The Lost Story was Inspiring and Imaginative, Wondrous and Beautiful. What a Heartfelt Story. 

In May 2007, two 14-year-old boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Ralph (Rafe) Howell, went missing from Red Crow State Forest in West Virginia. Later that same year they suddenly reappeared, as if from thin air, found by two hikers in a spot that had been searched dozens of times. Rafe had no memory of those lost six months. Jeremy recalled it all but was bound by a promise to keep it secret, even from Rafe. His doing so drove a wedge between the two boys, and soon after Jeremy’s family moved away. 

Fifteen years later Jeremy works as an investigator locating missing girls. Rafe lives a reclusive life, in a cabin in the woods. Jeremy is approached by a young woman – Emilie Wendell. Adopted as a baby, Emilie has only recently discovered that her older, half-sister, Shannon, went missing from the same forest as Jeremy and Rafe, five years before they did. Shannon was thirteen at the time of her disappearance, and in her case, there was evidence that she was kidnapped and murdered, although her body was never found. Emilie enlists Jeremy’s help to locate her sister’s body for burial and closure. Jeremy reluctantly agrees, he hasn’t been near Red Crow State Forest since the day he and Rafe were found. Neither has Rafe, but desperate for answers regarding what happened to him all those years ago, he is convinced to go along. And that is just the beginning of what will be a life-changing, epic journey for all three. 

The Lost Story was at its core a story of lost, and found, love. The focus was on relationships – lovers, family, friends, and animals. It was also an adventure story, fairytale, fantasy, coming of age, mystery, and magical realism. In The Lost Story the power of imagination and strength of belief in yourself and those closest to you meant you could face, and stand up to, any demon – internal or external. It contained serious topics, so trigger warnings for child abuse, family violence, homophobia, and abduction. This novel drew inspiration from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series but for me The Lost Story had much more in common with Peter Pan and Alice and Wonderland. 

The writing, dialogue, and characters were faultless. The word building was immersive and unique, and the various clues, foreshadowing, setups and payoffs impressed me to no end. My one tiny negative was that I never felt any of the characters were in any real danger, the villains were easily dispersed, but because it was a fairytale, and I’m all about the happily ever after, and because I loved these characters so much, I didn’t really care. There was a handy map at the beginning of the novel, and recipes throughout that I understand are also included as a pdf alongside the audiobook. 

The Lost Story was an utter delight from the first word to the last. The releases this year overall have been of an exceptionally high standard, and this novel is another favourite that I’m sure will make my end of year top ten. I’m thrilled to bits that I have The Wishing Game by this author still to read.