This was my first time reading a book by Louise Douglas and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it started off a bit slow, but then it grabbed me.

A bit if a slow starter and I wasn’t sure I would keep going but I’m so glad I did. All the clues finally came together in quite an unexpected way. Mila’s sister and brother in law drown so she moves out to France to help her niece cope. She helps run something like a private detective agency but a couple of deaths occur, made to look like natural causes and suicide, and of course the Lost Notebook. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Lost Notebook by Louise Douglas in return for my honest review.
I really enjoy reading books by Louise Douglas they are a perfect holiday read and this one is no exception, it is a beautifully written story I recommend reading.

A bit slow to start, it took a while with so many characters involved and trying to see their connection. Mila Shepherd is an aspiring writer who has left her beau and London home for a French seaside town to care for her 14-year-old niece Ani after the tragic death of her stepsister and disappearance of her brother-in-law Charlie. Mila steps into Sophie’s old life not only as the guardian of her daughter but as a partner with her stepmother in their investigative agency. Mila is very protective of Ani and not quite sure she is cut out to be a full-time parent. One time, she had to go looking for Ani and found her with a transient woman in the woods, sitting by a campfire writing in a notebook as Ani had fallen and injured herself. As Mila makes plans to put Ani in a boarding school and return to her life in London, her stepmother looks to replace her at the agency with Carter, a childhood friend of Sophie and Mila who has returned mysteriously to the town. Unexpectedly, things turn sinister as Mila is thrown into a mystery with the death the woman in the woods and the disappearance of an archaeologist professor. Carter and Mila band together to solve the mysteries and to locate the lost notebook belonging to the transient woman. Lots of suspense and tension eventually built about halfway into the book where it finally had me engaged wanting to know what happened. But there must be a sequel coming up as there were details added that were not resolved such as a mysterious man in the woods, never finding Charlie, and the circumstances of Carter’s return. This is more a book about the relationship between Ani and Mila as I felt the mystery was not all that intriguing which wrapped itself up quite neatly. A good read, but not as interesting as her previous books.

Many thanks to #netgalley #louisedouglas #thelostnotebook #boldwoodbooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Boldwood Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


What a read! The style, story, characters are so well done. I found it quite interesting and easy to read.

I was first attracted to this book by the gorgeous cover and I’m so glad I was. The book is set in Brittany which is an area of France that we have regularly visited so the setting feels very familiar. Mila has put her life on hold and moved to France to take care of her orphaned niece. One day she discovers an old woman dead in her travelling van. The police want to treat it as a normal death but Mila isn't convinced. Then a hate campaign begins aimed at the director of a nearby archaeological dig and she is sure that the events are linked.
This is a brilliantly twisty story with lots of threads to follow. I loved the relationship between Mila and her niece Ani as they both struggle to come to terms with the death of Sophie, Mila’s sister. I also really enjoyed the silent conversations that Mila had with Sophie in her head. The mystery was an intriguing one and the story built up to a tension filled ending. A great Summer mystery read.
Thank you to Net Galley and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh wow, just wow Louise Douglas does it again .!!A superb book ,had me hooked from the start . All you,d expect from this author and more . A must read .!!

Thanks to netgalley and the author and publishers, for giving me the chance to read this ARC.


5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

It took me a little while to get into this story as I couldn’t get a focus on the characters for a while. It isn’t fast paced but it did hold my attention. It was not overly long and the author writes beautifully. A really enjoyable summer mystery novel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy.

Louise Douglas has written a beautiful heart touching story in The Lost Notebook.
Set in the beautiful country of Brittany, with a tangled web of family members that I adored and felt like became my family, to past war criminals that one woman was trying to bring to justice, to a young girl trying to find her way from her parents death, and of course murders that need figuring out.
This book is woven into many layers and it was never dull, it just kept me reading until 3:45 am.
Solid five stars from me.

As with all Louise Douglas books this one draws you into the story. I found this a slower burn than her previous books but by the middle of the book I couldn't put it down.
An interesting plot with relatable characters there's a lot happening but it all draws in to an interesting conclusion

I’ve read this author before and really found myself engaged with the storylines of her previous books, which is why I requested this one.
The cover, as always, is a beautiful work of art and catches your eye.
However, the book didn’t seem to have that extra something that I’ve come to expect from this author.
The story overall was ok. The characters were ok, I didn’t really find any depth to them which made it harder for me to connect. The writing style is lovely and easy, but the pace just never seemed to pick up. I thought once the scene had been set early on, there would be more points of interest revealed and it would pick up pace further on.
Unfortunately none of that happened. I did finish the book as, like i said, I do usual love this author. But for me it was just…nice. An easy summer read but not one that will stick with me.
Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for my arc.

First book by this author, I got off to a slow start but enjoyed it, some good characters and an interesting plot but was a little slow.
Ideal summer read that you can if you like the writing style.

I will give this author another go.

This is a book I didn’t want to end! I want to know what happens to the characters next! This story features mysterious deaths and uncovering clues. Loved it!

A great book. It kept me enthralled and I read the book in one day! A lovely mix of characters of all ages and an interesting mystery. A recommended read, perfect for summer.

The summer seaside calm of Morannez in Brittany is disturbed when an elderly female traveller is found dead and sadly, things take a much darker turn. Mila Shepherd is currently living in the area looking after her niece Ani (Anais) following the death of her parents Sophie and Charlie who drown at sea, Mila is also working covering Sophie’s job at an agency that specialises in tracking down missing persons. As Mila’s suspicions grow that something sinister is afoot in the idyllic area she undertakes an investigation alongside new agency employee Carter Jackson, a friend of Sophie’s and herself since their teenage years.

Although this starts a bit slowly and feels slightly disjointed this soon settles into a really compelling slow burner mystery that I thoroughly enjoy. There are several cleverly intertwined mysteries that become more and more intriguing the further into the book you get as it takes you in several unexpected directions.

The setting is fantastic as Louise Douglas has me drooling at the Patisserie (mines a Religieuses s’il vous plaît, merci) and in the restaurants, she incorporates the areas traditions but also some history as part of the storytelling is set around an archaeological dig. This is especially fascinating and makes a superb backdrop to the drama. She also takes us back to Sophie and Mila growing up here as teenagers with a group known as the ‘band sauvage’ .

The mystery builds well, suspicions grown, there is tension and lack of trust in some areas. It becomes very unsettling as you almost find yourself looking over your own shoulder! I like the ending, it’s so plausible and comes together well and I’m really hoping there’s a follow on novel as the author has left me with my suspicion antennae twitching!

I like the characters especially Ani and Mila and I love that through Mila we get to hear Sophie’s voice.

Overall, this has a well developed, immersive and multilayered plot and I look forward to being back in France with Mila, fingers crossed! Great cover too!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Boldwood Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed the relationship between Mila & Ani and I felt the book was at its strongest when the pages focussed on them. Well written, although it took a while to really getting going and it wasn’t particularly for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Unfortunately I really struggled with this book. It's very slow paced and this made it hard for me to remain focused.

First book from this author and while it was okay I would not read another.
The writing style isn’t for me and I found the characters very weak.
Thanks for the arc but not for me

This book turned out to be about something completely different from what I was expecting. It does have a mystery in it. A lot of the book deals with Mila and her niece Ani.
It’s a slow build and at times seem to drag. I think the last third of the book moved a little faster.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

You know it’s a good book when you keep thinking about it when you’re not reading it. I even recommended this book to a friend before I had even finished reading it. So you could say it’s a bit of a slow burn but I felt it added to the feel of the book and made it more enjoyable!