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Lost: More true stories from families of Australian Missing person
Lost … still waiting … still searching.
In Lost, bestselling author of Vanished and Missing, and founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, Nicole Morris returns with her most investigative and wide-reaching book yet.
Cold cases. Empty chairs. Birthdays marked in absence.
From a blonde Texan backpacker who survived the dangers of 1970s America only to vanish on the NSW mid north coast, possibly crossing paths with a serial killer, to a brilliant computer prodigy who made a frantic 000 call before disappearing on a lonely highway, Morris uncovers cases as baffling as they are heartbreaking.
There is the elderly husband who scaled two fences trying to return to the wife he adored. A 10-year-old Indigenous boy who ran for a train and never made it home. A teenage foster child believed to have been abducted from a Melbourne street. A man lost in remote desert country, leaving messages scratched into red earth as searchers followed close behind. In a rainforest, unidentified remains hang unanswered for decades, belonging to someone still missing from a family somewhere.
But this time, the search goes further.
Nicole tracks down eyewitnesses to suspected abductions who were never formally interviewed, uncovering first-hand accounts unheard for decades. She speaks to parents, children, partners, investigators and searchers, and interviews former teenage runaways to expose why so many young Australians disappear each year. With access to letters, police files and personal testimony, she follows new leads and asks difficult questions.
Nicole Morris once again shines a light on Australia’s long-term missing and invites readers to remember their names and help bring them home.
In Lost, bestselling author of Vanished and Missing, and founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, Nicole Morris returns with her most investigative and wide-reaching book yet.
Cold cases. Empty chairs. Birthdays marked in absence.
From a blonde Texan backpacker who survived the dangers of 1970s America only to vanish on the NSW mid north coast, possibly crossing paths with a serial killer, to a brilliant computer prodigy who made a frantic 000 call before disappearing on a lonely highway, Morris uncovers cases as baffling as they are heartbreaking.
There is the elderly husband who scaled two fences trying to return to the wife he adored. A 10-year-old Indigenous boy who ran for a train and never made it home. A teenage foster child believed to have been abducted from a Melbourne street. A man lost in remote desert country, leaving messages scratched into red earth as searchers followed close behind. In a rainforest, unidentified remains hang unanswered for decades, belonging to someone still missing from a family somewhere.
But this time, the search goes further.
Nicole tracks down eyewitnesses to suspected abductions who were never formally interviewed, uncovering first-hand accounts unheard for decades. She speaks to parents, children, partners, investigators and searchers, and interviews former teenage runaways to expose why so many young Australians disappear each year. With access to letters, police files and personal testimony, she follows new leads and asks difficult questions.
Nicole Morris once again shines a light on Australia’s long-term missing and invites readers to remember their names and help bring them home.
458 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 27, 2026
This is one of those books that will stay with me long after I’ve turned the final page.
The care and empathy Nicole Morris gives each and every one of these missing people and their loved ones is evident not only in the way she writes, but also in the way she approaches every interview. These aren’t simply case summaries. They’re deeply researched, compassionate accounts of real people whose stories deserve to be remembered, alongside the families who continue living with unimaginable uncertainty.
I found myself completely immersed in every case. This wasn’t the sort of book I wanted to race through in one sitting. Instead, I took my time with it, sitting with each story and reflecting on the lives behind the headlines. The unknown fate of these people, the impact on their families and the way each investigation unfolded - both through police efforts and the court of public opinion - made for an incredibly powerful read.
The case that affected me most was the very first one, Bradford Pohli, a 10-year-old Indigenous boy who disappeared in 1975. Reading about the way his mother was judged by the public, and then hearing from Bradford’s sister Anita about the lasting impact that had on their family, was absolutely heartbreaking.
By the time I reached the author’s note and learnt Nicole has twice been nominated for Australian of the Year, I was honestly baffled she hasn’t received the honour. The work she’s doing as the founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, combined with the investigative research she undertakes to raise awareness of lesser-known Australian missing persons cases, is beyond admirable. She isn’t simply documenting these stories - she’s giving these people another chance to be found.
I genuinely hope this book lands in the hands of as many people as possible, not just Australians. Someone, somewhere, knows what happened to these people. If a book like this helps generate even one new lead or keeps one person’s story alive, then it’s worth every page.
The care and empathy Nicole Morris gives each and every one of these missing people and their loved ones is evident not only in the way she writes, but also in the way she approaches every interview. These aren’t simply case summaries. They’re deeply researched, compassionate accounts of real people whose stories deserve to be remembered, alongside the families who continue living with unimaginable uncertainty.
I found myself completely immersed in every case. This wasn’t the sort of book I wanted to race through in one sitting. Instead, I took my time with it, sitting with each story and reflecting on the lives behind the headlines. The unknown fate of these people, the impact on their families and the way each investigation unfolded - both through police efforts and the court of public opinion - made for an incredibly powerful read.
The case that affected me most was the very first one, Bradford Pohli, a 10-year-old Indigenous boy who disappeared in 1975. Reading about the way his mother was judged by the public, and then hearing from Bradford’s sister Anita about the lasting impact that had on their family, was absolutely heartbreaking.
By the time I reached the author’s note and learnt Nicole has twice been nominated for Australian of the Year, I was honestly baffled she hasn’t received the honour. The work she’s doing as the founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, combined with the investigative research she undertakes to raise awareness of lesser-known Australian missing persons cases, is beyond admirable. She isn’t simply documenting these stories - she’s giving these people another chance to be found.
I genuinely hope this book lands in the hands of as many people as possible, not just Australians. Someone, somewhere, knows what happened to these people. If a book like this helps generate even one new lead or keeps one person’s story alive, then it’s worth every page.
July 7, 2026
I was contacted and given the book Lost from author Nicole Morris in exchange of an honest review.
Nicole Morris is an Australian author, she is the director of the Missing Person Register since 2005 and has interviewed countless of families, friends and other loved ones of missing persons. She is also a nurse at an aged care facility which I can see why as she is a compassionate and caring person which is show through the pages of countless of people applauding her for her assistance.
Nicole writes from such respect of both the missing person and of the people she has reached out to talk to who have given time to give testimonies and interviews with for the stories that I have just read and that you will read if you get this book.
Lost is a series of stories of 14 different missing persons that are still missing as of today. Some may have met an unfortunate end, some may still be out there living another life, but this book is a gripping read, hooked from the very start of reading testimonies to reading the perspectives of the loved ones.
Moments that make you mad and want to cry to moment of heartfelt sorrow for the lives that these people have led. You truely don’t know what is going on in someone’s life and who it will affect.
A young boy in the first missing persons chapter who went missing in Dundas Valley, the family describe Nicole Morris an angle that has come into their lives to help find their son and brother. A family from Ethiopia in chapter twelve have cried tears of relief to have someone like Nicole on their side to try and help find out what happened to their brother.
Some of these stories hit home and definitely make you think that a simple walk to the train station or a walk in your own 100 acre farm, that you are not always safe that something sinister could be lurking or is it a case of someone with dementia really got them self lost?
This book was a 422 page of mystery and intrigue that will make you feel a roller coaster of emotions and want to hold your loved ones dearly.
It’s a 5 star read as Nicole is so respectful and really takes care in what she writes and how victims come across and even protectiveness of those that don’t deserve it but can’t fend for themselves as they may have passed on.
This is a true crime book for true crime fans that want to read about the aftermath of losing someone and how at times it’s frustrating dealing with the police and detectives to help find someone.
If you read this book and know one of these stories, please call crime stoppers or go to the crime stoppers website as these are true stories and everyone deserves peace whether it is the missing person themself to be laid to rest or found, or the loved ones who never got the answers they need and deserve.
Nicole Morris is an Australian author, she is the director of the Missing Person Register since 2005 and has interviewed countless of families, friends and other loved ones of missing persons. She is also a nurse at an aged care facility which I can see why as she is a compassionate and caring person which is show through the pages of countless of people applauding her for her assistance.
Nicole writes from such respect of both the missing person and of the people she has reached out to talk to who have given time to give testimonies and interviews with for the stories that I have just read and that you will read if you get this book.
Lost is a series of stories of 14 different missing persons that are still missing as of today. Some may have met an unfortunate end, some may still be out there living another life, but this book is a gripping read, hooked from the very start of reading testimonies to reading the perspectives of the loved ones.
Moments that make you mad and want to cry to moment of heartfelt sorrow for the lives that these people have led. You truely don’t know what is going on in someone’s life and who it will affect.
A young boy in the first missing persons chapter who went missing in Dundas Valley, the family describe Nicole Morris an angle that has come into their lives to help find their son and brother. A family from Ethiopia in chapter twelve have cried tears of relief to have someone like Nicole on their side to try and help find out what happened to their brother.
Some of these stories hit home and definitely make you think that a simple walk to the train station or a walk in your own 100 acre farm, that you are not always safe that something sinister could be lurking or is it a case of someone with dementia really got them self lost?
This book was a 422 page of mystery and intrigue that will make you feel a roller coaster of emotions and want to hold your loved ones dearly.
It’s a 5 star read as Nicole is so respectful and really takes care in what she writes and how victims come across and even protectiveness of those that don’t deserve it but can’t fend for themselves as they may have passed on.
This is a true crime book for true crime fans that want to read about the aftermath of losing someone and how at times it’s frustrating dealing with the police and detectives to help find someone.
If you read this book and know one of these stories, please call crime stoppers or go to the crime stoppers website as these are true stories and everyone deserves peace whether it is the missing person themself to be laid to rest or found, or the loved ones who never got the answers they need and deserve.
July 31, 2026
“They are not just faces on a missing person poster or a few lines in a newspaper. They had goals and dreams and personalities and experiences and challenges….. and lives.”
Lost by Nicole Morris is the third instalment in her remarkable series exploring missing persons cases from across Australia. Through compassionate storytelling and meticulous research, Morris shares the stories behind the headlines, reminding us that every missing person is someone’s child, sibling, partner or friend.
When we think of missing people, it’s easy to assume the worst. But this book thoughtfully explores the many reasons someone may disappear. While every missing person investigation should begin by considering the possibility of homicide, Nicole also highlights that people can choose to go missing, become lost, or tragically fall victim to the unforgiving elements. Every avenue deserves to be explored.
What Nicole does so brilliantly is restore the humanity that is often lost once the media moves on. These aren’t simply names on posters or statistics, they are people with hopes, dreams, personalities, and lives that mattered.
As I read each chapter, I knew I wouldn’t find the happy ending I desperately wanted. Yet I still found myself hoping every single time. It also left me thinking about the unimaginable reality for the families left behind. The endless waiting, the unanswered questions, and the constant anticipation every time the phone rings.
Nicole, I truly believe this is your best book yet. The work you do to honour missing people and give their families a voice is nothing short of extraordinary. The world needs more people like you.
Lost by Nicole Morris is the third instalment in her remarkable series exploring missing persons cases from across Australia. Through compassionate storytelling and meticulous research, Morris shares the stories behind the headlines, reminding us that every missing person is someone’s child, sibling, partner or friend.
When we think of missing people, it’s easy to assume the worst. But this book thoughtfully explores the many reasons someone may disappear. While every missing person investigation should begin by considering the possibility of homicide, Nicole also highlights that people can choose to go missing, become lost, or tragically fall victim to the unforgiving elements. Every avenue deserves to be explored.
What Nicole does so brilliantly is restore the humanity that is often lost once the media moves on. These aren’t simply names on posters or statistics, they are people with hopes, dreams, personalities, and lives that mattered.
As I read each chapter, I knew I wouldn’t find the happy ending I desperately wanted. Yet I still found myself hoping every single time. It also left me thinking about the unimaginable reality for the families left behind. The endless waiting, the unanswered questions, and the constant anticipation every time the phone rings.
Nicole, I truly believe this is your best book yet. The work you do to honour missing people and give their families a voice is nothing short of extraordinary. The world needs more people like you.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reviewed by Nan van Dissel for Bluewolf Reviews and Big Sky Publishing.
for decades. In 2025 there were over 55,000 missing persons reports made to police in Australia. Fortunately, the vast majority were located quickly, but close to 3,000 individuals remained listed as long-term missing; that is missing for more than three months as of December 2025.
Award winning author, Nicole Morris, Director of the Australian Missing Persons Register, which she founded in 2005, in her latest deeply moving book “Lost”, is once again a compelling, compassionate, and informative voice for the distraught families.
Nicole Morris in this book has devoted a chapter to twelve cold case missing persons whose families have experienced unimaginable sorrow. By including a photo at the beginning of each case, she personalizes the victim; most of these cases have not captured the general public’s interest.
With quotes and statements from family members and friends, the author shares every piece of information thoughtfully and with sympathy, providing the reader with much more than a face but a greater understanding of the case. Drawing on her vast experience with missing person cases, she sensitively delivers her own observations; striking a perfect balance.
“Lost” is a collection of sensitively written stories, which not only makes the reader cherish their own family members but also brings attention and much needed awareness to the featured cases. Although the author does touch on the deficiencies of our justice system and police incompetencies, she also acknowledges the wonderful support provided by them.
While these powerful accounts prove that missing persons come from all ages, walks of life, socio-economic families, they also demonstrate that they all leave behind a traumatized family with unimaginable heartache; their stories must be heard!
Although not an easy read, it will no doubt have left a deep impact on the reader. Hopefully someone, somewhere has some information, which will help solve the case and bring closure to the family.
for decades. In 2025 there were over 55,000 missing persons reports made to police in Australia. Fortunately, the vast majority were located quickly, but close to 3,000 individuals remained listed as long-term missing; that is missing for more than three months as of December 2025.
Award winning author, Nicole Morris, Director of the Australian Missing Persons Register, which she founded in 2005, in her latest deeply moving book “Lost”, is once again a compelling, compassionate, and informative voice for the distraught families.
Nicole Morris in this book has devoted a chapter to twelve cold case missing persons whose families have experienced unimaginable sorrow. By including a photo at the beginning of each case, she personalizes the victim; most of these cases have not captured the general public’s interest.
With quotes and statements from family members and friends, the author shares every piece of information thoughtfully and with sympathy, providing the reader with much more than a face but a greater understanding of the case. Drawing on her vast experience with missing person cases, she sensitively delivers her own observations; striking a perfect balance.
“Lost” is a collection of sensitively written stories, which not only makes the reader cherish their own family members but also brings attention and much needed awareness to the featured cases. Although the author does touch on the deficiencies of our justice system and police incompetencies, she also acknowledges the wonderful support provided by them.
While these powerful accounts prove that missing persons come from all ages, walks of life, socio-economic families, they also demonstrate that they all leave behind a traumatized family with unimaginable heartache; their stories must be heard!
Although not an easy read, it will no doubt have left a deep impact on the reader. Hopefully someone, somewhere has some information, which will help solve the case and bring closure to the family.
July 28, 2026
Lost... I think I cried more during this book, then Nicole's two other books Vanished and Missing.
You truly put the families emotions on the pages for us to not only read, but feel. I love that Nicole reminds us that the stories we are reading actually happened, there are families still waiting and wanting answers. Nicole gives the Vanished, Missing and Lost faces again, making sure we dont forget them.
Id like to thank Nicole for the amazing work she does, I appreciate you.
You truly put the families emotions on the pages for us to not only read, but feel. I love that Nicole reminds us that the stories we are reading actually happened, there are families still waiting and wanting answers. Nicole gives the Vanished, Missing and Lost faces again, making sure we dont forget them.
Id like to thank Nicole for the amazing work she does, I appreciate you.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews