed to be unstable, even months after his death and her return to her parents’ home. She visits her pregnant sister, now staying at her in-laws’ residence, taking her strange little maid Annie.

Something awful had happened in that house. Little by little, we discover the possibilities then finally the reality. The tension mounts and little incidents from Stella Annie’s past become more important. I found this occasionally almost claustrophobic in its intensity and beautifully written. I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly.

The lost ones is a great novel with a atmospheric gothic vibe.

Set in 1917 Stella Marcham has returned from nursing in France after the sad death of her fiancé in the war, her family can not understand her all consuming grief as in their eyes her engagement wasn’t official and with many men dying in the war she should just pull her self together, so when her brother in law asks her to stay with her pregnant sister at his family home she knows she has to try to move on with her life and help her sister. But things are not what they seem at Greyswick, her sister is convinced something is wrong, she keeps finding toy soldiers and hearing a child sobbing at night and no one believes her and she is frightened for herself and her unborn baby.

Soon Stella and her maid start hearing things and Stella finds her own sanity is in doubt, can she prove to everyone what lurks in Greyswick’s past before her family have her the proof they need to have her committed.

A beautifully written novel that is perfect for a cold winters evening curled up on the sofa. Enjoy

Oh wow, I absolutely loved everything about this book, it was such a brilliant, enthralling read. After a few chapters in I'd really got into the style of writing. It is very evocative of the time. The author never slips at any point throughout the book, keeping up the style of speech and the narration completely in keeping with the era and of the aristocracy at the time. I couldn't quite remember whether it was a timeslip book when I first started it, but really hoped it wouldn't move into the present. Luckily the whole story is set in 1917 so we keep the delightful dialogue right the way through to the end. It's very Downton Abbey esque I imagine, as I have never watched it.

It is just so many genres all rolled into one, which kept me completely riveted throughout. Supernatural hauntings, a story of loved ones lost to the first World War and at such very young ages. It's a story of upstairs and downstairs, the gentry and their servants. Family betrayal, jealousy, all wrapped up in a mystery that Stella Marcham, the protagonist and narrator of the story must solve.

It's very sad and moving in parts, yet there's always the macabre, ghostly happenings to draw you in and cause shivers up the spine as you whip through the pages. It all culminates in shocking revelations and a mystery solved. There were quite a few OMG's being uttered out loud by me as I got towards the end of the book.

It really is absolutely brilliant and I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone, no matter what your preferred genre; I defy anyone not to enjoy this story. I would definitely read any future books by this author, but its such an amazing debut, that I just don't see it being superseded by anything better - however if a future book is as good as this, then that will be good enough for me. Fantastic!

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

When Stella loses her fiancé in the First World War she comes back home grief-stricken. Her sisters husband asks her to accompany her pregnant sister to his mother’s estate.

Stella takes her maid Annie with her and they discover hidden secrets and lies within the estate.

The book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Will definitely look at other books by this author.

This book has two of my favourite things! Historical fiction set in WWI with a creepy edge.

I did really enjoy this story even with the twist being predictable. Great characters that had me hooked and wanting to keep those pages turning.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A really nice cosy book for the colder nights.
A ghost story come murder mystery, it’s the perfect winter read.

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am surprised by this book, I thought it would a simple historical fiction dealing with the last year of the First World War, 1917. But there's this spooky twist throughout the novel which intrigued me, I'm telling you I could not put it down!
I think that this book is the perfect book for Hallowe'en, especially if there are readers who love to read these types of books around October time, personally I'm not a fan but reading this book really changed my perspective. I loved the characters and the fictional village, I think the author has done an amazing job giving the whole novel a spooky, gothic vibe that really sucked me in.

A very gothic and atmospheric tale. More creepy than scary but enough to make you a little spooked in the dark! I loved the setting and the era of the tale which really set the scene well. Very well developed characters - some likeable some not so much. All in all a very good read.

Stella Marcham has lost her fiance in WWI. As the war continues she is lost within her own grief. Her brother-in-law asks her to travel to Greyswick Hall to keep her pregnant sister Madelaine company. Providing her with a new focus outside herself, Stella is pleased to spend time with Madelaine. That is until it becomes obvious that all is not right within Greyswick and there are secrets which threaten the peace of the household.

This is basically a ghost story. All the usual requirements are there – imposing house, frosty atmosphere, noises in the night and so on. This book did fit the general mode of this genre quite well & there is nothing about this book to make it stand out from the crowd. Yes, it is quite well written with reasonable characters but the story itself is nothing new. It is a fairly average book of its genre.

Much of this book is quite predictable. There are some “reveals” and twists but to be honest I saw them coming. There is not a great atmosphere and I did feel the book was lacking in suspense. I wasn’t that keen on the ending. I felt the author had made it too extreme in relation to the rest of the book.

On the whole a reasonable read & a fairly average book of this genre. There is nothing special to make it stand out from the crowd.

I received a free copy of this book via Netgalley.

Every year as the nights turn cooler and longer, I begin looking for a wonderful new ghost story to whet my gothic appetite. This year, Anita Frank’s The Lost Ones fits the bill with perfect stylish flair.

Part ghost story, part murder mystery and part reflections on loss and bereavement, the Lost Ones immerses us in the creepy setting of sprawling English manor House, Haverton Hall, and its inhabitants- against the backdrop of the very real horrors of the World War II timeperiod. The narrator, former army nurse and grieving fiancée, Stella Marcham embarks on a quest to help her pregnant sister uncover the truth about the strange dark history of the house. With the aid of her unusual maidservant Annie, Stella must battle against those who would suppress her voice- in the shape of both the societal norms that women faced at that time and a family that has reason for wanting to keep certain secrets hidden.

The story has some very creepy chills and thrills although this ended up being less prominent than I expected going into it. The murder mystery actually comes to the fore partway through the book- which was also longer than I expected. I did find the pace lagged a little bit at one stage and I confess I was hoping for more ghost action overall. But there are some really excellent, well drawn supporting characters and Stella herself strikes the right balance in terms of being a plucky problem solver but also a vulnerable victim of her own private grief. Frank selves into some of the more subtle aspects of mourning and the grief process in a way that really lends depth and weight to the story

The ending has a nice, if somewhat predictable twist and concludes in a very satisfactory way. On the whole I found this an immensely enjoyable read, highly recommended for an afternoon with the rain lashing against the window, curled up cosy by the fire. 4.5 stars.