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Notes from the Lost: A compelling WW2 story of kindness and betrayal
Shortlisted for The 2020 Selfies Book Awards In October 1943, when prisoners of war Alfie and Frank escape from a train taking them to Germany, their lives depend on the family of shepherds who shelter them. In constant jeopardy, the young men wait out the winter in the Italian mountains.In 2000, Ros Goudy inherits her music teacher’s home in Exeter and there she finds letters that reveal the soldiers’ fate. Only one made it back, but it wasn’t to a warm welcome and happy ever after. What had happened that turned heads and hearts against him? The trail she follows begins with an charming comic song composed before the war. What she discovers is that everyone, including herself, has something to hide.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2019
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25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 25, 2020
A fantastic surprise.
Gosh, to think that I almost abandoned this book; well I'm so pleased that I didn't, as it is a brilliant read.
My favourite genre, a dual timeline set in Italy during World War II, and England in the present day.
So many secrets from the past are finally revealed, and reconciliation between people thought to be lost.
This book is so well written and researched, I have no hesitation in recommending this fabulous read. ( Yes, tissues were required during the reading).
Gosh, to think that I almost abandoned this book; well I'm so pleased that I didn't, as it is a brilliant read.
My favourite genre, a dual timeline set in Italy during World War II, and England in the present day.
So many secrets from the past are finally revealed, and reconciliation between people thought to be lost.
This book is so well written and researched, I have no hesitation in recommending this fabulous read. ( Yes, tissues were required during the reading).
September 26, 2020
Alfie is a British soldier looking to escape from a prison train rolling north in the Italian mountains during 1943. Ros is an undiscovered clarinetist busking in London in the year 2000. Their two lives are poles and decades apart, but despite the time that separate Alfie and Ros, their stories become entwined through their love of music.
Cathie Hartigan has crafted a beautiful, complex and deeply moving novel. Each storyline begins secure in its own time.
Alfie’s story is so evocative, the Italian scenes so visual, that his compelling story could have carried a novel alone. His voice is strong and believable, our fear for him real.
Ros’ story is less weighty than a war but no less intriguing as her life takes several unexpected turns. We switch between London and Exeter. In her new home, she begins to unearth the notes from the past.
I was impressed by the artful structure of the book; how the two stories begin to collide, the past increasingly informing the present, secret layered upon secret. The climax was a truly emotional mix of loss, comradeship and love. Notes from the Lost is a perfect follow on to Secret of the Song. Both novels have a clear love of music and of Italy. Both novels are wonderfully written.
Hugely enjoyed. Hugely recommended.
Cathie Hartigan has crafted a beautiful, complex and deeply moving novel. Each storyline begins secure in its own time.
Alfie’s story is so evocative, the Italian scenes so visual, that his compelling story could have carried a novel alone. His voice is strong and believable, our fear for him real.
Ros’ story is less weighty than a war but no less intriguing as her life takes several unexpected turns. We switch between London and Exeter. In her new home, she begins to unearth the notes from the past.
I was impressed by the artful structure of the book; how the two stories begin to collide, the past increasingly informing the present, secret layered upon secret. The climax was a truly emotional mix of loss, comradeship and love. Notes from the Lost is a perfect follow on to Secret of the Song. Both novels have a clear love of music and of Italy. Both novels are wonderfully written.
Hugely enjoyed. Hugely recommended.
November 3, 2019
This is a poignant and insightful look at the kindness of strangers. Escaped prisoners of war Alfie and Frank are sheltered by Italian villagers, and their experiences there will shape the rest of their lives, and those of their loved ones back in England. In the present day, Ros Goudy's life is also changed by what happened so long ago, and the choices people made. The character of Alfie is a quiet triumph; he loses so much, and yet finds the inner resources to live a good life. No spoilers! One to savour.
March 14, 2020
If you've read any of my reviews, you'll know that first person present is my least favourite style. However, sometimes I come across one that is worth sticking with - and this is one of those stories.
Tender, touching and very readable.
Please note: there is some swearing including limited use of the F-bomb.
Tender, touching and very readable.
Please note: there is some swearing including limited use of the F-bomb.
November 25, 2019
There are sometimes books that take a while to get into their stride… you know, the ones where you wonder if it’s going to be the book for you, whether the story telling will begin to work its magic. But this book hooked me from the very beginning, as Alfie and Frank escaped their wartime journey and struggled for survival, helped by the exceptional kindness and bravery of their friends in the Italian Appenines.
The first thing that draws you in is Alfie’s clear voice, wonderfully sustained – he really made me feel, and I immediately took him to my heart as he shared his experiences, the privations, the heartbreak, and those precious moments of joy. The community in the mountains was superbly drawn, the locations vividly recreated, the risks the villagers took providing a palpable edge of danger – and I particularly loved the close friendship between the two men, united in their shared past and their passion to survive.
But this is a dual-time story, so we also follow the twists and turns of the life of Ros in 2000, her passion for music enabling her to scrape a living, her inheritance taking her down an unexpected path, and the fascinating unfolding mystery that ensues and ultimately draws the two stories together. All the characters in this book are so strongly drawn – Ros herself is an absolute joy from beginning to end, another clear voice that I enjoyed immensely. But the whole modern day supporting cast is excellent – the eminent conductor, Ros’ lovely father, the larger-than-life Thomasina, the multi-talented plumber, the slimy estate agent and more.
