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Lost in Time
At the start of WWI, Tom was a renowned horseman, working Clydesdales on a farm near Ely, in the Fens of East Anglia. When these vast wetlands were drained to reveal rich farmland, artifacts from the past appeared at the surface.
A mysterious medieval vessel rolls from the blade of Tom's plough. Shortly after, children begin to go missing, and panic grips the village.
Where are they? What has happened to them? Why is there no trace? Will more children go missing? What is the connection between the children, the Knights Templar, and King John's lost treasure?
Lost in Time is an unusual suspense thriller with a hint of humour, recounting an unpredictable chain of events and emotions as we experience Fenland village life in the early 1900s.
A mysterious medieval vessel rolls from the blade of Tom's plough. Shortly after, children begin to go missing, and panic grips the village.
Where are they? What has happened to them? Why is there no trace? Will more children go missing? What is the connection between the children, the Knights Templar, and King John's lost treasure?
Lost in Time is an unusual suspense thriller with a hint of humour, recounting an unpredictable chain of events and emotions as we experience Fenland village life in the early 1900s.
407 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2022
About the author
John M. Taylor
4 books7 followersDragged up in a Fenland village of East Anglia.
Accomplished daydreamer and adventurer.
Lived in seven different countries.
Married almost 50 years....to the same wonderful lady.
Currently living in Perth Australia.
Accomplished daydreamer and adventurer.
Lived in seven different countries.
Married almost 50 years....to the same wonderful lady.
Currently living in Perth Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 9, 2022
A well-crafted historical fantasy mystery thriller...
After a successful business career that took him all over the world, English-born author John Taylor, now calls Perth, Australia home. His early writing career consisted of writing technical and training manuals, but he eventually found that more creative writing gave him greater satisfaction. He was also a frequent guest on the radio and wrote a column for a local newspaper every week. His first book, "Raising Fen Tigers," takes a humorous look at his experience growing up in a Fenland village. His first novel, "I Will Find You," of which I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing, is being adapted for the Silver Screen! "Lost in Time," is his latest novel.
"Lost in Time," is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this historical mystery thriller that it guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of the Fenlands, in eastern England at the beginning of the Great War, this mystery thriller will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.
In summarizing the synopsis we find the main protagonist, Tom, a well-known horseman working Clydesdales horses on a farm near Ely, in the Fens of East Anglia at the beginning of World War I. During the process of draining the marshes to uncover rich farmland, relics from the area's long-ago history began to surface. From the edge of Tom's plow emerges a curious vessel from the middle ages. Not long after the discovery, children start going missing, and the villagers quickly become fearful. What is the relationship between the missing children, the Knights Templar, and the treasure that was lost during the reign of King John? This unconventional, and at times humorous, suspenseful thriller takes place in a Fenland town in the early 1900s and recounts an unanticipated chain of events…
"Lost in Time" had every element a good story should have. An interesting plot, with attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book. It’s one of those stories that come along once in a while that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.
Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
After a successful business career that took him all over the world, English-born author John Taylor, now calls Perth, Australia home. His early writing career consisted of writing technical and training manuals, but he eventually found that more creative writing gave him greater satisfaction. He was also a frequent guest on the radio and wrote a column for a local newspaper every week. His first book, "Raising Fen Tigers," takes a humorous look at his experience growing up in a Fenland village. His first novel, "I Will Find You," of which I had the pleasure of reading and reviewing, is being adapted for the Silver Screen! "Lost in Time," is his latest novel.
"Lost in Time," is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this historical mystery thriller that it guarantees the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of the Fenlands, in eastern England at the beginning of the Great War, this mystery thriller will have you turning the pages from beginning to end.
In summarizing the synopsis we find the main protagonist, Tom, a well-known horseman working Clydesdales horses on a farm near Ely, in the Fens of East Anglia at the beginning of World War I. During the process of draining the marshes to uncover rich farmland, relics from the area's long-ago history began to surface. From the edge of Tom's plow emerges a curious vessel from the middle ages. Not long after the discovery, children start going missing, and the villagers quickly become fearful. What is the relationship between the missing children, the Knights Templar, and the treasure that was lost during the reign of King John? This unconventional, and at times humorous, suspenseful thriller takes place in a Fenland town in the early 1900s and recounts an unanticipated chain of events…
"Lost in Time" had every element a good story should have. An interesting plot, with attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book. It’s one of those stories that come along once in a while that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.
Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
May 22, 2023
I read a lot of books in different genres, but no matter what kind of story it is, nothing makes me happier than finding a book I “can’t put down.” Having read (and loved) this author’s first novel, I Will Find You, I knew that another captivating novel awaited … one that would take me on a thrilling journey. And while it sounds like such a cliché, yes, this was indeed another page turner.
Lost in Time is wonderful, historically rich novel filled with suspense and intrigue from the beginning. Set in the Fens of East Anglia (early 1900s), author Taylor brilliantly depicts village life with his colorful characters and nuanced descriptions of their way of life. His storytelling easily transports readers to another time when the mysterious disappearance of village children brings suspicions, accusations, questions, worries, panic, and more to the residents of this village.
Taylor’s main character, Tom (Harrison), a renowned horseman, is front and center in this tale. He’s a well-drawn character, flawed, determined, inquisitive, and so much more. And yes, his children have disappeared.
I don’t want to give away any more of this story. What I want to emphasize is that I truly loved every moment of this book. I not only found the story riveting and intriguing, but also I learned so much in the process. Seriously, Lost in Time is wonderful. It’s colorful, engaging, and just great!
Lost in Time is wonderful, historically rich novel filled with suspense and intrigue from the beginning. Set in the Fens of East Anglia (early 1900s), author Taylor brilliantly depicts village life with his colorful characters and nuanced descriptions of their way of life. His storytelling easily transports readers to another time when the mysterious disappearance of village children brings suspicions, accusations, questions, worries, panic, and more to the residents of this village.
Taylor’s main character, Tom (Harrison), a renowned horseman, is front and center in this tale. He’s a well-drawn character, flawed, determined, inquisitive, and so much more. And yes, his children have disappeared.
I don’t want to give away any more of this story. What I want to emphasize is that I truly loved every moment of this book. I not only found the story riveting and intriguing, but also I learned so much in the process. Seriously, Lost in Time is wonderful. It’s colorful, engaging, and just great!
November 27, 2022
I read John Taylor’s first book, I Will Find You a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found his latest book Lost in Time equally captivating.
Historical fiction is my favourite genre and the author has done a great job in delivering a story set in two different periods of British history. Having said that, Lost in Time is actually historical fantasy – and the fantasy element is very well staged.
This fascinating tale starts in a small, East Anglian village in the years immediately after the end of World War 1 – or, the Great War, as it was called back then. A series of upsetting, unfathomable events unfold which throws the once peaceful village into a period of constant anger, mistrust and suspicion. Unfortunately, all fingers point to a young man who has just returned from the trenches in Northern France, physically and emotionally damaged. His callous treatment by police and villagers alike serve to set him back still further. It falls to the main character, Thomas Harrison, to solve the ‘unfathomable’ mystery that has beset the once happy village. This he undertakes, while at home, his own personal life deteriorates.
The entire plot plays out really well. The author brings both the early twentieth and
thirteenth centuries to life, populated by a host of well-drawn characters. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a good helping of fantasy, or to anyone who just enjoys a good story.
Historical fiction is my favourite genre and the author has done a great job in delivering a story set in two different periods of British history. Having said that, Lost in Time is actually historical fantasy – and the fantasy element is very well staged.
This fascinating tale starts in a small, East Anglian village in the years immediately after the end of World War 1 – or, the Great War, as it was called back then. A series of upsetting, unfathomable events unfold which throws the once peaceful village into a period of constant anger, mistrust and suspicion. Unfortunately, all fingers point to a young man who has just returned from the trenches in Northern France, physically and emotionally damaged. His callous treatment by police and villagers alike serve to set him back still further. It falls to the main character, Thomas Harrison, to solve the ‘unfathomable’ mystery that has beset the once happy village. This he undertakes, while at home, his own personal life deteriorates.
The entire plot plays out really well. The author brings both the early twentieth and
thirteenth centuries to life, populated by a host of well-drawn characters. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a good helping of fantasy, or to anyone who just enjoys a good story.
