Even if it's well written I couldn't connect to the characters and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I am a big fan of Helen Fields and this book did not disappoint. This isn't the typical book I go for but i love the DI Callanach series and love Helen's writing.

The characters are likeable but some you really hate. The story was great, if a little predictable. I love the historical timeline in the book. I genuinely think this book will be enjoyed by many.

Thank you NetGalley, Helen Fields and Wailing Banshee for a copy of 'These lost & broken things'.

London 1905: Sofia Logan has a past which she needs to forget, but a present life that needs her to return to who she was. When left a young widow after her husband’s death, and mother to two, she will do all she can to keep her family from the workhouse. This involves asking for the aid of one of the most powerful – and dangerous – men in London. Couple her decision (which at the time would have made headlines) with the rise in the suffragette protests, and this book has all the hallmarks of a historical fiction classic. I know Helen from her DI Callanach series and this is quite the departure but one that I would happily read again.

In 1905 London Sam dies leaving Sofia with 2 children to raise .After she has been struggling to find work her husband's employer takes her on to work in one of his gaming houses . As a child she was part of a travelling community and learnt card counting so she was ideal for spotting dodgy gamblers . However she had become addicted to gambling from an early age , which had led to her being sent to live on a farm where she had been badly treated . Her addiction led to her being put under pressure from her employer to carry out various crimes for him . She ends up losing her 2 children to her sister in law as she becomes deeper involved with these crimes . Can she turn her fortunes around ? You will have to read this well written book to find out .

Due to the untimely death of her husband, Sofia becomes indebted to his boss. She is a gypsy, adept at card playing and counting cards. The novel takes off from there building suspense as murder ensues. What will Sofia have to do to provide for her two children? At first, I didn't care for Sofia as she is vulnerable and emotional but by the end I was rooting for her. With a background setting of women's suffrage the story evolves into a bit of empowerment for the time period. A quick read.

Copy provided by the Publisher and NetGalley

As a huge fan of Helen’s crime series I wanted to give this book a try, and I really enjoyed it.
Sofia is left shocked when her husband suddenly dies, leaving her with two young children to care for and provide for.
She looks for a job but in the early 1900s, well paid jobs are hard to come by for a woman.
Her husband’s employer makes her an offer that she at first refuses but soon realises she has no choice but to accept.
Sofia has a knack for counting cards so is put to work as a spotter in a gambling club but soon she gets tangled up in the games and her life starts to unravel.
We learn of Sofia’s childhood and find out she had to kill a man, and her new employer uses this against her as her husband had shared the details with him.
Sofia wants to have a safe, happy family but something dark within her is pulling her down.
This is a great historical thriller that had me hooked from the first few pages.
Thanks to Wailing Banshee Ltd and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I’m a big fan of Helen Fields’ DI Callanach series; in these novels her skilful characterisation and plots make compelling reading. However, whilst some of the early twentieth century historical detail in ‘These Lost and Broken Things’ is effectively woven into the plot and the dual time narration works well, ultimately I just didn’t believe in the central character.
Sofia Logan, newly widowed with two children and a propensity for gambling, has to find work. Fields’ depiction of Edwardian poverty, with the threat of the workhouse, is convincing and we understand that Sofia must do almost anything to keep her family intact. However, whilst it’s just about possible to believe that she’s prepared to murder under pressure, the plot’s credibility falls apart about two thirds through the novel. Sofia decides that her addiction to bloodthirsty work overrides her need for her children and her love for her new fiancé, even though she’s cleverly managed to manipulate her boss into believing that if anything happens to her, then he’ll be found culpable. This seems highly implausible.
The final scenes of the novel are pure melodrama and the story suffers further because of this. I shall certainly continue to read Fields’ Scottish crime series. However, her foray into historical fiction doe not leave me excitedly anticipating another in this genre from her.
My thanks to NetGalley and Wailing Banshee Ltd for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I'm a huge Helen Fields fan and I love historical fiction, but sadly this book didn't work for me at all. I really struggled with the protagonist and her reactions/decisions. As a reader, I just couldn't invest in her and therefore I was really alienated from the narrative.
This book was not for me sadly, but I wish it success and will keep reading Fields' crime novels.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this and I'll post a general star rating as I'm sure it'll be a match for many readers.

Thank you for the advance copy of Those Lost & Broken Things from Wailing Banshee Ltd and Netgalley.
This historical thriller which is set in the early 20th Century with flash back from the 19th Century telling a story of the main character Sofia Logan who loses her husband Tom. She finds herself in difficulties as she has to support her two children and herself where she looks for help from Tom employer then it becomes very dark.
I found this a dark and gripping story which I loved. I liked the main character Sofia Logan which I though I wouldn’t. But this is definitely a wow book I loved the story which pulled me in after a few pages and right to the end. Great writing and story by Helen Fields.

I'm not really sure about These Lost and Broken Things. Billed as an historical thriller it started off well enough..Sophia is a young widow who's something of a card sharp. Fast forward to where she becomes endebted to her shark of a boss and and presto -she's suddenly an assassin for-hire! Hmm....maybe this book wasn't really what my usual fare but it just didn't do it for me. However, I can't fault the writing but the whole premise of this book just didn't ring true. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I was sent this book from Netgalley a d the publisher for my honest opinion. Although I liked this story, I didn't enjoy it as much as her murder series. I would however give it a 3.5 out of 5. Motherhood has never been easy, especially when your a widow. And sometimes women are forced to do things, they wouldn't normally do. And that is what this story is about. From the time she was 12 years old, to when most of this storyline takes place. What lengths will a mother go to protect those she loves. Read this, and you shall find out.

These Lost & Broken Things by Helen Fields is an engaging historical thriller and an impressive debut foray into this genre. Set in London at the turn of the last century , the book tells the story of Sofia, a woman of Romani descent who finds herself in dire circumstances when her husband suddenly dies, leaving her alone to care for their two children. Unable to find work she turns to his former boss who is happy to put her to work at one of the private clubs he owns. As a child Sofia learned that she had an unusual affinity for numbers , a talent that she honed over the years and used to her advantage at the gambling tables. When her gambling went too far she swore that she would never pick up the cards again but her new job of spotting potential cheats in the club should be safe, or so she thinks. It does not take long for the lure of the gambling, and the money that it could bring to take hold , and soon she finds herself in debt to her new employer. Unfortunately he knows more than she thought about her past, and between that secret and her mounting debts she has no alternative but to agree to his plan- she will kill a man who owes him money and in return part of her debt will be wiped away. Once she starts down that slippery slope there seems to be no end in sight, but what frightens her more than anything is that she is starting to enjoy it. Will she ever figure out a way to escape the clutches of her employer while keeping her family safe? How far is she willing to go to gain her freedom?
This book opens with a very bleak story from Sofia's past, and while it makes for uncomfortable reading it allows us to begin building a picture of the real Sofia, the strong and determined mind behind the beautiful face. Over the course of the book we see further snippets from her back story and while she may not be a likeable character, with this background knowledge we can at least understand how and why she does what she does. The author does not shy away from describing the squalor and poverty that so many people lived in, and it is clear that she has done her research. If I had to find a flaw with the book I would say that Sofia's character seems a little inconsistent at times, her feelings of being forced into killing are definitely at odds with her later description of being almost aroused by the act.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Having not yet read any of this authors books I approached this with an open mind. The book is set in the early 20th century with flashbacks to the 19th century and follows the story of a young woman whose propensity for killing is exploited by an evil wealthy man. The ending is as unlikely as the plot itself and left me with a feeling of dissatisfaction.
This is more for the Catherine Cookson reader than for those who read and enjoy C J Sansom.

Helen Fields is an accomplished writer and I devoured her outstanding DI Callanach series.

So I was intrigued but hesitant to read this stand alone historical piece of fiction, These Lost and Broken Things. Had Fields created a plot that would keep me engaged as intently as her previous work? Absolutely she did. It was quite removed from the shocking cases that DI Callanach had to deal with, this story is written from the opposite perspective, more about how and why the perpetrator did what she did.

Written in two timelines, Sofia had a cruel start as a Romany fairground traveller, putting herself at risk with her wayward behaviour. Her father saved her from an horrific attack, which was extremely uncomfortable for me, and made her pay heavily for her misdemeanour. Eventually she was sent away as she couldn’t be controlled.

Sofia’s experiences from the age of 12 sealed her fate to a certain extent as when her husband died and left her penniless with two children her past was used against her. Addicted to gambling, she was a card shark learning to read the cards at a very young age, to pay a debt to her husband’s employer she worked for him in his gambling rooms. Unfortunately she couldn’t resist and got into more debt when she wasn’t on her game.

In time she was coerced into murdering at his beck and call as she got entangled in his web of deceit, corruption, greed and need of power.

As well as being addicted to gambling she became addicted to killing too, becoming an assassin with a need to kill, but with a conscious too.

Excerpt: ‘Every life she’d taken had already been mired in life’s muck, thieves, deviants or in debt beyond saving, but Beatrice did not belong in the same category.’

The way in which Fields writes takes you back to the Victoria era, the novel is very atmospheric, you can smell, feel and imagine how it was back then. She has researched her quarry well and has produced yet another outstanding piece of work.

Most definitely 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Wailing Banshee Ltd for this ARC provided in exchange for this unbiased review.

Having enjoyed this author’s Callanach series, I thought I’d give this a try. However, I don’t think I’m the intended audience & it ended up being a simple case of reader-book mismatch.

The story centres around Sofia Logans, a young woman struggling to survive in 1905 London. As she goes from young card sharp to widowed mother, we follow her as she encounters the characters that will alter her fate.

As her life plays out, we’re also treated to the story of London itself. The industrial revolution & suffragette movement are underway as the city moves into the 20th century. But what hasn’t changed is the gap between rich & poor. The author obviously did her homework & includes many period details that lend an atmospheric backdrop to Sofia’s story.

The book is labelled as a thriller but I think historical/women’s fiction may be closer to the mark. If these are your preferred genres, you’ll find much to enjoy here.

Excellent book. Very dark read with such a good plot dragging you along. I found I liked and hated the main protagonist in equal measures which I found kept me wanting more and more. Really enjoyed it.
Set in 1905 London you begin by being introduced to Sofia Logan amd this lulls you into a sweet historical book but the actual plot will blow you away!

Historical thriller/story set in the early 1900s. I started out really enjoying this story but gradually grew disenchanted as the main character deteriorated. She became much less likeable and believable.

It is September 1905 and Sofia Logan’s husband Tom is dying. Desperate, she applies to his employer, Emmett Vinsant for money to pay for a doctor. Tom dies but Vinsant does not forget the debt; Sofia owes him and in payment he wants such a little thing, simply for her to kill a man. It shouldn’t be too difficult, after all, she’s done it before.

I have really enjoyed all Helen Fields detective fiction set in modern day Edinburgh and featuring DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach, so even though historical fiction is not really my thing, when I discovered that she was publishing a thriller set in the early 20th century I decided to step out of my comfort zone and read it. And I’m glad that I did. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the Edinburgh books, and I don’t think it is quite as well plotted, but nevertheless it’s a very good read.

Sofia is by heritage a Romani, but following an incident that is horrifically spelt out in the early chapters, she leaves her family and eventually ends up in London married to Tom and with two small children, Isaac and Sadie. When Tom dies, desperate for employment to enable such basics as paying her rent and feeding her children, Sofia finds herself working for Emmett Vinsant in his gaming houses, exploiting her talent for counting cards in order to identify those who set out to cheat her employer. Counting cards is a skill that Sofia has perfected as a small child, but with that talent comes what can often be a fatal addiction: an addiction to gambling itself. With Tom bringing in good money there has been no temptation for Sofia to give way to her desire for the thrill of the game, but once she finds herself back in a gambling environment she is very soon caught up in that fatal longing for just one more win. Staking her wages, current and forthcoming, she sets out to put her talents to use on her own behalf but, like almost every other compulsive gambler, she soon discovers that ultimately the odds are always against her. Further in debt, and with the threat of her children being taken from her, she has little choice but to put that other skill learnt as a child, her ability to kill with no remorse, to her employer’s use.

Emmett Vinsant is a man with no conscience and no patience for failure. His wealth is invested in several other enterprises as well as his gaming houses, including a number of factories making materials for the ever expanding railways. He is, however, a man of little social standing, something he has done his best to rectify through his loveless marriage to Beatrice. Now, he and his wife go their separate ways. There are no children to bind the marriage and Beatrice has become involved with the Women’s Social and Political Union, the more militant branch of the growing suffrage movement. Vinsant’s business practices and his desire for both power and wealth have made him many enemies and when such enemies become too troublesome he turns to Sofia to rid him of their pestilence.  

I have a great deal of sympathy for Sofia, gambling addiction runs in my family and, while some have been able to keep it under control, others have ruined not only their own lives but also the lives of their spouses, their children and their children’s children. I never gamble under any circumstances, because I know that if I once started I wouldn’t be able to stop. However, I am not in a financial situation where I need to gamble; the same is not true of Sofia. One of the themes that Fields is exploring in this book is the telling difference between those women who are in a comfortable enough situation to be able to protest their circumstances under the banner of the suffrage movement and those who must fight for every penny simply to stay alive.

How [could they] be obsessed with the right to vote when most women were struggling to put bread on the table and keep their children safe from illness and exploitation.
It is not, however, simply gambling to which Sofia finds herself addicted. We hear talk of the addictive personality and that describes Sofia precisely. Having killed on a number of occasions, she finds herself longing for the adrenaline rush that such action brings. 

Reliving the killings in her imagination became habitual and dispelled the domestic monotony. In the beginning that was enough. The memories did not remain faithful to her though, and day by day they weakened, leaving herself less fulfilled, craving a greater sense of self-worth, a more vital experience.
It is almost as if Fields has set out to explore the mind of a serial killer and invite her readers to understand how such a psyche can come about; something that would perhaps be difficult to do in her more usual modern day setting.  Eventually, Sofia is asked to commit a murder at which she finds herself wanting to draw the line, but how does she square her conscience if she is to preserve her own life and those of her children?

If the book has a weakness, it is the outcome of this last murder and the way in which the story ends. Having created, as Sofia herself recognises, a monster, it is difficult for Fields to then ask readers to accept quite such a neat redemption as comes about.  Other than that, however, this was an interesting and satisfying read. 


With thanks to Wailing Banshee Ltd and NetGalley for a review copy.

This book for me had many many highlights. The richness of the writing, the tension that grips you, the way very difficult subject matters are handed. But, there were points that were lacking for me, I felt the pace was a little slow and there were moments that felt overwrought. I also struggled with Sofia. For a character who had endured a lot, there were points where I was very frustrated by her refusal to see her own behaviours. Where she continued to do things that were incredibly selfish. I also felt for poor Charlie, who seemed come out of it the worst! Overall an interesting, if flawed read.

Wow this was fantastic I wasn’t sure at first as it was her first historical novel but definitely didn’t disappoint it gripped me from the first page and that was it, I read it in 2 days couldn’t put it down. In some places I was too scared to read the next page it was like watching a film and putting a cushion over your face or watching through your fingers. As your reading it you never in a million years realise how the story’s going to pan out and what a shock when it suddenly dawns on you what actually is going to happen I can’t recommend it enough 1 would give it 10 if I could.