There is nothing that endears a book to me quicker than a strong woman as the lead characters. This describes Jo Manders. At first she may not appear as such but she is. She proves it in her everyday existence. The way she takes the loss of her husband, Alex, to heart and then manages to keep herself alive and well is amazing. It is not a great life, it is not an easy life, but it is a life. She has so much to keep herself busy with. There is a death to solve, a family history to explore, and so much more.

I enjoy the era that this book took place in. The era around World War II is my absolute favorite. The changes that happen during this time amaze me. The motor cars, the grand houses, and the changes within cultures never manage to turn me away from reading a good book.

I found it interesting how Dottie, Alex’s aunt, is so in charge. She not only runs the family but she is an art dealer. She meets interesting people, makes deals, and keeps the money coming into the family. She also takes Jo under her wing. Dottie is not always nice to Jo, usually she is downright mean to her. Yet she does manage to keep Jo safe, healthy, and with shelter.


The middle of the book is the best, the ending is even better. Lost Among the Living is a book that starts great and just gets better and better as the story goes on. I recommend checking out as soon as possible.

"England, 1921. Three years after her husband, Alex, disappeared, shot down over Germany, Jo Manders still mourns his loss. Working as a paid companion to Alex's wealthy, condescending aunt, Dottie Forsyth, Jo travels to the family’s estate in the Sussex countryside. But there is much she never knew about her husband’s origins…and the revelation of a mysterious death in the Forsyths’ past is just the beginning…

All is not well at Wych Elm House. Dottie's husband is distant, and her son was grievously injured in the war. Footsteps follow Jo down empty halls, and items in her bedroom are eerily rearranged. The locals say the family is cursed, and that a ghost in the woods has never rested. And when Jo discovers her husband’s darkest secrets, she wonders if she ever really knew him. Isolated in a place of deception and grief, she must find the truth or lose herself forever.

And then a familiar stranger arrives at Wych Elm House…"

Anybody else recognize the stock photography? Perhaps from a book that was released just last week?

Excellent romantic suspense novel that shows what life was like in Europe between the two World Wars. Jo is a wonderful, strong, heroine, that the reader is eager to follow to the end of the book.

Our apologies, this book was never reviewed by the requesting reviewer. If a review is written in the future, we will forward a link.