The Lost Notebook will draw you slowly but surely into the story of Mila and her resolve to find out who killed the Traveller Woman Gosia.

Mila is also in charge of her niece as her parents were tragically killed.

I loved how Sophie her deceased sister talked to her in that sisterly tone.

There are mysteries with mysteries and another murder to solve.

I was cheering on Mila and just knew she was on the right path to solving the puzzle.

Hoping there will be a sequel as I hated the book to end

Louise Douglas can tell a story that will have you wanting more and racing to the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a compelling read.

This is another great read from Louise Douglas. I loved the way she describes Britanny. It sounds amazing! Morannez is not real but the idea that there is or could be a French version of Tutankhamun sounds very interesting.

A slow burning read that increases in pace as tension increases. Really well written with a cast of well developed characters and a story that gripped me from the start.

"She smelled, as always, divine, of sandalwood and jasmine." I adored "The Lost Notebook" - which I stumbled upon quite unexpectedly, on Netgalley. The sights, the sounds, the smells Ms. Douglas evokes are so real. Mila has come to her family's summer home, the sea house, in Brittany, to help with her teenage niece, Anais. Sophie, Mila's stepsister and Anais' mom, had died within the last year, drowned and washed upon the beach. Anais' father is still missing, presumed drowned at sea. Mila doesn't want to parent, least of all an angsty, moody teenage. Mila wants this year to be over, so she can return to her life in Bristol. However, a mystery falls into her lap, Mila is unwittingly drawn into it, and this is where things get super interesting! A bit of a slow start but at some point, I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend!!

P.S. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #TheLostNotebook #NetGalley

Great read. Slow burn as you go through gathering information with Mika and Carter, but once you have enough background and pieced it together this book takes off! The characters are well written and the story line captivating and that aha moment when it clicks is phenomenal!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Louise Douglas and Boldwood Books for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I’m definitely in the minority with my 2 star rating but this story fell flat for me and I could not connect with the many characters. DNF at 30%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my review.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.
Louise Douglas is one of my favorite authors and this book is another 5-star read for me. I did find the ending a bit ambiguous, it didn't answer a few questions I had, so I'm hoping there's a follow-up on the horizon, because I would love to Brittany and meet all the characters again.
Louise's description of the area was fantastic and as usual, I was totally wrapped up in the main character's (Mila) life. She's in France looking after Ani, her niece, after Ani's parents were lost at sea, but hoping to go back to her life in England when Ani goes to boarding school. However, as usual, life throws a few curve balls and makes for an exciting read; I loved it!

I usually give a few sentences for the synopsis, just as a refresher for myself but in this instance there are so many layers to this book, that I couldn’t do it justice.
I loved it and sped through it in roughly a day.
The characters are well rounded and believable, I liked the ‘voice’ of Sophie, who was Mila’s much treasured stepsister who had died in an accident and was in Mila’s head, she was the voice of reason on Mila’s shoulder.
My only question is of Charlie (Sophie’s husband who also died in the accident), there was not much said of him at all, considering he was part of the ‘group’. That said the story is not about him at all, so for entertainment I highly recommend this for a great escapism read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

Nice gripping story once it got going. This was my first time reading a book by Louise Douglas and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Mila Shepherd has moved from Bristol to the beautiful seaside tourist town of Morranez in Brittany. She came to look after her niece Ani after the death of her parents Sophie and Charlie. Whilst she is there, she has joined the family detective agency. She leads a busy existence but still curious to find out the killer of a Traveller women Gosia that was found death. The Local police thinks it was suicide, so they are not interested in finding out anymore what happened to her and that she notebook that seems to have gone missing. Also, when a leading archaeologist has gone missing after a hate campaign started against him. Things are not going well in the town and further investigating they might be some link between the two incidents.
Mila is always trying to look after Ani and helping her get on with her life after the death of her parents. After the summer Ani is supposed to be heading off the boarding school but wants to make everything right before she goes back to Bristol.
Thank you, Boldwood Books, for a copy The Lost notebook by Louise Douglas. This is the first book from this author that I have read, and this book was not what I was expecting. I thought this book was a mystery/thriller and more a family orientated story about Mila looking after Ani. I did like the premise of this story, but I found it to be a really slow burn and yes, there was a small amount of a mystery in this story. But I found this had a lot of unnecessary back story and I wanted more of that happened to the death of the woman. 3.5 stars from me.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Slow Burn Drama

Morranez is a perfect seaside town in Brittany. It’s a great place for locals, visitors, and tourists. But the death of a gypsy camper woman and the subsequent hate campaign against the leading archeologist stir trouble.
Mila has put her life on hold to care for her niece, Ani after Sophia died. Mila lives with Ani in The Sea Side home (Sophia’s home) and takes over her job at the family agency. Though Mila is weighed down by too many responsibilities, she cannot help but dig deeper about the dead woman.
But things are more complicated than they appear. With police disinterested in the case and danger mounting from all sides, Mila has no choice but to uncover the truth, even if it means risking her life and Ani’s. Can Mila find the truth someone is desperate to hide?
The story comes from the limited person POV for Mila.

What I Like:
The story is set in a small French town, which suits the plot perfectly and adds to the atmosphere.
Mila’s character is well-etched. I love that she is not too happy to handle the responsibility of her sister’s child but also loves the kid. I may not connect with her, but I could empathize with her.
Sophia, despite being dead, is a constant part of the book. Sometimes in a good way, and sometimes in a not-so-good way. Still, she does create an impact on the reader.
I got to know about something from history I didn’t know before. Not revealing to avoid spoilers. I also like how the author didn’t use the event to preach but wove it naturally with the plot.
The plot is multilayered and never confusing. This is one of those few books I don’t mind for the slow pacing. I felt invested in the plot almost throughout.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
I have a thing for endings, and this book gave me mixed feelings. As much as I don’t need HEA, I still like to have things tied up (unless there will be a sequel).
The main mystery part is solved, but the rest is left to the reader’s interpretation. Furthermore, the ending sentence has string vibes of a sequel (and I still don’t know if there will be one). When I read a 350-page book, I like to close with a sense of satisfaction or sadness (but not disappointed about the lack of resolution). This is a personal pet peeve (so you might like the ending more than I did).
The build-up to the climax was stronger than the climax itself. This dampened things a bit. Things happened a little too fast and were over before I could feel the impact/ tension.
The writing is beautiful, but the overall story feels like it has a lot more potential. I wanted more about the past (Sophia, Mila, & Carter). That ‘drama’ isn’t enough if you know what I mean.
Not sure if Mila has alcohol issues. She doesn’t drink constantly, but when she does, it seems like she goes overboard. I’m a teetotaler, but I don’t think someone who wants to research something crucial on the internet (and read dozens of pages) will continue to top her wine glass and drink to the point where she doesn’t remember her conservations with another person.
Ani acts pretty much like a teenager (she is fourteen). I don’t mind it, but I sure wished for more depth in her character arc, especially since she showed the signs of being a complex personality.

To summarize, The Lost Notebook is a slow-burn mystery set in an atmospheric location and great premise. Pick it up if you want to read beautiful writing with a decent mystery.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#TheLostNotebook #NetGalley

Fans of Louise Douglas’ heartwarming stories infused with mystery and sprinkled with a touch of history will not be disappointed. Patience is needed in giving the author space to give multiple backstories and build the mysteries in this intricately plotted story. You’ll be glad you kept reading because the mysteries and multiple subplots eventually unite into a feverish type of page-turner you won’t be able to set down.

I don’t know how she does it but Douglas ties together things that one wouldn’t expect, and readers just accept it and keep reading; an archeological dig, teenage angst, French traditions, an orphaned child, a gypsy woman with a secret, a professor with questionable actions, a private investigator and a well-dressed woman with a mistaken identity.

My favourite character was Malgorzata ‘Gosia’ Kowalczyk, the eccentric old traveller woman living in the back of a converted horsebox. Douglas’ descriptions of her left nothing to the imagination ~ spectacular. It’s not often I finish a book thinking I’d like to meet a character and I did wish I could sit and chat with Gosia.

I suspect we’ll hear that there’s a sequel in the works. Regardless, you’ll love this mystery set in the south of France and the unique cast of characters.

I was gifted this advanced copy by Boldwood Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I’ve read Louise Douglas before, I enjoyed her book, The Room in the Attic, it was a hauntingly eerie book. Parts of this book are very similar. Mila Shepherd, is the aunt of Ani, and Mila is looking after Ani after her parents died in a boating accident. Leaving her life in Bristol, England to come to the seaside town of Morranez in France is a big change but she loved her step-sister Sophie and wants what is best for Ani. Mila is also working with her mother, Ceci at her agency. An old friend, Carter Jackson, has been hired to replace Sophie’s position at the agency. When a traveler gets killed and her notebook goes missing, Mila suspects more than the local police. The local archeology dig is bringing in lots of interest into the small community but is it also bringing in a dangerous killer? Secrets are being told and when the body of a second person is found, what does it mean for Mila and her family? What do the two murders have in common? Who will be next and what secret will be revealed?

This book is definitely gripping, the characters are solid and the writing impeccable. I found the mystery to be engaging and it captured me from the beginning. The story was definitely multi-layered and complex without being overly complicated. I enjoyed the angst between Ani and Mila, a teenager rebelling but still a young child in need of guidance and an Aunt desperate to shield her niece from any more hurt. It was refreshing to see the relationships twists and turns build and blossom. I would definitely recommend this book, well-written, well-developed and very enjoyable.

Another wonderful book by Louise Douglas. It is another heart breaking, tear jerking story. Which will really tug at your heart strings. Make sure you have those tissues handy.

Hmm hmm.... this was better than I was expecting hahaa I'll say it I mean I thought it was going to be a regular women's fiction and ended up being a book about mystery and family drama! It was incredibly entertaining !!! I loved the way the author described it all. The setting is perfect! I might have wanted to know more about Carter because I felt there was a lot missing. And aww more of Gosia in the story I bet she was an amazing lady full of stories to tell.

I wasn't able to discover who the bad one was and it kept me in suspense until the end but I guess other people will be able to do it. I truly enjoyed all the discoveries and how they were finding it all.

I truly enjoyed the book and I'd definitely read more books by this author!!!! I definitely recommend it to all the readers who enjoy a good mystery nixed with a bit of drama, I bet you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you boldwood books and Louise Douglas for the arc. And of course to netgalley for providing it.

Review will be posted on instagram @pink.bibliophile

I was really glad that I got to read this - Louise Douglas is a new author to me but I'd definitely read more of her books. I enjoyed the setting and the various characters. I do think the women were more fully rounded that the male characters and some of stories surrounding the men weren't ever really resolved. But the female characters were all really well done and all so different and yet believable. The mystery itself is very engrossing, with revelations that will certainly surprise the reader, but it's also a study in family relationships, in dealing with loss and in learning to accept each other. I very much enjoyed and would be happy to recommend it.

A favourite author of mine so this book didn’t disappoint! It was fast paced, full of interesting characters and the storyline kept me hooked! A book I would recommend

The Lost Notebook is the first Louise Douglas book that I have read. Although The Lost Notebook describes itself as a mystery, this Douglas novel is really more of a domestic family drama. The story at the heart of this mystery is one of complex family histories woven together to reveal a crime that occurred many years earlier.

I solved the mystery quickly enough, but that did not cause me any distress. In fact, the characters were so interesting and possessed such depth that I found myself more focused on their histories and how it had influenced their lives decades earlier. As a result, the mystery became subservient to the narration of these family dramas. The characters were carefully nuanced and with complex lives that always held my attention. What I though was going to be a slow start was only a door through which readers might enter this story.

I want to thank the author and the publisher for providing me with that ARC ,in exchange for my honest review. The comments above are my honest opinion. Thank you also to NetGalley for introducing me tk another talented writer.

The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas was a thriller that kept the reader in suspense until the end. Mila, the British aunt to Ani, takes responsibly to take care of her sister's daughter because both the parents were deceased due to a boating accident. Mila moves to French Morranez to assist in Sophie's business and to parent Ani temporarily.
Mila however, has discovered two deaths while on the island and has made it her role to investigate the murders. Also Mila has to learn parenting skills immediately. Learn who the murdered victims are and how they are related. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its publication date.

Mystery and secrets lie within this book which makes it a fantastic read.
The setting is Brittany in France where Mila relocates to when she needs to take care of her niece Ani after losing both her parents. Here she stumbles across an old lady who has written a notebook over many years and contains lots of secrets. When the old lady is killed the notebook goes missing and this is when Mila takes on the task of trying to find out what exactly is going on in the little village and track down the missing notebook.
Lots of wonderful characters, a beautiful setting and a mystery to totally get lost in.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure.