WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS BELOW
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| “Her grandmother had once told her that one could blame ugliness on one's genes and ignorance on one's education, but there was absolutely no excuse whatsoever for being dull.”- The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan |
A charming, clever, and quietly moving debut novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.
Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.
Bone china cup and saucer-Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.
Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.
Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.
Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.
As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?
Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is a heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs. Queen Takes the Train,and The Silver Linings Playbook.
Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.
Bone china cup and saucer-Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.
Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.
Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.
Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.
As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?
Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is a heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs. Queen Takes the Train,and The Silver Linings Playbook.
This is not the kind of book I'd usually pick up. This is textbook cozy fiction, but you know what, everyone needs a little cozy fiction in their lives and this seemed like right up my alley. I love the idea of, well a keeper of lost things, it just seems like the kind of thing I just want to curl up and read.
It's definitely not a literary masterpiece, and it would be easy to pick apart everything wrong with it, from the not-so-great characters to the clumsy humor, and yet doing that feels wrong. Because this is not the kind of book that deserves to be picked apart and discussed, this is the kind of book the local white haired church lady book club reads and talks about between sips of lemonade and brags about grandkids. I guess what I'm saying is that reading this book is like going over your grandmother's house for afternoon tea and cookies.
That being said, the main flaw I'd like to bring out is that it does feel like two different stories. While I liked that the author weaved them together (in a deliciously morbid way, too), I did like the story of Eunice and Bomber much more than I liked Laura's story, and wished the book had focused solely on those two. They were an interesting pair and I especially liked the addition of Bomber's sister Portia, as heavy-handed as she was. I found Laura's story on the boring side, and thought her parts took a while to get to the actual story.
Ruth Hogan is definitely on her way to becoming the next Fredrik Backman/Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society cozy writer, and I do really like the ideas behind her work. I might even pick The Particular Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes up, because I like the idea behind that book even more than I liked this one. This book gets a thumbs up from me. It's not by any means a new favorite, but it's a cute novel.
7 out of 10
If you liked this book, you may also like:
Basically Any Cozy Mystery
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