August 11, 2025
Lost in Time is a unique, vividly envisioned suspense novel that transports readers to the mysterious, mist-filled heart of a little English village, on the brink of World War I. John M. Taylor weaves rigorous historical knowledge into a story that is fascinating and unexpectedly funny. When a medieval vessel is accidentally unearthed it sparks a series of events involving missing children, a centuries-old mystery and murmurs of the Knights Templar and King John's lost wealth. What begins as a fascinating local mystery quickly evolves into a story of time travel, loyalty, and the unbreakable links of family.
Taylor's work portrays the feel of an English community in the 1900s with cinematic precision, among other things. The tension is tangible while moments of warmth and wry comedy break the tension, as in Alfie's observation: "Uncle Peter always said tea was for all occasions." That single line, amid the turmoil, captures the book's allure: a human heartbeat underlying the mystery. The historical portions, which depict the evolution of primordial swampland to drained farmland, provide depth to the fanciful, anchoring it in a solid, captivating realism. The emotional payoff is both fulfilling and emotional.
Suspenseful yet tender, Lost in Time is a story of wonder, resilience and the strange ways the past refuses to stay buried. Readers who enjoy historical intrigue laced with human drama will find themselves completely absorbed. I did.
A KU read.
Taylor's work portrays the feel of an English community in the 1900s with cinematic precision, among other things. The tension is tangible while moments of warmth and wry comedy break the tension, as in Alfie's observation: "Uncle Peter always said tea was for all occasions." That single line, amid the turmoil, captures the book's allure: a human heartbeat underlying the mystery. The historical portions, which depict the evolution of primordial swampland to drained farmland, provide depth to the fanciful, anchoring it in a solid, captivating realism. The emotional payoff is both fulfilling and emotional.
Suspenseful yet tender, Lost in Time is a story of wonder, resilience and the strange ways the past refuses to stay buried. Readers who enjoy historical intrigue laced with human drama will find themselves completely absorbed. I did.
A KU read.
June 7, 2023
Having visited Ely and the Fens on a number of occasions and having an interest in King John and the legend of his missing treasure, I decided to give this novel a try. I was glad that I did as it is a fascinating blend of life in the Fens following the First World War and life in the medieval period during the reign of King John.
Thomas (Tom) Harrison, the main character and a renowned horseman, finds a strange lidded medieval vessel whilst out ploughing with his team of horses one day. Deciding to keep the object he little realises how possession of it will completely change his and others lives, until one day curiosity compels him to take off the vessel's lid and he finds himself transported back in time. I won't spoil reader's enjoyment by revealing anymore of the plot, but will say that it is a very intriguing and engrossing story and a novel I didn't want to put down.
The treasure that King John lost whilst travelling from what is now known as King's Lynn to Newark has never been found, but the author puts forward a theory which is very plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and can highly recommend it. It is available on Kindle Unlimited and for sale on Kindle and Paperback.
Thomas (Tom) Harrison, the main character and a renowned horseman, finds a strange lidded medieval vessel whilst out ploughing with his team of horses one day. Deciding to keep the object he little realises how possession of it will completely change his and others lives, until one day curiosity compels him to take off the vessel's lid and he finds himself transported back in time. I won't spoil reader's enjoyment by revealing anymore of the plot, but will say that it is a very intriguing and engrossing story and a novel I didn't want to put down.
The treasure that King John lost whilst travelling from what is now known as King's Lynn to Newark has never been found, but the author puts forward a theory which is very plausible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and can highly recommend it. It is available on Kindle Unlimited and for sale on Kindle and Paperback.
July 21, 2023
This is a marvellous historical novel set in both the early 20th century and in medieval times. I thoroughly enjoyed the story in both historical settings and also learnt a good deal about the development English Fens where the book takes place. It is an intriguing mystery with all the elements of investigation a crime fiction novel involves. Exciting, compelling and gripping, I can definitely recommend this absorbing book.
May 21, 2023
I loved the premise of this book, magical potions, time travel, history and suspense. Well researched, and intriguing. It helped me while away a long boring train journey.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews