This book was not my usual choice of reads but I could not put it down. I kept cheering Sofia on and getting deeper and deeper into the plot. Excellent historical thriller.

I loved this book it was so interesting and being a historical read was very different to what I usually read. I’ve never read any by this author but have heard great things about her books and this one was apparently so different to what she usually writes. But, nevertheless I loved this read and know I am keen to read Ms Fields other books which are crime. This one had everything, murder, tension and at times quite scary. My thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I suppose I should have realized I would most likely not enjoy this due to the fact it’s main character was meant to be an assassin. And that’s not particularly my favorite topic. I did enjoy it’s setting. Early 1900s London. Right up my alley. But the storyline just didn’t excite me, and therefore it took forever for me to finish this. It was one of those books I was tempted to DNF.

I wasn’t a fan of the main character’s main reasoning for her actions. It seemed to unrealistic. I know she had been through trauma as a child, but the fact she became a cold blood killer/assassin seemed too far fetched. Not much else I can say about this book. Just not a fan.

This was different to her usual books but was still brilliant and I was so hooked, I didn't want it to end. So clever and exciting!

My biggest soapbox with fiction is characters who are flawlessly good, or bad without redemption. Sofia Logan is a perfect example of how to get a character right. She is troubled and damaged beyond belief with a sense of morality, yet a willingness to disregard that to achieve her ends.

It's 1905 in London, and Sofia is left with her two young children to support when her husband Tom dies. Unable to find work that will cover her household expenses and desperate to keep her family out of the workhouse, she is forced to accept a job from Tom's old employer Emmet Vinsant.

Vastly wealthy with a multitude of businesses, Vinsant offers Sofia a job in one of his clubs watching the players and alerting him to anyone who wins more than they should. However, when Sofia's childhood gambling addiction surfaces, Sofia is left without money to pay her rent and in deb. She goes begging to Vinsant for a loan. After all, she is just on a losing streak, she just needs one good win and she will get it all back. Vinsant does not extend loans to his employees. Moreover, he no longer trusts her to work in the club as she can not manage her own finances. He offers her a new position that awakens deadly darkness within Sofia.

This is historical fiction at its best. I was gripped all the way through and found myself unable to put the book down without itching to return and find out what happens next. Such a magnitude of issues is dealt with from motherhood to women's rights with the suffragette movement marching in the backdrop of the story.

Full of intrigue and passion, this is a book I will happily recommend to other readers. It is a fantastic read. Concisely and intelligently written; you can tell that this period is a historic passion for the author and that she did a lot of very thorough research as part of the process for this book.

I don't give a massive amount of 5-star ratings - but for the genre and style of this book, it's effortlessly flawless and is deserving of nothing less than 5 stars in my opinion. I can't think of anything I wish were different.

I really felt like I had been on an epic journey with Helen Fields’ “These Lost and Broken Things” once I’d finished reading, this was easily a five star read for me and a one that I was addicted to from the first page.
Switching between two timelines, the first in 1891, we see twelve year old Romani born Sofia and an opening prologue that really does draw you in and captivate you. The second is set in 1905 when Sofia is now married with two children and is running for a doctor to save her husband Tom’s life. We then see the two timelines alternate throughout the story as Sofia’s young life is recounted, giving the reader the insight to maybe why she is the person she is. The story was quite brutal at times, emotional and poignant. I liked how the author brought in the suffragette movement into the storyline and I thought the gambling clubs and card playing were very engaging. The subject of grief, poverty, the workhouses, the lack of health care, bullying, suicide and the harshness of life all played a part in this gritty and engrossing story.
I truly loved the scene between Sofia and Beatrice at the end, I thought the author played it perfectly and an ending that really worked for a potential second book.
This author is more famous for her bestselling D.I. Callanach (‘Perfect’ series) and this is her first historical crime drama. Written and executed perfectly with an ingenious plot and likeable, creative characters, this atmospheric thriller set in London was thoroughly entertaining and I am more than happy to recommend “These Lost and Broken Things” to crime and historical thriller readers, young and old.

5 stars

In London 1905, Sofia Logans has just lost her husband Tom. This mother of two is desperate to provide for them in a time where men dominate and little is left for a woman on her own.
Her husband's former employer, Emmet Vinsant, finds work for her in one of his gaming houses. She has a talent for numbers and card counting from an early age, but being around it again brings back her gambling addiction.
Getting herself more indebted to her boss, he now wants for her to assassinate his enemies, which brings out an even darker side of Sofia. Though she is forced into killing, she becomes empowered and aroused by it.
When neighbor Constable Charlie Danes comes into her life, she struggles against the pull of evil.
This atmospheric historical crime fiction/thriller was engaging and entertaining, but a bit melodramatic.
A change of pace from her usual genre, but I prefer her DI Callenach series.
Thank you Wailing Banshee Ltd for the e-ARC via NetGalley.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

Thanks to Net Galley and Wailing Banshee Ltd for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
1905. The main character Sofia, is a wife, a mother and an assassin. Sofia finds herself newly widowed, worried how she will provide for her two children, she needs to find work. Her husbands former employer offers her work in one of his gambling houses as a younger Sofia liked to play cards and gamble, however it soon becomes clear that he is expecting her to fill an entirely different role, she is expected to commit murder..
I found the story line of a newly widowed young mother turned assassin completely unbelievable, and that her desire for killing was so great that she chose to send her two children away.
Not my favourite book from this established author.

When I started this historical novel, I was unsure whether this genre was for me, but once I started this was a wonderful read. The storyline moves between 1891 and 1907 and I was intrigued as to how Sophia's life would turn out. I would definitely recommend this novel.

Sophia Logan's life is one big gamble. In 1891 as a 14 year old Romani child, she is addicted to card games and gambling and after a tragic incident, her life dramatically changes. In 1906 we find Sophia married to Tom Logan and they have two children Isaac and Sadie and Tom and Sophia have a happy marriage. Tom works Mr Vinsant and Sophia looks after the home and children. After the death of her beloved Tom, Sophia finds her life on freefall. Desperate to feed her children and keep her home, she is looking for work. Tom's employer offers Sophia a job and her life becomes a web of lies, deceit, survival and murder.

If you enjoy historical novels, then HELEN FIELDS and THESE LOST & BROKEN THINGS is for you. ENJOY!


I WOULD LIKE TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS NOVEL

This is a dark & gritty tale set in London in the early 1900’s. We follow the story of Sofia, a recently Widowed woman & mother as she struggles to survive. Her ‘saviour’ comes in the form of Emmet Vinsant, a rich & powerful man who leads her into a life of gambling, violence & murder.

Fields provides a strong & complex female lead in Sofia, she is both likeable and despicable. Throughout the book we learn about Sofia’s early life & this part of story attempts to provide explanations for her current actions.. I rooted for her, was sad for her and at times horrified by her. I found it hard to justify her reasons for carrying out the murders however set against the back drop of a fantastically written grimy Victorian London & Sofia’s apparent decent into a sort of frenzied madness they do fit. At times they made me uncomfortable but then who reads a thriller to feel comfortable?! Fields demonstrates her ability to create a brilliantly written murder scene with the gruesome attention to detail found in her DI Callanach series. This is an accomplished novel that achieves exactly what it sets out to do.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel & thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the opportunity.

Hmmmm....how to put into words how this book didn’t do anything for me. A woman turns into a killer easily after a traumatic childhood punctuated by a near rape and then her killing of the perpetrator at the command of her father. Her husband’s death and the desperation to pay bills leads her to her husband’s former scoundrel employer that uses the woman’s past and desperation to convince her to kill for him for money. She puts pennies in a stocking after a killing like she did the first time. Ok? Don’t get that part. Kills a man one night but falls into the arms of her constable neighbor later that evening. Really? The remainder, to me, is just a silly and slightly predictable ending to a bizarre plot. The characters were just like wind on paper with no weight of development. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

These Lost & Broken Things by Helen Fields

Compelling, complicated and rather creepy this book grabbed me and kept me reading without pause. Well, perhaps pauses were made to contemplate just how what happened could come about and how it could, though gruesome and gritty still make almost complete sense when the story was finally told. It made me consider whether a murderer is born or made and what might compel someone to commit murder. I wonder if I, faced with the life that Sofia lived, would have done what she did or if I would have chosen a different course.

What I liked:
• Sofia: strong, intelligent, willing to do what it took to keep her family together - definitely not perfect and with some serious problems to overcome.
• Nora: Sofia’s neighbor who was there for her and her children – had a heart of gold.
• Charlie: the constable neighbor that might have been too good for Sofia – or just what she needed.
• The real feel to the story…I felt I was there making decisions, feeling the grime, smelling the odors, experiencing it all…
• The telling of Sofia’s past in snippets throughout the book. I don’t usually like flashbacks in stories, but they worked well in this book.
• That some of the bad guys were not totally bad even though they did bad things
• The plot, writing and pace of the story.
• Being left with that niggling question that left me wondering what the future might or might not hold for the people I came to care about.

What I did not like:
• Watching one evil man manipulate those around him
• Being reminded of the sorry lot of women before they had rights
• Feeling unsettled – but also kind of liked it
• Kind of wanting an epilogue though I know it is better to leave the reader unsure of what will happen.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Wailing Banshee for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Happy Publication Day to These Lost & Broken Things by Helen Fields!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Wailing Banshee for this ARC copy.

Set in 1905, These Lost & Broken Things tells the story of a young widowed mother struggling to survive and battling a gambling addiction. When facing destitution she is driven to a criminal existence in order to keep herself and her family out of the workhouse.

This novel explores the idea of a flawed protagonist and the idea of whether we are born monsters or become them. Following a woman through her darkest days, we see an almost sexual gratification that she feels from having blood on her hands, and quickly it consumes her whole life. This makes the book an interesting psychological read, but other than that it is fairly easy to read historical fiction. There is an interesting and controversial portrayal of the Suffragette movement which ties our story neatly to its timeline.

This book didn't blow me away but it was certainly a pleasant, easy read. If you're looking for a new perspective on a historical crime novel, this is a solid read.

I’m a huge fan of Helen Fields’ DI Callanach series and she’s became one of my must read authors so despite historical fiction not being my first choice of genre I knew I had to read this one and I’m certainly glad I did. This is a historical thriller, set in early 1900’s London. When Sofia’s husband passes away suddenly leaving her with two young children and no means to support them she is forced to make difficult choices to survive. Her husband Tom’s former employer steps in and offers to help her but she soon discovers that all is not as it seems. The story alternates between the present day (1905) and flashbacks of Sofia’s traumatic childhood. I felt torn in my thoughts around Sofia’s character, both unable to justify her actions but at the same time really rooting for her and finding her very likeable. This author has a way of pulling you into a story right from the first couple of pages and this book was no exception, I felt invested in Sofia’s story right from the start. Thoroughly enjoyed this one! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of this book and to the author for another fantastic book!

I have said it before, Helen Fields knows how to write a serial killer. And in her first historical fiction thriller, she continues with the dark, twisted manipulations and machinations of one person willing to inflict the ultimate pain against other humans. These Lost and Broken Things, set in 1905, examines the extremes that one woman, a widowed mother of two young children, will pursue to feed her needs, both physical and psychological.

Set against a backdrop of London at the turn of the century, Fields provides the reader with a sense of the wide division between rich and poor, and the deprivation that the poor experienced on a daily basis. While exciting changes would come in the next few years (electricity in more homes, more access to motor cars, improved education opportunities), the suffragette movement was in its infancy, and the world of a single woman was harsh and unrelenting.

Fields’ ability to write murder scenes is again evident in this book, and I squirmed with some of her descriptions. And her writing style ensures that the bad guys are portrayed as despicable and cold.

I struggled with the portrayal of the main character, Sofia. The move from grieving widow to blood-thirsty murderer was a bit extreme to me, but more unsettling was the attempts to offer her redemption, and explain her actions away. I did not connect with Sofia as a character, either as a woman who I could admire, or as a killer that I could fear and despise. I predicted the final interactions between Sofia and her employer early on, and felt some disappointment at this. The ambiguous ending... is she done with this part of her life... was more satisfying, and felt true to the writer’s style in other works.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wailing Banshee Ltd., and the author for this ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

I prefer Helen Fields other books. This book did not feel totally believable to me. I liked the historical details but found Sofia’s story hard to read in places.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

When Sofia Logan’s husband unexpectedly dies she finds herself trying to stand on her own two feet in the seedy areas of London. How far will she go to protect the ones she loves?

I’ve been an avid reader of Helen Field’s crime thrillers since I got my first approval on NetGalley and I was excited to see her trying a new genre of historical thriller. I must admit that as much as I like the *idea* of historical novels I generally find them quite difficult to get into. I feel they are usually stilted and distanced and I don’t feel very invested or hooked into the plot. I was glad this wasn’t really the case with These Lost and Broken Things - although it’s set in 1905 it still feels very grounded and I was kept intrigued by the plot all the way through. I think perhaps some of the purists might have a few issues with the realism of the time – particularly the ease of which a young woman alone can traverse London but for me it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story.

Sofia as a main character is extremely interesting and it was refreshing to have a female lead who is morally corrupt for her own gain. The flashbacks to her past were also a good addition and gave insight into her motivations and character traits. I did feel like there was some needless repetition in places that could have been avoided – mainly into Sofia having an existential crisis which happens multiple times. I see a lot of reviews mentioning how they didn’t really like Sofia as a character but I think that’s kind of the point! Although she’s a bit of a monster I did still feel empathy with her which is the mark of good writing.

Overall, These Lost and Broken Things is an interesting take on the Historical Crime Thriller genre although don’t quite stand up to the greatness of Helen Fields in her comfort zone. Thank you to NetGalley & Wailing Banshee for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

These Lost & Broken Things by Helen Fields is a dark and twisty tale that follows a woman left alone to raise her two kids in depression era of London during the beginnings of the women's liberation movement. She soon runs out of money and is desperate to provide for her family, turning to others for help - some of whom she can trust and others that she should not. Along the way she is led into the depths of the London underground and sees and does things she never suspected she would be capable. of. I really had a difficult time relating to the characters as this was an incredibly dark story overall. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Different than her usual style of story, Helen Fields smashed it with her new novel. It reminded me of Catherine Cookson, albeit extremely darker. The main character Sofia had many demons and found it difficult to suppress them and get on with daily life. This is the story of her journey. The ending was appropriate and left itself open for another follow on novel to be written. I hope this happens. I look forward to what Helen Fields writes next.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I'm quite new to the genre of historical fiction. I found the premise of this book very intriguing - how far a woman can go for the love of her family. But upon reading it I found myself feeling tired every time and just wanted it to be over. It felt like the main protagonist didn't know what she wanted, and I can't really understand why the Visant guy wants her so much to do his dirty work, and I don't see that we got a clear explanation of it. I wanted to follow her thoughts more, wanted to feel the way she felt when she murdered someone and the shame and guilt of her actions. But all I felt throughout this book was just "meh".

In the beginning, I enjoyed the flashbacks. But the further I got in to the story it felt more like those flashbacks only were their to serve a purpose for the main storyline, and that the author didn't know how to put them in the main storyline.

Maybe just historical fiction isn't my cup of tea.