Lost Property

by Helen Paris

Brought to you by Penguin.

Dot Watson has lost her way.

Twelve years ago, her life veered off course and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career, now her time is spent visiting her mother's care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself.

But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife's purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission - one that could start to heal Dot's own loss and let her find where she belongs once more....

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Romance, London, Family

Audible Audio

First published April 15, 2021

About the author

Helen Paris liebt das Abtauchen in fremde Welten, ob virtuell in Geschichten oder auf ihren Reisen rund um den Globus. Seit knapp zwanzig Jahren lebt sie mit ihrem Mann zeitweise auf ihrem Segelkatamaran und ist auf allen Weltmeeren unterwegs. Eine halbjährige Reise quer durch Nordamerika mit Schiff und Wohnmobil hat ihre Liebe zu diesem vielseitigen Kontinent geweckt.

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely, lovely book. It tells the story of Dot whose father leaves her through suicide, mother by dementia and sister by marriage. Emotionally devastated Dot gives her all to her job, working in a Lost Property Office.

There is a lot of humour in the book as Dot navigates her days organising lost property with the aim of returning at least some of it to the rightful owners. However it gets very sad too when things do not work out for her. Dot's story is told in a beautiful way, often light and funny but always tugging at the heart strings.

There is romance too, again touched on gently here and there but always hopeful. The culmination of this actually brought tears to my eyes and I read that bit three times! I just loved this book and could hardly believe it is a debut novel. I will look forward to more from this clever author.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Library book of the month - that’s my reason for picking up this book. Like most of the books I read, I go into them with very little knowledge or expectation; that way it is a fun surprise and less of a let down. This book was the opposite of a let down; in fact it was more than I could ever have hoped for in a book…

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

One lost lady dealing with lots of lost items…Dot Watson has lost her way. Wracked with guilt and struggling with grief, she has tucked herself away in the London Transport Lost Property office, finding solace in the process of cataloguing misplaced things. It's not glamorous or exciting, but it's solitary - just the way she likes it. All is running smoothly, until elderly Mr Appleby walks through the door in search of his late wife's purse and Dot immediately feels a connection to him. She is determined to help and sets off on an extraordinary journey, one that could lead Dot to reclaim her life and find where she truly belongs...this is a moving and uplifting novel about finding your place in the world.

“Objects are time machines, in a way; they can recall the people we have lost.”

Entering into this story was like being wrapped up a in cozy blanket. It had charm and the MFC, Dot, had a unique charisma from the word go. While on the forefront this book is a book about lost goods, it is essential about a greater sense of loss. Recognising it, coming to terms with it and healing from it.

It is very much a character-led novel that is full off emotion, warmth and plenty of humour; both subtle and laugh out loud funny. It is book is a book that keeps on giving…dealing with everything from early onset dementia to line dance classes! It is packed full of rich descriptions and loveable characters.

While this book was highly entertaining and very readable, it also covered a few deeper themes along with it. Furthermore, there should definitely be trigger warnings for rape and suicide because they are key elements in this book. I would be lying if I said a few tears went unshed. However, I feel like Helen Paris dealt with these issues in a very sensitive way and left us with an overall feeling of hope by the end.

Whilst elements of this book were extremely sad and heartbreaking, there was also a lot of hope and inspiring messages that don’t go unnoticed. Some of my favourite uplifting quotes from this book are:
“Live, my darling. Always choose life.” ❤️‍🩹
“Life gives us so much chance, excitement and hope. But woven through it all is loss. If you try to pull out that thread, the whole thing unravels. Loss is the price we pay for love.” 🥰

Overall, I am so glad I picked up this book and I would definitely recommend it, but do beware of the trigger warnings as they are themes that cannot be ignored in this story. But, the reason I love this book is that Helen completely turned all upsetting scenes around to leave us with a sense of hope. This story and these incredible characters will definitely stay with me for a long time 😭❤️‍🩹❤️

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dot Watson had worked at the London Transport Lost Property office for a long time. She enjoyed the intrigue, the reuniting of special items with their owners, the cataloguing and marking everything off. But when the manager, Brian, left and another person none of them liked, stepped into his place, things changed, and nothing was the same. Unhappy customers, and unhappy staff.

Dot’s mother, Gail, was in the nearby nursing home with dementia. Her sister Philippa was married with two small children and settled in her ways – still bossy and telling Dot what to do. When one of those things was that their mother’s house had to be sold – also Dot’s home – Dot found herself lost. And with Mr Appleby, the kind and lost soul who had misplaced his satchel, Dot was determined to return it to him. It became her goal. Would Dot manage to find her way in life again?

Lost Property is the debut novel by Helen Paris and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Delightful characters with heartbreaking moments, heartwarming ones as well – Dot was an excellent narrator. As the details of what happened twelve years prior gradually came to light, I felt such empathy for Dot. Lost Property kept me captivated as I followed along with the different characters. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Julia Teece, Penguin Random House UK via NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5★

A story of love, loss and grief that is so full of warmth you won't want it to end, and a remarkable debut.

Dot Watson's life has shrunk in recent years. She's working at the Lost Property office for London public transport, living quietly on her own in her mother's maisonette, visiting her mum in the care home on weekends, and satisfying her desire to travel by reading the eclectic collection of guidebooks that come her way at work. It wasn't always like this, and we soon learn that Dot is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her father, to whom she was very close. Before she succumbed to dementia, Dot's mum got rid of almost all her husband's things and now all Dot has to comfort her is his pipe and the memories. But things are changing and Dot's life is about to get a shake-up.

There is so much to love about this book. Dot is a wonderful character - so caring and thoughtful in regard to other people's losses but so vulnerable and full of hurt when it comes to her own. Even if you don't relate directly to everything she's going through, it's still easy to empathise with her on many levels. As her story is gradually revealed, you can't help but wish her well. Then there's the Lost Property office as a setting. Well, maybe not as a workplace, but as a vehicle for the glimpses into other people's lives and at what they've lost. Dot speculates and marvels and really cares for them. Finally, I have to mention the flipside of loss - the finding. Of course not everything is neatly found, but there's enough to make this a satisfying read.

My only tiny criticism, and the reason it wasn't a full 5 star read for me, is that I couldn't see Dot. I know her fashion sense, that she has dark hair and is skinny, but I wasn't really sure how old she was or anything else to picture her in my mind (so, not fully pixelated, but certainly smudged). This novel has been compared with Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which I understand (although I'm not going to buy into it either way), but I mention it because in my mind Dot looked like Eleanor without the scars.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended read.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an eARC to read and review.

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, unexpected read!
I was expecting a ROM-COM style book, and there were certainly elements of this, but Paris delivers so much more. There were very funny moments, but the humour was needed, and it was provided at just the right time.
The job at Lost Property could not have been more perfect for Dot. It was fascinating to see how her story played out through the items that were handed in or searched for.
This book was utterly heartbreaking at times, Dot's relationship with her parents and sister made for very painful reading, and these have impacted Dot's life in so many ways. The guilt she feels since her father's death is palpable, and this spoke to me so much. My eldest sister passed away last year, and Dot's feelings echoed my own in so many ways.
It was a truly life-affirming read, and I have adored championing Dot and cheering her on through her journey.
Poignant and heartbreaking, I feel like I have lost a friend now I have finished the book.
The audiobook was acted brilliantly, and the narrator was perfect to portray Dot, capturing the humour and pain expertly.
Thanks to Random House UK and NetGalley for the ARCs to review.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Property is the first novel by British author, Helen Paris. When she was eight years old, Dot Watson had life all planned out: “First I’ll be a librarian, read all the books on the shelves, then I’m going to learn to speak five languages and travel all over the world, and then I’ll open my detective agency and solve complex international jewel heists.”

Decades later, her job at the Transport for London’s Lost and Found Department near Baker Street Station seems far removed from those early ambitions. However, the Lost and Found is a bit like a library, items catalogued and stored: “Lost Property itself has something of the past about it, like a museum, a depository of memories, a library of loss. I think that is why I have always felt at home here”.

Dot does get to vicariously travel the world via the many travel guides left behind; and, with ten years’ experience, she knows how to employ the detective skills her father inspired to track down an item or an owner. And when she does reunite an owner with their possession, it’s immensely satisfying, so there’s that.

In her own time, Dot peruses her travel guides and visits her mother, Gail, newly resident at The Pines Care Home, compliments of worsening dementia and a fractured hip. Her bossy older sister, Philippa is making noises about selling Gail’s maisonette to cover costs, a move that will see Dot homeless.

At work, Dot has been successfully fending off advances from Neil Burrows, the obnoxious and self-important holder of the keys to the Valuables cage, but with the boss’s retirement, Neil’s promotion makes this more difficult. And, in the interests of cost covering and efficiency, Neil introduces two measures that prove unpopular with both customers and staff: a reduction in the holding period before an item is sent to auction; and an increase in the (previously nominal) holding fee.

When Mr Appleby, clearly a true gentleman, comes looking for the holdall that contains his late wife’s purse, Dot immediately understands the importance of restoring this item to its owner. “Joanie’s purse, Dad’s pipe, Mum’s record –ordinary objects, extraordinary objects, objects that contain in their bodies a memory, a moment, a trace of a life lived, a person loved. Portals that we hold in our hands, willing them to transport us back to those we have lost, if only for a moment”

By the time it is handed in, Dot finds herself going to extremes to return it, despite being jobless and virtually homeless.

Throughout the story, snippets of Dot’s life, her family, her time in Paris and her work slowly build the picture of her life, and exactly why she has foregone the career she had planned is gradually revealed. Her grief at her father’s death is apparent from the start, but her guilt, and the reason for it, and her need for her safe words (sellotape, safety pin, superglue), are less obvious.

Each chapter is headed with a Dijon (mustard-coloured) tag bearing the details of an item lost or found. “Lost: Holdall Details: Leather (golden syrup) Woman’s purse (bluey-lilac) Bulbs (tulip) Trowel Place: 73 bus.” But of course not every loss is a physical item; people and abstract concepts can also be lost.

Paris populates her tale with a cast of characters for whom the reader cannot help but care (with one notable exception), and even those initially less appealing redeem themselves by the final pages. She gives them wise words and insightful observations; and she somehow manages to include line-dancing, absinthe visions and bullying.

Her description of Gail Watson will strike a chord with many who care for elderly or demented parents with clueless siblings who don’t recognise what is important. With gorgeous prose that will have the reader laughing out loud and choking up, often on the same page, this is an accomplished debut novel.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Random House UK.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book of two halves for me. The first half I didn't gel with at all, and I feel could have benefited from a cut of about a 100 pages or so to eliminate a LOT of waffle and unnecessary lengthy descriptions. I also felt like this was supposed to be the more funny / quirky part, but it fell flat with me and just left me wondering where this was suppose to be heading.

The second half settled down and finally felt we were getting to the bones of the story. There were some touching and poignant moments, dealing with tough subjects such as grief, depression, suicide, strained family relationships and dementia, which were handled by the author with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. Vivid imagery was also conjured for all the settings in the story.

With those kind of topics I would have expected an emotional read but something was missing. The main character Dot was an enigma to me, and for such a personal story I really needed more connection. On top of that, we had too many side characters with too little time to get to know them.

I did appreciate the author's intentions but wish it had been streamlined to achieve more impact on the crux of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher / author for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review.

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten Things I Found In Lost Property

1) The colourful characters who work in the Lost Property department: Anita, she of the capacious (but occasionally very useful) bag; Big Jim, denizen of the Pit where unclaimed items go to die; SmartChoice, the latest recruit from the temp agency; the awful Neil Burrows, boss of the department; and, of course, lovely, Dot Watson.
2) The humour such as the glorious scene in which Dot is persuaded by Anita to accompany her to a line dancing club, ominously named Descent.
3) Dot’s touching childhood memories of her beloved father, acting as (Dot) Watson to his Sherlock Holmes as they investigate mysteries such as The Case of the Imperious Sister.
4) Dot’s instinctive understanding that the value of objects that pass through her hands is often more than just monetary. ‘Ordinary objects, extraordinary objects, objects that contain in their bodies a memory, a moment, a trace of a life lived, a person loved.’
5) Dot’s deductions about the owners of lost items: their characters, habits or even the destinations they would enjoy visiting. ‘The other day, a man’s aubergine overcoat demanded Amsterdam so directly I was quite taken aback. It was evident in the belt, linked and worn from being pulled too tight, as if the poor chap was forever trying to bolster himself up… Strolling along the Herengracht canal eating a stroopwafel might just remind him of life’s possibilities.’
6) The need for precision when it comes to recording the details of an item handed in – no, it’s not yellow, it’s golden syrup coloured.
7)That there’s more than one type of ‘lost property’. For example, the declining memory of Dot’s mother, Gail; the imminent sale of the house Dot shared with her; the dreams and ambitions that go unfulfilled. ‘One can lose things in different ways. One can be out and about living one’s life, exploring exciting new pathways… and yes, perhaps one might lose a bag en route. On the other hand, one may stay put, everything safety-pinned securely in place, and risk losing so much more.
8) ’The sensitivity and insight with which topics such as bereavement, depression and dementia are introduced into the story so that, like a chocolate selection box, there is both light and dark in just the right proportions.
9) Learning the London Underground at night ‘smells of fast food and repressed devastation’.
10)The satisfaction that comes from doing a job well. As Dot observes, ‘Few things in my life grant me more pleasure than reuniting property with person, undoing a loss.’

Lost Property made me laugh, made me think and, at times, made me a little tearful. What more can you ask of a book? This is a novel you most certainly don’t want to leave behind on a train or bus; I’d say, make sure you hang on to it for dear life.

[Eeva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a bit of mixed feelings about this book.
I can't say I enjoyed it, but on the other hand I can't say i hated it.
Firstly, it's definitely not what I expected (and I'm not sure in a good way). After reading the blurb I expected sort of feel-good-story about Dot finding herself and making sense of her life while trying hard to help and older man to find his late wife's purse. What I got was a story of grief, losing a parent, death, missed opportunities. It definitely wasn't a feel good story.

The story is filled with irrelevant details which kind of blurr the plot and more often than not I found myself thinking "what's going on here?".
Writing wasn't bad but I struggled at times to go on and few times I was thinking of DNFing it. The last 1/4 of the book, when all the pieces started to fall in place, was interesting and I enjoyed it (much more than the rest of the book).

Trigger warnings: loss of a parent, suicide

I received this book from the Publisher in an exchange for an honest review

[Chantelle Hazelden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse/Transworld books for my ARC of this wonderful book.

Lost Property is not the book I was expecting.

I gained so much from reading this novel.

This is a story that is poignant and purposeful.

In this tale we follow Dot, this is a woman who cares deeply for her family, for her friends and in fact for anyone who should have the luck to cross paths with her.

She works for TFL in lost property, carefully sorting out and looking after items that have unfortunately been parted from their owners. I instantly felt warmth when reading about Dot, her nature was so gentle and giving.

What started out as quite a slow yet witty story turned into something a lot more necessary (in my opinion) as we get more detail about Dot's own personal life, the moments in time in which she's experienced. From her mum's gradual change with dementia, to the mental health issues that her late dad suffered so silently with.

I got the sense that this novel is disguised as something simpler but wrapped within those more carefree moments are deep, meaningful memories. And what I learnt as I read was that how each of us remember things is entirely different, what one person could deem as a good memory, another could have captured moments that were perhaps not quite as positive.

But however we see our past, it doesn't make any of those feelings less important or significant.

Dot inspired me.

Her attitude towards life was refreshing and it was a joy to see her feelings of guilt and grief being transformed into something more hopeful. The journey she takes herself on is one of self discovery and what she discovers is something that money can't buy. clarity and forgiveness (to herself).

A uniquely, compelling debut read that left me wonderfully satisfied.

[Pheadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen Paris is a talented writer who tells a story of our times but also of all time that evoked so many emotions in me- frustration, disappointment, sadness, anger and hope. Ultimately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves and this is a must read for those who've been deceived by a partner and/or family member, but also by those who are afraid to be true to themselves.
It is a tale of paying for the sins of the father, of loss and being left behind. It is the story of courage by a mother to protect and lift her children up, past the pain. It may be summed up in this line, "There's a difference though, between being lost and being left".
I wept for mum and both her girls whose personalities were shaped and coloured by the experience they lived through. One daughter became obsessed with reuniting lost items with their owners and in the process almost lost herself. The other became obsessed with taking charge like a sergeant major so that nothing could slip through the cracks and made her rather ugly and unkind on occasion, in an effort to protect those she loved. Mum herself was left to cope with shattered dreams, and unfulfilled hope. Heartbreaking and beautiful
5 unequivocal stars!

[Britt]

I made it to 40% and still feel like I'm waiting for the story to start. I was trying to push through, but after the third consecutive day of Dot's absinthe hallucinations of her father, I had to call it quits.

[Vanessa Menezes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve years ago, Dot Watson’s life veered off course, and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career; now her time is spent visiting her mother’s care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself.

But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife’s purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission - one that could start to heal Dot’s own loss and let her find where she belongs once more . . .

This was slightly different to what I was expecting. It starts of quite slow, and it did take me some time to actually get into it.

What I enjoyed the most in this book, was learning how the Lost Property office actually functions. I too have lost quite a few things in public transport, but I never really considered that there might actually be a dedicated office which takes the effort to collect and tag the lost items.

There were a lot of unique characters especially the main character, Dot. As we read along we get to know that she has had her fair share of struggles and losses in life. Though I didn’t favor the way she leads her life, I appreciate her dedication and seriousness towards her job. Her happiness at reuniting a lost item with its owner is something very beautiful and heartfelt.

Oh! And I also loved how each chapter began with a lost property label, I felt that was an excellent idea!

Overall, an enjoyable read.

