These Lost & Broken Things . Historical fiction at its absolute best !

The book has so much atmosphere, you feel like you are there in 1905 and it is not a world for the poor. The Suffragettte's are marching in the background for women's rights.

I am so tempted to give the plot away with spoilers but I wont. Sofia has a past that leads to her being easily manipulated into the evil ways of Emmett Vinsant, a man to avoid ! How far will Sofia go to raise and protect her children.

There are characters to hiss at , to yell at and those to love.

I found myself cheering Sofia on (not sure what that says about me)

Don't miss this book ! Its a great story with twists and turns.

I am a great fan of Helen Fields, this was quite the departure for her but she carried it off so well. Cant wait to get my copy.

Thanks to Net Galley, Wailing Banshee Limited for allowing me to escape into Sofia's world. So glad I did.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a story of a young widow , Sophia, who struggles to raise her children in 1905 London. The characters are so likable and the plot is a typical thriller genre. It started off slow but it became a pager turner as the story went back and forth from Sophia’s present situation to her childhood. Even though she is a killer you realize how this came to be and even sympathize with her. This was a well written story and sure to be a best seller.

These lost and broken things is Helen fields first historical thriller. Not a description that would usually make me grab a book but when it’s author is one of my favourites I couldn’t resist - and I’m so glad I did. This book tells the story of the life of Sofia, beginning in 1905 with the sudden death of her husband. The story is split between her childhood and her adult life but it is very easy to follow the changing timeline. Sofia is born into a Romani family and is drawn into the world of gambling from a young age, this dark world following into her adult life where she has to make some difficult decisions and sacrifices. I don’t want to give too much of the story away but the background of poverty, criminality and suffragette movement really makes this such an interesting book. It has a very good ending leaving you wondering what will become of Sofia. This well written book has very likeable characters (except one) and really engages you from the start - I would highly recommend it! Thanks again to @helenfields and @netgalley for the preview of this book!

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These Lost & Broken Things veered way off into a direction I didn't expect, and how often can you say that about a book? To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that I was happy to be sent in that direction, though some of Sofia's mentality swings seemed a bit unbelievable, as did the resolution. The pacing was great, and the writing really dropped you into 1905 London. A quick, engrossing read, and one that will leave you thinking about nature vs. nurture and how much control we really have over our nature.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wailing Banshee, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an unusual book, written from the perspective of the 'criminal' who is a woman. Sofia has a loving husband and two young children; however when he dies suddenly her world tips on its axis. She comes into contact with his former employer, Emmett Vinsant and is plunged into a dark world. However, it is a world she has inhabited in her youth, and all is not as it seems.

The book explores what makes a person do evil things, the lure of addiction and the motivations people have for their actions. My only gripe is that, certainly in the beginning, the book offers no sense of history or place; or maybe that is the point, Sofia could exist in any time frame.

A very good read, pacy and intriguing and makes the reader think and consider our actions and motives. Can our sympathies lie with someone who does such acts? Maybe not believable, but it is fiction!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wailing Banshee Ltd for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is Helen Fields first venture into writing an historical murder book and having read her DI Callanach book, which I hugely enjoyed, I was a bit sceptical that she could pull it off with this book. I am so glad I put my skepticism to one side as I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The story begins in 1891 when Sofia a 12 year old Romani decides she will sneak out to a public house to play cards which she is extremely proficient at. It all goes horribly wrong and her father steps in to save her, but she is then banished from the family sent to work on a farm. The story moves to 1905 Sofia is married with a young son Issac and daughter Sadie. Sophia’s husband Tom dies suddenly and she is left to raise 2 young children with no money, no job and no prospects of being able to pay the rent nor feed her children. An offer of work in a gambling club is made by her late husband’s employer, Vinsant, an odious controlling man, which Sophia accepts but soon finds herself out of her depth and in debt to him due to her gambling. She is now under his control. The story weaves between Sophia’s past as a child and the present working for Visant who is a cruel and merciless man whose demands on Sophia to commit murder on his behalf grow more and more frequent. The book portrays the harshness of poverty, the brutality of the workhouse and vividly illustrates the unyielding grim reality of life in Victorian/Edwardian era. Just when all seems lost Sophia meets Constable Charlie Danes. Sophia soon realises the relationship with him cannot be continued for both their safety. Sacrifices have to be made by Sophia in order to survive as she becomes more embroiled in Visants dark and dangerous world..Visant’s wife Beatrice, part of the Suffrage movement proves to be an intelligent and likeable person, unlike her monster of a husband. I won’t say how Sophia’s story ends as I myself don’t like spoilers, but suffice to say this is a gritty read with a gripping g storyline with plenty of shocks and twists and turns to keep you hooked. The characters are likeable, except for Visant, and the story is well written and engaging from start to finish. Thank to NetGalley, Helen Fields and the publishers Wailing Banshee for this ARC in return for my honest opinion

