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The Island of the Lost
Liv doesn't believe in ghosts.
There is a small island off the coast of Italy that was once the site of a plague quarantine station, and later a psychiatric asylum. It now sits deserted, home only to the shadows of local folklore.
Liv doesn't believe her sister is dead.
Granted special permission to visit for a writing assignment, Liv sets sail for the abandoned island, but only she knows the real reason. She is certain it is the last place her twin sister Mia visited before she vanished eighteen months ago.
But Liv believes in whatever is on this island.
Alone with only her colleague Sam, Liv can't deny how unsettling the place truly is. How can a church tower toll when there is no bell? What is the ghostly figure in her peripheral vision? And why can she smell the smoke of burning bodies?
There is a small island off the coast of Italy that was once the site of a plague quarantine station, and later a psychiatric asylum. It now sits deserted, home only to the shadows of local folklore.
Liv doesn't believe her sister is dead.
Granted special permission to visit for a writing assignment, Liv sets sail for the abandoned island, but only she knows the real reason. She is certain it is the last place her twin sister Mia visited before she vanished eighteen months ago.
But Liv believes in whatever is on this island.
Alone with only her colleague Sam, Liv can't deny how unsettling the place truly is. How can a church tower toll when there is no bell? What is the ghostly figure in her peripheral vision? And why can she smell the smoke of burning bodies?
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
July 8, 2026
3.5 rounded up
“ I do not believe in ghosts, I do not believe in whatever is on this island”. That would be Poveglia in Italy, once used as quarantine for the plague and by 1939, it houses a psychiatric hospital. In the present day, Liv and photographer Sam, make their way across to the island from Venice, ostensibly to film and record it, before a hotel is built. In reality, Liv’s motives are more personal as eighteen months ago, her twin sister Mia disappears. Liv is certain that Poveglia is the last place her sister visits before her disappearance. Mia, and their deceased Italian mother before her, are obsessed with the island, believing it has ghosts. Liv doesn’t believe in ghosts, she doesn’t believe her sister is dead and yet she is unable to deny Poveglia is a truly unsettling island.
First of all, I really like the premise of this debut novel with the Gothic elements being chilling, spooky and very ghostly. Aspects of the novel are creative, the ending is clever and unexpected, which is always a bonus! The storytelling is descriptive and whilst it does result in parts being slow, the author does vividly capture the atmosphere of the island, making it come alive. It feels claustrophobic, in part due to what unfolds and at times, it exudes danger. There are some very good creepy images which sends shivers down the spine.
I thoroughly enjoy the story of the real island and its folklore is fascinating and woven well into the plot. There’s a good contrast and balance between the scientific Liv versus Mia‘s beliefs and later, that of Sam.
In my opinion the first half is much stronger than the second, as here the pace is noticeably uneven. There’s too much going backwards and forwards in the storytelling with a lot of wandering around the island by the twins, which becomes repetitious. Memories of both girls are perhaps overdone, but I can see why the author includes them.
Overall, this is a promising debut and it’s clear Daisy Stephens can write well as there are some lovely prose and so on that basis I feel raising 3.5 to 4 stars is only fair.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
“ I do not believe in ghosts, I do not believe in whatever is on this island”. That would be Poveglia in Italy, once used as quarantine for the plague and by 1939, it houses a psychiatric hospital. In the present day, Liv and photographer Sam, make their way across to the island from Venice, ostensibly to film and record it, before a hotel is built. In reality, Liv’s motives are more personal as eighteen months ago, her twin sister Mia disappears. Liv is certain that Poveglia is the last place her sister visits before her disappearance. Mia, and their deceased Italian mother before her, are obsessed with the island, believing it has ghosts. Liv doesn’t believe in ghosts, she doesn’t believe her sister is dead and yet she is unable to deny Poveglia is a truly unsettling island.
First of all, I really like the premise of this debut novel with the Gothic elements being chilling, spooky and very ghostly. Aspects of the novel are creative, the ending is clever and unexpected, which is always a bonus! The storytelling is descriptive and whilst it does result in parts being slow, the author does vividly capture the atmosphere of the island, making it come alive. It feels claustrophobic, in part due to what unfolds and at times, it exudes danger. There are some very good creepy images which sends shivers down the spine.
I thoroughly enjoy the story of the real island and its folklore is fascinating and woven well into the plot. There’s a good contrast and balance between the scientific Liv versus Mia‘s beliefs and later, that of Sam.
In my opinion the first half is much stronger than the second, as here the pace is noticeably uneven. There’s too much going backwards and forwards in the storytelling with a lot of wandering around the island by the twins, which becomes repetitious. Memories of both girls are perhaps overdone, but I can see why the author includes them.
Overall, this is a promising debut and it’s clear Daisy Stephens can write well as there are some lovely prose and so on that basis I feel raising 3.5 to 4 stars is only fair.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
October 15, 2026
A fantastic story of love, loss, and family ties. The Island of the Lost follows a skeptical young woman, Liv, as she tries to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of her twin sister, Mia, and piece together her family's long-buried secrets. Armed with a writing assignment as her cover, Liv travels to a deserted, eerie island near Venice—a place with a dark history as a plague quarantine station and an abandoned psychiatric asylum. What she finds there is far from what she expected.
Daisy Stephens delivers a wonderfully crafted, deeply emotional ride with a rich atmosphere and creeping dread, letting us walk right alongside Liv as she follows her lost sister’s footsteps. A brilliant, haunting debut!
Daisy Stephens delivers a wonderfully crafted, deeply emotional ride with a rich atmosphere and creeping dread, letting us walk right alongside Liv as she follows her lost sister’s footsteps. A brilliant, haunting debut!
September 14, 2026
I never thought a book could deliver a jump scare but oh did it! Absolutely loved the setting, flashbacks into the twins lives and the ending. Was gripped from the start though to end (although frequent breaks were required to remind myself I wasn’t being stalked by a terrifying plague doctor). Read this on holiday and it managed to give me goosebumps even when out in the sun, such a captivating read.
October 1, 2025
An utterly haunting read. I loved the spooky history of Poveglia, more so because so much of its dark history is real (I disappeared into an Internet search hole for quite some time once I'd finished). The writing is utterly gorgeous, such that I never had to try to picture it; the imagery just appeared in my head. The relationship between Mia and Liv struck and resonated with me to my core. I absolutely loved this book — eerie, strikingly atmospheric and deeply moving. It stayed with me long after I finished it.
September 15, 2026
A beautifully written debut novel which manages to be terrifying, heart-wrenching and poignant all at once. I love how Stephens combines the chilling supernatural with very real human experiences of love, family and grief. The attention to everyday details in Liv’s memories and flashbacks grounds them in reality so that the whole story feels even more immersive and real, even when unbelievable things are happening on the island. I sometimes struggle to visualise when I’m reading but Stephens paints such a vivid picture with her words that both Liv’s life in the UK and the truly unsettling events on Poveglia were fully imagined for me. And it all works towards a fantastic climax which had me on the edge of my seat! I can’t wait to see what’s next from this brilliant author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
1 ⭐️
This had so much potential to be given a higher rating, but unfortunately it lost points in several areas as the story went on.
The setting and the beginning of the story were really great and fast-paced (covering the first 40%). After that, things just moved too fast, and I felt like we got several things that were unnecessary. Let's talk about our FMC: she was really, really annoying, and I didn't like her at all. Her actions and what she said at times felt childish and illogical—especially since she claims to be logical, and she was the one who got herself into that situation in the first place.
Now, regarding other aspects of the story: our main character searched about the island to learn more about it—which is good—did she find anything? NO. That really bothered me because in the very beginning of the book, we get a single prologue from 1939 featuring a doctor. What was the point of that, except for it being mentioned a few times throughout the story? When our character didn't find anything about the island, I thought maybe she would find something that would help her solve the situation—anything written or discovered by the doctor from that time. But nothing.
As for the ending, our FMC wasn't the one who solved the problem (if you read the book, you know who did). This got resolved in about 10 minutes; it didn't take a long time, and it was easy, with nothing complicated or requiring deeper knowledge to solve. So I thought, THAT'S IT???? There was no suspense at all, and the dreams they had felt pointless.
Everything about the synopsis sounded great, but the execution wasn't there at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This had so much potential to be given a higher rating, but unfortunately it lost points in several areas as the story went on.
The setting and the beginning of the story were really great and fast-paced (covering the first 40%). After that, things just moved too fast, and I felt like we got several things that were unnecessary. Let's talk about our FMC: she was really, really annoying, and I didn't like her at all. Her actions and what she said at times felt childish and illogical—especially since she claims to be logical, and she was the one who got herself into that situation in the first place.
Now, regarding other aspects of the story: our main character searched about the island to learn more about it—which is good—did she find anything? NO. That really bothered me because in the very beginning of the book, we get a single prologue from 1939 featuring a doctor. What was the point of that, except for it being mentioned a few times throughout the story? When our character didn't find anything about the island, I thought maybe she would find something that would help her solve the situation—anything written or discovered by the doctor from that time. But nothing.
As for the ending, our FMC wasn't the one who solved the problem (if you read the book, you know who did). This got resolved in about 10 minutes; it didn't take a long time, and it was easy, with nothing complicated or requiring deeper knowledge to solve. So I thought, THAT'S IT???? There was no suspense at all, and the dreams they had felt pointless.
Everything about the synopsis sounded great, but the execution wasn't there at all.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2026
What a fantastic debut novel from Daisy Stephens. Atmospheric, chilling and immersive, with descriptions that sent me straight to the abandoned island of Poveglia. This is a book about loss, grief and connection, all woven together against the backdrop of a decrepit old asylum.
I am a very visual reader, but it has been a long time since I’ve been able to picture a scene so vividly. That all comes down to the detailed, thoughtful prose Daisy uses.
I devoured this book in just a few sittings, reading it as I walked from the train through the streets to my home, desperate to know what lay ahead for Liv on her quest to find her sister.
It has made me very excited to see what Stephens has in store for us next!
I am a very visual reader, but it has been a long time since I’ve been able to picture a scene so vividly. That all comes down to the detailed, thoughtful prose Daisy uses.
I devoured this book in just a few sittings, reading it as I walked from the train through the streets to my home, desperate to know what lay ahead for Liv on her quest to find her sister.
It has made me very excited to see what Stephens has in store for us next!
September 17, 2026
The Island of the Lost absolutely delivered on creating an isolated, deeply creepy atmosphere. I loved how the narrative dug into the unsettling history of the island and allowed local folklore to drive the plot forward. Along with a genuinely fun jump scare that caught me off guard, the book discusses the heavy theme of grief in a thoughtful, poignant way that gives the mystery real emotional weight. It is a beautifully written, captivating, and atmospheric read that packs that extra spook factor, making it the absolute perfect choice for an autumn. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.
October 7, 2026
A very enjoyable read. The descriptions of the island made the setting feel so vivid and atmospheric. Definitely a book that kept me gripped. Would recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★★★★☆ A wonderfully atmospheric and suitably creepy debut that makes excellent use of its haunting real-life setting, even if some of the mystery and character development don't quite live up to its fantastic premise.
I was really intrigued by The Island of the Lost from the moment I read the blurb, I've personally visited the real island of Poveglia in Italy and the ominous site of it is something to behold. This story follows that mysterious island, this abandoned plague quarantine station, from all the ghost stories heard about it from locals all you needed to add in were the elements like a missing twin and a creepy plague doctor? It sounded like exactly the kind of atmospheric horror I would enjoy, and thankfully, there is a lot here that works really well.
The novel follows Liv, who travels to the abandoned island of Poveglia with her colleague Sam under the pretence of researching it for an article. However, Liv has a much more personal reason for being there. Her twin sister Mia disappeared eighteen months earlier, and Liv is convinced that Poveglia was the last place she visited. Despite insisting that she doesn't believe in ghosts, Liv soon discovers that there may be far more to the island than its history and folklore suggest.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is undoubtedly the setting. Poveglia is a fascinating location in its own right, with its history as a plague quarantine station and later psychiatric hospital providing the perfect backdrop for a horror story. Stephens does an excellent job of bringing the island to life, creating a sense of isolation and claustrophobia that makes even the quieter moments feel unsettling.
There are some genuinely creepy moments throughout the novel. The imagery surrounding the plague doctor in particular is fantastic, and there is something incredibly effective about the idea of this mysterious figure appearing amongst the ruins of an island once associated with death and disease. The atmosphere is probably where the book is at its strongest, and there were several moments where I could almost feel the fog, silence and isolation of Poveglia closing in around the characters.
I also really enjoyed the contrast between Liv's scientific scepticism and Mia's belief in the supernatural. Their relationship, and their very different attitudes towards the island, adds an interesting emotional layer to the story. The exploration of their childhood and their connection to their Italian mother also gives the mystery a more personal element, rather than the island simply being a creepy location for the sake of it.
The structure of the story worked well for me for the most part. Starting with a glimpse into the island's past before moving into Liv's present-day investigation was a great way of establishing the atmosphere, while the later introduction of Mia's perspective gradually fills in the gaps surrounding her disappearance. There is a nice sense of slowly piecing together what happened, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see how the two timelines would eventually connect.
That said, I did feel the pacing became a little uneven as the novel progressed. The first half was by far my favourite, with the mystery and atmosphere steadily building. Unfortunately, the second half contains quite a lot of repetition, particularly with the characters moving around the island and revisiting memories and events we've already experienced. I understand what Stephens was trying to achieve with some of this, but there were moments where I felt the story could have moved forward a little quicker.
I also think some of the characters could have been developed further. Liv works well as the central character, but I would have liked more distinction between her and Mia, particularly given how important their relationship is to the story. Sam also feels somewhat underused, especially considering the role he initially appears to play. There was definitely more potential there that I would have liked to see explored.
The horror itself is another area where I had slightly mixed feelings. The premise is brilliant, and when the book leans into its supernatural elements, it can be genuinely unsettling. However, I sometimes felt that the plague doctor was used more as a source of suspense and jump scares than as the truly terrifying presence the story initially suggests he could be. I wanted a little more from this aspect of the story because the concept is so good.
The ending, however, worked for me. While I can understand why some readers may find the twist somewhat predictable, I still enjoyed the way everything came together and thought the final chapter was particularly well written. There are some lovely moments of prose throughout the book, and the ending really highlights what Stephens is capable of when she slows down and lets the atmosphere and emotion take centre stage.
Overall, The Island of the Lost is a promising debut with an excellent premise and a fantastic setting. It doesn't completely deliver on all of its potential, particularly when it comes to the pacing, character development and some of the horror elements, but there is still a lot to enjoy here.
For me, this sits somewhere around the 4 star mark which feels fair, parts dip in the story but overall it's pretty consistent with a 4 star book. The atmosphere alone makes this worth reading, and Stephens clearly has a talent for creating vivid and unsettling settings. Poveglia is fascinating, the premise is compelling, and there are enough genuinely creepy moments to make this an enjoyable horror read.
I'd definitely be interested in seeing what Daisy Stephens does next.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an early copy of the book in exchange for this review.
I was really intrigued by The Island of the Lost from the moment I read the blurb, I've personally visited the real island of Poveglia in Italy and the ominous site of it is something to behold. This story follows that mysterious island, this abandoned plague quarantine station, from all the ghost stories heard about it from locals all you needed to add in were the elements like a missing twin and a creepy plague doctor? It sounded like exactly the kind of atmospheric horror I would enjoy, and thankfully, there is a lot here that works really well.
The novel follows Liv, who travels to the abandoned island of Poveglia with her colleague Sam under the pretence of researching it for an article. However, Liv has a much more personal reason for being there. Her twin sister Mia disappeared eighteen months earlier, and Liv is convinced that Poveglia was the last place she visited. Despite insisting that she doesn't believe in ghosts, Liv soon discovers that there may be far more to the island than its history and folklore suggest.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is undoubtedly the setting. Poveglia is a fascinating location in its own right, with its history as a plague quarantine station and later psychiatric hospital providing the perfect backdrop for a horror story. Stephens does an excellent job of bringing the island to life, creating a sense of isolation and claustrophobia that makes even the quieter moments feel unsettling.
There are some genuinely creepy moments throughout the novel. The imagery surrounding the plague doctor in particular is fantastic, and there is something incredibly effective about the idea of this mysterious figure appearing amongst the ruins of an island once associated with death and disease. The atmosphere is probably where the book is at its strongest, and there were several moments where I could almost feel the fog, silence and isolation of Poveglia closing in around the characters.
I also really enjoyed the contrast between Liv's scientific scepticism and Mia's belief in the supernatural. Their relationship, and their very different attitudes towards the island, adds an interesting emotional layer to the story. The exploration of their childhood and their connection to their Italian mother also gives the mystery a more personal element, rather than the island simply being a creepy location for the sake of it.
The structure of the story worked well for me for the most part. Starting with a glimpse into the island's past before moving into Liv's present-day investigation was a great way of establishing the atmosphere, while the later introduction of Mia's perspective gradually fills in the gaps surrounding her disappearance. There is a nice sense of slowly piecing together what happened, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see how the two timelines would eventually connect.
That said, I did feel the pacing became a little uneven as the novel progressed. The first half was by far my favourite, with the mystery and atmosphere steadily building. Unfortunately, the second half contains quite a lot of repetition, particularly with the characters moving around the island and revisiting memories and events we've already experienced. I understand what Stephens was trying to achieve with some of this, but there were moments where I felt the story could have moved forward a little quicker.
I also think some of the characters could have been developed further. Liv works well as the central character, but I would have liked more distinction between her and Mia, particularly given how important their relationship is to the story. Sam also feels somewhat underused, especially considering the role he initially appears to play. There was definitely more potential there that I would have liked to see explored.
The horror itself is another area where I had slightly mixed feelings. The premise is brilliant, and when the book leans into its supernatural elements, it can be genuinely unsettling. However, I sometimes felt that the plague doctor was used more as a source of suspense and jump scares than as the truly terrifying presence the story initially suggests he could be. I wanted a little more from this aspect of the story because the concept is so good.
The ending, however, worked for me. While I can understand why some readers may find the twist somewhat predictable, I still enjoyed the way everything came together and thought the final chapter was particularly well written. There are some lovely moments of prose throughout the book, and the ending really highlights what Stephens is capable of when she slows down and lets the atmosphere and emotion take centre stage.
Overall, The Island of the Lost is a promising debut with an excellent premise and a fantastic setting. It doesn't completely deliver on all of its potential, particularly when it comes to the pacing, character development and some of the horror elements, but there is still a lot to enjoy here.
For me, this sits somewhere around the 4 star mark which feels fair, parts dip in the story but overall it's pretty consistent with a 4 star book. The atmosphere alone makes this worth reading, and Stephens clearly has a talent for creating vivid and unsettling settings. Poveglia is fascinating, the premise is compelling, and there are enough genuinely creepy moments to make this an enjoyable horror read.
I'd definitely be interested in seeing what Daisy Stephens does next.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an early copy of the book in exchange for this review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have to say that I have never heard of the island that this story is based on. Which is strange cos I do love this kind of stuff. I didn't want to cloud my experience with the book by reading up on it before I dove in but, after finishing I have since devoured all I could...
Anyway, that's by the by. We start with Liv and Sam on a boat as they travel over to Poveglia, a small island off the coast of Italy. It's usually off-limits to visitors, but they are journalists and have special permission to visit to write an article about it and its history. It's been a plague quarantine station and a psychiatric asylum so there is plenty to get their teeth into. But for Liv, it's more personal. It's also where she believes her twin sister Mia vanished from 18 months ago. She has vague recollections of her Italian mother having mentioned the island shortly before she died, hence the credibility of Mia visiting. A view that the authorities do not share, hence the subterfuge.
But there are rumours about the island, ghostly rumours, folk tales, talk of weird things happening. The church bell tolling when there is no bell. Ghostly figures in the corner of your eye. The smell of smoke when there is nothing burning. Rumours of the suicide of a doctor off the top of the tower... What have Sam and Liv let themselves in for, and what will Sam do when he finds out her real reasons for visiting...?
For a debut book this is really rather ambitious. And, to be honest, quite brilliant! When I finished the book and went to check out her back catalogue, cos I really loved her style and content, I was totally bowled over to find out it was indeed her debut. Colour me well impressed! Her research is meticulous and the way she has woven fact into her fiction is seamless. The characters all feel totally real and the way we jump around in time perfectly positioned for maximum impact.
The convoluted and interconnected plot was expertly executed, which was quite a feat given the nature of the way the book unfolded with the main dual timeline. The switching getting more and more frequent as the end drew near. If I have one small niggle, there were a few occasions where I forgot whether I was with Liv or Mia, but it didn't mar my overall enjoyment of the book enough to do anything other than mention it in passing. I would also have liked to have got to know Sam a bit better but I do understand that he had a part to play and did what he did well.
Pacing was excellent and matched the narrative all the way through and with no superfluous padding to distract, the book got on with itself very well indeed. Leaving me wholly satisfied (and a little heartbroken) at the end. With it being a debut, there is no back catalogue to investigate, so I'll just sit back and wait (im)patiently to see what the author has in store for me for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Anyway, that's by the by. We start with Liv and Sam on a boat as they travel over to Poveglia, a small island off the coast of Italy. It's usually off-limits to visitors, but they are journalists and have special permission to visit to write an article about it and its history. It's been a plague quarantine station and a psychiatric asylum so there is plenty to get their teeth into. But for Liv, it's more personal. It's also where she believes her twin sister Mia vanished from 18 months ago. She has vague recollections of her Italian mother having mentioned the island shortly before she died, hence the credibility of Mia visiting. A view that the authorities do not share, hence the subterfuge.
But there are rumours about the island, ghostly rumours, folk tales, talk of weird things happening. The church bell tolling when there is no bell. Ghostly figures in the corner of your eye. The smell of smoke when there is nothing burning. Rumours of the suicide of a doctor off the top of the tower... What have Sam and Liv let themselves in for, and what will Sam do when he finds out her real reasons for visiting...?
For a debut book this is really rather ambitious. And, to be honest, quite brilliant! When I finished the book and went to check out her back catalogue, cos I really loved her style and content, I was totally bowled over to find out it was indeed her debut. Colour me well impressed! Her research is meticulous and the way she has woven fact into her fiction is seamless. The characters all feel totally real and the way we jump around in time perfectly positioned for maximum impact.
The convoluted and interconnected plot was expertly executed, which was quite a feat given the nature of the way the book unfolded with the main dual timeline. The switching getting more and more frequent as the end drew near. If I have one small niggle, there were a few occasions where I forgot whether I was with Liv or Mia, but it didn't mar my overall enjoyment of the book enough to do anything other than mention it in passing. I would also have liked to have got to know Sam a bit better but I do understand that he had a part to play and did what he did well.
Pacing was excellent and matched the narrative all the way through and with no superfluous padding to distract, the book got on with itself very well indeed. Leaving me wholly satisfied (and a little heartbroken) at the end. With it being a debut, there is no back catalogue to investigate, so I'll just sit back and wait (im)patiently to see what the author has in store for me for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2,5*
Some of the best horror stories are actually about processing difficult life situations told through the lens of horror. So, to say that The Island of the Lost is about a haunted island and ghosts is a surface way of looking at it because Daisy Stepehens devoted a lot of pages to explore the loss and emotional impact it can have on a person.
Liv is reporter who came to Poveglia island with her colleague, photographer Sam to gather material for writing a travelogue on the island. But the real reason is that her twin sister, Mia has gone missing over a year ago and Liv has a strong feeling she came to the place their mother told them so much about when they were little.
The premise and the gothic vibe of the novel Stephen owes to the urban legend surrounding the Poveglia island near Venezia. Often being named as the "most haunted place on Earth", the legend say that 50% of the island is made of human ash because during 18th century it was where plague victims were quarantined and burned or left to rot in plague pits. Then it was a psychiatric hospital with more strange stories about experiments and doctors jumping to their death from a tower. Apparently, it was a place of interests for Ghost Adventures as well. The novel has all the usual staples of haunted places: jump scares, pictures with shadows, things you see in the corner of you eye and such. So, setting was already appropriately creepy enough which left Stephens enough space to build the story around it. Through Liv's glimpses from the past, Stephens wanted to show just how tormented Liv was for not knowing what happened to Mia and what she was ready to get some kind of a closure. She was lost on an abandoned island long before she came to Poveglia because she lost her twin and she doesn't know why and Stephens managed to depict that.
The mystery does get its own explanation and it was ok, but nothing more than that. Perhaps, if it was more extrapolated from their mom it would make it land stronger with me.
All in all, quick read with some well written scenes, but not memorable enough to stick with me, especially as a horror.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Daisy Stephens for an advanced copy of The Island of the Lost. All opinions are my own.
Some of the best horror stories are actually about processing difficult life situations told through the lens of horror. So, to say that The Island of the Lost is about a haunted island and ghosts is a surface way of looking at it because Daisy Stepehens devoted a lot of pages to explore the loss and emotional impact it can have on a person.
Liv is reporter who came to Poveglia island with her colleague, photographer Sam to gather material for writing a travelogue on the island. But the real reason is that her twin sister, Mia has gone missing over a year ago and Liv has a strong feeling she came to the place their mother told them so much about when they were little.
The premise and the gothic vibe of the novel Stephen owes to the urban legend surrounding the Poveglia island near Venezia. Often being named as the "most haunted place on Earth", the legend say that 50% of the island is made of human ash because during 18th century it was where plague victims were quarantined and burned or left to rot in plague pits. Then it was a psychiatric hospital with more strange stories about experiments and doctors jumping to their death from a tower. Apparently, it was a place of interests for Ghost Adventures as well. The novel has all the usual staples of haunted places: jump scares, pictures with shadows, things you see in the corner of you eye and such. So, setting was already appropriately creepy enough which left Stephens enough space to build the story around it. Through Liv's glimpses from the past, Stephens wanted to show just how tormented Liv was for not knowing what happened to Mia and what she was ready to get some kind of a closure. She was lost on an abandoned island long before she came to Poveglia because she lost her twin and she doesn't know why and Stephens managed to depict that.
The mystery does get its own explanation and it was ok, but nothing more than that. Perhaps, if it was more extrapolated from their mom it would make it land stronger with me.
All in all, quick read with some well written scenes, but not memorable enough to stick with me, especially as a horror.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Daisy Stephens for an advanced copy of The Island of the Lost. All opinions are my own.
September 11, 2026
I looked into Poveglia Island right after reading this book and immediately regretted it. It's been abandoned ever since it was used as a quarantine station in 1776 and a psychiatric hospital later in 1968. Known as a Ghost city, and with it's dark past, the author created the most eerie and unsettling atmosphere around it. It was SO good!
The book follows Liv who travels to an abandoned Italian island that she believes is where her twin sister Mia vanished eighteen months prior. Accompanied by her colleague Sam, it does not take them long on the island to realize something is very, very wrong. Spooky sounds, spectral apparitions, awful discoveries and of course, the question of whether Liv is unearthing what happened to Mia or whether she herself is losing her grip on reality.
The atmosphere was definitely my most favourite aspect of this book. The island felt truly eerie and I adored the lingering sense that things had gone awry; the islands history, the sense of total isolation combined with the odd occurrence of unexplained events that were happening around Sam and Liv culminated to create a fantastically spooky feel I yearn for.
I really liked the story of Mia too. Liv's despair for the truth and to uncover what had happened to her twin brought an emotional side to the book which I liked alongside all the scary parts. I too was desperately wanting to find out what happened to Mia.
There was one reason that knocked off a star, and that was Liv herself! I could understand her sheer desperation to learn of her sister's fate, but honestly there were some instances where I literally thought she was being very selfish abd Immature, Like Girl Please have two seconds to think!! There were times when her choices felt so utterly reckless especially at the cost of both her life as well as the life of Sam that eventually it felt less like determination and more like sheer stupidity.
Apart from that however I was very engrossed. The island, the mystery as well as the spookiness were all working fabulously for me and I truly wanted to see it all unfold in this amazing and frightening novel!
If you enjoy isolated locations, paranormal locations/ haunted locations, creepy history and a mystery enfolded in an unsettling atmosphere, pick this one up quickly!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC*
The book follows Liv who travels to an abandoned Italian island that she believes is where her twin sister Mia vanished eighteen months prior. Accompanied by her colleague Sam, it does not take them long on the island to realize something is very, very wrong. Spooky sounds, spectral apparitions, awful discoveries and of course, the question of whether Liv is unearthing what happened to Mia or whether she herself is losing her grip on reality.
The atmosphere was definitely my most favourite aspect of this book. The island felt truly eerie and I adored the lingering sense that things had gone awry; the islands history, the sense of total isolation combined with the odd occurrence of unexplained events that were happening around Sam and Liv culminated to create a fantastically spooky feel I yearn for.
I really liked the story of Mia too. Liv's despair for the truth and to uncover what had happened to her twin brought an emotional side to the book which I liked alongside all the scary parts. I too was desperately wanting to find out what happened to Mia.
There was one reason that knocked off a star, and that was Liv herself! I could understand her sheer desperation to learn of her sister's fate, but honestly there were some instances where I literally thought she was being very selfish abd Immature, Like Girl Please have two seconds to think!! There were times when her choices felt so utterly reckless especially at the cost of both her life as well as the life of Sam that eventually it felt less like determination and more like sheer stupidity.
Apart from that however I was very engrossed. The island, the mystery as well as the spookiness were all working fabulously for me and I truly wanted to see it all unfold in this amazing and frightening novel!
If you enjoy isolated locations, paranormal locations/ haunted locations, creepy history and a mystery enfolded in an unsettling atmosphere, pick this one up quickly!
*Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely flew through The Island of the Lost by Daisy Stephens... a tense, atmospheric read that is equal parts ghostly and emotional.
The story centres on Liv, a writer who insists she doesn’t believe in ghosts. When she receives special permission to visit a small abandoned island off the coast of Italy. Once a plague quarantine station and later a psychiatric asylum... it seems like the perfect setting for a writing assignment. But Liv has a much more personal reason for going. She’s convinced the island was the last place her twin sister Mia visited before she mysteriously vanished eighteen months earlier, and unlike everyone else, Liv refuses to believe Mia is dead.
What follows is a haunting and increasingly unsettling exploration of the island and the secrets it holds. Alone except for her colleague Sam, Liv begins to experience things she can’t explain... a church tower tolling when there’s no bell, fleeting ghostly figures in her peripheral vision, and even the lingering smell of burning fire.
One of the standout elements of the novel is Stephens’ ability to paint the island so vividly. The imagery is fantastic... you can almost feel the isolation pressing in from all sides. The ruins, the forest, the silence, and the island’s dark history create an atmosphere thick with unease. The setting feels alive in the best possible way, becoming almost another eerie character in the story.
The emotional thread running through the book works really well. Beneath the hair-raising events is Liv’s grief, determination, and complicated bond with her sister. As the tension builds, the characters’ fears and vulnerabilities begin to surface, which gives the mystery real emotional weight.
A Quote I enjoyed:
That sense of being watched... of something just out of sight... runs throughout the novel and keeps the tension simmering.
This is also a very quick read. The pacing moves briskly, making it easy to finish in just a couple of sittings. Even with the fast pace, Stephens never loses the creeping sense of dread that hangs over the island.
If I had one small critique, it’s that a few moments felt like they could have lingered slightly longer to deepen the tension even further. But overall, the combination of eerie atmosphere, emotional stakes, and vivid imagery made this a very compelling read.
⭐ 4.5 stars
Many thanks to Daisy Stephens, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy. I received this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story centres on Liv, a writer who insists she doesn’t believe in ghosts. When she receives special permission to visit a small abandoned island off the coast of Italy. Once a plague quarantine station and later a psychiatric asylum... it seems like the perfect setting for a writing assignment. But Liv has a much more personal reason for going. She’s convinced the island was the last place her twin sister Mia visited before she mysteriously vanished eighteen months earlier, and unlike everyone else, Liv refuses to believe Mia is dead.
What follows is a haunting and increasingly unsettling exploration of the island and the secrets it holds. Alone except for her colleague Sam, Liv begins to experience things she can’t explain... a church tower tolling when there’s no bell, fleeting ghostly figures in her peripheral vision, and even the lingering smell of burning fire.
One of the standout elements of the novel is Stephens’ ability to paint the island so vividly. The imagery is fantastic... you can almost feel the isolation pressing in from all sides. The ruins, the forest, the silence, and the island’s dark history create an atmosphere thick with unease. The setting feels alive in the best possible way, becoming almost another eerie character in the story.
The emotional thread running through the book works really well. Beneath the hair-raising events is Liv’s grief, determination, and complicated bond with her sister. As the tension builds, the characters’ fears and vulnerabilities begin to surface, which gives the mystery real emotional weight.
A Quote I enjoyed:
“It is the footsteps I hear even when there's nothing behind me. Is it the movement in the corner of my eye when there's no one there.”
That sense of being watched... of something just out of sight... runs throughout the novel and keeps the tension simmering.
This is also a very quick read. The pacing moves briskly, making it easy to finish in just a couple of sittings. Even with the fast pace, Stephens never loses the creeping sense of dread that hangs over the island.
If I had one small critique, it’s that a few moments felt like they could have lingered slightly longer to deepen the tension even further. But overall, the combination of eerie atmosphere, emotional stakes, and vivid imagery made this a very compelling read.
⭐ 4.5 stars
Many thanks to Daisy Stephens, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy. I received this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was particularly excited about The Island of the Lost from its blurb – a mystery and a horror set on an island with an abandoned plague quarantine facility? Say no more!
Liv is on mission to find out what happened to her twin sister Mia. Under the guise of writing an article, she gets permission from the Italian authorities to visit the island of Poveglia – once the site of a plague quarantine facility. Are the answers she needs on the island? Or just a lot of new questions…
I will start out by saying I adored this book - it’s relatively short but I read it all on one sitting on a train journey, I could not put it down! The setting is brilliant, well described and atmospheric. Poveglia is actually a real-life place as well, so you can look up some pictures to help with your imagination, but Daisy Stephens paints a great picture of the place that this isn’t really needed. There are plenty of spooky moments and I really felt like I was on the island with Liv and Sam. Using the imagery of the plague doctor mask really tuned in to those horror elements nicely as well.
The plot is well-paced - using the first chapter as a flashback to the islands haunted past worked well to grab the readers attention and hook them in. We then start from Liv’s point of view on her trip to the island, as well as a few memories of her childhood with her mother and sister who were both obsessed with Poveglia. As the plot moves on, we are then introduced to another perspective and the book begins to jump between them, which kept the stakes high and my interest piqued. The end twist is a little signposted, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I wish we had slightly more character-building regarding Sam, who seemed to just be there as a prop for the first half of the book and then disappears for most of the remainder. That little critique aside, The Island of the Lost is an astonishingly assured debut and I cannot wait to read other novels by Daisy Stephens in future.
Overall, The Island of the Lost is an atmospheric horror with a fantastically spooky setting. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Liv is on mission to find out what happened to her twin sister Mia. Under the guise of writing an article, she gets permission from the Italian authorities to visit the island of Poveglia – once the site of a plague quarantine facility. Are the answers she needs on the island? Or just a lot of new questions…
I will start out by saying I adored this book - it’s relatively short but I read it all on one sitting on a train journey, I could not put it down! The setting is brilliant, well described and atmospheric. Poveglia is actually a real-life place as well, so you can look up some pictures to help with your imagination, but Daisy Stephens paints a great picture of the place that this isn’t really needed. There are plenty of spooky moments and I really felt like I was on the island with Liv and Sam. Using the imagery of the plague doctor mask really tuned in to those horror elements nicely as well.
The plot is well-paced - using the first chapter as a flashback to the islands haunted past worked well to grab the readers attention and hook them in. We then start from Liv’s point of view on her trip to the island, as well as a few memories of her childhood with her mother and sister who were both obsessed with Poveglia. As the plot moves on, we are then introduced to another perspective and the book begins to jump between them, which kept the stakes high and my interest piqued. The end twist is a little signposted, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I wish we had slightly more character-building regarding Sam, who seemed to just be there as a prop for the first half of the book and then disappears for most of the remainder. That little critique aside, The Island of the Lost is an astonishingly assured debut and I cannot wait to read other novels by Daisy Stephens in future.
Overall, The Island of the Lost is an atmospheric horror with a fantastically spooky setting. Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I blame my soft spot for crumbling Italian masonry and the sheer, predictable ego of people who think they can outrun a personal collapse. Liv is your standard issue; skeptic, clutching logic like a weapon to ignore that her life actually stopped eighteen months ago when her twin, Mia, just... evaporated. The setting is pure bait: an island with a CV that includes the Black Death and a mental ward. It’s a place that practically screams for you to turn the boat around, but Stephens makes Liv’s fixated descent feel uncomfortably rational.
The pacing is tight. No filler, just a slow, airless drag through the rot of Poveglia. Her colleague Sam is basically a human grounding wire, existing mostly to remind the reader that people with functioning survival instincts don’t go looking for answers in plague pits. Their connection isn't some tiered romance; it’s just two people bound by the visceral fear that their own brains are starting to glitch.
Stephens bypasses the tired gothic cliches by leaning into the sensory filth. It’s not about jump scares; it’s the smell of smoke that isn't there and the tolling of a non-existent bell. The prose is lean and observant. It treats the haunting as a mathematical certainty; if you go digging for ghosts in a place built on agony, you're going to find exactly what you deserve.
The momentum hits a snag in the final act when the mystery starts to lose its fog. I usually prefer my ghosts to stay metaphorical, and there are beats where the plot starts checking off genre boxes I could do without. Still, the engine of the story, grief turning into a literal, physical haunting, holds up. It’s a cynical look at the lengths we go to avoid a final goodbye, even if it means stepping right into a meat grinder.
If your past feels like a physical weight you're dragging through the mud, this will land. It’s a reminder that the real monsters aren't hiding in the basement; they’re the ones we’ve already invited into our heads. Sharp, brief, and it doesn't insult you with a bow on top.
The pacing is tight. No filler, just a slow, airless drag through the rot of Poveglia. Her colleague Sam is basically a human grounding wire, existing mostly to remind the reader that people with functioning survival instincts don’t go looking for answers in plague pits. Their connection isn't some tiered romance; it’s just two people bound by the visceral fear that their own brains are starting to glitch.
Stephens bypasses the tired gothic cliches by leaning into the sensory filth. It’s not about jump scares; it’s the smell of smoke that isn't there and the tolling of a non-existent bell. The prose is lean and observant. It treats the haunting as a mathematical certainty; if you go digging for ghosts in a place built on agony, you're going to find exactly what you deserve.
The momentum hits a snag in the final act when the mystery starts to lose its fog. I usually prefer my ghosts to stay metaphorical, and there are beats where the plot starts checking off genre boxes I could do without. Still, the engine of the story, grief turning into a literal, physical haunting, holds up. It’s a cynical look at the lengths we go to avoid a final goodbye, even if it means stepping right into a meat grinder.
If your past feels like a physical weight you're dragging through the mud, this will land. It’s a reminder that the real monsters aren't hiding in the basement; they’re the ones we’ve already invited into our heads. Sharp, brief, and it doesn't insult you with a bow on top.
September 30, 2026
Not far off the coast of Venice is a small, now deserted island called Poveglia. Poveglia has had a number of uses over the centuries but most famously it was a plague hospital & burial site, and later a psychiatric hospital. Unsurprisingly, it has a reputation for being haunted. I have had a fascination with this island since I first learned about it as a teenager, so when I saw a book set on that very island, I couldn't wait to get reading.
The plot is fairly straightforward - thirty year old archaeologist Mia has gone missing, last seen 18 months ago in Margera. Twin sister Liv heads to Italy to look for her. Knowing Mia always had an obsession with the island and convinced she'll be there, Liv journeys to Poveglia determined to find answers. The major difference between the two is that Mia was always open-minded about the paranormal, where Liv decidedly is not - until she arrives on the island and starts to experience things for herself.
The descriptive writing in this is beautiful, the chatacter of the island, the sea and the weather are captured on every page in all their ever-changing glory. There were passages which had my heart beating faster and passages which reignited my own desire to see the island. I liked that this book drew on history and local folklore without relying on it or re-telling Poveglia's story.
I found that some parts did drag and felt repetitive, and there's always the law of diminishing returns in any kind of suspense-driven book. As soon as you see the creature you're scared of it loses some of its power and that was definitely the case for me here. There was a part of the story written from the perspective of the 'baddie' of the book which, while interesting, didn't add a massive amount to my experience as a reader.
However this is as much a story of family, love and loss as it the survival story of a woman stranged alone on a small, troubled island in the Venetian lagoon. Definitely worth a read as we come into spooky season
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
The plot is fairly straightforward - thirty year old archaeologist Mia has gone missing, last seen 18 months ago in Margera. Twin sister Liv heads to Italy to look for her. Knowing Mia always had an obsession with the island and convinced she'll be there, Liv journeys to Poveglia determined to find answers. The major difference between the two is that Mia was always open-minded about the paranormal, where Liv decidedly is not - until she arrives on the island and starts to experience things for herself.
The descriptive writing in this is beautiful, the chatacter of the island, the sea and the weather are captured on every page in all their ever-changing glory. There were passages which had my heart beating faster and passages which reignited my own desire to see the island. I liked that this book drew on history and local folklore without relying on it or re-telling Poveglia's story.
I found that some parts did drag and felt repetitive, and there's always the law of diminishing returns in any kind of suspense-driven book. As soon as you see the creature you're scared of it loses some of its power and that was definitely the case for me here. There was a part of the story written from the perspective of the 'baddie' of the book which, while interesting, didn't add a massive amount to my experience as a reader.
However this is as much a story of family, love and loss as it the survival story of a woman stranged alone on a small, troubled island in the Venetian lagoon. Definitely worth a read as we come into spooky season
- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one didn’t work for me unfortunately.
The story of Liv whose twin sister Mia has been missing for over a year presumed dead. But Liv doesn’t believe she is dead and gets permission to visit a deserted island close to Venice under the guise of a writing assignment in search of her.
The island used to be a plague quarantine station and later a psychiatric asylum and there is plenty of folklore from the locals of ghosts and unnatural things happening there.
The island linked to their mother’s Italian heritage, Liv is sure it’s where Mia last went looking for answers.
This is best described as a gothic horror but definitely more gothic than horror.
It just didn’t work for me. The island is interesting at the start but becomes quite monotonous as Liv (and others) wander around the island looking for answers with the very occasional spooky thing happening.
The book is more of a character study and people’s relationships and it didn’t work for me from this point either as the characters are weakly written and uninteresting.
The majority of the book is narrated by Liv and she just isn’t that interesting a person to spend time with. Everytime she narrates a new situation it reminds her of something in her past and we have to read through this little story totally disrupting any sort of atmosphere the author is trying to create.
Yes some of the flashbacks are relevant to the story but others aren’t and really it just felt like padding. Even when they were relevant, I felt my eyes going to heaven as we endure another flashback as little happens on the island.
There are some really nice descriptive passages of the island but they again become tedious as they also feel like page fillers as you realise there is very little to this story.
So yeah not for me. Hopefully others get more enjoyment from it than I did.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
The story of Liv whose twin sister Mia has been missing for over a year presumed dead. But Liv doesn’t believe she is dead and gets permission to visit a deserted island close to Venice under the guise of a writing assignment in search of her.
The island used to be a plague quarantine station and later a psychiatric asylum and there is plenty of folklore from the locals of ghosts and unnatural things happening there.
The island linked to their mother’s Italian heritage, Liv is sure it’s where Mia last went looking for answers.
This is best described as a gothic horror but definitely more gothic than horror.
It just didn’t work for me. The island is interesting at the start but becomes quite monotonous as Liv (and others) wander around the island looking for answers with the very occasional spooky thing happening.
The book is more of a character study and people’s relationships and it didn’t work for me from this point either as the characters are weakly written and uninteresting.
The majority of the book is narrated by Liv and she just isn’t that interesting a person to spend time with. Everytime she narrates a new situation it reminds her of something in her past and we have to read through this little story totally disrupting any sort of atmosphere the author is trying to create.
Yes some of the flashbacks are relevant to the story but others aren’t and really it just felt like padding. Even when they were relevant, I felt my eyes going to heaven as we endure another flashback as little happens on the island.
There are some really nice descriptive passages of the island but they again become tedious as they also feel like page fillers as you realise there is very little to this story.
So yeah not for me. Hopefully others get more enjoyment from it than I did.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Island of the Lost is one of those rare gothic thrillers that manages to feel both intimate and cinematic, pulling you into its eerie world with a quiet, irresistible grip. From the moment Liv sets foot on the abandoned island off the Italian coast—a place steeped in plague history, whispered hauntings, and the lingering echoes of an asylum—you can feel the air shift. The setting is so vividly drawn it almost becomes a character in its own right.
Liv’s determination to uncover the truth about her twin sister Mia gives the story its emotional pulse. She doesn’t believe Mia is dead, and that stubborn, aching hope carries her through every unsettling moment on the island. Her grief is raw but never melodramatic, and the bond between the sisters—felt even in absence—adds a beautiful, haunting weight to the narrative.
The novel shines in its slow, creeping tension. Strange sounds in empty buildings, a church bell that rings despite having no bell, the flicker of a figure just out of sight—each moment is crafted with a subtlety that makes the supernatural feel dangerously plausible. The island’s history presses in from all sides, blurring the line between folklore and something far more sinister.
Liv’s partnership with Sam adds grounding and warmth, but even their dynamic is threaded with unease as the island begins to reveal its secrets. The sensory details—the smell of smoke, the echo of footsteps, the oppressive silence—build into a chilling atmosphere that lingers long after you close the book.
Dark, immersive, and beautifully unsettling, The Island of the Lost is a gripping exploration of grief, obsession, and the thin veil between the living and the dead. A perfect pick for readers who love their thrillers with a ghostly edge and a deeply human heart.
With thanks to Daisy Stephens, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Liv’s determination to uncover the truth about her twin sister Mia gives the story its emotional pulse. She doesn’t believe Mia is dead, and that stubborn, aching hope carries her through every unsettling moment on the island. Her grief is raw but never melodramatic, and the bond between the sisters—felt even in absence—adds a beautiful, haunting weight to the narrative.
The novel shines in its slow, creeping tension. Strange sounds in empty buildings, a church bell that rings despite having no bell, the flicker of a figure just out of sight—each moment is crafted with a subtlety that makes the supernatural feel dangerously plausible. The island’s history presses in from all sides, blurring the line between folklore and something far more sinister.
Liv’s partnership with Sam adds grounding and warmth, but even their dynamic is threaded with unease as the island begins to reveal its secrets. The sensory details—the smell of smoke, the echo of footsteps, the oppressive silence—build into a chilling atmosphere that lingers long after you close the book.
Dark, immersive, and beautifully unsettling, The Island of the Lost is a gripping exploration of grief, obsession, and the thin veil between the living and the dead. A perfect pick for readers who love their thrillers with a ghostly edge and a deeply human heart.
With thanks to Daisy Stephens, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Island of the Lost is Daisy Stephens's debut novel, and just like Liv, our main character, Stephens is a journalist. It is a very strong debut; the abandonded island of Poveglia is atmospheric and spooky and I was pulled in by the story straight away. Liv arrives to Poveglia under the pretense of writing a story but is instead looking for her missing sister Mia. The island has a strange connection to their late mother, and Liv, the only one who believes Mia isn't dead, is sure she will find her sister on Poveglia.
The writing is very solid and vivid and the island was, honestly, immensely creepy. The writing made it easy to imagine the dampness of the cold January days, the lingering smell of the fire in the plague pits and the tolling of a missing bell. The island feels almost suffocating and I would be terrified to find myself alone there. However, instead of just a simple ghost story about an abandonded island that might not be abandoned at all, this is a story of grief; not only could I feel Liv's desperation to find her twin sister, but I could also feel the grief Sam, Liv's colleague who accompanies her to the island, carries with him.
The pacing also worked for me. It was never too slow, never too boring, and the story wraps up neatly when you want it to. I enjoyed the characters, their backstories (even though I wish we would have seen more of Sam) and the horror just worked for me. It was creepy enough that I didn't want to read this in the dark at night.
The Island of the Lost is a very good debut and I would love to read more by this author. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
I’d like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc.
The writing is very solid and vivid and the island was, honestly, immensely creepy. The writing made it easy to imagine the dampness of the cold January days, the lingering smell of the fire in the plague pits and the tolling of a missing bell. The island feels almost suffocating and I would be terrified to find myself alone there. However, instead of just a simple ghost story about an abandonded island that might not be abandoned at all, this is a story of grief; not only could I feel Liv's desperation to find her twin sister, but I could also feel the grief Sam, Liv's colleague who accompanies her to the island, carries with him.
The pacing also worked for me. It was never too slow, never too boring, and the story wraps up neatly when you want it to. I enjoyed the characters, their backstories (even though I wish we would have seen more of Sam) and the horror just worked for me. It was creepy enough that I didn't want to read this in the dark at night.
The Island of the Lost is a very good debut and I would love to read more by this author. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
I’d like to thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Click here for my full review.
The killjoys at the Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims on Pseudosciences want you to know that the island of Poveglia isn’t haunted. They explain that lurid tales about it—mass graves of plague victims! asylums run by mad doctors!—have no historical basis beyond TV shows like Ghost Adventures, whose host Zak Bagans claims to have been possessed by a spirit while visiting Poveglia. Presumably Zak recovered quickly, because that happened in season 3 of 30.
Compared to the skeptics’ version, Poveglia’s portrayal in THE ISLAND OF THE LOST is much more fun. Journalist Liv and her colleague Sam arrive on the abandoned island in search of Liv’s missing sister. Her family has a strange connection to Poveglia, and as their search takes them deeper into its abandoned buildings and empty towers, dark secrets begin to surface.
This story’s prose is compellingly atmospheric, especially for a debut novel (like her protagonist, Stephens is a journalist). The prologue introducing the ghostly plague doctor haunting Poveglia is taut and thrilling, while following chapters layer simile-rich images of “shadows between the trees spreading like ink” and night skies sparkling like a “watercolour canvas of blues, silvers and purples” until you can almost feel Poveglia’s suffocating gloom...
Read more here
The killjoys at the Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims on Pseudosciences want you to know that the island of Poveglia isn’t haunted. They explain that lurid tales about it—mass graves of plague victims! asylums run by mad doctors!—have no historical basis beyond TV shows like Ghost Adventures, whose host Zak Bagans claims to have been possessed by a spirit while visiting Poveglia. Presumably Zak recovered quickly, because that happened in season 3 of 30.
Compared to the skeptics’ version, Poveglia’s portrayal in THE ISLAND OF THE LOST is much more fun. Journalist Liv and her colleague Sam arrive on the abandoned island in search of Liv’s missing sister. Her family has a strange connection to Poveglia, and as their search takes them deeper into its abandoned buildings and empty towers, dark secrets begin to surface.
This story’s prose is compellingly atmospheric, especially for a debut novel (like her protagonist, Stephens is a journalist). The prologue introducing the ghostly plague doctor haunting Poveglia is taut and thrilling, while following chapters layer simile-rich images of “shadows between the trees spreading like ink” and night skies sparkling like a “watercolour canvas of blues, silvers and purples” until you can almost feel Poveglia’s suffocating gloom...
Read more here
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What makes The Island of the Lost so compelling is that Daisy Stephens understands a truth at the heart of all great ghost stories: hauntings are rarely about ghosts alone. They are about grief, absence, and the impossible desire to retrieve what has already been lost.
Poveglia is an inspired setting. Stephens transforms the infamous island into far more than a backdrop; it becomes a living presence within the novel itself. The decaying buildings, lingering traces of plague and institutional trauma, and oppressive isolation create an atmosphere so vivid that the island feels sentient, as though it is actively resisting excavation. Every toll of the bell, every unexplained scent of smoke, every movement glimpsed at the edge of vision deepens that sense of unease.
What impressed me most, however, was the emotional core beneath the gothic exterior. Liv’s search for Mia is driven not simply by mystery, but by the refusal to surrender hope. The novel captures with remarkable sensitivity the particular grief of ambiguous loss—the agony of loving someone whose absence cannot be fully mourned because certainty never arrives. That emotional tension gives real weight to the supernatural elements.
Stephens also demonstrates considerable restraint as a horror writer. Rather than relying on shock, she allows dread to accumulate gradually through atmosphere, memory, and suggestion. The result is a haunting that feels psychological as much as paranormal, blurring the boundaries between history, trauma, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Poveglia is an inspired setting. Stephens transforms the infamous island into far more than a backdrop; it becomes a living presence within the novel itself. The decaying buildings, lingering traces of plague and institutional trauma, and oppressive isolation create an atmosphere so vivid that the island feels sentient, as though it is actively resisting excavation. Every toll of the bell, every unexplained scent of smoke, every movement glimpsed at the edge of vision deepens that sense of unease.
What impressed me most, however, was the emotional core beneath the gothic exterior. Liv’s search for Mia is driven not simply by mystery, but by the refusal to surrender hope. The novel captures with remarkable sensitivity the particular grief of ambiguous loss—the agony of loving someone whose absence cannot be fully mourned because certainty never arrives. That emotional tension gives real weight to the supernatural elements.
Stephens also demonstrates considerable restraint as a horror writer. Rather than relying on shock, she allows dread to accumulate gradually through atmosphere, memory, and suggestion. The result is a haunting that feels psychological as much as paranormal, blurring the boundaries between history, trauma, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Daisy Stephens, Hodder & Stoughton, and NetGalley for the ARC.
A wonderful novel about grief and memory haunting not only a place, but also other people. When and where you get a glimpse of that ghost, no one can know. Liv is skeptic to believe such things are real, but with the disappearance of her twin sister, Mia, she gets torn between wanting to trust in her sister's beliefs, and her own logic.
The dread and truth are slowly introduced to us when Liv and her colleague, Sam, arrive on Poveglia to make an article about the island. The atmosphere is heavy and charged as they see the decayed, abandoned buildings, and they read about what happened in the past due to the plague. Add to that Liv's fear that her sister has also come here 18 months ago and her desire to find Mia, and we slowly descend down a path of fear and madness. We see Liv battle her own memories, her feelings, her hopes and her logic as she looks around for clues about Mia's whereabouts.
The setting of being trapped on the island with no way out helps to drive them close to panic and insanity. The fact that the island Poveglia exists in reality with its tragic past makes it even sadder for us, the readers.
The writing is amazing and immersive, some of the memories filling some details about the twins and their lives. Other memories felt too winded and long, taking me too much from the immersion of the present, especially if it happened during a moment Liv was talking to Sam.
A great read, great debut novel, can't wait to see what else she will write.
A wonderful novel about grief and memory haunting not only a place, but also other people. When and where you get a glimpse of that ghost, no one can know. Liv is skeptic to believe such things are real, but with the disappearance of her twin sister, Mia, she gets torn between wanting to trust in her sister's beliefs, and her own logic.
The dread and truth are slowly introduced to us when Liv and her colleague, Sam, arrive on Poveglia to make an article about the island. The atmosphere is heavy and charged as they see the decayed, abandoned buildings, and they read about what happened in the past due to the plague. Add to that Liv's fear that her sister has also come here 18 months ago and her desire to find Mia, and we slowly descend down a path of fear and madness. We see Liv battle her own memories, her feelings, her hopes and her logic as she looks around for clues about Mia's whereabouts.
The setting of being trapped on the island with no way out helps to drive them close to panic and insanity. The fact that the island Poveglia exists in reality with its tragic past makes it even sadder for us, the readers.
The writing is amazing and immersive, some of the memories filling some details about the twins and their lives. Other memories felt too winded and long, taking me too much from the immersion of the present, especially if it happened during a moment Liv was talking to Sam.
A great read, great debut novel, can't wait to see what else she will write.
September 28, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder - Stoughton for the advance digital copy of this book.
I love ghostly stories set in isolated settings so the description of this book immediately called to me. Liv travels to the island of Poveglia near Venice to search for her missing sister, Mia. Though they are twins, Liv is much more level-headed, while Mia believes in ghosts and developed an interest in the island through their Italian mother. Once on the island Liv's views are challenged by what she experiences while searching for her sister and she finds it hard to distinguish what is real and what is imagined.
This was such an atmospheric setting. The creepy forest, the derelict buildings, the empty bell tower and the stories of the island's past all helped too build a sense of dread and unease. I found the plague doctor imagery particularly creepy. This wasn't about jump scares and gore and if you're looking for that this book is probably not for you. However, if you enjoya story laced with atmosphere and ghostly chills this may be right up your street.
Having a twin sister myself, I really identified with Liv and her search. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I found the ending emotional. Grief was a strong thread throughout the novel which made it feel like more than just a run of the mill ghost story. I'm not sure if I felt the family's link to the island was explained satisfactorily for me, but that was a minor flaw.
Overall, I'd give this 4 stars, a great ghostly debut.
I love ghostly stories set in isolated settings so the description of this book immediately called to me. Liv travels to the island of Poveglia near Venice to search for her missing sister, Mia. Though they are twins, Liv is much more level-headed, while Mia believes in ghosts and developed an interest in the island through their Italian mother. Once on the island Liv's views are challenged by what she experiences while searching for her sister and she finds it hard to distinguish what is real and what is imagined.
This was such an atmospheric setting. The creepy forest, the derelict buildings, the empty bell tower and the stories of the island's past all helped too build a sense of dread and unease. I found the plague doctor imagery particularly creepy. This wasn't about jump scares and gore and if you're looking for that this book is probably not for you. However, if you enjoya story laced with atmosphere and ghostly chills this may be right up your street.
Having a twin sister myself, I really identified with Liv and her search. I don't want to give away any spoilers but I found the ending emotional. Grief was a strong thread throughout the novel which made it feel like more than just a run of the mill ghost story. I'm not sure if I felt the family's link to the island was explained satisfactorily for me, but that was a minor flaw.
Overall, I'd give this 4 stars, a great ghostly debut.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
’Solo per sempre: Alone forever’
The Island of the Lost is Daisy Stephens’ debut psychological horror set on the abandoned Italian island of Poveglia, where a supposedly haunted psychiatric hospital lays. We follow journalist Liv and cameraman Sam as they venture on to the island in search of Liv’s missing sister Mia. But what seems like an already daunting task turns all the more difficult when they realise the island might not be as empty as they first assumed.
Unfortunately, despite how much I wanted to love this book, it fell short of the mark for me. While the story starts out intriguing, slowly building up a eerie and claustrophobic atmosphere on the island and revealing the secrets both Liv and Sam are keeping from one another, it begins to lose all momentum by the 60% mark, leaving the ending feeling both incredibly bloated and rushed at the same time. I was incredibly disappointed by the paranormal aspect of the novel, which turned out to be a simple haunting rather than the mind-bending, surrealistic horror I thought it was going to be in the first half. Liv, Sam, and Mia were all acceptably enjoyable characters, but I didn’t feel connected to any of them in particular. I just wanted something more interesting and unique from this story, and I didn’t get that at all.
Overall, The Island of the Lost gets 3/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
The Island of the Lost is Daisy Stephens’ debut psychological horror set on the abandoned Italian island of Poveglia, where a supposedly haunted psychiatric hospital lays. We follow journalist Liv and cameraman Sam as they venture on to the island in search of Liv’s missing sister Mia. But what seems like an already daunting task turns all the more difficult when they realise the island might not be as empty as they first assumed.
Unfortunately, despite how much I wanted to love this book, it fell short of the mark for me. While the story starts out intriguing, slowly building up a eerie and claustrophobic atmosphere on the island and revealing the secrets both Liv and Sam are keeping from one another, it begins to lose all momentum by the 60% mark, leaving the ending feeling both incredibly bloated and rushed at the same time. I was incredibly disappointed by the paranormal aspect of the novel, which turned out to be a simple haunting rather than the mind-bending, surrealistic horror I thought it was going to be in the first half. Liv, Sam, and Mia were all acceptably enjoyable characters, but I didn’t feel connected to any of them in particular. I just wanted something more interesting and unique from this story, and I didn’t get that at all.
Overall, The Island of the Lost gets 3/5 stars.
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A book so vivid in storytelling, you'll dream of it.
This was such an interesting multiple POV story, and honestly, I think it would make an incredible story-driven video game. It gave me very strong What Remains of Edith Finch vibes, where the story is just as much about finding out *what* happened as much as experiencing it.
I really enjoyed being inside the twins' heads. You understand their thoughts and the reasoning behind their choices, even when you're sitting there thinking, "Please do not do that." You might think something is a terrible idea, and still understand why they made those choices.
The island itself was one of the highlights for me. The lore was genuinely fascinating, and I loved slowly getting a sense of its history and the things that had happened there.
My one real criticism was the antagonist's backstory. I wanted more from it. Their history felt a little too thin for a character who had such an important place in the story. The shallowness of their history almost felt ironic, because it seemed like the author was doing to them what the people before them had done. Reducing them to what others decided they were rather than giving us the full story.
This book gets under your skin a little burrowing deep and long, and suddenly you catch yourself thinking about the island when you're nowhere near the book.
This was such an interesting multiple POV story, and honestly, I think it would make an incredible story-driven video game. It gave me very strong What Remains of Edith Finch vibes, where the story is just as much about finding out *what* happened as much as experiencing it.
I really enjoyed being inside the twins' heads. You understand their thoughts and the reasoning behind their choices, even when you're sitting there thinking, "Please do not do that." You might think something is a terrible idea, and still understand why they made those choices.
The island itself was one of the highlights for me. The lore was genuinely fascinating, and I loved slowly getting a sense of its history and the things that had happened there.
My one real criticism was the antagonist's backstory. I wanted more from it. Their history felt a little too thin for a character who had such an important place in the story. The shallowness of their history almost felt ironic, because it seemed like the author was doing to them what the people before them had done. Reducing them to what others decided they were rather than giving us the full story.
This book gets under your skin a little burrowing deep and long, and suddenly you catch yourself thinking about the island when you're nowhere near the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My sincere thanks to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton, and Daisy Stephens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A strong 3,5/5, rounded up.
There's an island in Italy that once was a plague quarantine station and later, a psychiatric asylum. There's a woman who travels to the island for an assignment, but with a hidden agenda: she wants to find out what happened to her missing twin sister. Something seems to connect the sisters' family to this island and its tragic past.
And there's a strong presence there. Strong and undeniable. Ghosts? Energies? Memories? Remnants of intense emotions? Something else entirely? Is this presence capable of hurting the living visitors? And if so, would it actually want to hurt them?
In my opinion this is the kind of book that either grasps or disappoints. It's not a classic „haunted island horror”. First and foremost, it's an exploration of the nature of memory, the persistence of pain and what it really means to lose someone – and to let them go. The last part is the most tricky and the hardest lesson to learn. How to accept the unthinkable?
The writing is beautiful. Some metaphors are little gems. The book is rich in eerie atmosphere, lyrical and reflective. That being said, some parts are a bit dragged, therefore the pace is quite uneven. Still, it's a good book, and a remarkable and promising debut.
A strong 3,5/5, rounded up.
There's an island in Italy that once was a plague quarantine station and later, a psychiatric asylum. There's a woman who travels to the island for an assignment, but with a hidden agenda: she wants to find out what happened to her missing twin sister. Something seems to connect the sisters' family to this island and its tragic past.
And there's a strong presence there. Strong and undeniable. Ghosts? Energies? Memories? Remnants of intense emotions? Something else entirely? Is this presence capable of hurting the living visitors? And if so, would it actually want to hurt them?
In my opinion this is the kind of book that either grasps or disappoints. It's not a classic „haunted island horror”. First and foremost, it's an exploration of the nature of memory, the persistence of pain and what it really means to lose someone – and to let them go. The last part is the most tricky and the hardest lesson to learn. How to accept the unthinkable?
The writing is beautiful. Some metaphors are little gems. The book is rich in eerie atmosphere, lyrical and reflective. That being said, some parts are a bit dragged, therefore the pace is quite uneven. Still, it's a good book, and a remarkable and promising debut.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.
This is such an atmospheric story. It’s set on an island which is always a fantastic setting for a horror novel. However this one is actually set off the coast of Venice. This adds a whole level of historical context and details that is really interesting. I loved that the author chose this setting and everything we learned about the place.
There is quite a sad story here too. We learn early on that our main character has deceived her companion for her reasons for wanting to visit the island. She and her photographer colleague are supposed to be documenting the island for their company ahead of plans to redevelop it for a hotel. However we quickly learn she is searching for her sister who has been missing for eighteen months.
Then we have the horror elements. There’s some quite frightening supernatural elements to this story, as well as some very unsettling imagery. The fear is heightened by the isolation. They’re on an island that it’s illegal to travel to and local boat owners are scared to visit. There’s a dark history to the island too and the main characters search for her sister finds her unravelling some of this and delving into the brutal past of the island.
An atmospheric, creepy and haunting novel.
This is such an atmospheric story. It’s set on an island which is always a fantastic setting for a horror novel. However this one is actually set off the coast of Venice. This adds a whole level of historical context and details that is really interesting. I loved that the author chose this setting and everything we learned about the place.
There is quite a sad story here too. We learn early on that our main character has deceived her companion for her reasons for wanting to visit the island. She and her photographer colleague are supposed to be documenting the island for their company ahead of plans to redevelop it for a hotel. However we quickly learn she is searching for her sister who has been missing for eighteen months.
Then we have the horror elements. There’s some quite frightening supernatural elements to this story, as well as some very unsettling imagery. The fear is heightened by the isolation. They’re on an island that it’s illegal to travel to and local boat owners are scared to visit. There’s a dark history to the island too and the main characters search for her sister finds her unravelling some of this and delving into the brutal past of the island.
An atmospheric, creepy and haunting novel.
August 21, 2026
The Island Of The Lost - Daisy Stephens
Island of the Lost was a slow-burn survival story that really pulled me in.
Liv and Mia are twins, and throughout the story I found myself desperately hoping they would reunite and leave the island together. Sadly, it wasn’t the ending I was hoping for, and I was genuinely heartbroken. 😢
One of the moments that affected me the most was when Liv found Mia’s body. I almost cried. I kept wishing the story would change somehow — that it would turn out to be a near-death experience, or perhaps that Liv was hallucinating because of her infection. I wanted another outcome because I had become invested in their story.
There were moments where this book gave me goosebumps, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the slow pace of the story. It allowed the tension and isolation of the island to build, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next.
I did struggle slightly with Liv and Sam’s relationship. At times it felt a little off, and I didn’t feel that Sam’s character was as developed as Liv’s. Perhaps this was intentional because, for a large part of the story, he wasn’t meant to feel like the focus, but I felt something was missing from both his character and his connection with Liv.
I was happy that Sam was okay, but I found myself more emotionally connected to Liv and Mia’s story.
Overall, this was an excellent read with a haunting atmosphere and emotional moments that stayed with me. It wasn’t perfect for me, but it was definitely a memorable story.
Despite the things that didn’t quite work for me, this was still a great read. Daisy Stephens created a haunting and emotional story that kept me invested until the end, and I would definitely read more from this author.
Island of the Lost was a slow-burn survival story that really pulled me in.
Liv and Mia are twins, and throughout the story I found myself desperately hoping they would reunite and leave the island together. Sadly, it wasn’t the ending I was hoping for, and I was genuinely heartbroken. 😢
One of the moments that affected me the most was when Liv found Mia’s body. I almost cried. I kept wishing the story would change somehow — that it would turn out to be a near-death experience, or perhaps that Liv was hallucinating because of her infection. I wanted another outcome because I had become invested in their story.
There were moments where this book gave me goosebumps, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the slow pace of the story. It allowed the tension and isolation of the island to build, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next.
I did struggle slightly with Liv and Sam’s relationship. At times it felt a little off, and I didn’t feel that Sam’s character was as developed as Liv’s. Perhaps this was intentional because, for a large part of the story, he wasn’t meant to feel like the focus, but I felt something was missing from both his character and his connection with Liv.
I was happy that Sam was okay, but I found myself more emotionally connected to Liv and Mia’s story.
Overall, this was an excellent read with a haunting atmosphere and emotional moments that stayed with me. It wasn’t perfect for me, but it was definitely a memorable story.
Despite the things that didn’t quite work for me, this was still a great read. Daisy Stephens created a haunting and emotional story that kept me invested until the end, and I would definitely read more from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2026
A deserted island with a dark past. A missing twin. A ghost story that gets under your skin. 🕯️🌊
This was the perfect horror for this time of year! I have been dying to find a horror that really gripped me by the throat and wouldn’t let go.
I found it.
Set on a deserted and historical quarantine island, that was the home to a plague quarantine hospital and psychiatric asylum, the eerie & gothic atmosphere was a strong character on its own.
Liv’s sister has been missing for 18 months, she convinces her boss to send her to Poveglia on a writing assignment along with Sam, a photographer. Liv and Sam are in agreement that ghosts don’t exist but they can’t deny the dark history of the island that seems to hang in the air.
How can a bell tower with no bell…ring? Who or what was the figure that popped up in the background of that photo? Where is the slight smell of burning flesh coming from?
Ignoring the signs that they should leave, Liv would never leave without finding Mia, she knows her twin is here…she can feel it.
This had everything I love in horror: grief, psychological claustrophobic suspense, mysteries dripping in history, & slow-burn suspense that keeps you turning pages quickly.
This was the perfect horror for this time of year! I have been dying to find a horror that really gripped me by the throat and wouldn’t let go.
I found it.
Set on a deserted and historical quarantine island, that was the home to a plague quarantine hospital and psychiatric asylum, the eerie & gothic atmosphere was a strong character on its own.
Liv’s sister has been missing for 18 months, she convinces her boss to send her to Poveglia on a writing assignment along with Sam, a photographer. Liv and Sam are in agreement that ghosts don’t exist but they can’t deny the dark history of the island that seems to hang in the air.
How can a bell tower with no bell…ring? Who or what was the figure that popped up in the background of that photo? Where is the slight smell of burning flesh coming from?
Ignoring the signs that they should leave, Liv would never leave without finding Mia, she knows her twin is here…she can feel it.
This had everything I love in horror: grief, psychological claustrophobic suspense, mysteries dripping in history, & slow-burn suspense that keeps you turning pages quickly.
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