What an interesting, gentle book about a love.y woman called Dot who works in a lost property office in London. Suddenly we find that life dramatically changes for her as she becomes part of a fascinating adventure.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t what I expected from the description. I expected fluffy fun, and there was rather more to the story than that.

Dot has somehow lost her way. We find out in flashback why this is, and how she has ended up working in a lost property office. Right from the start it was clear that there was something going on, but I was still surprised at the way the story unfolded.

The book touches on quite serious subjects – depression and dementia – and for me this is the problem. The book seemed to jump from being a fun read to something much darker, although there were clues along the way.

I would recommend the book, but not as a light, fun read. And certainly not to anyone who needed cheering up!

I thought the premise of this was great and I enjoyed the first 47% but then it got w bit weird and felt like it lost it’s way. It did find its self again around 78% but the last of was so sad that it left me really down. I understand that these issues should be more widely discussed in fiction and am I for that but I just wasn’t expecting it from what I read in the first half so it felt like even more of a shock and I definitely think the book should come with trigger warnings.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review

This book is about complicated family love and loss. Dot works at the lost property base in London, on the face of it Dot lives a simple life with her mother recently in care and a house proud sister who seemingly has no time for Dot other than to run her life for her . Dot is meticulous in her work tagging and organizing the lost property as if her life depended on it , Dot is known as a colleague you can rely on.
Under the facade Dot is falling apart unable to reconcile with the death of her beloved father years before. This book is about Dot’s journey into the abyss both physically and metaphorically. This book is well written and one can feel Dot’s pain as she battles for survival .Read this book you will not be disappointed 5 stars

This was a little slow read for my taste. But I never read something like this.
Theme of this book is Loss. Loss of everything. I just made me think...
This for me was a 3.5 stars read

This book was unexpected in so many ways. There are some triggers that readers should be aware of: loss, dementia, suicide and sexual abuse however the write deals with all of these beautifully. This book reminded me of my very own Dot who I lost prior to Christmas, she too had dementia like the protagonist's mother in this book.
Dot was a complex character with many layers, she did in some ways remind me of Eleanor Oliphant as others have suggested.
All in all a great read, thank you netgalley.

Dottie works in the Lost Property office, and enjoys sorting out all the items which have been lost. She is a warm, humorous character and although her job isn’t leading anywhere, it suits her organisational skills, taking pride in her achievements when she successfully reunites missing items with their owners. Although her efforts to help Mr Appleby to find a battered old case, which held memories of his dead wife haven’t been successful so far.

The book is well written, mainly observational about herself, other staff members, and relations. The characters are sympathetically written and so well crafted by the author that they leap off the page. This is an engaging, humorous, beautifully written book. Helen Paris explores difficult topics such as dementia, betrayal, and depression so skillfully and sympathetically, some of the passages read like poetry and are a joy to read.

Although on the downside, the book lacked pace in places, its main strength is within its characters. Well worth reading.

Lost Property follows Dot, who’s life hasn’t quite gone as planned and she is dealing with some pretty intense feelings of loss. Dot is comforted by routine and structure, but then she loses control and her life spirals out of control.

This book deals with some rather heavy topics, such as suicidal thoughts and depression, however we see Dot try and overcome these things and take back her life and her plans.

It was a very thought provoking read, often reminding me of Eleanor Oliphant, and Dot is a very endearing character, who I instantly warmed to even though she lacks social skills.

Thank you @transworldbooks and @netgalley for approving me to read and review this book.

I did enjoy this book but it was quite slow moving, which may well have been the intention. I'm not sure I'd look out for another book by the author based on my experience.

A beautiful unusual book. Wasn’t sure what expect when I picked this up but it’s a real lovely book of memories and loss.

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this story so was looking forward to reading it. It is a sweet story about loss, set around a lost property department in London and an old people's home, where Dot's mother lives.

Loss in all its forms are covered in this story. All sorts of loss: loss of property, ones memory, in the form of dementia, loss of loved ones and loss of direction. The story deals with a lot of issues in its pages.

I felt this story had real potential but for me, it got lost in too much information and vacillating by the main character Dot. Because of this I found it didn't keep my attention, so I struggled with the story. However, saying that it's a nice story and worth a read.

I was kindly given a copy of this book in return for an open and honest review from the kind people at Netgalley.

Lost Property by Helen Paris is a feel good book in disguise. It’s a slow burner with lots of philosophical insights. Following Dots journey through working in Lost Property for TFL was a really clever setting for the storyline. That idea of a lost soul amongst all those lost things. The author approached the themes of grief and loneliness with such thoughtfulness it made me empathetic towards Dot and her plight.

