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All That Was Lost: 'a Page-Turner and Surprisingly Tender' Katie Fforde
A famous medium is haunted by the truth in this “beautiful and compelling story that delves into what is real, what we are willing to believe” (Liz Fenwick, author of The Cornish House).
In the 1960s, teenager Patience Bickersleigh discovers her talent for telling people what they want to hear. Fifty years later she is the famous medium known to the world as Patrice Leigh. But cracks are forming in the carefully constructed barriers that keep her real history at bay.
Leo is the journalist hired to write Patrice’s biography. Struggling to reconcile the demands of his family, his grief for his lost son, and a celebrity subject who refuses to open up, Leo starts digging for his own answers. But Patrice is hiding much more than her given name—and Leo is harboring a few secrets of his own in this “bold, beautiful, and thought-provoking novel” (Rowan Coleman, author of The Day We Met).
In the 1960s, teenager Patience Bickersleigh discovers her talent for telling people what they want to hear. Fifty years later she is the famous medium known to the world as Patrice Leigh. But cracks are forming in the carefully constructed barriers that keep her real history at bay.
Leo is the journalist hired to write Patrice’s biography. Struggling to reconcile the demands of his family, his grief for his lost son, and a celebrity subject who refuses to open up, Leo starts digging for his own answers. But Patrice is hiding much more than her given name—and Leo is harboring a few secrets of his own in this “bold, beautiful, and thought-provoking novel” (Rowan Coleman, author of The Day We Met).
- GenresFiction
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2018
14 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 11, 2018
I got pulled into this story right at the beginning.
There are three main characters.
Patrice who is a medium, a well known long standing celebrated medium.
She holds “shows” where an audience of people come to. Ones wanting to talk to their deceased loved ones for all kinds of reasons. To say goodbye because they’re life was taken so quickly, to ask if they are OK, to settle differences and even someone in the audience who wanted to know if her Pekingese dog of 16 years together was OK. For each to say “I love and miss you”
Not everyone will be satisfied as not all spirits will come and enter.
Then there is Leo. He’s been commissioned to write her biography.
And Louise whose lost her son.
It’s an emotional complex story. Grief, loss and love.
Within lies lots of lies. Who from? From everyone.
Self misguided smoke screens surround them all, and Patrice life is one big whooper of a lie.
It’s not a happy book, it’s doesnt give to romance, it’s nothing like this authors other book, it’s so different it’s completely compelling.
It’s a moving emotional tragic book with cracks.
You will as a reader find out why Patrice has lied all her life. Why Leo started out telling “little” lies that came embroiled into huge ones.
And why would Louise lie?
Can they fool you?
There are three main characters.
Patrice who is a medium, a well known long standing celebrated medium.
She holds “shows” where an audience of people come to. Ones wanting to talk to their deceased loved ones for all kinds of reasons. To say goodbye because they’re life was taken so quickly, to ask if they are OK, to settle differences and even someone in the audience who wanted to know if her Pekingese dog of 16 years together was OK. For each to say “I love and miss you”
Not everyone will be satisfied as not all spirits will come and enter.
Then there is Leo. He’s been commissioned to write her biography.
And Louise whose lost her son.
It’s an emotional complex story. Grief, loss and love.
Within lies lots of lies. Who from? From everyone.
Self misguided smoke screens surround them all, and Patrice life is one big whooper of a lie.
It’s not a happy book, it’s doesnt give to romance, it’s nothing like this authors other book, it’s so different it’s completely compelling.
It’s a moving emotional tragic book with cracks.
You will as a reader find out why Patrice has lied all her life. Why Leo started out telling “little” lies that came embroiled into huge ones.
And why would Louise lie?
Can they fool you?
September 23, 2018
I love when you read a description and you are cynical whether it’s the book for you, then you start the story and you are blown away and completely in its spell!!!
Patrice is a well known medium who hosts evenings where people pay for her to speak to their deceased relatives.
Leo has been commissioned to write her book but she is reluctant to talk about her past and Leo has a secret of his own.
Louise has recently lost her son Kyle and is not coping, she hopes she will be able to communicate with him through Patrice.
This book is full of secrets and deals with grief and despair. I am very cynical of psychics and was hoping Patrice would be the real deal. It was interesting to read about her past and why she became a psychic.
A very easy gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Patrice is a well known medium who hosts evenings where people pay for her to speak to their deceased relatives.
Leo has been commissioned to write her book but she is reluctant to talk about her past and Leo has a secret of his own.
Louise has recently lost her son Kyle and is not coping, she hopes she will be able to communicate with him through Patrice.
This book is full of secrets and deals with grief and despair. I am very cynical of psychics and was hoping Patrice would be the real deal. It was interesting to read about her past and why she became a psychic.
A very easy gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
September 23, 2018
I love when you read a description and you are cynical whether it’s the book for you, then you start the story and you are blown away and completely in its spell!!!
Patrice is a well known medium who hosts evenings where people pay for her to speak to their deceased relatives.
Leo has been commissioned to write her book but she is reluctant to talk about her past and Leo has a secret of his own.
Louise has recently lost her son Kyle and is not coping, she hopes she will be able to communicate with him through Patrice.
This book is full of secrets and deals with grief and despair. I am very cynical of psychics and was hoping Patrice would be the real deal. It was interesting to read about her past and why she became a psychic.
A very easy gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Patrice is a well known medium who hosts evenings where people pay for her to speak to their deceased relatives.
Leo has been commissioned to write her book but she is reluctant to talk about her past and Leo has a secret of his own.
Louise has recently lost her son Kyle and is not coping, she hopes she will be able to communicate with him through Patrice.
This book is full of secrets and deals with grief and despair. I am very cynical of psychics and was hoping Patrice would be the real deal. It was interesting to read about her past and why she became a psychic.
A very easy gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Read
June 5, 2018A beautiful and compelling story that delves into what is real, what we are willing to believe and the power of grief.
August 9, 2018
A compelling read with beautifully drawn characters that pull you into the story. I enjoyed it from the first page to the last.
The book revolves around three central characters. Patrice, the celebrated medium coming to the end of her career, Leo, the man Patrice has hired to write her biography and bereaved Louise who has lost her son. There are secrets aplenty as the characters stories are revealed and their lives intertwine as they struggle to deal with their situations. An absorbing and highly recommended read.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book revolves around three central characters. Patrice, the celebrated medium coming to the end of her career, Leo, the man Patrice has hired to write her biography and bereaved Louise who has lost her son. There are secrets aplenty as the characters stories are revealed and their lives intertwine as they struggle to deal with their situations. An absorbing and highly recommended read.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read
June 13, 2018A resonant, emotional story about grief, loss and love with a complex, tragic heroine—a fake psychic reaching the end of her career. Although it's about death, this story is never depressing, and ultimately it's about recovery and healing.
October 30, 2018
All that was lost by Alison May is a 4 star read. Told over dual timeframes, it tells the story of psychic medium, Patrice Leigh. This story is about grief and love, with a hint of comedy. Fantastically written.
December 9, 2018
I thought that this was going to be some sort of crime / thriller novel but if wasn't. I don't know how to categorise it really. It was just a story being told without any underlying purpose.
I can't say that I loved or hated Patrice, Leo or Louise. I read their stories but I wasn't overly engaged by any one during the novel. Narratively they all sounded quite similar and dealt with similar themes. My interest was in Patience and her story because there was a clear development of her character between 1968 and present.
Overall, I felt that it was somewhat unsatisfactory but that this reflected the harshness of life1 that was depicted throughout the novel, but from a readers perspective I wanted a bit more. I also felt that it could have been really full of emotion as a counteract to the fact that there was little plot.
I can't say that I loved or hated Patrice, Leo or Louise. I read their stories but I wasn't overly engaged by any one during the novel. Narratively they all sounded quite similar and dealt with similar themes. My interest was in Patience and her story because there was a clear development of her character between 1968 and present.
Overall, I felt that it was somewhat unsatisfactory but that this reflected the harshness of life1 that was depicted throughout the novel, but from a readers perspective I wanted a bit more. I also felt that it could have been really full of emotion as a counteract to the fact that there was little plot.
October 7, 2018
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from All That Was Lost by Alison May. I suspect I was drawn to the blurb; about past secrets coming back to haunt their keepers (thinking there was a mystery to be solved).
But it was quite different to what I was expecting. Not in a bad way.... it was just a different sort of book from my usual read, which is probably a good thing.
As implied by the blurb this book unfolds in two timeframes. We meet the famous Patrice Leigh who can speak to the dead (sorry, those who've crossed over) but from the get-go we're in on the secret... that her manager researches those coming to the show to get the information they need... so it just appears Patrice can indeed tell people what it is they're hoping to hear.
In many ways it's harmless fun. Kinda. It brings to her though, those wanting answers and comfort and she's not always able to provide it.
Leo's signed up to write Patrice's biography but he has his own secrets and problems. His marriage is failing because his own son is mostly likely dead and then there's stuff he suspects about Patrice's past which he's trying to uncover.
Louise Swift crosses Leo's path and she's wanting 'closure'. Or answers. And she's needing to move on. Her teenage son was killed in an act of violence. There's no question of it and no logic behind it.
So Louise - and many others - are drawn to Patrice for answers.
But back in 1967 we meet 16 yr old Patience (Pat) Bickersleigh who's working in a cafe for a local businessman when his fortune-teller goes AWOL. He seems to think Pat will be a good fit and so she becomes Gypsy Patience.
Pat is trapped at home with overly protective (and steadfastly religious) parents and their crumbling marriage - fuelled by infidelity and booze.
Pat's been sheltered but she's introduced into a world far different to her own, with drastic consequences. (Dum dum dum! Yes, cue dramatic music... )
This was an enjoyable read and it was interesting to learn how Patience became Patrice and the secrets she'd put behind her. I realise the time in which we meet her is the pivotal time in her story but I wondered about the intervening years as they're only referred to briefly as Patrice shares her invented history with Leo for the book.
By the time we meet her half a century later she's dealing with the early symptoms of dementia and struggling to hide them from the world.
May throws an interesting twist into this story towards the end that I wasn't expecting. It's a pleasant surprise and there are a series of events that follow which were very satisfying and moved we readers away from anything too prosaic or clichéd.
3.5 stars
But it was quite different to what I was expecting. Not in a bad way.... it was just a different sort of book from my usual read, which is probably a good thing.
As implied by the blurb this book unfolds in two timeframes. We meet the famous Patrice Leigh who can speak to the dead (sorry, those who've crossed over) but from the get-go we're in on the secret... that her manager researches those coming to the show to get the information they need... so it just appears Patrice can indeed tell people what it is they're hoping to hear.
In many ways it's harmless fun. Kinda. It brings to her though, those wanting answers and comfort and she's not always able to provide it.
Leo's signed up to write Patrice's biography but he has his own secrets and problems. His marriage is failing because his own son is mostly likely dead and then there's stuff he suspects about Patrice's past which he's trying to uncover.
Louise Swift crosses Leo's path and she's wanting 'closure'. Or answers. And she's needing to move on. Her teenage son was killed in an act of violence. There's no question of it and no logic behind it.
So Louise - and many others - are drawn to Patrice for answers.
But back in 1967 we meet 16 yr old Patience (Pat) Bickersleigh who's working in a cafe for a local businessman when his fortune-teller goes AWOL. He seems to think Pat will be a good fit and so she becomes Gypsy Patience.
Pat is trapped at home with overly protective (and steadfastly religious) parents and their crumbling marriage - fuelled by infidelity and booze.
Pat's been sheltered but she's introduced into a world far different to her own, with drastic consequences. (Dum dum dum! Yes, cue dramatic music... )
This was an enjoyable read and it was interesting to learn how Patience became Patrice and the secrets she'd put behind her. I realise the time in which we meet her is the pivotal time in her story but I wondered about the intervening years as they're only referred to briefly as Patrice shares her invented history with Leo for the book.
By the time we meet her half a century later she's dealing with the early symptoms of dementia and struggling to hide them from the world.
May throws an interesting twist into this story towards the end that I wasn't expecting. It's a pleasant surprise and there are a series of events that follow which were very satisfying and moved we readers away from anything too prosaic or clichéd.
3.5 stars
August 4, 2018
All That Was Lost is an exploration of loss and grief and the lies that we have to tell ourselves to get through the days afterwards. There is a running theme of untruths - Patience learns to lie and slowly discovers about the lies that keep wheels turning in her family, Patrice's whole life is a lie, Leo lies in tiny ways at first, Louise's life revolves around the untrue belief. Running alongside is the thread about loss.
The characters are vividly drawn and their grief, and in one case, mental illness is described so realistically that at one point I was practically shouting at Louise not to misinterpret something. Alison May captures the stifling nature of being an adolescence in a northern sea side town perfectly.
This book is very different to Alison May's other novels. It's not a romance. Whilst it's not a jolly book, but it is deeply moving. It was compelling enough to keep me reading until 2 o'clock in the morning. I really enjoyed it.
I received a review copy through Netgalley.
The characters are vividly drawn and their grief, and in one case, mental illness is described so realistically that at one point I was practically shouting at Louise not to misinterpret something. Alison May captures the stifling nature of being an adolescence in a northern sea side town perfectly.
This book is very different to Alison May's other novels. It's not a romance. Whilst it's not a jolly book, but it is deeply moving. It was compelling enough to keep me reading until 2 o'clock in the morning. I really enjoyed it.
I received a review copy through Netgalley.
October 26, 2018
Patrice Leigh has made her living as a celebrated medium holding 'shows' & private readings to unite grieving people with those they have lost. As she gets older she begins to struggle. It is decided she will publish her biography. Leo is to write it, but he has other motives for wanting to. His son was involved in an avalanche in new Zealand years ago & his body was never found.
The story switches timelines going back to show how shy Patience Bickersleigh became Patrice Leigh. I liked Patience a lot more than Patrice who I struggled to empathise with.
In the present we also see patice's story from Leo's perspective as well as Louise, whose son Kyle killed in a stabbing & she is desperate to contact him. I felt so sorry for Louise. I found her the most likeable character.
I picked this book because it was suggested that it would appeal to Maeve Binchy & Rosamund Pilcher Fans , but it didn't really cut it with this fan.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
The story switches timelines going back to show how shy Patience Bickersleigh became Patrice Leigh. I liked Patience a lot more than Patrice who I struggled to empathise with.
In the present we also see patice's story from Leo's perspective as well as Louise, whose son Kyle killed in a stabbing & she is desperate to contact him. I felt so sorry for Louise. I found her the most likeable character.
I picked this book because it was suggested that it would appeal to Maeve Binchy & Rosamund Pilcher Fans , but it didn't really cut it with this fan.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.
August 18, 2018
3.5 stars. I’m not sure what but something just seemed to be missing for me. While I enjoyed the story, I seesawed between feeling for each character and despising them. My heart broke for each one of them in one chapter and in the next I wanted to smack them for their lies. While I felt for Patrice and her hard childhood, I just think of the people I know that are desperate for any glimpse of their lost loved ones and I get furious that she was lying to everyone. In the same breath though-I wonder if a lie that makes someone feel at peace about their loss is a bad one? If someone can move on knowing their loved one is happy and peaceful isn’t that a good thing? This book left me with a lot to think about.
September 15, 2018
Love hurts. A moving story of love and loss. 4/5.
This review was originally posted on my book blog.
As you’ll have seen from the blurb, the central character in All That Was Lost is a medium. This made me slightly worried going in as I have serious issues with anyone who exploits the grief of others to make money. That Alison May manages to make Patrice sympathetic is a real achievement, one made mostly through some well-timed flashbacks to her youth in the 1960s.
The 60s storyline is interwoven with present day events and was my favourite part of the book. This is probably because I’m a sucker for excellent period detail but I also loved the adult world of hypocrisy and secrets surrounding the young Patience which is cleverly revealed as she gradually becomes aware of them.
As the title rightly warns, this story is partly a study of grief. And, perhaps more importantly, it’s also a story about stories; an insightful look at the large and small tales we tell ourselves and others, often to cope with the day-to-day. However, while that all may sound a little heavy, the narrative never becomes depressing and I think that’s because its main focus is on the emotion underpinning the characters’ grief and regrets: love.
This book takes a hard look at love in relationships, particularly those between parents and children, and the possible consequences of loving too much or too little. Whether you’re looking for a story of first love, forbidden love, or doomed love, it’s all here. Ultimately the book is as much about what the characters have found or find as they have lost. They all discover something, even if it’s only about themselves. Rather than a dreamy happily ever after, they mostly manage to come away from events with a realistic sense of acceptance.
I should give a few small warnings: for those who have suffered a recent loss, particularly that of a child, I would say it’s possibly best to put this book to one side for the future. And readers who require books to end with everything neatly tied in a bow might find the ending of All That Was Lost a bit frustrating. Personally, I though it ended in just the right place, but you’ve been warned!
This review was originally posted on my book blog.
As you’ll have seen from the blurb, the central character in All That Was Lost is a medium. This made me slightly worried going in as I have serious issues with anyone who exploits the grief of others to make money. That Alison May manages to make Patrice sympathetic is a real achievement, one made mostly through some well-timed flashbacks to her youth in the 1960s.
The 60s storyline is interwoven with present day events and was my favourite part of the book. This is probably because I’m a sucker for excellent period detail but I also loved the adult world of hypocrisy and secrets surrounding the young Patience which is cleverly revealed as she gradually becomes aware of them.
As the title rightly warns, this story is partly a study of grief. And, perhaps more importantly, it’s also a story about stories; an insightful look at the large and small tales we tell ourselves and others, often to cope with the day-to-day. However, while that all may sound a little heavy, the narrative never becomes depressing and I think that’s because its main focus is on the emotion underpinning the characters’ grief and regrets: love.
This book takes a hard look at love in relationships, particularly those between parents and children, and the possible consequences of loving too much or too little. Whether you’re looking for a story of first love, forbidden love, or doomed love, it’s all here. Ultimately the book is as much about what the characters have found or find as they have lost. They all discover something, even if it’s only about themselves. Rather than a dreamy happily ever after, they mostly manage to come away from events with a realistic sense of acceptance.
I should give a few small warnings: for those who have suffered a recent loss, particularly that of a child, I would say it’s possibly best to put this book to one side for the future. And readers who require books to end with everything neatly tied in a bow might find the ending of All That Was Lost a bit frustrating. Personally, I though it ended in just the right place, but you’ve been warned!
August 14, 2018
Celebrity medium Patrice finds she can’t see everything that might be about to happen in her life.
I am used to the concept of Alison May as a romantic novelist so I wasn’t sure what to expect from All That Was Lost, but it is a triumph. What Alison May has produced is an intimate and affecting study of loss, grief and identity that is just wonderful.
As the cast list is quite narrow, having a focus mainly on Patrice, with Leo and Louise to a lesser extent, there’s a real sense of understanding and knowing the characters. Their lives interweave in a spellbinding way that ensnares the reader and makes them want to know what will happen to them. That said, the more peripheral people like Barney add a colour and depth that adds definition to the main characters, especially to Patrice who is such a magnificent creation. She is deceptive on so many levels, including to herself, and yet she is a heartbreaking individual too because Alison May gradually reveals her to the reader in such a convincing manner. I’m still worrying about Patrice after having finished reading!
The structure of All That Was Lost is so clever. As the narrative reaches its denouement in the present, the 1960s past is increasingly brought into focus, giving clarity and empathy. Alison May shines a very bright light onto the 1960s era so that society is conveyed painfully sharply through the microcosm of Pat’s family. I thought this was such skilful writing. There’s a fabulous story here that is all absorbing and engaging, but more important I think, are the themes explored. We see first hand how our lives are manipulated and changed by others, how we can lose sight of what is important, including our own identity and how we sometimes need extremes of grief and loss to redefine us and show us who we truly are.
I thought All That Was Lost was a glorious read. I enjoyed it so much because I found it touching, compassionate and human. Magnificent!
https://lindasbookbag.com/2018/08/14/...
I am used to the concept of Alison May as a romantic novelist so I wasn’t sure what to expect from All That Was Lost, but it is a triumph. What Alison May has produced is an intimate and affecting study of loss, grief and identity that is just wonderful.
As the cast list is quite narrow, having a focus mainly on Patrice, with Leo and Louise to a lesser extent, there’s a real sense of understanding and knowing the characters. Their lives interweave in a spellbinding way that ensnares the reader and makes them want to know what will happen to them. That said, the more peripheral people like Barney add a colour and depth that adds definition to the main characters, especially to Patrice who is such a magnificent creation. She is deceptive on so many levels, including to herself, and yet she is a heartbreaking individual too because Alison May gradually reveals her to the reader in such a convincing manner. I’m still worrying about Patrice after having finished reading!
The structure of All That Was Lost is so clever. As the narrative reaches its denouement in the present, the 1960s past is increasingly brought into focus, giving clarity and empathy. Alison May shines a very bright light onto the 1960s era so that society is conveyed painfully sharply through the microcosm of Pat’s family. I thought this was such skilful writing. There’s a fabulous story here that is all absorbing and engaging, but more important I think, are the themes explored. We see first hand how our lives are manipulated and changed by others, how we can lose sight of what is important, including our own identity and how we sometimes need extremes of grief and loss to redefine us and show us who we truly are.
I thought All That Was Lost was a glorious read. I enjoyed it so much because I found it touching, compassionate and human. Magnificent!
https://lindasbookbag.com/2018/08/14/...
April 26, 2024
Synopsis:
Patrice Leigh, an aging medium, decides to hire a journalist to write her biography before dementia forces her to retire. With her blackouts becoming more frequent, Patrice finds it increasingly difficult to retell the story of her carefully constructed persona and she hopes that the truth doesn't find its way out instead.
I've always been fascinated with the topic of mediums and how they combine the skills of intuitively picking up small psychological cues and doing research on the person they're doing a reading on. The book briefly picked up on the subject of the possibility of this being unethical and the prolonging of suffering this kind of deception might cause.
The medium - Patrice - is not a very likeable character, but the explanation why she became that way was excellently done. It raises some valid double standards in society, where a woman's life is over if she gets pregnant and the man can just move on with his life and pursue a career as if nothing happened. My heart broke for young Patrice and I simultaneously got angry at society for being so hypocritical and misogynist.
The story in general is very touching, it addresses the subjects of love, loss and family. None of the protagonists were perfect individuals, they were all deepy flawed human beings, which made the book all the more realistic.
The reason why I'm not giving the book four stars is because it felt unfinished. It seems as if the author couldn't decide on which note to end so she just left the ending open and it came across as amateurish. All in all, I can recommend the book if you keep in mind that it's not a crime novel, as the blurb seems to suggest.
Patrice Leigh, an aging medium, decides to hire a journalist to write her biography before dementia forces her to retire. With her blackouts becoming more frequent, Patrice finds it increasingly difficult to retell the story of her carefully constructed persona and she hopes that the truth doesn't find its way out instead.
I've always been fascinated with the topic of mediums and how they combine the skills of intuitively picking up small psychological cues and doing research on the person they're doing a reading on. The book briefly picked up on the subject of the possibility of this being unethical and the prolonging of suffering this kind of deception might cause.
The medium - Patrice - is not a very likeable character, but the explanation why she became that way was excellently done. It raises some valid double standards in society, where a woman's life is over if she gets pregnant and the man can just move on with his life and pursue a career as if nothing happened. My heart broke for young Patrice and I simultaneously got angry at society for being so hypocritical and misogynist.
The story in general is very touching, it addresses the subjects of love, loss and family. None of the protagonists were perfect individuals, they were all deepy flawed human beings, which made the book all the more realistic.
The reason why I'm not giving the book four stars is because it felt unfinished. It seems as if the author couldn't decide on which note to end so she just left the ending open and it came across as amateurish. All in all, I can recommend the book if you keep in mind that it's not a crime novel, as the blurb seems to suggest.
September 7, 2018
What an interesting and unique book. The plot is simple enough, a well-known psychic hires a ghostwriter to help with her memoir/autobiography, but there is actually SO much more that happens from this pairing. This is a fascinating, at times heart-wrenching, look at secrets, the cost of keeping them hidden, and whether hiding them requires lies. While that may sound overwrought, the author addresses these issues thoughtfully and organically. She uses flashbacks to 1967 as a way of developing one of the characters, giving the reader a better depth of understanding. I liked how the author used the voices of each of the characters to advance the plot; even though the points of view shifted, I never felt like it was abrupt or out of place. Everything flowed together and culminated with just enough emotion to make it believable; it was neither over the top nor downplayed. I could imagine real people reacting the exact same way the characters did. While the main plot in current time was very interesting, the way the author captured the “young love in the 60s” was perfect. After finishing the book, I especially appreciated that the title has much more depth than it initially appears. Highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Legend Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2018
There are three main characters to All That Was Lost by Alison May: The first is Patrice Leigh who is a well-known, longstanding and celebrated medium. Then there's Leo, who has been commissioned to write Patrice's biography. The third is Louise whose son Kyle killed in a stabbing and she is desperate to contact him..
As implied by the book's synopsis, the story of All That Was Lost unfolds in two time frames. As readers turn the pages, they will discover why Patrice has been lying all her life, why Leo began weaving smaller lies that evolved into huge ones, and why Louise would lie.
This is a story full of secrets as readers will learn as each of the characters' stories are revealed. It was interesting to learn how Patience became Patrice and the secrets she'd put behind her.
Their lives intertwine as they struggle to deal with each of the grief and despair in their own situations. This was a very easy to read and gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy through Net Galley in exchange for my post. I was not required to post a positive review. Thank you!
As implied by the book's synopsis, the story of All That Was Lost unfolds in two time frames. As readers turn the pages, they will discover why Patrice has been lying all her life, why Leo began weaving smaller lies that evolved into huge ones, and why Louise would lie.
This is a story full of secrets as readers will learn as each of the characters' stories are revealed. It was interesting to learn how Patience became Patrice and the secrets she'd put behind her.
Their lives intertwine as they struggle to deal with each of the grief and despair in their own situations. This was a very easy to read and gripping book to read that I would definitely recommend.
I was provided with a complimentary electronic advanced reader copy through Net Galley in exchange for my post. I was not required to post a positive review. Thank you!
September 19, 2021
This is a story of love and loss, of grief and deceit, told through the eyes of three very different people. It swings between two different time lines from each persons point of view. There is Patrice a well known Medium who makes her living helping people connect with loved ones they have lost. Patrice began life as Patience and we see her earlier life through flashbacks that lead to the life she now lives. Now coming to the end of her career, she decides that she wants a book written about her life and chooses journalist Leo to help her write it. But Leo has secrets to hide and the grief of a lost child. Into the story then come Louise who is also desperately trying to cope with the loss of her son and hoping the Patrice can help her. These three characters soon become immersed together in ways none of them could have imagined.
This is a well written story, though I have to say I did see some of the plot lines coming fairly early on. Nevertheless it is a sensitive story about love, loss and grief - the characters have a 'real' feel and I found myself both liking them and then being sad or annoyed with them for different reasons.
This is a well written story, though I have to say I did see some of the plot lines coming fairly early on. Nevertheless it is a sensitive story about love, loss and grief - the characters have a 'real' feel and I found myself both liking them and then being sad or annoyed with them for different reasons.
August 9, 2025
"In 1967 Patience Bickersleigh is a teenager who discovers a talent for telling people what they want to hear. Fifty years later she is Patrice Leigh, a nationally celebrated medium. But cracks are forming in the carefully constructed barriers that keep her real history at bay."
This was an intriguing story about Patrice Leigh who in 2017 is a medium who can contact loved ones who have passed over (or can she really?). Enter Leo a man who is desperate to interview her for a book he is going to be writing about her life and gift, but who has a hidden agenda.
I loved the twin timelines and being reminded about what a different world it was back in the 1960's for a girl to get pregnant outside of marriage and the references to a simpler way of living.
I also enjoyed the present day on-stage readings that Patrice gave and the hope and peace she passed on to grieving mothers, and this was obviously a major part of the story.
The story was told with a lot of characters, but was easy to follow and I enjoyed it, but felt the ending was a bit weak in my opinion.
This was an intriguing story about Patrice Leigh who in 2017 is a medium who can contact loved ones who have passed over (or can she really?). Enter Leo a man who is desperate to interview her for a book he is going to be writing about her life and gift, but who has a hidden agenda.
I loved the twin timelines and being reminded about what a different world it was back in the 1960's for a girl to get pregnant outside of marriage and the references to a simpler way of living.
I also enjoyed the present day on-stage readings that Patrice gave and the hope and peace she passed on to grieving mothers, and this was obviously a major part of the story.
The story was told with a lot of characters, but was easy to follow and I enjoyed it, but felt the ending was a bit weak in my opinion.
September 16, 2018
Not at all what I was expecting. This book is complex and dark in places and a far cry from being an edgy romantic comedy. I loved the dual threads but especially Patience's story. The book deals with loss and grief and although it isn't depressing as such, it is very touching as we, the reader, watch Patience, or Patrice as she reinvented herself, try to recall the web of lies that she has woven for herself. This thread is echoed by interviewer Leo, also grieving loss of his own, who little by little begins a web of deceit. Very cleverly told and a story that will stay with you and a pleasant change to read something different.
August 20, 2018
I received this book "All That Was Lost" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.
I thought this was a really interesting and different book. Just what would you believe if you were dealing with grief? Would you believe that your dead loved one was there in the room? Sending you messages? That you could talk to them? We believe what we must to get through the pain we feel. Patience was going through her own type of grieving and regrets on the choices she made in her life. The book gets you to thinking about your own life and maybe some choices you regret.
I thought this was a really interesting and different book. Just what would you believe if you were dealing with grief? Would you believe that your dead loved one was there in the room? Sending you messages? That you could talk to them? We believe what we must to get through the pain we feel. Patience was going through her own type of grieving and regrets on the choices she made in her life. The book gets you to thinking about your own life and maybe some choices you regret.
September 9, 2018
It's interesting to see how life was for girls in the sixties. As a child in the seventies, things were already starting to change, but I can still remember hearing about similar stories and I wonder how they eventually turned out. It's an interesting read, with lots of loose ends that are never really tied up, such as Leo's son and Louise's predicament, so I'd have been interested in seeing how all the details panned out.
