The Photographer of the Lost

In the aftermath of war, everyone is searching for answers . . . An epic novel of forbidden love, loss, and the shattered hearts left behind in the wake of World War I 'A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind' Fanny Blake, bestselling author of A Summer Reunion 1921. Families are desperately trying to piece together the fragments of their broken lives. While many survivors of the Great War have been reunited with their loved ones, Edie's husband Francis has not come home. He is considered 'missing in action', but when Edie receives a mysterious photograph taken by Francis in the post, hope flares. And so she begins to search. Harry, Francis's brother, fought alongside him. He too longs for Francis to be alive, so they can forgive each other for the last things they ever said. Both brothers shared a love of photography and it is that which brings Harry back to the Western Front. Hired by grieving families to photograph gravesites, as he travels through battle-scarred France gathering news for British wives and mothers, Harry also searches for evidence of his brother. And as Harry and Edie's paths converge, they get closer to a startling truth. An incredibly moving account of an often-forgotten moment in history, The Photographer of the Lost tells the story of the thousands of soldiers who were lost amid the chaos and ruins, and the even greater number of men and women desperate to find them again. Caroline Scott is a freelance writer and historian specializing in WWI and women's history. The Photographer of the Lost is partially inspired by her family history. Praise for The Photographer of the Lost: 'The pain of not knowing where a son, brother or husband lies, and the guilt and psychological dissonance that torment survivors, are movingly conveyed in this terrific first novel' Daily Mail 'I was utterly captivated by this novel, which swept me away, broke my heart, then shone wonderful light through all the pieces' Isabelle Broom, author of One Winter Morning 'Beautiful, unflinching, elegiac: The Photographer of the Lost is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included . . . it's unforgettable' Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour 'A beautiful, tender novel which explores the aftermath of the Great War, and the shattered lives left behind . . . had me spellbound from the first page to the last' Hazel Gaynor, author of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter