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Lost Boy Found
Perfect for fans of the NYT bestseller Sold on a Monday, this Southern historical novel based on the true story of a boy's mysterious disappearance examines despair, loyalty, and the nature of truth.
In 1913, on a summer's day at Half Moon Lake, Louisiana, four-year-old Sonny Davenport walks into the woods and never returns.
The boy's mysterious disappearance from the family's lake house makes front-page news in their home town of Opelousas. John Henry and Mary Davenport are wealthy and influential, and will do anything to find their son. For two years, the Davenports search across the South, offer increasingly large rewards and struggle not to give in to despair. Then, at the moment when all hope seems lost, the boy is found in the company of a tramp.
But is he truly Sonny Davenport? The circumstances of his discovery raise more questions than answers. And when Grace Mill, an unwed farm worker, travels from Alabama to lay claim to the child, newspapers, townsfolk, even the Davenports' own friends, take sides.
As the tramp's kidnapping trial begins, and two desperate mothers fight for ownership of the boy, the people of Opelousas discover that truth is more complicated than they'd ever dreamed.
In 1913, on a summer's day at Half Moon Lake, Louisiana, four-year-old Sonny Davenport walks into the woods and never returns.
The boy's mysterious disappearance from the family's lake house makes front-page news in their home town of Opelousas. John Henry and Mary Davenport are wealthy and influential, and will do anything to find their son. For two years, the Davenports search across the South, offer increasingly large rewards and struggle not to give in to despair. Then, at the moment when all hope seems lost, the boy is found in the company of a tramp.
But is he truly Sonny Davenport? The circumstances of his discovery raise more questions than answers. And when Grace Mill, an unwed farm worker, travels from Alabama to lay claim to the child, newspapers, townsfolk, even the Davenports' own friends, take sides.
As the tramp's kidnapping trial begins, and two desperate mothers fight for ownership of the boy, the people of Opelousas discover that truth is more complicated than they'd ever dreamed.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2019
550 people are currently reading
10294 people want to read
About the author
Kirsten Alexander
11 books184 followersKirsten Alexander is the author of three novels: Half Moon Lake (PRH, Australia & NZ, 2019; published as Lost Boy Found by Grand Central/Hachette, US & Canada 2020), Riptides (PRH, 2020) and After the Fall (Ultimo Press, 2025).
Kirsten has worked as a nonfiction book editor, copywriter (inhouse four years for Aesop, also for Crumpler, M.L. Vintage, House + Universe), and occasional article writer (for the Age, the Daily Beast, Notebook, the Melbourne Weekly, Atticus Review and others). She’s worked as a reviewer for ABC Radio National’s The Book Show, a magazine section editor, and content manager for several websites.
She was co-founder and editor of three-volume digital journal Open Field.
Currently she works as an editor and tutor for the Faber Writing Academy.
Kirsten was born in San Francisco, raised in Brisbane, and lives in Melbourne with her partner and two sons.
author photo credit: Lee Sandwith
Kirsten has worked as a nonfiction book editor, copywriter (inhouse four years for Aesop, also for Crumpler, M.L. Vintage, House + Universe), and occasional article writer (for the Age, the Daily Beast, Notebook, the Melbourne Weekly, Atticus Review and others). She’s worked as a reviewer for ABC Radio National’s The Book Show, a magazine section editor, and content manager for several websites.
She was co-founder and editor of three-volume digital journal Open Field.
Currently she works as an editor and tutor for the Faber Writing Academy.
Kirsten was born in San Francisco, raised in Brisbane, and lives in Melbourne with her partner and two sons.
author photo credit: Lee Sandwith
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 792 reviews
November 3, 2019
I was really enjoying this but the ending was to unresolved for me.
April 15, 2020
Spoiler: I am never sure how to rate these books. I kept reading it because I was interested (so that’s good) but when finished I realized I didn’t like one single character in the whole book (not one person had a redeeming character) and couldn’t believe how the book unraveled and finished. It was maddening!! 🙄
January 10, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘Sonny wasn’t in the garden. He wasn’t in the thickets or on the rope swing or in the shed. And though John Henry and Ira scoured the forest and the lake’s edge with Mason, they didn’t find the boy.’
So begins the fateful story of four-year-old Sonny Davenport, who walks into the woods one muggy summer’s day and vanishes without a trace. Inspired by the real life kidnapping story of American boy Bobby Dunbar, Half Moon Lake is a compelling historical mystery novel that seduced me from cover to cover.
Half Moon Lake begins in the year 1913, in America’s Deep South. The Davenport family are based at their summer abode, a lake house. Little Sonny, the family’s four-year-old child disappears, last seen in the surrounding forest. The small community of Opelousas in Louisiana is hit hard by Sonny’s disappearance. The Davenports use their money and influence to track down their son, for they are certain he is still alive. Over a period of two painful years, the Davenports, in particular John Henry, Sonny’s father, tracks down every single possible lead. While Mary, Sonny’s mother, cannot cope at all and goes into utter despair. Even a healthy reward does not turn anything up. Things take a very different turn when the Davenports are faced with the impossible. A boy resembling their lost child Sonny surfaces, with a vagrant. Sonny’s reappearance signals the beginning of a complex case. A trial, a dubious tramp, an unwed mother with claims to the boy resembling Sonny and a community up in arms about this strange case defines Half Moon Lake.
The author of Half Moon Lake, Melbourne based writer Kirsten Alexander, is currently in the throes of her third novel. However, Half Moon Lake, her debut, has only just been released. This is a book that completely absorbed me from the fascinating Author’s Note, contained at the start of the book, until the very end.
On first appearance it can seem like Half Moon Lake is a cut and dry historical based kidnapping story. I need to make it clear that Half Moon Lake is so much more than this. Yes it is the tale of a boy’s disappearance and the ripple effect this has on the family, small community and others, but it also offers an excellent commentary on a number of key issues. The overwhelming message I got from this novel was that wealth and status can influence the justice system, especially in times past. Alexander also uses Half Moon Lake as a vehicle to adequately explore social inequality, the vagrant experience, the treatment of slaves, gender oppression, wealth and class issues. The social graces and morals present at this point in time are carefully embedded with the novel. In addition, there is a solid overlay of the political background at the time, as well the world climate, which was only just feeling the shocks of the outbreak of World War I. This is beautifully captured by Alexander.
Half Moon Lake is defined a moody cover and a stirring atmosphere, which is established very early on in the novel. There is even a Spotify playlist to help immerse the reader in the music of the time and place. I appreciated these touches very much and my emotions were definitely heightened from the get-go. As a mother of two young children, my heart went out to the Davenports, especially Sonny’s mother, Mary and later Grace Mill, the other mother with a lost child. Alexander does a very fine job of expressing the feelings that we would expect these parents to experience. Alexander offers an excellent snapshot into the grief, loss, longing, desperation, confusion and the brief glimmers of hope. Tied into this was the endless trips John Henry embarked on to chase the wild leads on Sonny. It was relentless and I felt terribly exhausted by it all for the Davenports!
Half Moon Lake takes a different direction when the boy resembling Sonny surfaces with the vagrant. Alexander’s focus on the fallout from this and the complexity associated with the other woman claiming to be the boy’s mother is carefully considered. Alexander is deliberate in her approach, ensuring that the unfolding tale is told with conviction, not sentiment and she avoids taking the moral high ground. This is a tough one morals wise and the definition of right and wrong comes into play, big time. It is hard to discuss this further without ruining the ending of the book!
Half Moon Lake is an excellent period piece. It is a well rendered historical mystery novel that successfully fuses fact with fiction. With strong accompanying themes of family, wealth, privilege, justice and kinship, Half Moon Lake left quite the impression on this reader.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Half Moon Lake is book #2 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘Sonny wasn’t in the garden. He wasn’t in the thickets or on the rope swing or in the shed. And though John Henry and Ira scoured the forest and the lake’s edge with Mason, they didn’t find the boy.’
So begins the fateful story of four-year-old Sonny Davenport, who walks into the woods one muggy summer’s day and vanishes without a trace. Inspired by the real life kidnapping story of American boy Bobby Dunbar, Half Moon Lake is a compelling historical mystery novel that seduced me from cover to cover.
Half Moon Lake begins in the year 1913, in America’s Deep South. The Davenport family are based at their summer abode, a lake house. Little Sonny, the family’s four-year-old child disappears, last seen in the surrounding forest. The small community of Opelousas in Louisiana is hit hard by Sonny’s disappearance. The Davenports use their money and influence to track down their son, for they are certain he is still alive. Over a period of two painful years, the Davenports, in particular John Henry, Sonny’s father, tracks down every single possible lead. While Mary, Sonny’s mother, cannot cope at all and goes into utter despair. Even a healthy reward does not turn anything up. Things take a very different turn when the Davenports are faced with the impossible. A boy resembling their lost child Sonny surfaces, with a vagrant. Sonny’s reappearance signals the beginning of a complex case. A trial, a dubious tramp, an unwed mother with claims to the boy resembling Sonny and a community up in arms about this strange case defines Half Moon Lake.
The author of Half Moon Lake, Melbourne based writer Kirsten Alexander, is currently in the throes of her third novel. However, Half Moon Lake, her debut, has only just been released. This is a book that completely absorbed me from the fascinating Author’s Note, contained at the start of the book, until the very end.
On first appearance it can seem like Half Moon Lake is a cut and dry historical based kidnapping story. I need to make it clear that Half Moon Lake is so much more than this. Yes it is the tale of a boy’s disappearance and the ripple effect this has on the family, small community and others, but it also offers an excellent commentary on a number of key issues. The overwhelming message I got from this novel was that wealth and status can influence the justice system, especially in times past. Alexander also uses Half Moon Lake as a vehicle to adequately explore social inequality, the vagrant experience, the treatment of slaves, gender oppression, wealth and class issues. The social graces and morals present at this point in time are carefully embedded with the novel. In addition, there is a solid overlay of the political background at the time, as well the world climate, which was only just feeling the shocks of the outbreak of World War I. This is beautifully captured by Alexander.
Half Moon Lake is defined a moody cover and a stirring atmosphere, which is established very early on in the novel. There is even a Spotify playlist to help immerse the reader in the music of the time and place. I appreciated these touches very much and my emotions were definitely heightened from the get-go. As a mother of two young children, my heart went out to the Davenports, especially Sonny’s mother, Mary and later Grace Mill, the other mother with a lost child. Alexander does a very fine job of expressing the feelings that we would expect these parents to experience. Alexander offers an excellent snapshot into the grief, loss, longing, desperation, confusion and the brief glimmers of hope. Tied into this was the endless trips John Henry embarked on to chase the wild leads on Sonny. It was relentless and I felt terribly exhausted by it all for the Davenports!
Half Moon Lake takes a different direction when the boy resembling Sonny surfaces with the vagrant. Alexander’s focus on the fallout from this and the complexity associated with the other woman claiming to be the boy’s mother is carefully considered. Alexander is deliberate in her approach, ensuring that the unfolding tale is told with conviction, not sentiment and she avoids taking the moral high ground. This is a tough one morals wise and the definition of right and wrong comes into play, big time. It is hard to discuss this further without ruining the ending of the book!
Half Moon Lake is an excellent period piece. It is a well rendered historical mystery novel that successfully fuses fact with fiction. With strong accompanying themes of family, wealth, privilege, justice and kinship, Half Moon Lake left quite the impression on this reader.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Half Moon Lake is book #2 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
May 11, 2019
Inspired by the real historical story of American boy Bobby Dunbar, the book tells the story of four year old Sonny who with his two older brothers goes into the woods. Three boys go in, but only two return. A search of the area around Half Moon Lake finds no trace of Sonny. Wealthy and influential couple John Henry and Mary Davenport are determined to leave no stone unturned in trying to find out what happened and then to bring Sonny home. That includes rewards for any information. Mary gives in to despair when the search and rewards bring no results. John Henry refuses to give up. Then a couple of years later a child is found in the company of a tramp? Is it Sonny or not? Because Grace Mill, an unwed farm worker claims he is her son Ned. Who is right? Will the truth be revealed?
Initially I had trouble with the fact of parents letting three such young children go into the woods alone. Once the story moved along I did I found it an interesting though heartbreaking read, for more reasons than one. The further it went on the more I became invested in the story. It shows how people can be swayed by people of money and influence and how other poorer people are treated despicably. Prejudice, race and class are all themes that resonate in this book.
An interesting historical fiction based on a real event, the ending will not be to everyone’s liking, mine included. But it shows the way of the world and the conditions and attitudes of the times. Has our world changed that much? Something to ponder. A thought provoking book that is well worth reading. It will be interesting to see what this author writes next.
Initially I had trouble with the fact of parents letting three such young children go into the woods alone. Once the story moved along I did I found it an interesting though heartbreaking read, for more reasons than one. The further it went on the more I became invested in the story. It shows how people can be swayed by people of money and influence and how other poorer people are treated despicably. Prejudice, race and class are all themes that resonate in this book.
An interesting historical fiction based on a real event, the ending will not be to everyone’s liking, mine included. But it shows the way of the world and the conditions and attitudes of the times. Has our world changed that much? Something to ponder. A thought provoking book that is well worth reading. It will be interesting to see what this author writes next.
April 18, 2019
*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander. (2019).
In 1913 at Half Moon Lake, 4 year old Sonny Davenport goes missing. His wealthy and influential parents will do anything to get him back. Two years later a boy is found with a tramp and claimed by the Davenports. But is he really Sonny? Grace, an unwed farm worker, states that this boy is actually her son. People are divided even while the tramp goes to trial for kidnapping. Two desperate mothers want this boy and the truth is more complicated than what it seems...
This is a well written, fascinating story. The intriguing concept of the book is all the more interesting because it's actually inspired by a true story (research Bobby Dunbar if you are interested)!.
I think I was drawn into this novel not just because of the interesting mystery, but because there is also a strong message of how people use their class to get what they want; still relevant to today is how money and influence can get you the things you want but not necessarily the happiness you are looking for. I felt for the Davenports, any parent's worst nightmare would be losing their child. However by the end I felt frustrated by their actions. Grace was a tragic character and I think any reader would feel for her. A great historical fiction (inspired by true life) book that readers can get stuck into.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander. (2019).
In 1913 at Half Moon Lake, 4 year old Sonny Davenport goes missing. His wealthy and influential parents will do anything to get him back. Two years later a boy is found with a tramp and claimed by the Davenports. But is he really Sonny? Grace, an unwed farm worker, states that this boy is actually her son. People are divided even while the tramp goes to trial for kidnapping. Two desperate mothers want this boy and the truth is more complicated than what it seems...
This is a well written, fascinating story. The intriguing concept of the book is all the more interesting because it's actually inspired by a true story (research Bobby Dunbar if you are interested)!.
I think I was drawn into this novel not just because of the interesting mystery, but because there is also a strong message of how people use their class to get what they want; still relevant to today is how money and influence can get you the things you want but not necessarily the happiness you are looking for. I felt for the Davenports, any parent's worst nightmare would be losing their child. However by the end I felt frustrated by their actions. Grace was a tragic character and I think any reader would feel for her. A great historical fiction (inspired by true life) book that readers can get stuck into.
June 24, 2019
EXCERPT: Alone in the forest, his heart thundering, John Henry looked for signs of his son's passage; crushed leaves, broken branches, blood.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Inspired by the true story of a missing child who when eventually found was claimed by two mothers, Half Moon Lake is a captivating novel about the parent-child bond, identity, and what it really means to be part of a family.
On a summer’s day in southern Louisiana, 1913, Sonny Davenport wanders away from his family’s vacation home at Half Moon Lake and doesn’t come back.
John Henry and Mary Davenport search for their child across the state and throughout the South. John Henry offers an enormous reward for Sonny’s return. Mary turns to spiritualists and occultists. Tom McCabe, a reporter at The St. Landry Clarion, becomes unhealthily attached to Mary and John Henry. After years of crushing disappointments following hope, Sonny is found with a peddler in Alabama. But the Davenports’ joy at finding their son is cut short when another woman, unwed domestic worker Grace Mill, claims the boy is hers.
As the two mothers fight to claim the child, people choose sides, testing loyalties, the notion of truth, and the meaning of the word family.
MY THOUGHTS: Although a work of fiction, the true story of American boy, Bobby Dunbar, inspired this novel.
It took me some time to get into this book, if I ever really did. The story is slow, the characters mostly unlikeable, and now, almost a month after finishing it, I can't remember the resolution.... A pity since I usually enjoy real life mysteries.
it was interesting enough to keep me reading, but definitely not gripping or compulsive.
***
THE AUTHOR: Kirsten Alexander is the author of two novels, Half Moon Lake (PRH, Australia & NZ, 2019; Grand Central/Hachette, US & Canada 2020) and The Riptides (PRH, 2020). She is writing her third novel.
She is also co-founder of short story site Storymart: www.storymart.com
Kirsten has worked as a nonfiction book editor, copywriter (inhouse four years for Aesop, also for Crumpler, M.L. Vintage, House + Universe), and occasional article writer (for the Age, the Daily Beast, Notebook, the Melbourne Weekly, Atticus Review and others). She’s worked as a reviewer for ABC Radio National’s The Book Show, a magazine section editor, and content manager for several websites.
She was co-founder and editor of three-volume digital journal Open Field.
Kirsten was born in San Francisco, raised in Brisbane, and lives in Melbourne with her partner and two sons.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander, narrated by Andi Arndt, published by Penguin Random House Australia, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Inspired by the true story of a missing child who when eventually found was claimed by two mothers, Half Moon Lake is a captivating novel about the parent-child bond, identity, and what it really means to be part of a family.
On a summer’s day in southern Louisiana, 1913, Sonny Davenport wanders away from his family’s vacation home at Half Moon Lake and doesn’t come back.
John Henry and Mary Davenport search for their child across the state and throughout the South. John Henry offers an enormous reward for Sonny’s return. Mary turns to spiritualists and occultists. Tom McCabe, a reporter at The St. Landry Clarion, becomes unhealthily attached to Mary and John Henry. After years of crushing disappointments following hope, Sonny is found with a peddler in Alabama. But the Davenports’ joy at finding their son is cut short when another woman, unwed domestic worker Grace Mill, claims the boy is hers.