I particularly liked the way this book was structured – the stories begin by alternating, past and present then collide, and everything follows a rather less linear path to the book’s perfect climax and conclusion – and I slipped with absolute ease between the stories and timelines.
I’m in awe of the author’s skill as a story teller – other than those aggravating moments when life intervened, this was a book that entirely consumed me until I reached the end. She tells a gripping and well-researched wartime story, full of heart and emotion, desperately poignant, and balances it perfectly with a sometimes lighter modern thread, not without its darker and dramatic turns, shot through with well-judged moments of humour, a lovely developing love story, moments of tenderness, and an enthralling sequence of twists and turns and secrets uncovered that keep the pages turning. Her love of music resonates from the pages – but so does her love for her characters, particularly Alfie himself, both as a young man and in the present day.
I really loved this book – as I hope you can tell. And I must add that although I’m not someone who usually enthuses about book covers, this one is absolutely perfect for the story that lies within. Highly recommended by me – a wonderful story, beautifully told, that will long linger in the memory.
The first thing that draws you in is Alfie’s clear voice, wonderfully sustained – he really made me feel, and I immediately took him to my heart as he shared his experiences, the privations, the heartbreak, and those precious moments of joy. The community in the mountains was superbly drawn, the locations vividly recreated, the risks the villagers took providing a palpable edge of danger – and I particularly loved the close friendship between the two men, united in their shared past and their passion to survive.
But this is a dual-time story, so we also follow the twists and turns of the life of Ros in 2000, her passion for music enabling her to scrape a living, her inheritance taking her down an unexpected path, and the fascinating unfolding mystery that ensues and ultimately draws the two stories together. All the characters in this book are so strongly drawn – Ros herself is an absolute joy from beginning to end, another clear voice that I enjoyed immensely. But the whole modern day supporting cast is excellent – the eminent conductor, Ros’ lovely father, the larger-than-life Thomasina, the multi-talented plumber, the slimy estate agent and more.
I particularly liked the way this book was structured – the stories begin by alternating, past and present then collide, and everything follows a rather less linear path to the book’s perfect climax and conclusion – and I slipped with absolute ease between the stories and timelines.
I’m in awe of the author’s skill as a story teller – other than those aggravating moments when life intervened, this was a book that entirely consumed me until I reached the end. She tells a gripping and well-researched wartime story, full of heart and emotion, desperately poignant, and balances it perfectly with a sometimes lighter modern thread, not without its darker and dramatic turns, shot through with well-judged moments of humour, a lovely developing love story, moments of tenderness, and an enthralling sequence of twists and turns and secrets uncovered that keep the pages turning. Her love of music resonates from the pages – but so does her love for her characters, particularly Alfie himself, both as a young man and in the present day.
I really loved this book – as I hope you can tell. And I must add that although I’m not someone who usually enthuses about book covers, this one is absolutely perfect for the story that lies within. Highly recommended by me – a wonderful story, beautifully told, that will long linger in the memory.
October 25, 2019
Alfie and Frank escape from a 1940s PoW train and begin a journey through the mountains of Italy that will have far-reaching results for them and for their loved ones. Fast forward to the early twenty-first century, and musician Ros receives unexpected news that takes her on a journey both to the West Country and into the past. The two threads of the story overlap and interweave to produce an elegant and satisfying conclusion.
I finished this dual-narrative novel in just one day; and I absolutely loved it. The historical story was beautifully told and speaks of much, detailed research. But I particularly liked the modern thread. Cathie Hartigan's love of, and expertise in music, just shines through. Highly recommended.
I finished this dual-narrative novel in just one day; and I absolutely loved it. The historical story was beautifully told and speaks of much, detailed research. But I particularly liked the modern thread. Cathie Hartigan's love of, and expertise in music, just shines through. Highly recommended.
January 3, 2020
I absolutely adored this book, I fell immediately in love with Alfie and was captivated by his storyline as an escaped POW during the Second World War. I was fully transported to the mountain-tops and small villages of Italy and initially reluctant to leave them for modern-day Exeter.
However, the author seamlessly weaves his storyline with that of a musician several decades later who has big decisions to make as to what she plans to do with her life and career. The outcome of the book is so beautifully uplifting that I shall be sure to read it again when I need a big dose of happy. Highly recommended.
However, the author seamlessly weaves his storyline with that of a musician several decades later who has big decisions to make as to what she plans to do with her life and career. The outcome of the book is so beautifully uplifting that I shall be sure to read it again when I need a big dose of happy. Highly recommended.
March 3, 2020
I enjoyed this story very much. I loved the way the chapters were split into the harrowing experiences of Alfie and Frank during the war and then Ros in the present day. Slowly their lives come together through mutual acquaintances and eventually music. I must admit that I didn't understand all the music references, but I went with the story and the narrative had me turning the pages. A well deserved five stars.
February 7, 2021
TOTALLY SUPERLICIOUS
First time reading this author and it was outstanding to be whisked to another world and time Frank Alfie what they had to do the kindness showed to them dottie and her secrets a truly beautiful book .
First time reading this author and it was outstanding to be whisked to another world and time Frank Alfie what they had to do the kindness showed to them dottie and her secrets a truly beautiful book .
March 26, 2022
Loved this book. I am a big fan of double tim timeline books particularly featuring WW2. This one did not disappoint with many twists and turns throughout. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews