Publisher: NAL
Release Date: April 5, 2016
Source: Review copy from the publisher
Rating: ★★★★

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…

LOST AMONG THE LIVING is a wonderfully spooky Gothic novel set in the aftermath of World War I.  It’s just the right blend of ghost story, mystery, suspense, romance, and historical fiction — all of my favorite elements. The heroine Jo is an unfortunate character, having lost her husband Alex in the war. With no other means of support, Jo takes a job as assistant to Alex’s snooty Aunt Dottie, which eventually brings her to their remote family home called Wych Elm House. Immediately, she knows something isn’t right. The house holds some very dark secrets about a mysterious death, and Jo soon becomes the target of a restless spirit. I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere of this book, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. Perfect for fans of vintage Gothic romance!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.