As the two mothers fight to claim the child, people choose sides, testing loyalties, the notion of truth, and the meaning of the word family.
MY THOUGHTS: Although a work of fiction, the true story of American boy, Bobby Dunbar, inspired this novel.
It took me some time to get into this book, if I ever really did. The story is slow, the characters mostly unlikeable, and now, almost a month after finishing it, I can't remember the resolution.... A pity since I usually enjoy real life mysteries.
it was interesting enough to keep me reading, but definitely not gripping or compulsive.
***
THE AUTHOR: Kirsten Alexander is the author of two novels, Half Moon Lake (PRH, Australia & NZ, 2019; Grand Central/Hachette, US & Canada 2020) and The Riptides (PRH, 2020). She is writing her third novel.
She is also co-founder of short story site Storymart: www.storymart.com
Kirsten has worked as a nonfiction book editor, copywriter (inhouse four years for Aesop, also for Crumpler, M.L. Vintage, House + Universe), and occasional article writer (for the Age, the Daily Beast, Notebook, the Melbourne Weekly, Atticus Review and others). She’s worked as a reviewer for ABC Radio National’s The Book Show, a magazine section editor, and content manager for several websites.
She was co-founder and editor of three-volume digital journal Open Field.
Kirsten was born in San Francisco, raised in Brisbane, and lives in Melbourne with her partner and two sons.
DISCLOSURE: I listened to the audiobook of Half Moon Lake by Kirsten Alexander, narrated by Andi Arndt, published by Penguin Random House Australia, via Overdrive. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my webpage sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
July 10, 2020
What. A. Ride.
A wealthy family spending the summer days at their lake house discovers their young child, Sonny, is missing. Despite an extensive, long-lasting search effort, he isn't immediately located. Two years after the disappearance, a little boy is found in the care of a wandering handyman - identified as the long-lost Sonny, the handyman is arrested and the child reunited with his parents. But when a young, unmarried mother comes forward insisting the child is hers, chaos ensues.
Lost Boy Found is based on true events, and as such, immediately sparked a high level of interest from me. The plot is hugely propulsive - one of those gripping stories you just can't look away from - and I flew through it.
The repeated, overwhelmingly prejudicial treatment of the poor versus the wealthy in this book didn't come as a surprise - we're all aware that things still operate in much the same way today. However, even though I knew that fact in the logical part of my brain, reading about it made my blood BOIL. (If you're an extreme empath, this might be a difficult read for you - I had to step away at times because I could feel my racing heartbeat in my ears.)
There were several times (THAT ENDING) that had me audibly gasping and yelling expletives, so be warned. Lost Boy Found is an entirely gripping tale that will instigate ALL the feelings.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy of this book. Out now!
A wealthy family spending the summer days at their lake house discovers their young child, Sonny, is missing. Despite an extensive, long-lasting search effort, he isn't immediately located. Two years after the disappearance, a little boy is found in the care of a wandering handyman - identified as the long-lost Sonny, the handyman is arrested and the child reunited with his parents. But when a young, unmarried mother comes forward insisting the child is hers, chaos ensues.
Lost Boy Found is based on true events, and as such, immediately sparked a high level of interest from me. The plot is hugely propulsive - one of those gripping stories you just can't look away from - and I flew through it.
The repeated, overwhelmingly prejudicial treatment of the poor versus the wealthy in this book didn't come as a surprise - we're all aware that things still operate in much the same way today. However, even though I knew that fact in the logical part of my brain, reading about it made my blood BOIL. (If you're an extreme empath, this might be a difficult read for you - I had to step away at times because I could feel my racing heartbeat in my ears.)
There were several times (THAT ENDING) that had me audibly gasping and yelling expletives, so be warned. Lost Boy Found is an entirely gripping tale that will instigate ALL the feelings.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy of this book. Out now!
October 24, 2018
I was surprised by this novel. I stay shy of abduction-themed novels as a rule but the 1913 Louisiana setting provided sufficient remove for me to take the risk. That leap of faith was rewarded - amply. Alexander renders the early 1900s with disarming ease. Her historical backdrop is depicted in fine detail; it reads fluidly and confidently and yet it is simple. We are spared the layers of petticoat, the complex mannerisms both social and linguistic that defined the period. We are aware of the abolitionist question, of the lack of freedom for women, for slaves, for the poor as we follow where Alexander directs our gaze. There is invitation without coercion in her writing which is the sign of sure accomplishment. This novel is based on the true story of the Dunbar family whose youngest son went off to play in the woods with his two older brothers and never returned. Meanwhile another young boy, Ned, is confined into the temporary keeping of a benevolent vagrant by the child's pregnant mother until after birth. We have two claims to the child found with the tramp.
The author is clear that she is addressing history as a fiction writer, a history which allows speculation and can, finally, give voice to otherwise unheard participants: children, slaves, single mothers here, at least, on Alexander's page. The Truth that she delivers is one that resonates today; that the privileges of wealth and of race allow for gross miscarriage of justice. The author parries this with a thrust that may destabilise in her concluding pages, a twist that reminds how the most vulnerable remain exactly that unless justice is allowed prevail. This is at once a political novel and an achingly beautiful portrayal of grief. Alexander never tips over into sentimentality or moral upbraiding. She quite simply tells the story and the result is a deft, convincing and utterly compelling.
The author is clear that she is addressing history as a fiction writer, a history which allows speculation and can, finally, give voice to otherwise unheard participants: children, slaves, single mothers here, at least, on Alexander's page. The Truth that she delivers is one that resonates today; that the privileges of wealth and of race allow for gross miscarriage of justice. The author parries this with a thrust that may destabilise in her concluding pages, a twist that reminds how the most vulnerable remain exactly that unless justice is allowed prevail. This is at once a political novel and an achingly beautiful portrayal of grief. Alexander never tips over into sentimentality or moral upbraiding. She quite simply tells the story and the result is a deft, convincing and utterly compelling.
December 30, 2020
I have never been more let down by a book’s ending than with this one. What an unbelievably lazy way to end a story.
March 4, 2020
Engaging, unsettling, and thought-provoking!
Lost Boy Found is a compelling story that sweeps you away to Louisana during the early 1900s and delves into the anxiety and terror experienced when a mother’s worst nightmare comes true and explores the physical, psychological and emotional extremes parents are willing to take in order to find their child and bring them home safely.
The writing is descriptive and didactic. The characters are despondent, anxious, and relentless. And the plot is a harrowing tale about life, loss, heartbreak, familial dynamics, hope, manipulation, corruption, prejudice, class division, ethics, and morality.
Overall, Lost Boy Found is a heart-sickening, twisty tale by Alexander that does a beautiful job of expressing the emotional devastation and shocking injustice that actually occurred in the real-life tragedy that inspired it.
Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lost Boy Found is a compelling story that sweeps you away to Louisana during the early 1900s and delves into the anxiety and terror experienced when a mother’s worst nightmare comes true and explores the physical, psychological and emotional extremes parents are willing to take in order to find their child and bring them home safely.
The writing is descriptive and didactic. The characters are despondent, anxious, and relentless. And the plot is a harrowing tale about life, loss, heartbreak, familial dynamics, hope, manipulation, corruption, prejudice, class division, ethics, and morality.
Overall, Lost Boy Found is a heart-sickening, twisty tale by Alexander that does a beautiful job of expressing the emotional devastation and shocking injustice that actually occurred in the real-life tragedy that inspired it.
Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2023
The year is 1913. A lost child is reunited with his family. Is he truly their son?
The mystery of the child's disappearance is surrounded by loyalty, despair and the meaning of truth.
The mystery of the child's disappearance is surrounded by loyalty, despair and the meaning of truth.
April 16, 2019
Probably more 3.5 stars from me.
This book gets better as it goes along. I was not entirely convinced at the beginning but as I got to know the characters and become invested in them I got more and more hooked. This is in part a story of duplicity and the sadness that this duplicity induces. The pain of two mothers who have lost their child. One missing boy is from a wealthy family who spare no expense searching for their son Sonny who disappeared one sunny day while out playing with his brothers, no sign of him is found. Then one day a travelling man who has been entrusted with another mothers boy is found and it is presumed that he has Sonny, but he doesn't. He is with another mother's son and she desperately wants him back.
There are interesting characters in this book and matters are at play which are complicated and you can feel sympathy for even those who are wronging others but at the same time their behaviour is totally reprehensible.
This book is very well done in many ways, my only reason for not giving it a higher rating is that it took me a while to get into it.
This book gets better as it goes along. I was not entirely convinced at the beginning but as I got to know the characters and become invested in them I got more and more hooked. This is in part a story of duplicity and the sadness that this duplicity induces. The pain of two mothers who have lost their child. One missing boy is from a wealthy family who spare no expense searching for their son Sonny who disappeared one sunny day while out playing with his brothers, no sign of him is found. Then one day a travelling man who has been entrusted with another mothers boy is found and it is presumed that he has Sonny, but he doesn't. He is with another mother's son and she desperately wants him back.
