THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS

Standalone

Ruth Hogan

BLURB

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 accidently 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 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.

★★★

*3 Stars for originality!*

There is an undeniable sense of mystery and intrigue in something “lost”, and if considered enough, a single misplaced object can raise a multitude of questions: Who was the previous owner? What did this item mean to them? How did they come to misplace it? Who are they now without it?

Each of these “things” tell their own story, and will speak to you if you’re willing to listen…

Anthony Peardew is THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS. Having never located something he once held dear, he knows all too well the pain of loss. In fact, his experience with loss in general runs deep. So he collects random objects—meaningless to others—and imagines what they once meant to their owners.

He gives these *things* a home, and respects their history. He catalogues the exact place and moment he found them in hopes to one day reunite even one of them with their rightful owner.

But, like objects, people do not stay around forever, and Anthony eventually leaves this ongoing quest in the capable hands of his caretaker, Laura, who appears equally as “lost” as his beloved objects.

I loved the symbolic representation of these lost items, and how they resemble each character’s journey to finding their own way; their own home. The theme of being “lost and found” is constant and the very heart and soul of this plot.

There is a compelling, magical appeal to this story, not in the literal sense, but it added a pleasant ambiance of imaginative goodness.

I should have been glued to these pages with all these lovely elements at play—I wanted to be. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case. This story moved slowly, maybe too slow, and while the writing was charming and exuded an air of sophistication, in this case the execution fell off for me.

I found myself growing bored, waiting for a captivating moment that never came. The delicate romance was sweet and kept me hopeful, but nothing seemed to deliver on what felt promised.

That said, many of my book friends loved this one, and I can see why. I’d still recommend giving this a shot when you’re in the mood for a gentler read, if only to witness its generous amounts of creativity. Hope you enjoy!