#BookReview Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James

Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

England, 1921. Three years after her husband, Alex, disappeared, shot down over Germany, Jo Manders still mourns his loss. Working as a paid companion to Alex's wealthy, condescending aunt, Dottie Forsyth, Jo travels to the family’s estate in the Sussex countryside. But there is much she never knew about her husband’s origins…and the revelation of a mysterious death in the Forsyths’ past is just the beginning…

All is not well at Wych Elm House. Dottie's husband is distant, and her son was grievously injured in the war. Footsteps follow Jo down empty halls, and items in her bedroom are eerily rearranged. The locals say the family is cursed, and that a ghost in the woods has never rested. And when Jo discovers her husband’s darkest secrets, she wonders if she ever really knew him. Isolated in a place of deception and grief, she must find the truth or lose herself forever.

And then a familiar stranger arrives at Wych Elm House…

**********

This is the kind of book that I love to read. A historical mystery with a paranormal touch. I quickly connected with the story and with the characters and I enjoyed this historical mystery very much. The one thing that bothered me a bit was that I think the blurb I read one Goodreads gave away too much. So, I would advise any reader to be careful about reading the book on Goodreads. Especially if you want to be kept in the dark about certain things in the story. Sometimes I think the less one knows about the story the better it is. And, that is why I will not reveal too much of what is going in the book. However, what I will address some of the aspects of the book that I enjoyed very much.

Like for instance that the book is well written, and this is one of few books with an instalove couple that I enjoy reading. I think it's because Simone St. James manages to portray both Jo and Alex so good that they come alive. You feel for Jo as she tries to live without Alex and the flashbacks to when they met and married each other are lovely. And, then we have the mystery of the book. The things Jo sees in the house isn't necessary terrifying, but it's awfully intriguing and thrilling to read about. I wasn't surprised over some turns in the story, but I nevertheless found the book to be very engrossing.

I will keep andane out for more books by Simone St. James!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!