A fabulous suspenseful read with great characters. I really enjoyed this and neglected many chores until it was finished. Definitely not my last book by this author.

One of the few "suspense" books I've enjoyed in a long time, The Lost Notebook read like a historical fiction in a beautiful way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for allowing me to read and review this book

This book had me interested from page one! I could easily visualize each character who played a part in this twisting story of family, travelling woman, an archaeological dig and inept policemen!! Very easy to read, if a little stodgy at times, the descriptive passages were a little long and rather unnecessary, I felt.

Was good in which the story was interspersed with "side" tales and left the reader unsure of which was a red herring! Really enjoyed this book and hope there may be a follow on later.

Firstly I would like to say a huge thank you to #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows Mila, who has returned to Morranez to look after her Niece after the death of her step sister and her husband.

Mila is preparing to return back to her own life when Ani goes off to boarding school. However the death of an elderly women, which Mila suspects is not as innocent as first seems and the death of another victim provoke a journey where Mila is desperate to find answers.

Carter joins Mila’s mums agency whereby the search and attempt to track down missing people. The police do not seem to be willing to help so they need to rely on eachother to figure out what is happening in Morranez. Carter may not be Mila’s favourable choice of companion but she enlists his help to try and figure out what has been happening and try and find some answers.

I enjoyed the story overall, the style of writing was easy to follow and the story itself was interesting. The characters were likeable and the journey of the characters was engaging to follow.

However, I found the story really slow to start and I didn’t feel ‘gripped’ like I thought I would based on the description.

This is the first book I've read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. The story is engaging, the characters are interesting, and the book becomes quite exciting at the end. Mila has come to Brittany to take care of her step sister Sophie's daughter, Ani. Sophie and her husband, Charles, died six months before out in a boat during a storm. Mila and Sophie had been close in age and constantly together as teenagers. Mila is not married herself, although she has a boyfriend back in England. Mila's stepmother and Sophie's mother, Ceci, owns Toussaint's Agency which traces missing people and she lives nearby. Mila has been helping her out. However, Ceci has just hired a new employee, Carter Jackson, a man in whom both Mila and Sophie had been interested when in high school. He had been more interested in the beautiful Sophie. Mila also continues to hear comments from Sophie.

When Mila goes looking for Ani who is supposed to be home from visiting her friend, she finds her sitting with an old woman with a horsevan alongside the road. Ani had fallen from her bicycle; her knee was bandaged and she had been crying. Ani tells her that Gosia had helped her, and her phone was broken so she couldn't call. As Ani and Mila walk home, Ani tells Mila more about Gosia. The next morning when Mila sees smoke hanging above the woods where Gosia van was parked. Mila goes to check, and sees teenage boys run into the woods. They had set a fire using some of the old woman's cut wood. She knocks on the door and then goes in. Gosia is dead. Mila is sure it was murder, but the police think it's a natural death. Mila knows that both the woman's cell phone and the notebook she had the previous night with all her work have gone missing.

Meanwhile, there is an archeology dig nearby run by Professor Perry from Cambridge. Someone is trying to ruin his reputation. Mila is sure there is a connection between Gosia and the Professor because Gosia had a book by him in her van. When there is another death which appears to be related, Mila does a lot of online sleuthing, and finally gets Carter to help her investigate. If they aren't very careful, one of them may be the next death.

My first read by this author and a very enjoyable one. Set in the fictional town (but based on Carnac) of Morranez on the coast of Brittany, France I found this quite a slow burn at the start of the book but it certainly moved a lot faster as the book progressed. The author paints a wonderfully descriptive portrait of the countryside in costal Brittany and I could imagine myself sitting in the café’s watching the world go by. Beautifully written and a good plot with some good characters.

Briefly, following the death of her half sister, Sophie, and her husband, in an accident at sea, Mila Shepherd moved to France to take care of her niece Ani. When Ani falls off her bike an old traveller woman, Gosia, takes care of her until Mila arrives but the next day Gosia is found dead. Although the police believe it’s a natural death Mila isn’t convinced. The old lady had a large ‘notebook’ which disappeared, along with some items on a cork board in her caravan. Who took them? Mila is due to return home to her partner in Bristol shortly when Ani goes to boarding school, but alongside Carter Jackson she starts her own investigation.

Throughout the book Mila ‘speaks’ to Sophie who often acts as a contrarian or sometimes a voice of reason, I’m not sure I’ve seen this before but it works. A number of different threads all come together but there are some things that aren’t resolved to my satisfaction and I wonder if there is a sequel in the offing. I hope so. A good read, full of twists and turns and a great ending I didn’t see coming.

Thank you Boldwood Books and Net Galley for an ARC of The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas. This was a fun, slow-build mystery set on a shoreline of France. By the the-thirds mark in the book, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out how the story plays out! Mila moves from England to take care of her orphaned teenage niece, Ani. Ani meets an interesting traveler camping nearby, Gosia, and when Gosia turns up dead, the mystery and intrigue begin. I loved how the author wove the characters' stories together. The mystery, setting, and archeology link drew me into the story and the characters and their faults kept me engaged. This was my first book from Louise Douglas and I will be looking for more of her books!

The Lost Notebook begins with an archology dig in Brittany. It transitions over to the story of Mila who has spent the past year with her niece after a boating accident has claimed the life of her parents. Her sister’s body has been found but after a year there has been no trace of her father. Ani is late coming home and Mila is out searching for her. She finds her with an old woman. It is here that we learn of the notebook but not what it contains. The following morning Mila finds the woman has died under suspicious circumstances. This starts Mila"s path of searching for what really happened while trying to raise a teenager and deal with her own grief.
Louise Douglas does an amazing job of describing the scenery. I could picture myself walking through the forest and along the beach. As each layer is added, the mystery of what happened and how each piece fits slowly comes to light until the next piece of the puzzle is added makes you realize it is not what you think happened. Perfect read for a rainy day. Douglas provides it all love, mystery, history, dealing with grief and leaves you with the question of what happens next. Hope she provides a sequel soon.
Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another tense chilling novel by Louise Douglas.Characters that come alive a lost notebook death chilling twists and turns.I was on the edge of my seat reading well past my bedtime.#netgalley #boldwoodbooks

This was the perfect accompaniment to my summer holiday. As I lay on a towel in Cornwall - not quite believing that the sun was shing as opposed to the usual mizzle - I zipped through this book. Set in France it added a holiday flavour to my setting, whilst the plot kept me glued to the page. A thoroughly satisfying mix of past and present friendships with a dollop of mystery, all rounded up with an intriguing conclusion.
A top read.

This was an interesting book which really held my attention and I finished in one sitting.

Set in France Mila is living in her sister and her husband’s house looking after her niece, following their deaths at sea. Mila and her niece Ani have a strained relationship and struggles which are founded in their joint grief.

Mila and Carter, a man who starts to work for her mother, are no strangers and they try and uncover the death of a lady who helped Mila’s niece Ani when she fell off her bike. The story becomes more complex and dangerous.

A good book which I enjoyed. I wasn’t sure about the ending but would love to read a follow up to see what the future holds for the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up

It's the summer, holiday makers are flocking to the idyllic Brittany coast. But first when an old traveller woman dies in suspicious circumstances, and then a campaign of hate 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 the family holiday home - The Sea House - as well as taking her sister Sophie's place in an agency which specialises in tracking down missing people, until Carter Jackson starts.

The pace is slow to begin with. Mila moved back to Morranez to take care of her niece, Ani, after her parents were lost at sea. This is a descriptively written story. Mila stumbles across an elderly lady who had written a notebook spanning over several years. When the lady is killed, the notebook is missing. The story is filled with great characters that are well developed. This twist filled read has a few threads to follow. I had to keep reading to find out the truth. I didn't like the way the book ended so I took off half a star.

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

The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas is a fabulous contemporary psychological thriller that drew me in from the start.
The opening is very intriguing as we ‘hear’ a voice confessing but we do not know who it is or why a course of action has been taken. The opening is the hook that beckoned me in.
The novel is part a study in grief and part crime suspense. A terrible tragedy happened before the novel opened. Grief is raw. Motherhood has been thrust on a character as two characters wade through loss. “She wished she knew how to get through this sadness… some routemap back to happiness.” Life feels as if it will never get better.
Following a sudden death, there is a search for the truth. Was it a natural happening? Or is there something more sinister at play?
We witness the lengths some will go to in order to wreck the lives of others.
A character ‘hears’ the voice of her departed sister in her head. The reader has to decide if this is real or imagined.
There is a search for the truth in order to right the wrongs of the past.
All the characters were well drawn, realistic and likable. Those wading through grief were easy to empathise with.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Lost Notebook. It was a compulsive read that I read mostly in one sitting.
I received a free copy via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

I love the cover and liked the story, a twisty and compelling mix of mystery and family saga.
There's plenty of secrets, there're people who died, and a missing notebook. The characters are relatable and fleshed out and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Set sail to the Brittany coast where something sinister is lurking. Mila moved back to Morranez to take care of her niece ,Ani when her parents were lost at sea. While making preparations to return home, Mila's determined to discover what's behind the notebook's disappearance.