There are interesting characters in this book and matters are at play which are complicated and you can feel sympathy for even those who are wronging others but at the same time their behaviour is totally reprehensible.
This book is very well done in many ways, my only reason for not giving it a higher rating is that it took me a while to get into it.
May 4, 2020
If you want to get riled up over blatant injustice and discrimination, read this book! The wants/needs of the children, women, blacks, and poor folk in this book are callously dismissed by those in positions of power and wealth for their own egotistical ends. It's frustrating to read a story where the truth is so flagrantly disregarded and the inferior classes of people are powerless to change the inequality that keeps them oppressed and striving. The book ends abruptly and without full resolution; which, while disappointing, at least allows the reader to conjure the happy ending these pitiful characters deserve.
July 22, 2021
I wanted to read this book for a long time and desperately wanted to like it, but I struggled a lot - I found it so difficult to connect with the characters, and I absolutely hated the ending. It left me quite frustrated.
However, it was a very well-written book, and I have read quite a few good reviews.
However, it was a very well-written book, and I have read quite a few good reviews.
December 6, 2019
Really unlikeable characters and pretty awful storyline, especially the ending.
January 20, 2019
4.5* I didn't really know much about this story before I stared reading as I received it as a proof copy, but I ended up really enjoying it. The setting made the abduction/missing child story so interesting, as criminal investigations were carried out so differently. Class, race, and prejudice were also really prominent issues throughout the book, and I found the characters really well rounded. Alexander told the story the through the eyes of different characters, and although as a reader I knew the truth, telling the story through the eyes of the Davenports, Esmerelda, Grace, and others, none of whom knew entirely what was happening, meant that a lot of tension was built by the time the trial was underway. The ending will definitely stick with me, and I'm interested in reading more of Alexander's work.
March 24, 2020
This might be a surprise for some of you and is a type of spoiler, but the rich and powerful tend to get what they want and the poor and downtrodden tend to get screwed. Imagine that. This is based on a true life story of a four year old boy who disappears from his family in Louisiana. The family is heartsick and mount a massive search for him but no sign of him is found.
Then a young lad is found two years later with a hobo. The rich family thinks he's theirs and take him. Of course, the real question is he or does he belong to the poor, unwed mother who also claims him. This was a slow book which is perfectly suited for a story set in the deep South but it does drag. The ending is quite interesting.
Then a young lad is found two years later with a hobo. The rich family thinks he's theirs and take him. Of course, the real question is he or does he belong to the poor, unwed mother who also claims him. This was a slow book which is perfectly suited for a story set in the deep South but it does drag. The ending is quite interesting.
December 28, 2018
The reader knows the truth of the story, but it is how each of the characters deal with and treat this truth, that makes the story interesting. I had to keep reminding myself that the story is set in the 1910s and crime investigation worked so differently then. Kristen adds layers to the story, dealing with race and wealth, and how each is regarded and treated. The story is based on a real case and I was glad I read about it after reading Half Moon Lake - it would of ruined the building tension throughout the story - everything had to turn out right, didn't it?
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July 17, 2019A terrific premise, which becomes more than just a page-turning story; this is a complex and thought-provoking tale of the lengths we go to in order to save those close to us — and to save ourselves. I was gripped throughout.
August 16, 2020
3.5⭐️
Sonny went missing but then he was found. While the sheriff and concerned townspeople searched and searched we followed their hunt to find Sonny. But they couldnt find him. A man named Gideon Wolf did. But did Mr Wolf steal sonny or find him like he claims. Next we follow the trial to see if Sonny just wandered off or if he really was taken.
This felt real. The author was inspired to write this after listening to a true crime type podcast and this felt like we were really following the journey of a boy that went missing and was found. If you like true crime I think you will enjoy this.
Sonny went missing but then he was found. While the sheriff and concerned townspeople searched and searched we followed their hunt to find Sonny. But they couldnt find him. A man named Gideon Wolf did. But did Mr Wolf steal sonny or find him like he claims. Next we follow the trial to see if Sonny just wandered off or if he really was taken.
This felt real. The author was inspired to write this after listening to a true crime type podcast and this felt like we were really following the journey of a boy that went missing and was found. If you like true crime I think you will enjoy this.
February 3, 2019
Really wanted to like this based on the reviews. But I couldn’t. To me, there is a huge flaw in the story that everyone refers to and really, should settle the argument. So don’t read further if you haven’t read it yet or please end my frustration if you have. The ring-in talks. Everyone seems to know that neither “Sonny” nor Ned talks but the ring-in did. Grace says later that he talked at the meeting. In the court case they state he doesn’t talk, probably because of trauma. Ummmmmmm. But the norms of the time were well displayed by the author. Personally I would have liked to see Mary spot her son in that line-up. Or to at least hear about it.....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2019
This book grabbed my attention at the airport book shop. Not convinced I was going to enjoy it a couple of chapters in, but the story draws you in. You see the best and worst of mankind, the greed, the inequity of power, the prejudice, hatred and undying love. As the story grabs you and as you near towards the end, you think you know what the final chapters will hold ... but how wrong I was. A gripping story that will play on your mind for some time after you close its final chapter. Haunting ... and based on a true story!
December 26, 2021
All through this book I was thinking what a great mystery it was that was keeping me on the edge of my seat and rapidly turning pages. I was definitely going to give it 4 stars. Then I got to the end, but didn't realize until I turned the page that it really was the end. And then I said, "WTH??? That's it??? Seriously, that's it???" Wow, talk about an ending that left everything unresolved. It honestly made me really angry. And I'm still upset as I write this.
April 14, 2021
I thought the author wrote a heart wrenching story that was guaranteed to grab and hold the heart of every mother that reads this book. However the characters that were the heart of the story didn’t seem to be very well developed and these were the people that were going to make or break this story. The ending just fell short and the story felt incomplete. I realize that this was based on an actual event… the kidnapping of Bobby Dunbar…and I know sometimes real events don’t have real clear conclusions like fictional stories... but the reader was allowed to become entirely invested in these people and then was just left hanging. There are so many different conclusions that the story could have come to. It was too bad that it continued with deceit to the very end…still it was still a very worthwhile read.
November 6, 2019
Trigger warnings: disappearance of a child, grief, implications of rape, kidnapping(????).
So I was super excited when I first read the blurb of this book. And then somewhere along the line, I realised that this is inspired by the Bobby Dunbar case. And once I knew that, I was torn between being MORE excited and being LESS excited about reading this. And ultimately, it stuck a little too closely to the actual case for my liking.
Because the Bobby Dunbar case - while fascinating - is pretty depressing and I spent most of the book hoping
Ultimately, I think there were a few too many perspectives here, a little too much head-jumping for my liking. And I kind of feel like I might have liked it more if I hadn't known the details of the Bobby Dunbar case. So, like, if you're interested in this book and you don't know about Bobby Dunbar, maybe keep it that way and look up the case AFTER you read the book??
So I was super excited when I first read the blurb of this book. And then somewhere along the line, I realised that this is inspired by the Bobby Dunbar case. And once I knew that, I was torn between being MORE excited and being LESS excited about reading this. And ultimately, it stuck a little too closely to the actual case for my liking.
Because the Bobby Dunbar case - while fascinating - is pretty depressing and I spent most of the book hoping
Ultimately, I think there were a few too many perspectives here, a little too much head-jumping for my liking. And I kind of feel like I might have liked it more if I hadn't known the details of the Bobby Dunbar case. So, like, if you're interested in this book and you don't know about Bobby Dunbar, maybe keep it that way and look up the case AFTER you read the book??
December 25, 2018
Kristen Alexander has taken the whiff of a true story and bought it to life. This is a book that examines the power the wealthy have over poor people. It is a heartbreaking story about a missing boy and a stolen boy, one and the same, taken by wealthy people to fill an appearance hole in their family with no consideration for whose lives they choose to trample on for the sake of appearances. Half Moon Lake is a captivating story but one that will break your heart. It wasn't the happy ending that I wished for but there was hope that untruths may corrected.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2019
This book was sent to me by the publisher for my honest review.
I struggled with this book so much. Don't get me wrong the writing is good, I just didn't connect with the story. As a parent I do not understand the actions of John and Mary. I would never give up looking for my child and steal some else's as a replacement. It was just a sad story about terrible people.
I struggled with this book so much. Don't get me wrong the writing is good, I just didn't connect with the story. As a parent I do not understand the actions of John and Mary. I would never give up looking for my child and steal some else's as a replacement. It was just a sad story about terrible people.
January 19, 2019
Wow! I really felt the emotion of the poor mother in the courtroom. Ending skidded to a halt that felt like a whack across the head. 2.5 hours after I finished book I'm still thinking about it and at times appalling choices the different characters made.
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May 24, 2021I never do this, but I just couldn't finish. About 60% in and I realized that I just didn't care anymore. So I skipped around a bit, looked ahead. Read the last few pages and saw the ending was ridiculous. And then I quit and put the book in my Little Free Library.
January 11, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book, but I wanted it to end differently :( In a different time with different technology (DNA) and laws, maybe it would be a happier ending. Still a good read.
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