My first read by Louise Douglas was a success!

I would reference The Lost Notebook as a slow burn mystery. There is a family drama that is interwoven with the mystery storyline. At times, you are taken completely away from the mystery and are submerged in the daily life of the characters and the different challenges they are facing.

As the story goes on, the mystery takes up more and more of the storyline.

I found the writing style to be interesting. It reminded me a lot of Danielle Steel where we get a lot of descriptive information regarding what everyone is doing, what rooms look like, small pieces of information woven together to make the reader feel the environment around them.

There is a lot of time spent on this type of descriptive writing as well as reminiscing through old memories and internal monologues.

So not just a mystery but also a family drama.

Thank you to #rachelsrandomresources for having me on tour! All opinions expressed are my own.

After a family tragedy, Mila Shepherd has returned to the Sea House in Brittany to care for her orphaned niece, Ani. Looking after a teenager is not without its challenges especially when Ani goes missing, only for Mila to find her talking to Gosia an itinerant woman whose mysterious lifestyle is at odds with the bustling tourist population of Morranez. Taking over her sister's missing persons business, Mila encounters Carter Jackson, a man who once had connections to the town and whose re-appearance opens up more questions than it does answers.

The Lost Notebook starts slowly, which I think is quite deliberate as it sets the scene perfectly and allows the characters to come to life. I especially warmed to Mila, who has had to make some big life changes in order to look after her sister's child and her transition throughout the story is lovely to see. We get little glimpses of Sophie, Mila's sister, whose voice from beyond the grave adds an interesting dimension to the story.

As always this clever author takes the reader on a wonderfully descriptive journey. Beautifully recreating the bustling Brittany town with all its secrets and hidden corners the mystery at the heart of the novel is revealed slowly with more than enough twists and turns. I enjoyed trying to piece together all the jigsaw puzzle pieces and hope that after the tantalising ending we might see a sequel...who knows?

Combining a multilayered mystery with a compelling family drama The Lost Notebook is everything I wanted from this talented author whose stories never fail to entertain.

A notebook full of secrets, two untimely deaths – something sinister is stirring in the perfect seaside town of Morranez…

It’s summer and holidaymakers are flocking to the idyllic Brittany coast. But when first an old traveller woman dies in suspicious circumstances, and then a campaign of hate seemingly drives another victim to take his own life, events take a very dark turn. Mila Shepherd has come to France to look after her niece, Ani, following the accident in which both Ani’s parents were lost at sea. Mila has moved into their family holiday home, as well as taken her sister Sophie’s place in an agency which specialises in tracking down missing people, until new recruit Carter Jackson starts.
It’s clear that malevolent forces are at work in Morranez, but the local police are choosing to look the other way. Only Mila and Carter can uncover the truth about what’s really going on in this beautiful, but mysterious place before anyone else suffers. But someone is desperate to protect a terrible truth, at any cost…

Louise Douglas’s latest novel has a slow start, but then drew me in as it delved into the past and the Balkan War. We are in a small seaside town in Brittany where Mila and her cousin Sophie grew up. Now Mila is back with her life turned upside down. In London she was starting to write her novel and enjoying her relationship with boyfriend Luke, in fact they have even talked about marriage. Then across the channel something terrible happens. Sophie and her husband are lost at sea, leaving their teenage daughter Ani an orphan. Mila’s aunt asks her to travel over to Brittany, to help with their business and bring some comfort to Ani. Mia and Ani have been living in the sea house for a few months now and Mila has so many mixed feelings about looking after her niece. She loves Ani, but isn’t sure she’s very good at being a parent. She finds it hard to have the tough conversations and thinks that Ani will be much better off when she flies out to the Swiss boarding school she’s enrolled at for the new term. Mila is sure they’ll be better trained to deal with a bereaved teenage girl than she is. When Ani disappears one afternoon, Mila finds her at an old camper van in a nearby field where an elderly lady appears to be living. Gosia looks like shes been living on the road for a long time and Mila is concerned about her, but first needs to get Ani home. However, the very next morning she notices smoke rising up from the field where Harriet’s camper van was parked. By the time she gets there Gosia has died.

Gosia’s death is the first in a series of disturbing events for Mila. Mila’s aunt continues to run the investigations business she set up with Sophie, and in the short term Mila has been helping out. However, for the long term her aunt has hired someone from the girl’s past and as soon as Mila hears Carter Jackson’s bike roaring into town she knows there’s unfinished business. Mila had complicated feelings for Carter, made even more painful by the fact he was so clearly in love with Sophie. Mila isn’t happy with him being back in the area, doesn’t know if she can trust him and hates those painful adolescent feelings he reawakens. Close to the sea house, there is an archaeological dig taking place at a series of dolmans or ancient dwelling places. The wife of the dig’s professor has been in to the agency to ask if they will follow her husband, because she has suspicions about him being involved with someone on the dig. Mila thinks it’s just the sort of PI work the company doesn’t get involved with, but with Carter happy to take the assignment and the money needed by the business they go ahead. When photographs turn up showing the professor meeting a young girl, local tensions start to build. Especially when someone blows up the image and fly-posts them around town with the title ‘Professor Pervert’. When the professor goes missing Mila starts to wonder if they’ve been paid to frame an innocent man. Then he turns up dead, an apparent suicide that Carter and Mila think may be staged. What does the professor know and is there a link between him and Gosia?

I found Mila a bit frustrating if I’m honest. It’s clear that all Ani needs is someone to show they love her and that they want to be with her. Mila feels constantly between things and her niece is actually very wise when she points out that Mila is constantly saying she needs to get back to her life, as if what she’s doing now isn’t living. What has happened in Morrannez to change Mila? Is it the slowed own pace of life, or that feeling of being home? Is she actually enjoying the parenthood she feels has been thrust upon her? She says she wants to be with Luke, but only ever calls him to ask for his police perspective on the case. She can write wherever she is so does she even want the life she had in the UK any more? I knew what I wanted to happen, mainly for Ani’s sake more than anything as she’s already been left by two parents. The case really gelled for me as Mila comes across clues such as Gosia’s scrapbook/ journal and the video clip she watches from the Bosnian war. This piece of film is such a moment of horror amongst the lighter tone of the book so far, that it has a huge impact. The politics and complexities of the Balkan War are well researched and it was so interesting I wished it had been introduced earlier in the novel, perhaps as a separate time strand. I felt as if I was really gripped by the mystery for the first time, but it didn’t seem long before the e-book ended. This might not seem so jarring when reading a physical copy as we get more sense of where we are in a novel when we’re turning the pages. I truly enjoyed the way the threads of the case linked back in history and I also liked the short trip back to Sophie and Mila’s teenage years to get a flavour of their friendship. The relationship between Ani and Mila tugged at my heartstrings though and kept reading in the hope that Mila would find a way of being with Ani and staying in France where I felt she belonged.

Appearing as part of the blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources 13/09/22

Really enjoyable page tuner, didn't disappoint. Characters were well engaged. Great story

Thanks for the arc

Louise Douglas is an author whose work never fails to impress. I never know quite what type of read to expect. The Lost Notebook is a truly different multi layered and captivating mystery.

Set in France, on the coast of Brittany its a book that picks up pace as the story develops. A slow burner in which the author builds the setting, characters and mystery. Once this is done, you seriously won't want to put it down.

Mila has pushed her own life into the background to care for her niece Ani in France, after the death of her sister, Sophie. It is a short term arrangement until Ani goes to boarding school, then Mila cam go back to her own life in Bristol with her boyfriend Luke. Its now almost a year on and she is still in France. Her plan to return scuppered by the death of a traveller woman, Gosia. Mila feels she needs to get to the bottom of it. The police are determined that there is no mystery around her death, or the fact Gosia had a notebook and it is missing. Then a professor goes missing and Mila finds help from an old friend to try to solve the mystery.

Louise Douglas has again created characters that all have their own unique voice and part to play. Her descriptive and such detailed writing brings every nuance to the fore. Even Mila's sister Sophie is present as a voice in Mila's head, so we learn about the sisters.

The mystery builds nicely and is an intriguing one that just doesn't let you go once you are caught in the book. Another great addition to Louise Douglas's work that I'm happy to have been able to read. Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

When I saw this ARC from Louise Douglas I couldn't wait to start it because I had previously read The Room in the Attic which was amazing.
However, I found this book slow in the begining and my interest waned a bit. It did pick up from the middle of the book and the pace of the story was much quicker and more interesting.
After the tragic death of her sister Sophie, Mila is in France to take care of her young teenager niece, Anais.
She stumbles upon the death of an old woman who lives in a small box trailer near her home. The police think that it is natural causes, but Mila suspects that she was murdered.
She begins to investigate, and as the mystery deepens, a second murder occurs.
Mila is struggling with her own grief, caring for her niece & the arrival of someone from her past. She also worried that her family could be in danger because someone has been in her home.
I enjoyed the latter parts of this book, and the story covered some interesting aspects, including the war in the former Yugoslavia, and some of the atrocities that occured there.
I will definitely look out for more books by this author.

The Lost Notebook is a slow paced and at times tedious story but does have some potential.

Douglas has created a engaging plot by giving the reader an insight into how grief affects people differently. The writing style is ok. There is a lot of description used and a brief amount of dialogue. For me, the plot seemed to focused on on Sophie and past events, which were frequently brought up and didn't have any relation to the case at hand. There was no sense of flow or direction, making the story feel disjointed. The random mention of COVID seemed irrelevant and overall the story ending felt rushed and disappointing.

The character development of The Lost Notebook is ok. There is is a great amount of background information given, yet I found it hard to form a good connection with the characters as there was too much happening. I was able to sympathise with Mila as it isn't easy to look after someone else's child especially when you are grieving yourself.

Mila is currently living in Morannez where she looks after her 14 year old neice, Ani (Anais), after her parent's death in a boating accident. Mila is covering her step-sister, Sophie's job at the family run investigative agency, Toussaint's Agency, until a new employee turns up. Mila is tormented frequently by false memeries, flashbacks and the voice of Sophie. Mila's obsession with the past and her fascination with finding Gosa son drives her throughout...

I would recommend reading The Lost Notebook to people who enjoy mysteries and women's fiction, as it is a character driven story as the main character, Mila deals with her grief, and trys to track down a missing person...

The book is a slow starter that picks up pace the further we venture into the book.

With a backdrop of Brittany, it's coast and countryside, scenes were easily visualised. It has an interesting plot that was both intriguing and mysterious.

Douglas introduces us to some fantastic characters throughout the book, with each of them having their own part in the story. The plotline is compelling, engrossing and very enjoyable.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book definitely had a slow start, but once it got going it really got going. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their back story. Then I got to see how characters and storylines intersected as the intensity built up. I ended up really enjoying it and tore through the last third of it. I have to admit I was left with a question at the end that I think I know the answer to, but would have liked a solid answer. Overall, a good story. Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Louise Fletcher for the ARC.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped. It felt a but muddied, and I continually had to look back to remind myself who was who. It is definitely a slow-burn and it felt like it took a long time to get to the premise of the book. Usually I don't mind a meander through a story but it just felt too long on this occasion. It wouldn't stop me from reading other works from this author, but this one was just not for me.

The Lost Notebook is an absorbing, suspensful and riveting story, a tale that is both sinister and incredibly sad. Entirely compelling and full of realistic heart-rending, emotional twists.

This is one of my favourite authors and this didn’t disappoint. Although all of her novels are different, they are always atmospheric.

This involved a mystery as well as dealing with themes around family and grief. The main character was very likeable and as always, this was a delight to read. Highly recommended.

★★★ 3.5 stars

Having simply adored "The Room in the Attic" I was excited to read this latest offering by Louise Douglas but I have to say as intriguing as it was, it lacked the same compelling storytelling that the former ultimately had. It is something of a slow burn and despite this I was immediately drawn into the tale that had begun to unfold...but then the further it went, the more drawn out it became that it just kind of dwindled off. I did enjoy it though...to a point.

The story takes place in France on the idyllic Brittany coast. Mila has put her life in Bristol on hold after the sudden and tragic death of her sister Sophie and travels to France to take care of her fourteen year old niece Ani. It is only for the interim, until Ani is sent to boarding school the following year and then Mila can return to her life and to police boyfriend Luke.

But almost a year on and now Mila's plans to return to England in September is thwarted by the mysterious death a traveller woman Gosia and Mila is felt compelled to investigate. But the police do not believe there is anything suspicious with Gosia's death and according to the doctor, she was an old woman living on borrowed time. And her time had come. But Gosia had a huge notebook in which she was writing that she called "her life's work" and it was nowhere to be seen in her little horsebox van. Neither were there any photos or even Gosia's phone. Mila found these discrepancies suspicious. But again, the police did not.

When it is discovered that Gosia is linked to the Professor who is heading up the archaeological dig nearby, who also has suddenly gone missing, Mila is even more suspicious. Added to the mix are the stories going around town about the Professor which will surely discredit him and ruin his reputation.

Meanwhile, Mila is also juggling her rather inept attempts at parenting the young Ani who has essentially lost both her parents and has only Mila and her grandmamie Ceci. Then enter Mila's soon-to-be replacement at the agency in which she works with Ceci - Carter Jackson - who Mila knows from the past and who was swept away by a young and more beautiful Sophie. What brings him back to Brittany now? And can she trust him?

During her investigations, Mila notices some strange goings on and senses she is being followed. She sees the shadow of someone outside the gates of their isolated home in the dead of night and returns from day trips to find the door to the house ajar. Did she leave it open? Surely not!

There are many subplots going on in the background which are eventually entwined as each of their tendrils run into the other. The ending is kind of up in the air but for me there is the promise of something that remains unfinished which, as the reader, you will know what I mean.

I did enjoy THE LOST NOTEBOOK but not as much as "The Room in the Attic" which was phenomenal. The mystery is interesting but goes off tangent with Mila continually having conversations with her dead sister throughout. I must say, I didn't much like Sophie and she was dead!

Overall, an interesting read that only just held my interest. The book felt somewhat longer than it actually was. Not one of the author's best but still readable.

I would like to thank #LouiseDouglas, #Netgalley, #BoldwoodBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #TheLostNotebook in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This wasn’t one of her best, it was quite a slog to get through it which is a shame as I have enjoyed other books by Louise. The characters were confusing and muddled but, I liked the twist at the end. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Overall. I really enjoyed this book! Such a great mystery book! However, for me there were just too many different people to keep track of and how they were all related to each other. I had to write it all down. I really liked the writing style and the cover was very pretty!! Overall, still recommend!

This was a great murder mystery. We meet Mila, the main character who has lost her step sister the year before in a drowning accident. She cares for her niece with her step mother living and working close by.
A traveller lady, who has been staying in nearby woods, is found murdered by Mila but it's been set up to look like she died from natural causes. This is where the mystery starts.
The story flowed beautifully and I was engrossed from the first page!. Louise is an established author who is a fantastic writer and the small amount of books of hers that I have read have been really good.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #bookandtonic, #louisedouglas3.

The Lost Notebook is brilliant.

I usually try to guess a resolution but even though the mystery is the reason for the story, I enjoyed it so much it just evolved naturally (if that makes sense!)

Mila is a complex character. She’s independent and not afraid to tackle things head on when she needs to. She doesn’t need a man to feel complete. And yet, she’s always thinking ahead to problems that might happen, controlling every single thing. It has to be said, her fears stifle spontaneity and joy.

I wasn’t sure whether this was as a result of her sister Sophie’s death or because she’d always been in Sophie’s shadow and had to be the responsible one.

She’s in limbo having left her life behind in Bristol (almost a year ago) to step into looking after Ani. As it’s only temporary, she tries to hold back her emotions and not get involved with the people or the life in Morannez. I loved seeing the changes in her and Ani.

Loved the setting too. Louise Douglas’ descriptive writing makes these scenes come alive. So easy to feel as if you’re there with Mila.

The mystery draws you in with suggestions which are shadowy and nebulous. Did that happen? Is Mila’s mind playing tricks? Love how unreliable this is 🙂 I was so intrigued by Gozia and Carter.

The Lost Notebook is more than the mystery. It’s realistic in portraying how a family adjusts, adapts and copes after the loss of a close family member.

The story ended just how I was hoping, although not everything is tied up nicely. There are still a couple of things to ponder on …


Highly recommended.

You never quite know what to expect from a Louise Douglas book, except for a cracking story, as they are all quite different so I always approach one with curiosity and excitement. The Lost Notebook was another story that had a unique feel to me, and an original and interesting story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The central character of Mila was fascinating. She is a woman who is conflicted in so many areas of her life, torn between what she believes she wants to do and doing her duty as she sees it. However, as in all our lives, we aren’t even sure of our own minds half the time and Mila spends the arc of the book working out how she really feels about the different aspects of her life, which is a fascinating journey to follow. At the same time, there is a mystery in the town which she feels compelled to solve, despite the peril it may put her in – one which has its roots in very emotive events from the past. The book deals with a particular period of time that I always find difficult to read about in fiction, but I think the discomfort is necessary to make us face the horrors of what has happened in the past so we don’t repeat those mistakes in the present. It is very poignant in current times and I think the author handled it sensitively.

The setting of the book is always a strength in Louise’s writing and this book is no different. She brings this corner of Brittany vividly to life, using every sense available, and I had a clear picture of where the action was happening in my mind. She is also excellent at using the setting to evoke mood, it always works to brilliant effect and I found this to be the perfect book to read at this time of year, just as the seasons are changing. There is hope but also melancholy as we move from summer to autumn and this book plays into that mood exactly.

One other thing that I loved about this book was that it didn’t go quite where the reader might anticipate it would in a couple of areas. I don’t want to include any spoilers in my review, so I won’t say much more than that, and that the ending left me… hmmmmm!

I read this book quite quickly, as it was engrossing and compelling and was very satisfied with the experience. An excellent book for these cooling, darkening evenings, I heartily recommend it.

The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas is my first visit to France. It is also the first book I have read by this author. A mystery which builds over the course of the book but also a close look at the culture, food, and life on the Brittany coast. I wasn’t sure where the story was going in the first chapter but soon all becomes clearer. Mila Shepherd has now looking after her teenage niece after her sister’s death. She also takes her sister’s place at an investigation agency.

This is a slow to build mystery where the police seem to be reluctant to be involved. Two deaths, secrets, and danger make for an interesting story. I also enjoyed the cultural descriptions and setting. Especially enjoyed hearing from Sophia through Mila.

Mila is much younger than Miss Marple but she would agree with her that sinister activities can go on behind cottage doors of lovely, picturesque places. Mila will root them out with help from colleague and friend, Carter Jackson. A pleasure to read The Lost Notebook.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought this book started off quite slow, however it did pick up pace and the characters were a key to read about. The story was great and I throughly enjoyed reading it. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.