From the attention-grabbing opening paragraph, to the joyful conclusion, Ruth Hogan has stirred together a charming fairy tale in which the people may be more lost than the things; and generosity and compassion may be the key to finding a way home. Also there are dogs. Delightful. * Helen Simonson, author of MAJOR PETTIGREW'S LAST STAND * At last, Therese is at peace, Laura and Freddy have vowed to continue Anthony’s work. They are engaged and have decided to pursue Laura’s dream of being a writer. She types the first line of a story about cremains in a cookie tin left on a London train. This is the same first line of the novel we have been reading. That said, many of my book friends loved this one, and I can see why. I’d still recommend giving this a shot when you’re in the mood for a gentler read, if only to witness its generous amounts of creativity. Hope you enjoy!

Anthony Peardew has spent half his life collecting lost objects, trying to atone for a promise broken many years before. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects, the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind, and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

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Talk about Sunshine, who describes her self as a "dancing drome." Did you appreciate her clairvoyance and connection with the irascible ghost?

A very enjoyable read. It is a gentle tale and you feel a genuine interest in and affection for the main characters. We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available: in the meantime, use these LitLovers talking points to start a discussion for The Keeper of Lost Things ...then take off on your own: Hogan's writing has the soothing warmth of the cups of cocoa and tea her characters regularly dispense. Readers looking for some undemanding, old-fashioned storytelling with a sprinkling of magic will find it here. This mystical and spiritual tale is a joyous read that will broaden your imagination and warm your heart * OK! *

Hogan’s whimsical first novel weaves together the stories of two British assistants, one of whom works for a publisher in the 1970s and the other who, in the present day, works for an unusual elderly gentleman who has dedicated himself to assembling a room full of “a sad salmagundi” of 40 years’ worth of detritus lost or abandoned by its owners.

If you are a lover of wonderfully told stories where people truly love one another, then this book is ever so right for you. It is told with such tenderness of a love story immersed within two love stories. It is a story of requited love and love that was felt but never could be carried through. It was a story of people, a bit broken at times, but with the strength and love we all possess and probably should show more of. Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious--a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made. Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects --- the things others have dropped, misplaced or accidentally left behind --- and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life's mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost. The characters in The Keeper Of Lost Things are very relatable, and it was easy to sympathize with them throughout their journey.

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles --- Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Embracing those who are marginalised by society … Joanna Cannon. Photograph: David Levenson/Getty Images The story of lost things was intended to be an insight into lost souls and self discovery but we felt that it was a very shallow exploration of this theme. An example of where we felt there could have been more depth was with Laura and Vince's confrontation. It seemed rushed and irrelevant when it should have been a big moment for the character. We also felt that the characters weren't very relatable - all middle class with mainly quite elitist issues - and the serious issues were brushed under the carpet and had less focus on them. The group felt that Laura in particular wasn't a very likeable character as she was quite self absorbed and self pitying. However the group loved Sunshine and found her character quite sensitive and funny in an endearing way (though it was noted that it seemed a bit odd that her parents let her spend so much time with complete strangers for so long). The dogs too were particularly adorable. It's such a pure novel, filled with tiny moments of joy, emotion, sadness, excitement, fear . . . I couldn't put it down! * Upon My Desk * There are two plot-timelines. Both were engaging—-but there was also a ‘third’ treat: stories within the storytelling. They were good! Afterall the Gentleman- Anthony Peardew, “Keeper of Lost Things”, was a writer! Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. His wife died many years ago. On the day she died, on the way to meet her, Anthony lost some precious item that she gave to him and made him promise to always keep with him. Anthony was distraught at loosing his wife and also the one item that would keep his promise and keep him close to her. So, in turn, he began to collect things that others had lost, hoping to return those items to them. He meticulously documented the items he found, eventually writing stories about them. Laura, who is completely lost, after marrying a dolt of a husband she probably never loved, comes to be Anthony's housekeeper at a wonderful home. When Anthony passes, he leaves the house to her and a condition, that she begins to return the lost things to their rightful owners. And so begins this wonderful tale. Throw in a small little love story, a wonderful neighbor Sunshine, a girl with disabilities, and you have such a heartwarming story. But there is also another interweaving story line - Eunice, who has lost something and lost the love of her life (literally). But Eunice has also found something and these two stories come together.The main issue that was discussed was the struggle to juggle the numerous characters and storylines. The consensus was that Eunice and Bombers storylines were unnecessary and didn't really add to the story of the main protagonist (Laura). We found the narratives difficult to navigate due to the vast amount of story strands in the novel which the connections to one another felt far fetched. However, the narrative is simply appalling. The author force feeds, I mean spoon feeds, the reader ad nauseum.