Sofia, a married mother of two, is a happy housewife in the early 1900s. Her husband Tom works long hours while she tends to the house and cares for the children. When Tom falls ill unexpectedly and there’s no money for a doctor, Sofia turns to her husband’s employer Vinsant for help. Despite the helping hand Toms loses his life and so begins Sofia’s downward spiral into poverty. When looking for work becomes harder than she imagined and her son is sent to the workhouse after stealing money at school she takes an offer extended by Vinsant to work at his club - he did rescue her son after all.

Sofia’s job is a Bonnet. Encouraging men to gamble and spotting cheaters at the card tables. As her Romani past catches up with her, her love of cards returns and she begins to join in the after hours games with her colleagues. At first she wins, but despite her ability to count cards her luck turns and she begins to unravel. In debt up to her ears and sodden with whiskey Sofia faces eviction and turns to Vincent for further aide. She is surprised when Vinsant announces the amounts she owes and even further surprised when she is fired from the club. Now she will have to pay her debts in a much more sinister way - become Vinsant’s unlikely assassin.

Sofia has no choice and tells herself she’s doing this for her children but the truth is she enjoys the thrill of the hunt and power of the kill - who would have known how good she’d be at it?

When Vinsant discovers her sexual relationship with her neighbour - a police detective - he orders her to call it off. On top of this her sister-in-law is trying to to take her children from her - stating she and her wealthy husband are better able to take care of them. When she starts to look forward to her next assignment she has to reevaluate her ideals and her life. How long can she go without being caught? What kind of Mother is she hunting her targets in the late hours while her children are abed, in the care of her elderly neighbour?

Sofia has some decisions to make - does her passion for killing outweigh the love of a good man and her children?

This novel was quite unique in a great way! The backdrop of London in the 1900s added a great texture as the rich get away with all and the poor are left to suffer in poverty and take great risks to keep afloat. The women’s movement and the suffragettes were also highlighted. A great read recognizing the unfairness rendered to women in this time period and a great snapshot of what they were able to achieve if given the opportunity! What would have been great is if there was some information on the beginning of Sofia and Toms relationship - the book jumps between her childhood and present time, however does not not focus on how her and Tom met, and how he came to know about her “murderous” past.

This book had a female character Sofia that was evil and deviant but at the same time had compassion and a caring side. She certainly was an enigma. Her addiction to gambling was trivial in comparison with her addiction and obsession to kill. This book describes her life and survival instincts after her husband dies. She definitely has a knack for killing and feels no remorse with her victims. She uses others to feed her obsessions . In the end she appears to have found a niche in helping abusive women . A book that is not for the faint of heart .

This was a real page-turner! Very well written with characters I cared about. The plot is, of course, pretty unlikely, but that's par for the course with a thriller and not at all a problem for me (in fact, it was a plus - I love a bizarre plot!).

I'm glad I read the blurb, as I found the opening pages didn't really pull me in and I wasn't desperate to know what happened next. From the blurb, though, I knew that the story was about to get a whole lot more compelling, and it certainly did!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this original, exciting thriller.

1905. London. Sofia's husband Tom dies, leaving her with no means to look after herself and her children. Desperate, she accepts Tom's old boss's offer to work in his gambling establishment.
It soon turns out though that her boss expects more of her.
But is she capable of fulfilling his orders and murdering people?

I enjoyed this historical thriller. It was a nice change to what I usually read, and I loved being transported to the past.
The story weaves between Sofia's past and her present, slowly revealing her secrets.
I did find it a little slow to start with, but when it picked up, I was really intrigued to find out how the story would progress.
I didn't particularly understand the sudden change in Sofia's demeanor, from a loving mother who would do anything for her kids, to despising them to the point she sent them away, but I guess it served the purpose of emphasising her murderous desires.
Despite that, I found the ending really satisfying.
It was a good enjoyable read, but because I found it not suspenseful enough, I give it 3 stars.

When I began reading, I thought this was going to be a “hopeless victim” story, as Sofia’s situation appeared to become darker and more tenuous. I’m glad I moved past my comfort level and stuck with it, as the characters and story were both fleshed out, and realized there was hope and daylight lurking under the dark shadows. I enjoyed this story, woven between Sofia’s young and adult life, and how she handled life or death situations. I questioned some of her decisions, but she did what she needed to do to survive. This was an interesting character study, with engaging characters, solid storyline, and a satisfying ending.
Thank you to the author, Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sofia is a young widow with two children to raise on her own. A ruthless man takes advantage of her need for money to turn her into his killer.

Helen Fields has left her crime novel hero DI Callanach in favour of some historical fiction. Sofia Logan, a Romani, is recently widowed with two small children. When she is struggling with the upkeep of her little family, she turns to her late husband’s employer, the Macciavellian Emmet Vinsant and thus enters a world of gambling, depravity and murder.
How easy is it for a desperate woman to lose all bearings of her moral and ethical compass and is there any hope for her salvation?
Even if I sometimes failed to follow the reasoning behind Sofia’s decisions, I did enjoy the story’s trajectory from Sofia’s childhood to her current life. Star subtraction for the seemingly “tacked-on” introduction of the suffragette movement towards the end of the story - either expand that part or scrap completely.
But an engrossing yarn nevertheless.

Thank you to Helen Fields, Wailing Banshee and Net Galley for the ARC.
A very enjoyable historical fiction. Sofia is sent to live on a farm by her Romani parents after a card game goes horribly wrong and she finds herself in a position only saved when her father intervenes . At 12 she is an experienced gambler and card counter. She also has a taste for the power killing gives her. Her wish to be a good mother to her two children and live in a cottage by the sea sits in a strange juxtaposition against her life of a willing assassin. Very enjoyable read, set against a background of poverty, criminal wealth and the suffragette movement.

This historical drama is a very interesting and enjoyable read from an author I really like. This is the story of Sofia which is told in two parallel timelines which works extremely well. The first is her from the age of 12 in 1891 and the second is the story of how she copes following the death of her much loved husband Tom in 1905. Sofia like many woman at this time does not have an easy life but hers is possibly harsher than many. She is born of Romani parents and is drawn into the world of gambling extremely young and she’s very good at it. However, this leads her into terrible danger in 1891 and from 1905 onwards though she tries her best to resist its pull. As a widow struggling to support her two young children Isaac and Sadie she struggles to find legal, gainful employment. She is lured without realising it, into the sphere and far reaching influence of Emmett Vinsant who forces her through her card debt to become the female early twentieth century equivalent of John Wick. Her world is turned on it’s head as violence and survival become the order of the day. This story is told with apparent honesty by Sofia herself.

I really like the way the story is told. Sofia’s dark past emerges and is interspersed with events from 1905-07. The writing is lively and engaging and is firmly set in its historical context. It vividly portrays the harshness of life, the reality of poverty and the looming evils of the workhouse, the still poor public health systems and the Suffragist and Suffragette movements to improve the lives of women who are powerless in the eyes of the law. The characters are portrayed well though not all are likeable especially Emmett Vinsant who is manipulative and cruel. Despite what Sofia does at Emmett's behest she is feisty, proud, independent, resourceful and clever although it’s also fair to say she does get a kick out of wild and reckless actions. I admit to a sneaking admiration for her as she’s trying to survive in a world where the cards are literally stacked against her. Beatrice Vinsant deserves praise too for her bravery as a suffragette and for her clarity of thinking in understanding exactly what her husband is. That lady ain’t no deluded fool. Constable Charlie Danes is a very likeable character and you have hopes he may be Sofia’s saviour.

This is a gritty, twisty tale with plenty of shocks amidst murders and mayhem. There’s violence and cruelty in Sofia’s past and present which moulds her into what she becomes. She has to make sacrifices especially with regard to her beloved children in order to survive. There is drama and tension and some very pertinent reflections on female status in a very dramatic encounter between Sofia and Beatrice near the end of the book which I think is terrific. I like the ending as it’s ambiguous as things look brighter for Sofia but has she entirely left her past behind???

Overall, an excellent read which I recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wailing Banshee Ltd for the ARC

4-5 stars rounded up.

Sofia Logan is left widowed with two young children to support. During her mourning she works for Mr Vinsant, a local dignitary, but soon she spirals into a world of cheating, debt, pain, loss and death. Can Sofia survive a cruel life to save her own?

Set in the early 1900s this is a change of time for Helen’s normal books and I admit at first I was dubious as I’m not a fan of historical fiction but I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

A massive thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Wailing Banshee Ltd and the author, Helen Fields, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of These Lost And Broken Things in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I pray that this is not the only time Ms Fields writes an historical fiction novel. I really enjoyed reading this book.

The premise of the storyline certainly sounded intriguing and Ms Fields has certainly delivered. The storyline was well thought out and written with well developed characters that you can't help but love. The scenery was highly descriptive and captivating. I had to read this book in one sitting.

Well worth a read.

This was such a sweet story, the characters were so compelling and you become so invested in them you want to keep reading even way after the story ends!