The Lost Notebook: THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER

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At almost no point did I as a reader feel like the plot was building towards something or get any sense of increasing tension or the stakes being raised. The plot seemed to just meander slowly ith no real point. Various seemingly disconnected plot points were raised but again, without ratcheting up the suspense, there was no build-up to the climax. I wanted to love this one - sounded like it would be a mystery with a side plot of suspense and romance set in Brittany, France....yes please! Definitely a 5 star book. Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book. This was a very slow-burner of a mystery that I found I cared less and less about. I persevered because I wanted to see how Mila’s character would change and, when some action started to happen, was keen to understand the motives driving this. However, it was largely a struggle to read this book and I found it quite disappointing overall. I like the characters especially Ani and Mila and I love that through Mila we get to hear Sophie’s voice.

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. The story takes place in France on the idyllic Brittany coast. Mila has put her life in Bristol on hold after the sudden and tragic death of her sister Sophie and travels to France to take care of her fourteen year old niece Ani. It is only for the interim, until Ani is sent to boarding school the following year and then Mila can return to her life and to police boyfriend Luke.

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I love a good mystery and this one fit right in, I even liked Ani who was surly most of the time and missed her parents tremendously. If you like a good story this is one I would recommend. 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.

However, I think it ended up being none of those things. For me, I think it boils down to the plot and pacing.But almost a year on and now Mila's plans to return to England in September is thwarted by the mysterious death a traveller woman Gosia and Mila is felt compelled to investigate. But the police do not believe there is anything suspicious with Gosia's death and according to the doctor, she was an old woman living on borrowed time. And her time had come. But Gosia had a huge notebook in which she was writing that she called "her life's work" and it was nowhere to be seen in her little horsebox van. Neither were there any photos or even Gosia's phone. Mila found these discrepancies suspicious. But again, the police did not. 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 archaeological 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. In this mystery thriller, the unexpected death of a elderly traveller woman in the seaside town of Morranez sparks Mila Shepherd, a reluctant private detective, to begin an investigation. 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 An intriguing story set in France where the main character is taking care of her orphaned niece with the help of her step mum. They befriend the elderly traveller lady who lives in her wagon in the woods not far from their property when one night there is a fire at her camp. The elderly lady is found dead in her wagon and her notebook with her life’s work is missing and hereby sets off a chain of events.