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January 17, 2020
Two stars seems a bit mean because at least the author is articulate so I’ve given it three but I felt it was somehow lacking. I didn’t develop much of a connection to any of the characters and I cannot for the life of me understand why words like “thrill” or “intriguing” have been used in the promotional blurb. Although reasonably well written the entire story is utterly predictable so the failure to generate a relationship between reader and cast leaves it feeling rather flat, something which merely passed the time, so I am unlikely to read any more by this author.
November 20, 2018
Loved it!!
Not at all what i expected but who cares? The characters are written in a way that you feel you know them because they're real human brings with faults, dreams, hopes and secrets.. A thoroughly good read, with a genuine page turning need to see what the truth really is
Not at all what i expected but who cares? The characters are written in a way that you feel you know them because they're real human brings with faults, dreams, hopes and secrets.. A thoroughly good read, with a genuine page turning need to see what the truth really is
December 2, 2020
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. Some interesting ideas about the roles we play.
January 2, 2022
It took me a bit to get into this, but then I couldn't put it down! Read in one day!
August 5, 2022
Brilliantly written. I couldn't put it down
August 28, 2018
Patrice Leigh also once known as Patience, had lived her life touching and helping people needing to "hear” and to "know" their loved ones were "OK". She had a Gift.
Yet, her own life was one of regrets and sadness. As time goes on, these memories resurface. Secrets from years ago begin to interfere with what was once well hidden. The walls begin to crumble.
A wonderfully written heartfelt novel that kept me engaged.
It displayed heartache from those who had lost their loved ones and the desperate need to reconnect with those souls.
I enjoyed the way in which the plot unfolds and the chapters go between Patience's early years to the present days.
Yet, her own life was one of regrets and sadness. As time goes on, these memories resurface. Secrets from years ago begin to interfere with what was once well hidden. The walls begin to crumble.
A wonderfully written heartfelt novel that kept me engaged.
It displayed heartache from those who had lost their loved ones and the desperate need to reconnect with those souls.
I enjoyed the way in which the plot unfolds and the chapters go between Patience's early years to the present days.
September 13, 2018
Whether we believe or not, it’s impossible not to be fascinated by the world of psychics – and this book captures perfectly the experience of attending a “psychic show”, the audience all there for different reasons, the hope that your loved one will pass on a message, the faint possibility of communication beyond the grave. Patrice tells people what they want to hear, but not with the help of a spirit guide and a natural ability – it has rather more to do with preparation and research, coupled with a personal charisma that continues to draw in the crowds. But she’s approaching the end, beginning to lose her grip. As she talks to Leo, the ghost writer of her autobiography – who has his own reasons for taking on the task – we have the opportunity to experience her early life, growing up in the North, her passions, her ordinary life with her controlling parents, the events and people that made her who she is.
In the present we meet Louise – barely existing, struggling after the sudden loss of her son. And it’s a searing and very moving portrait of loss and the extremes of grief – a character perfectly drawn in every detail, emotions so close to the surface that you ache for her. And then there’s Leo – awkward, solitary, complex, and another enthralling character. The cast of characters in the present day is small, the unfolding drama tremendously involving as their lives intertwine, each of the three main characters fascinating to watch. There’s a nice balance between the elements of a saga, a suspense-filled mystery, maybe a little psychological thriller – and the writing is quite excellent, the story well constructed, moving with ease between past and present, the emotional content quite perfectly wrought.
This is a book that deals with grief, loss, love, hope and healing – and questions of identity, how lives are changed by others, and questions the notion of illusion and reality. I enjoyed it very much.
In the present we meet Louise – barely existing, struggling after the sudden loss of her son. And it’s a searing and very moving portrait of loss and the extremes of grief – a character perfectly drawn in every detail, emotions so close to the surface that you ache for her. And then there’s Leo – awkward, solitary, complex, and another enthralling character. The cast of characters in the present day is small, the unfolding drama tremendously involving as their lives intertwine, each of the three main characters fascinating to watch. There’s a nice balance between the elements of a saga, a suspense-filled mystery, maybe a little psychological thriller – and the writing is quite excellent, the story well constructed, moving with ease between past and present, the emotional content quite perfectly wrought.
This is a book that deals with grief, loss, love, hope and healing – and questions of identity, how lives are changed by others, and questions the notion of illusion and reality. I enjoyed it very much.
September 22, 2022
An emotional and tender story about loss, grief, and the lies people tell to themselves and each other on order to survive.
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