Readers will find themselves submerged and at times treading water with Mila and Ani as they unravel the mysteries. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition in exchange for an honest review. Be warned, once you're hooked on the story, you'll need to discover the truth.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for the advance copy of #TheLostNotebook by #LoiseDouglas
Mila’s stepsister and brother in law were killed in a boating accident and she puts her life in Bristol on hold to go to the south of France and help care for her niece Ani.
One night she goes looking for Ani who’s late home, and meets Gosia an old woman who lives in a ramshackle converted horse box., and sets in motion a chain of events no one could have foreseen.
This book hooked me from the first page and couldn’t put it down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book is set in Brittany where Mila moved to so that she can take care of her niece Ani, who lost both parents.

She meets an old lady, Gosia, she has a notebook in which she’s written lots of secrets over the years.

But when Gosia is killed, the notebook also disappears. Mila wants to find out who the killer is and where the notebook is too.

So many mysteries, twists and turns which you don’t see coming. I loved the characters and how the story was written.

I hope there is another book to follow.

I recommend this book.

The setting is a small town called Morannez in Brittany, where summer holidays see warm weather and lots of tourists. What could possibly go wrong!

This is a tale of mysterious happenings, deaths and secrets. A slow start I must say but persevere as it is worth it in the end. The story builds, the descriptions are both marvelous and sometimes scary. It will intrigue you and keep you guessing.

Mila is a great and well thought out character who gives Sophie a voice and brings her to life which I really enjoyed. The story keeps spinning you through all the suspicions, secrets and mysteries so that you don't get bored. It is easy to follow and flows well.

With twists and turns it is a good read although at times it did drag a little but once you got past those parts in built quite nicely and kept me interested.

An enjoyable and entertaining read.

Loved it!!! From the moment I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Why was Gosia in Morannaz and what was her story? I was convinced it had something to do with the dig and that there was something illegal going on. When everything was finally revealed, I never expected it.
The book definitely kept me guessing. The sea house sounded like a beautiful place to live, with all the flowers and the hidden beach nearby. Mila never allowed herself to enjoy living in Morannaz and it was clear she didn't think she was capable of taking care of Ani. Ani definitely picked up on her aunt's feelings. Mila was the perfect person for Ani. Loved Mila's interactions with Berthaud the cat. She was able to show love to the kitty but found it hard to give Ani comfort or affection. I also love the relationship Mila has with Ceci. Mila has a better relationship with her than her own father. I loved everything about the book, but my favorite part was the mystery/puzzle storyline. There were twists and turns that I never saw coming. Loved the ending, but I still have so many questions. What was the secret that Sophie was going to tell Mila? There's something about Carter and I know he's hiding something. He definitely knew what happened to Sophie. What reason did he have for taking the job? Is he really Ani's father? Who is the mystery man Mila keeps seeing? Is Charlie going to suddenly show up out of the blue? There needs to be a sequel!!!!

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. This was the first book I read by the author and I look forward to reading more. Loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I’d like to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Lost Notebook’ written by Louise Douglas in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Mila is looking after her late sister Sophie’s daughter Ani at their family home in Brittany’s seaside resort of Morannaz and helping her stepmother Ceci run Toussaint’s Agency that tracks down missing people. When Ani comes off her bicycle she’s helped by Gosia, an elderly traveller who’s living in a converted horsebox, but when Mila returns the following morning to see Gosia she finds her dead in her bed. The police say it’s natural causes but Mila isn’t sure as the old woman’s book is missing. Carter Jackson is the new recruit at the Agency who’s taking over from Sophie and he and Mila work together to uncover the truth.

‘The Lost Notebook’ is a well-written novel with an interesting plot situated in a town that’s described in such a way that it makes me want to visit. Mila has conversations with Sophie in her head giving another dimension to the story. I’ve read the author’s previous novels and was keen to read her latest, but compared to these the story comes over as slow and laborious and I found it hard to work up any enthusiasm for the characters. By the time I was halfway through I’d lost interest in the story and was pleased when I reached the end. I’m sorry I didn’t enjoy it but this is purely my opinion and from readers’ reviews I’m in the minority, but it won’t stop me from looking out for the next book by this author.