I Highly recommend this book to uplift you!

Plot

. Dot Watson's life is stuck. She wasn't meant to be single at this point, or still working in a temporary job she started over ten years ago. She was supposed to be in Paris, falling madly in love, building an exciting career. Instead, every day in Baker Street's Lost Property office, she diligently catalogues hundreds of lost umbrellas, lone gloves and an alarming number of shoes.

There's a comfort in her routine that Dot has become quite attached to. But then Mr Appleby arrives at her work asking for help to find his late wife's purse.

Dot recognises his desperation and grief - and they stir something unexpected in her: determination. As she resolves to help Mr Appleby, what else might she find along the way?

Review

This is a very well written ad sweet book that deals with some not so sweet issues. What seems like a lighthearted tale about a woman trying to reunite lost items with their owners soon turns a story of heartbreak, loss and some seriously hard topics that need to be talked about.

Dot as a character is complex and you don’t know whether to feel sorry for her or simply take her by the shoulders and give her a good shake and tell her to try and get on with the life she left behind.

There is an interesting dynamic between Dot and her perfect sister, which as the book goes on its explained why this is as they both try to deal with their mothers failing mind and health. There is also somewhat of a love interest which is sweet but doesn’t become the main focus of Dot and her journey.

Like I said there are some topics in this book such as dementia, suicide, physical assault etc. So if those topics are not for you then I would steer clear.

However, if you wish to read a book that’s got more to offer than a simple plot device then I would definitely give this a read.

Rating

4 stars

Recommend

Yes but be aware of triggers

This book was kindly gifted by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Dot Watkins works in the London Transport lost property office.. Her job entails reuniting people with items left on public transport. This is a metaphor for her life - all the things she has lost. Dot lives alone in her mother's house whilst her mother is in a care home suffering with dementia. Her father is not on the scene, although he comes to her in her thoughts and dreams. Her sister is married and has a family, and appears not to be really interested in Dot and her life. As the story progresses, we learn more about Dot's childhood, teenage years and adulthood when a tragedy brings her home from France. The story is well written, and deep. I would highly recommend it.

This is very well written and a great story, but I found there was too much distraction and going off on a tangent with Dot's opinions on matters, many of which were stereotypical and put there for the sake of humour (but weren't actually all that funny). I skipped a lot of this so I could concentrate on the plot, which was great.

Thank you to the publisher for letting me have access to a copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had an 'Eleanor Oliphant' feel to it. I enjoyed the style of writing very much, great detail and description. It was a very sad book with issues of suicide and depression and loneliness addressed here.

I loved the story of the Lost Property office where the main character Dot worked. I felt Dot was not easy to warm to at first as a character but a the story went on and by the end of the book it was easy to understand the problems she had faced and I was rooting for her to have a happy life at the end.

I thought the book was very thought provoking, a but far fetched at times but once I had finished the story came together to create a heart warming read that I would recommend to everyone.

Wonderful. I started this book with a feeling that it would be another in the ‘Eleanor Oliphant’ style but it is so much more than that. Dot is at first a strange character, set in her ways and a tad obsessive over her job.
As the book develops, we see the reasons of why she behaves and her innermost fears and memories.. The book explores, family, loss, relationships and ultimately we see the truth they have hidden from each other.
As a debut, it’s so accomplished. Beautifully written and what I love is the humour that is wound through the novel. The way she describes feelings and moments from her past and her present is exceptional.
I would very highly recommend this to read. I really couldn’t put it down as I became so engaged in the story.

A nice story, a bit slow to get going but definitely worth sticking with. An enjoyable story with lots going on.

What an incredibly lovely, thought-provoking book.

Dot Watson's life has taken some unexpected turns - she set out to work abroad, she was studying her MA in Paris, the world was her oyster. Fast forward a few years and Dot is working in the Lost Property Office at Baker Street, taking pride in reuniting lost items with their owners, but with very little life outside her work. She lives with her mother, who has just moved to a home as she has dementia, she is harrassed by her bossy sister and she dislikes the changes being introduced by her new, predatory manager.

Dot's life might be anyone's, and the way she suffers, reliving past traumas, is heartbreaking. She is a good person, with a lovely down to earth manner not often encountered in today's world. The reader wants everything to come right for Dot. But is this a fairy tale, or real life?

I really enjoyed the book, had a lump in my throat in parts, and chuckled aloud at others. Brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Doubleday for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dot has been working in the lost property office for years. She finds it soothing to have the order of it and loves to be able to return items.
Dot becomes a little unhinged after the suicide of her beloved father and her mother having to go into a care home.
She hits highs and lows but comes out of it with clarity and perspective.