Lost & found: The complete box set

by J.S. Ellis

It all starts with him...
Phoebe and Adele’s friendship has stretched on for years. One a bubbly blonde, the other raven-haired and studious. They seem to have nothing in common, yet their bond is unbreakable.

Or so Phoebe thought.

She never believed Adele would hide anything from her until she sees her sneaking off with her handsome neighbour. Feeling betrayed, Phoebe begins to see cracks in their friendship she never noticed before.

Then, Adele vanishes.

Fearing for Adele’s safety, Phoebe searches for clues about her disappearance. However, the deeper she digs, the more she realizes she didn’t know Adele as well as she thought. Yet as revelations come to light, one mystery remains.

What happened to Adele? And how is her disappearance connected to the stranger next door?

386 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

J.S Ellis is a thriller author. She has a degree in creative writing, English literature, and digital marketing. She lives in Malta with her fiancé and their fur baby Eloise. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s either cooking, eating cheese and chocolate, or listening to good music and enjoying a glass of wine or two.

You can Stalk J.S Ellis at
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Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a wild, twisted, and thrilling ride! I was quickly drawn into the mystery of Adele’s disappearance. The plot is layered with an interesting list of suspects. Book 1 ended on a cliffhanger leaving me with many unanswered questions. Book 2 quickly hooked me as secrets were revealed and pieces to the puzzle began to click into place. The conclusion was one shocking twist after another. Both books were fast-paced and very entertaining. Thank you, BookSirens for my copy.

[Monica Mil-Homens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opinião: Bom, esta vai ser uma opinião a ambos os livros porque foi assim que recebi para ler. Confesso que ao inicio a estória não me estava a puxar muito. Ou seja, toda a parte sexual, e promiscua de algumas das personagens davam-me a sensação de Romance e não Thriller. No entanto, e conforme vamos lento e acabando o primeiro livro e começando o segundo percebemos que existe muito mais acerca da estória do desaparecimento de Adele e do perigo que Phoebe corre e julgo que ninguém está há espera que o culpado (ou culpada) seja quem é. Eu confesso que desconfiei por diversas vezes, porque a Phoebe é uma personagem um pouco “parvinha” e vai tendo comportamentos que a metem em risco e aos outros, mas certezas mesmo só no final. Basicamente a Adele é a típica rapariga cheia de libido e sem qualquer limitação sexual e que arrasta meio Mundo com ela… e então desaparece e novamente, arrasta meio Mundo para a procurar.
Não foi das estórias que mais adorei, não senti grande empatia com as personagens, mas está muito bem escrito e para quem gosta de um pouco de “picante” com suspense, então é perfeito!

ENG Review: Well, this will be an opinion on both books because that's how I received it to read. I confess that at the beginning the story wasn't very appealing to me. In other words, the entire sexual and promiscuous part of some of the characters gave me the feeling of Romance with SMUT and not Thriller. However, as we slowly finish the first book and start the second we realize that there is much more to the story of Adele's disappearance and the danger that Phoebe is in and I think that no one is expecting the culprit to be whoever It is. I confess that I was suspicious several times, because Phoebe is a bit of a “silly” character and has behaviors that put her and others at risk, but I'm sure only at the end. Basically Adele is the typical girl full of libido and without any sexual limitations who drags half the world with her... and then disappears and again, drags half the world to look for her.
It wasn't one of the stories I loved the most, I didn't feel much empathy with the characters, but it's very well written and for those who like a little “spicy” with suspense, then it's perfect!
@bibliotecamil_insta

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phoebe and Adele are really good friends. They share an apartment and think that they are really honest with each other. Adele is popular and outgoing, Phoebe has no friends other than Adele.

Alan lives across the street and is a seemingly creepy neighbour who observes them. Then one day Phoebe realises that Adele is seeing him. What will happen to her and Adele's friendship?

I didn't like Alan at the beginning, but I did wonder at times which of the two friends would end up with him. Alan's friend Dylan was interesting.

The writing style was quick and highly detailed. The settings and dialogue are realistic and the characters are well developed. There are good visuals and the plot is immersive.

I found myself being as curious about Allan as Phoebe was. I was concerned for Adele's wellbeing. Then I wondered, just like Phoebe, if Adele was trying to manipulate her.

There was a great sense of "Who can you trust?" and "Who is really telling the truth?" which kept me interested in the books. I loved the little detail of the book in Adele's bedroom. That was powerful.

I did like Tom and the advice he gave Phoebe about Adele and Allan. The fact that both Alan and Dylan were not very visual on social media also added to the mystery about the characters and that was a great technique. I found the "club" a bit mysterious as well. It was atmospheric.

I was really disconcerted by Alan and Adele's behaviour. She became a real people-pleaser when she was around him.

I wondered if Phoebe and Adele would ever get back to being the friends they had been before Allan.

There was some jumping around in tenses in at the very beginning, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the two book collection.

Lost & Found is the second two book collection I've reviewed after the secret they kept which I enjoyed as well. I am glad to have been able to review another J.S. Ellis book collection, and I hope to review more books by her in the future.

Thanks to J.S. Ellis

4 stars

[Phyllis Jones Pisanelli Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This boxed set consists of the first two books I read and reviewed that were written by J.S.Ellis. I’m pasting my reviews written at the time I read them.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found by J.S. Ellis is my first book by this author. I’ve been following her for quite a while and hadn’t taken the plunge yet. I’m certainly glad I did! She was looking for a few reviewers for the sequel to this book and I answered the call. She graciously provided the first book for my enjoyment and boy did I ever enjoy it. 
Her writing flows well. I was never lost and found the plot easy to follow. Some of her characters were likable and a few (ok… several) were sketchy. Even though the character were a lot younger than I am, they were written as adults and not immature teenagers. I wasn’t bored or uncomfortable reading the book. You know how it is when tons of slang are used and you don’t understand half of the book? That was not the case with this book and I feel like it will lend itself well to many age groups. 
The second book was sent to me at the same time so, I read the books back to back. I was so engrossed in the story. If you have a chance, I highly recommend picking up Lost and Found along with Hide and Seek. You will be in for a few days of exceptional entertainment.
Hide and Seek
Here we go! The sequel to Lost and Found. 
I don’t have a lot more to add to my review of Lost and Found. This may just be the shortest review I’ve ever written! Of course you know that this is a continuation of the story. It feels like this wraps up the story line and is the finale. 
If you read The first book you’ll want to read the second. I’ve based my rating on my enjoyment of the books and the writing style. I’ll be on the lookout for more from J.S. Ellis. Luckily, she has more books already published for us to read while we’re waiting for a new book. 
I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you! 

[janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a real tale of 'who can you really trust'.?

Phoebe and Adele are flatmates and friends. Like chalk and cheese, Adele is Miss Popular. Loud and bubbly with a wide circle of friends/acquaintances. Phoebe is the polar opposite. Introverted and happy to be that way, Adele is her only friend.

The girls believe that they tell each other everything, but, as we all know, nobody tells anyone EVERYTHING.

Just across the street is Alan. He seems to always be observing the girls but doesn't realise that Phoebe is also an observer and starts to grow a crush on him, keeping it from Adele who just thinks of his as their creepy neighbour.

Then, one day, out of the blue, Phoebe realises that Adele and Alan are together... how will this affect their friendship?

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author across the box set, and the characterisation was fantastic. I really started to become invested not only in the storyline but also in the characters themselves.

The characters are extremely well executed, not at all padded out and whilst not all likeable, definitely relatable. I didn't like Alan at all to start with, but throughout the books, I started to actually worry about his wellbeing and the portrayal of just how manipulative a person can be was brilliantly represented in Adele's character.

The scene setting throughout the box set was described to perfection. You could feel the atmosphere of each and every location.

Book #1 Lost & Found is based more on the friendship of Phoebe and Adele and the introduction of Alan.
Book #2 Hide & Seek is more about Adele's 'disappearance' and Phoebe's obsession with finding not only Adele but the truth.