Thank You to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for this ARC!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Property by Helen Paris

Synopsis /

Dot Watson has lost her way. Twelve years ago her life veered off course, and the guilt over what happened still haunts her. Before then she was living in Paris, forging an exciting career; now her time is spent visiting her mother's care home, fielding interfering calls from her sister and working at the London Transport Lost Property office, diligently cataloguing items as misplaced as herself.

But when elderly Mr Appleby arrives in search of his late wife's purse, his grief stirs something in Dot. Determined to help, she sets off on a mission - one that could start to heal Dot's own loss and let her find where she belongs once more.

My Thoughts /

Always choose life.

What a mixed bag of emotions! Struck by the notion that objects in our possession are often portals into who, as individuals, we really are, author Helen Paris, in this her debut novel, has captured beautifully the feelings of loss, guilt, and what-ifs.

Dot Watson has lost her way. Well, that’s a bit of an understatement really. Dot’s life veered off course twelve years ago, when something traumatic occurred and the guilt over it still haunts her today. Present day Dot Watson works at the London Transport Lost Property Office, spending her days cataloguing items which have been left (lost) on London’s public transport. Dot takes a great amount of pride in her work, is a stickler for detail. She handles each lost item with the care and deference it deserves as something which holds the memories and moments in someone’s life. Her happiness at reuniting a lost item with its owner is very heartfelt.

You have to be precise in Lost Property. You have to find the exact right words and fit them on to the modestly sized Dijon-coloured labels tied to every single lost item stored here. If you write ‘Woman’s Handbag, dappled burgundy’ rather than ‘Woman’s Handbag, red’, it can make all the difference as to whether that bag is reunited with its owner or languishes in Lost Property for ever.

Leather handle, you say? What kind? I ask. Looped? Stitched? Buckled? Chewed? Admittedly, it’s a challenge to make one black collapsible umbrella stand out from another, but I do my best. I pay attention to the details.'

Dot’s character is complex – multilayered. She’s lost her spark, is socially awkward, has stopped engaging if life; she adheres to her own rituals and has started controlling everything she can so she can feel safe and secure. In short, Dot Watson has stopped living. When John Appleby comes in to the TfL Lost Property Office, looking for his lost leather ‘holdall’, (which carries the purse of his late wife), Dot decides that she has to do all she can to find it and return it to him. And the scene is set for Dot’s journey to begin and when it finally ends, what she may have also found in the process, is peace.

The writing is beautifully evocative. The characters are colourful, courageous, daring and brave. Characters like Anita: she of the capacious (but occasionally very useful) bag; [Big] Jim: denizen of the Pit, where unclaimed items go to die; and SmartChoice: the latest recruit from the temp agency. Topics such as bereavement, depression and dementia are introduced and written with sensitivity and insight. In this book, Dot, through a series of encounters, adventures and one rather horrible episode, learns to be brave again. This is not a love story in the sense of being in love, but rather, it’s a story about familial love, a story about friendship and being content with your life, it’s about knowing when to keep hold of things and when to let them go.

Everything that is lost belongs somewhere.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally engrossed by Dot Watson and life at the Baker Street Lost Property Office. I read this one in just a day, and lost myself completely within the story.

Dot Watson is meticulous in her work. She's been a fixture at the Lost Property Office for many years. Diligently attaching the dijon mustard coloured labels to every single item that is handed in. Logging them, and shelving them and hoping that one day, they will be returned to their owner. Lost Property is Dot's life, outside of work, she has little else. Her beloved father is dead, her mother is living in a care home, and often does not recognise Dot, her elder sister is obsessed with money, status and cleaning and would love for Dot to get a 'proper' job and find a man. Dot's colleagues think she's a bit odd, and to be honest, she is odd. However, she's loyal and warm, she's just a bit lost herself.

Elderly Mr Appleby visits the office to see if his holdall has been handed in. Mr Appleby's story really touches Dot. It's not the holdall that he's bothered about, it's the tiny lilac-blue purse that was in it. It belonged to his late wife and he desperately wants to find it. Dot takes this to heart and is determined to find the purse. She doesn't expect to have to face up to quite so many of her own issues along the way.

Lost Property is a charming, heartwarming story that really lifts the spirits. It would be all too easy for this to be a little bit twee, but the author incorporates some hard hitting issues within the story, and does it with sensitivity and compassion. The characters are colourful and beautifully crafted, and as Dot's life seems to become more unstable and unfocussed, the reader really roots for her. There are some touching and quite heart breaking moments as Dot faces up to things from her past and battles with the implications of those on her future.

Emotionally rich and character-led, Lost Property is a sharply funny, wise and warming story.

[Emma Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Property by Helen Paris, is the authors debut novel.
The heartwarming story of self discovery for Dot Watson hidden away behind the counter at transport for lost property office.

What a charming little book this was, full of emotion and witty lines I loved it a lot and was the exact read I’ve been looking for in the cooler months.
The humour is outstanding Dot and Anita’s interactions are priceless including Anita convince Dot to go dancing with her.
I found Dot’s understanding of the lost and found so fascinating, the way they were all more than just lost items to her was really sweet. The detail of the book and how detail Dot is in her job “no, it’s not yellow, it’s golden syrup coloured.”
The emotional toll this novel take focusing on Dots mother losing her memory, oh man it’s too real and made me tear up at a few points.
I enjoyed the description of how the London Underground smelled, reminds me of exactly how the Melbourne metro tunnel smells like. “Fast food and repressed devastation.”
Dot’s relationship with her family was painful at point and so impactful. The guilt she feel, so real for so many of us.
A very needed read on my part.
Gail Watson is sure to strike a cord in the many who will come to discover this book, to help us understand what’s important.
It will make you laugh and cry and you’ll be damn glad you read it.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the (e)ARC
5 stars.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book is quite apt I think - because somewhere in the book, I am sure there is a good story but sadly its been lost in among a lot of irrelevant waffle that it sadly meant I missed any sort of story developing. The synopsis made it sound like it would be a good book to read too but sadly, I just couldn't find it.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that I liked. It is essentially a story about Dot Watson, who works in the lost property department of Transport London. She catalogues, files and organised the many many items that are handed in daily. There is a good mix of items from the basic lost glove or umbrella to more personal items such as clothing, jewellery and bags.

The story is a mix of her cataloguing and keeping things in order. But it is also one about her life and things she has missed out on. She has an older sister, the smart one who has bigger aspirations for Dot than Dot herself does.

Dot is a character who I feel comes across as much older than her years. She has that old soul feel to her. The author has portrayed a woman who kind of plods along in life going through the motions and sticking to a routine. She comes across as being invisible.

This invisibility doesn't mean she is a complete loner, she does have work colleagues who she seems to get along with. In some ways, Dot is similar to the items that are forgotten about and left on a seat as the owner rushes off to their meeting, work or getting home.

Part of me really enjoyed this story, but there was something that didn't quite make it more than an "I liked this" book. It does delve into sibling rivalry, loss and also an attack on Dot.

It is a book that I would recommend, but I do feel it may be a marmite book. A mix of contemporary fiction that does border on literary fiction.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each year I wait for that one book that grabs me by the heart and won’t let go. It’s only just February and I have already found it. That book is Lost Property. Every phrase, every sentence, in this wonderful story needs to be savoured. You can’t read this beautiful book too quickly or you will miss something worthwhile.

There is a very poignant moment where Dot remembers her father’s death and how her mother was washing and ironing his clothes to give them away to the charity shop. Dot is furious and can’t understand her mum’s behaviour. I remember a friend whose mum had taken her own life and how cross she was that her sister had started to clear her their mum’s house a few days later. She thought it was disrespectful. We have to remember that everyone handles grief in their own way. For some that clearance is cathartic, while for others it’s too painful. My mum died in hospital in 1992 but had been living in a nursing home and my brother and I had four days to clear her belongings from her room. They already had a new patient, but at the time it was terrible. In hindsight I can understand, especially as my mother-in-law passed away recently and we had to do the same thing.

I was at times reminded of The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan (one of my favourite books of all time) just because each lost item has its own ‘identity’. Like in Keeper, Dot gives some items their own back story. Dot also collects lost travel guides which have not been collected, taking them home and arranging them by country or other criteria. Occasionally she finds a duplicate which she then pops into the pocket of a lost coat or bag, very carefully matching the guide to the owner.

I cannot even begin to describe how much I loved this book. How much I laughed and how much I cried. The saddest parts of the story are when Dot visits her mum in The Pines care home, where she is suffering from dementia. I cried while reading – it was so beautifully written – Dot so desperate for her mum to remember something, anything. Just for a glimpse of the woman who sang like an angel.

I know one criticism is that Dot seems much older than she is, but that’s the whole point isn’t it? She is old before her time. I think she is only about late thirties – maybe 40 – but she dresses and behaves like someone’s maiden aunt. Until she finds herself again.

Her journey of rediscovery begins when Dot goes looking for an elderly gentleman named Mr Appleby, to reunite him with his leather holdall and his late wife’s purse. The only clues that Dot has to go on are a receipt from a coffee shop called Judges, that the town has a funicular railway and fisherman’s huts and that it overlooks the channel. I guessed immediately!!

But her greatest grief is over the death of her father and the guilt she feels. ‘Loss is the price we pay for love,’ says Mr Appleby. How true.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Paris’ incredibly poignant and heartfelt story of love, loss, grief and finding where you truly belong was simply spectacular. This utterly compelling, inspirational and emotionally uplifting debut was just so beautifully written and full of heart, if you love Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library then I definitely recommend giving this a read, it’s absolutely wonderful!

Dot Watson has lost her way, for twelve years she’s been wracked with guilt and struggling with grief and had tucked herself away in the London Transport Lost Property Office. Finding solace in cataloguing misplaced items and returning them to their owners. It’s not glamorous or excited but it is solitary—which is why Dot likes it.

That is, until elderly Mr Appleby walked through the door in search of his late wife’s purse and Dot her immediately feels a connection to him. Determined to help, she sets off on an incredible journey—one that could help Dot reclaim her life and find where she truly belongs…

I absolutely loved the level detail we are treated to, experiencing the day to day life of working in the Lost Property Office -receiving and cataloguing the list and abandoned items and the satisfaction she feels in reuniting those (often priceless) items to their rightful owners. It’s a mundane job but, it’s clear that Dot really enjoys the routine and the sense of purpose it affords her. In fact, finding out the author actually spent time in this very same office for research made me enjoy the details all the more.

It’s not until a new manager takes over that Dot’s long suppressed grief over her father’s death and mother’s severe dementia diagnosis begin to take a toll. It’s a deeply moving, emotional and realistic portrayal with flashback scenes of Dot’s childhood that really bring her (and all her endearing quirks) to life with this compelling exploration into rediscovering oneself, overcoming grief and learning how to find happiness.

I really liked Dot who was such a loveable protagonist that I quickly found myself rooting for her as she navigates her current hardships and reflects on some of the most important moments of her life (from her Childhood and teen years to her uni days spent in Paris.)

But, what I loved most was how well Helen Paris manages to evoke such emotion with every sentence, capturing a glimpse of very real issues that many people with be able to connect to— and the sensitive manner in which she tackles issues such as grief, mental health and the emotional toll conditions such as dementia can have on entire families was just incredible.

If you haven’t already I definitely urge to go check this one out, especially if you enjoy emotional and unforgettably heartwarming fiction.

Also, a massive thank you to Random Things Tours & Penguin UK for the physical copy.

[Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dot Watson works in a Lost Property office, but while working amongst the lost items, she realises that it’s herself that’s actually lost. When a customer comes in looking for his lost bag that contains something very important to him, Dot makes it her mission to reunite the bag with its owner, but along the way she realises that maybe she needs to find out where she belongs.

This book really has me torn. It definitely wasn’t exactly what I was expecting; I thought it would be a little more light-hearted, especially after reading the blurb. That being said, I didn’t not enjoy it, and it does have some funny moments. However, I also did find it difficult at times due to the issues it focuses on such as dementia, missed opportunities and grief. Having my own personal connections to dementia, I found that quite hard to read and feel that some others might also struggle, especially if they don’t know what they’re getting in to.

I liked the cast of quirky characters and enjoyed reading it for the most part, but it contained a bit too much waffle in places and had too much description at times. It made the story stagnate a little because sometimes the author used too many words when they weren’t needed which made sentences overly long and tad dull.

The character of Dot felt a little muddled, and I wasn’t quite sure how I was supposed to feel about her. I think she was quite difficult to pin down and therefore it was hard to really grow attached. Her actions weren’t always too believable and felt the author was trying too hard to create an Eleanor Oliphant type character.

There was a lot of heart in this book though, and it did make me think about my own life and experiences. I could see the author’s intentions and appreciate a lot of what was written, if only it could have been streamlined a little.

At the minute there seems to be a lot of books that follow this similar idea of an unconventional person’s journey (The Seven Rules of Elvira Carr, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, The Lost Letters of William Woolf, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Where’d You Go Bernadette etc). Lost Property fits easily into that genre, and is more enjoyable than many of the others, just not the top pick.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Fay Flude · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, if you don't read past the first line, READ THIS HEAVENLY, SUBLIME and UTTERLY GORGEOUS book!!!!!
Worth at least TWENTY stars 🌟 I am privileged to have had the opportunity to read this book via two different platforms, Pigeonhole and Netgalley.
This debut novel is a heart-warming, often very emotional, and extraordinarily funny journey of self discovery for Dot Watson, tucked away behind the counter at Transport for London's Lost Property Office, with her Dijon labels, shaeffer pen and felt uniform. Dot is lost, very lost, and it is much safer for her to live her life reuniting people with their possessions, within the familiar order and routine of her job, than to live her life out in the big wide world.
For anyone who struggles to feel comfortable in social situations, for anyone who is trapped in a snow globe of hurt, and for anyone trying to escape the guilt of the past, this will be a journey of self discovery for you too.
Never have I felt so moved by a book (except perhaps when I read Anna McPartlin's Below the Big Blue Sky, which isn't better, but on a par with) and it was an honour to discover just how Dot, through a series of encounters, adventures and a rather horrible episode, learns to be brave again.
This is a book that made me laugh, made me cry, shocked me, tore me apart emotionally and rebuilt a better version of me! The challenging topics of loss and guilt are written about with such exquisite tenderness, I found myself wanting to write down virtually every line I read in an attempt to capture the fragile beauty and never let it go.
A TOP Top read for me and one which I will treasure. I need to buy a physical copy so that I can keep it close by and use it as a guide, not for travelling, in the way that Dot collects travel guides, but a manual for my emotions, an inspirational reminder that no matter what life throws at us in terms of hardship, there is always a glimmer of hope worth reaching out for and following.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story wasn't quite what I was expecting, from the cover or the description. I had a vague image in my mind of lost property worker Dot travelling around reuniting missing items with their owners and - maybe - finding herself along the way (rather along the lines of Mark Wallington's The Missing Postman). There is a bit of that, but it's not the main focus and Lost Property is a darker read than might be supposed from that jaunty cover.

Dot has lost her beloved father, her mother is slipping away into dementia in a care home, and her own life has stalled for some years in the Baker Street Lost Property office, cataloguing the diverse, sometimes bizarre items which come in and reuniting people with their misplaced brollies and jackets. It's a far cry from the life she once expected, but it seems Dot's horizons have shrunk considerably.

Although it did feel slow and took a while for me to get into, it's worth sticking with it as Dot's story gradually emerges.

The book had an old-fashioned feel to it - at the beginning I wasn't sure when it was taking place, but it does seem to be more or less the present day - and I couldn't quite work out how old Dot was meant to be. Her name and demeanour gave the impression of someone older than she really was - I think she's probably in her late thirties, though I'm not sure if it's actually said.

The writing is beautifully evocative, particularly around the lost items and Dot's inner life.

A poignant, insightful exploration of loss and rediscovery.

[Helen Costello · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not the book I was expecting. I struggled with the writing style - The author is obviously very keen on words and their origins and unfortunately seems intent on using as many as possible all at once. I still felt at the end of the book that I don’t quite know who Dot Watson is - Is she a rather lovable, sad type along the lines of Eleanor Oliphant or someone who people warm to but loses her way? The parts about her family were there best for me - tinged with sadness. I don’t do well reading about dementia storylines. I couldn’t get to grips with the hold-all storyline but wanted to - I just felt there was so many sentences getting in the way of us being told exactly why Dot was so desperate to reunite the belongings with their owner. Especially as she appeared to leave the job so easily for someone who cared so much.

[Jenny H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dot works in a lost property office, appropriate as she is somewhat a lost soul herself, with not much of a life outside her work. She lives by herself in the family home, but her sister Philippa needs to sell it to pay their mother's care home fees. With her low-paid job, how will Dot afford to live elsewhere? She comes up with an ingenious, highly secret, solution, including a quest to reunite an important missing item with its owner. Helen Paris writes with a poetic turn of phrase, full of light-hearted quips, making what could be a sad story both touching and amusing. Love the chapter headings with their own lost luggage tags!

[Susan Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful book woven around loss, regret and memories, yet lifted by its sensitivity, poignancy and beautifully descriptive writing around emotions. Dot’s crippling guilt and how it quite literally put her life on hold was so believable I spent the whole book urging her to be brave and rediscover herself. I also really loved the part where Dot found Gail and the superb writing around dementia. Thank you to The Pigeonhole and Helen Paris for giving us the opportunity to participate in this truly lovely read.

[Emandherbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the perfect story to bring me out of my reading slump! It was such a unique setting and interesting backdrop.

I absolutely adored Dot’s character and loved following her on her journey. There was some tough subject matter with strong reference to suicide but I believe this was handled well!

A wonderful and ultimately uplifting story of self-discovery.

[Sue Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with Pigeonhole over 10 days. What a lovely book! Moments of extreme sadness, childhood memories, anger, misunderstandings, and finally hope! Dot proved to be a remarkable character, one whom I looked forward to reading about every day. I shall miss her, along with the most original chapter headings I have come across! Thanks Pigeon and Helen for giving me the chance to read such an inspiring book!

[Therese Sköldehammar · Rating 4 out of 5]

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