A Bookaholic's Book Log

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn

READ: 18.07.17 - 19.07.17

BOOK: What Was Lost

AUTHOR: Catherine O'Flynn

GENRE: Fiction

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The 1980s: Ten-year-old Kate Meaney - with her 'Top Secret' notebook and Mickey her toy monkey - is busy being a junior detective. She observes goings-on and follows 'suspects' at the newly opened Green Oaks shopping centre and in her street, where she is friends with the newsagent's son, Adrian. But when this curious, independent-spirited young girl disappears, Adrian falls under suspicion and is hounded out of his home by the press.

Then, in 2004, Lisa is working as a deputy manager at Your Music, a cut-price record store. Every day, under the watchful eye of the CCTV, she tears her hair out at the behaviour of her customers and colleagues. But when she meets security guard Kurt, she becomes entranced by the little girl he keeps glimpsing on the centre's CCTV. As their after-hours friendship intensifies, they investigate how these sightings might be connected to the unsettling history of Green Oaks.

REVIEW: I didn't really have many expectations when coming into this book but I actually found that I really enjoyed it. There was a huge mysterious cloud that hung over the book which I really liked, and I definitely didn't guess the outcome of the story. I really liked the characters in the book and found them all really charming, especially Kate and her detective antics.

The only slight problem I had with the book was that it wasn't always clear what was happening and who the text was about as well as many quick time changes which weren't clearly shown to be flashbacks. But overall I did really like the book, and would definitely recommend for a beach/ holiday read as it is very short.

FINAL VERDICT: I liked the book, and because I came with no expectations I think I enjoyed it more than I would if it had been a super-hyped up book.

RATING: 8/10