I did personally prefer book #2 to the first, but that may just be because of the shock ending 😅

A series full of twists and turns and a fantastic ending, what more could you want?

Many thanks to Booksirens for the ARC.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nichole Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books were interesting and kept me hooked. At times I felt the story was a bit jumpy or choppy but over all I enjoyed the plot and story.

Like Phoebe I was always wondering who to trust. Did Phoebe do something and not remember because of the sleeping pills, was she drugged? Was it Alan, Greg, Janice, Martha? Someone random.

At times I had my own suspicions about Tom. The way he acted when Phoebe talked about Adele, how she seemed to use Phoebe. At first I thought maybe he did it, and he did it for her. But instead he had his own sick and twisted reasons. Adele was clearly a horrible person inside and out, but I don’t think thats enough to warrant her being murdered.

I do agree with Alan, how would things have been different if he met Phoebe first. If he had given her a chance, there would have been something there. He saw it, his mom saw it. Even when he was with Adele he made comments or acted certain ways with Phoebe, and then the way they got close after Adele and Danny.

If Tom hadn’t pushed him away, they might have gotten closer. I think he did truly have feelings for and love Phoebe, but with their shared history and trauma and the issues with what Tom and Martha both did, it would always weigh on them, leaving them with “what ifs”.

I wish we had seen more of Phoebe and Rob together. She talked down of him so often, and then the ending seemed rushed with saying they were together and married and she was happy. I’m sure she is/was, as he didn’t seem as bad as she had made him out to be, and he seemed to care about her. When they had those few moments together near the end, they seemed so at ease and relaxed with one another. I just wish there had been a little more given about their relationship.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Lost and Found series by J. S. Ellis promised to be an unputdownanable psychological thriller yet, unfortunately, it fell quite short. Between the repetitiveness and the choppy jumps between scenes, it was difficult to stay with. There is also the inconsistency with Phoebe's last name between books despite no marriage.

The female main characters allegedly had pretty decent friendship before Alan came into the picture. While it may not have been a very great friendship, it was not catty or petty up to this point. Perhaps it is because how he came into the picture, but it didn't seem like he was a real winner, nor was his friend.

When Adele suddenly disappears, Alan suddenly changes his behavior towards Phoebe and appears to care about her well-being as they navigate Adele's unexplained absence. When an unlikely villain shows up, Phoebe is left with more questions than answers towards the end of Book 1.

Hide and Seek, Book 2, leads off about three months after the big incident at end of Book 1. After settling into some version of normalcy, a letter appears and once again puts Phoebe on guard. With each note, another piece of the puzzle comes into play leaving Phoebe wondering what Adele could possibly gain (or lose) from this mysterious approach. As the picture starts to surface, something sinister seems to be afoot.

Towards the end, a sudden rush of revelations come pouring out, giving the audience a tidy ending. This series could have easily been 1 book.

Thank you, Book Sirens, for the chance to review these books!

[Texas · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOST AND FOUND Bookset: Not suspenseful. Source: Booksprout.
LOST AND FOUND, #1 - I was mainly bored by this story and I could not stand Phoebe and her spineless stupidity. Just an average read. 3*

HIDE AND SEEK, #2 - This story picks up where L&F ended. Phoebe is still an idiot, but this story did get better after a while but still an average read. 3*

DARK, DANGEROUS TRUTH - Interesting story lines and characters about more than one nut. Books should never be judged by their covers. Few good secrets and turns. 4*

THE CAT SAW WHO DID IT, #2 - I missed the first book but it did not matter eventhough the second book is a continuation of the first, set one year later.

I felt I had read this book before and had definitely seen more than one 40s - 60s movie with this theme, less the cat and the serial killer. Novak and Stewart come to mind. The addition of the cat and his point of view made the rerun interesting, although the story followed the movie so close that it became boring in places. Source: Booksprout. 4*

[Sandy T · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average psychological thriller which could have been combined in to one shorter story. I was happy it was a box set since the first book was a cliffhanger. I researched the author first and discovered the original 2nd book had been retitled when added to this box set. I was intrigued with the plot summary but was disappointed in the execution. I was interested in what really happened to Adele so kept reading. I felt the two books should be edited and condensed to be one.
There were several details repeated throughout the story which seemed unnecessary. For example, the main character Phoebe put herself down continuously. It was hard to care about the other characters based on how bad they treated each other. Being an psychological thriller, I expected some "bad" characters but I was looking for a couple of likeable ones. The mystery was made interesting with several twists.
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe and Adele are roommates and best friends. They have been best friends since grade school. Now a handsome neighbor, Alan, may cause problems between them that they never dreamed possible. Just when you think you have a grip on what's going on, Adele disappears. There are more questions than answers. I was hanging on by my fingernails as book #1 left you hanging. Thankfully, I had book #2 included, or I would have been going bonkers waiting to see what happens next.

This one had me hook, line and sinker with the fascinating group of suspects, mysterious happenings and twists that will leave you shaken. I really enjoyed reading this mystery. My only complaint was I think the language could have been toned down slightly as I do not think it added anything to the storyline. The mystery was fantastic, and I could not put it down.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lost & Found" The complete Box Set is a psychological thriller with so many twists & turns & a shocking ending that you'll never see coming. While the first book in the set "Lost & Found" was ok, the ending was put on a cliff hanger that makes you want to delve into "Hide & Seek", the second book in the set, immediately. When Adele goes missing, her best friend Pheobe is searching for answers & wants closure for her disappearance. In Book 1, "Lost & Found" delves into their friendship & introduces Alan, Adele's boyfriend. In Book 2, "Hide & Seek", Pheobe is obsessed with investigating Adele's disappearance. Can Pheobe discover what happened to her best friend & get the closure she so desperately seeks? Read this gripping page-turner to find out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Siya_in_fictional_world · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you booksirens for providing me the digital copy of both books in Lost And Found series.
I really enjoyed the first book, The mystery was gripping and it peaked my interest how Phoebe navigated her feelings along with dealing with her missing friend. I liked how everyone was a suspect and then the story ended on a cliffhanger so it was a good start to Book 2. The second part seemed so much stretched and there were so many details at times that didnt seem necessary and was distracting from the actual story plot. The ending seemed so out of the blue plus i was really upset with Phoebe for still doing same things over and over again.

Overall its a good one time read as the story is interesting and you don't see the end coming which is always nice.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fascinating story.

Adele and Phoebe have been friends since childhood. They are living together until they finish college. Phoebe has a crush on Alan from across the street. Adele makes a move on him and she and Alan become a couple.

However, Adele is not faithful. She is having an affair with Greg, one of their student friends.

Then Adele goes missing. Does this have something to do with the book Lost and Found that both Adele and Alan have copies of?

The story is intriguing and the ending was unexpected.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tracey Hadiaris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I enjoyed this book and it held my interest for the entire 2 books I wasn't riveted. The story itself held promise and although interesting I found the main character made too many bad life choices more then once. The first book finished without a conclusion to her missing friend so there was no way you could read just the one book. I didn't warm to any of the characters as none of them were particularly nice or complete relatable.It was an easy ready and flowed comfortably but wasn't my best.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lost and Found Box Set is a thrilling two volume collection which includes Lost and Found, and its' sequel Hide and Seek. Lost and Found is the story of Adele and Phoebe who have been best friends forever. Cracks begin to form in their friendship when Phoebe sees Adele in her neighbor' home and realizes she may not know Adele as well as she thought she did. It's not long until Adele goes missing which leads into the Hide and Seek book. This intriguing box set is well written and has mystery, suspense, plot twists, and shocking revelations.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! I'm still smh and marinating on what I just devoured. I figured out some of this, but the rest just gobsmacked me. This was an ingeniously masterfully crafted living nightmares, that I found gripping and compelling. You never know people and their limits with how far they'll go for something or someone they desire or want.

For the most part, I was mesmerized with this thriller and couldn't read fast enough to get to the end. I loved every twist and turn. I voluntarily read a free copy of this book provided by book sirens and am giving an honest opinion .

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review. Childhood friends Adele and Phoebe never had a perfect friendship, but they've made it work. That is, until Alan comes along. Lust, jealousy and betrayal have tragic consequences when the unthinkable happens. Who can be trusted? And can the lost be found? This was a gripping tale with twists and turns. There were a few pacing issues and a few abrupt character personality changes which felt out of place and disjointed. But overall this was a good two book series and worth a read

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2 book set was great, frankly it could have been just one book. It was a bit choppy, going from one thing to another without any warning but otherwise a super quick read. Love the story line and that I didn't zero in on the bad guy(s) until almost the end. Can't wait to see what this author has for us next.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Anne G. Kasaba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed both books in this set. This is part psychological suspense and part mystery, although the mystery is in a way secondary. The characters are engaging having multiple facets to their personalities. My only criticism would be that some of the protagonists never settled into a dominant trait. Still the majority are likable and engendered a sympathetic response. Definitely a set worth reading.

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am glad that this is a boxset as I would not have been pleased to be left with the cliffhanger in Book 1. However, the boxset was a riveting read and I enjoyed it very much. It was nerve shredding and unputdownable and I just had to keep reading to find out where Adele went. I must admit that Phoebe got on my nerves for being so clingy and spineless and I really wanted to give her a shake but it all adds up to one heck of a read.

[JM G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this thriller box set. Once I started reading them, I didn't want to put it down. I was at the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next. A definite page turner!! I don't want to spoil this book for anyone so I am not going to go into details. I recommend reading this set of books if you enjoy thrillers.

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a compelling set of read, that I found I did not want to put down! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plots. Vivid descriptions. Suspenseful and thrilling. Kept me captivated from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT pair of read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[Carolyn Valdez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this two book series was kind of slow and not interesting at first. It did kind of pick up more toward the end. The second book was a hold onto the edge of your seat, fast paced, and thrilling ride. And the ending was a shocker, at least to me. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers and a lot of suspense.


I received an ARC from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bougie Black Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Now that we have all of the legalities out of the way, this was a great series. The characters were well created. I liked that there was a twist as soon as you thought you had it figured out. It definitely made you want keep pages turning.


Moral of this series: Be careful who you trust and No One is who they seem.

[Sabrina Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the box set of Lost and Found. I am glad that I was able to get the complete set because I was able to keep up with the story and not wonder what happened and what was happening again. This book is very detailed and one man who has women all over the place. If you like sex, romance, players, and psycho ex's this is the book for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharmani Jayaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoebe and Adele are childhood friends but Adele betrays this friendship and suddenly disappears. Phoebe is left with a lot of unanswered questions. A chilling read that has you on the edge of your seat I received this ARC copy via Booksirens and leave a honest review. I recommend this book to other readers.

[Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs' · Rating 5 out of 5]

This for me was a re-read and I liked how it was all in one book, as per the last time I read it once I got involved in the story I just wanted to continue and find out what happened next, so it was great that they were all together. I enjoyed it as much as last time and the suspense still carried through.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read and I highly recommend it. When Adele disappears her best friend Phoebe must figure out what happened to her. Phoebe has seen her best friend Adele sneaking off with the handsome and mysterious next door neighbor and wonders what is going on and decides maybe she doesn't know her best friend as well as she thought.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued with this storyline and plot with interesting characters.

It was good to be able to read the boxset and find out the final outcome. Rather than be left on a cliff hanger of a first book.

There is plenty of suspense and twists to the storyline, building to that twisty completion, I never expected.

This is my honest and unbiased review of this book

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of your seat reading and grabs you from the start. Keeps you guessing until the end. There are so many twists and turns that it is hard to put down there. Interesting characters to follow along. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.