Long Lost
by Jacqueline West (Author)
Once there were two sisters who did everything together. But only one of them disappeared.
Eleven-year-old Fiona has just read a book that doesn't exist.
When Fiona's family moves to a new town to be closer to her older sister's figure skating club--and far from Fiona's close-knit group of friends--nobody seems to notice Fiona's unhappiness. Alone and out of place, Fiona ventures to the town's library, a rambling mansion donated by a long-dead heiress. And there she finds a gripping mystery novel about a small town, family secrets, and a tragic disappearance.
Soon Fiona begins to notice strange similarities that blur the lines between the novel and her new town. With a little help from a few odd Lost Lake locals, Fiona uncovers the book's strange history. Lost Lake is a town of restless spirits, and Fiona will learn that both help and danger come from unexpected places--maybe even from the sister she thinks doesn't care about her anymore.
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Kirkus Reviews
The gore-free supernatural elements are more haunting than terrifying, foregrounding the characters’ journeys.... Grab a flashlight and stay up late with this one.
Publishers Weekly
In a spooky middle grade love letter to libraries and the mystery genre, West (Last Things) crafts a spellbinding exploration of sisterhood. Fiona Crane, 11, and her older sister, Arden, a figure-skating phenom, have just arrived in Lost Lake, Mass., where the white family has moved to facilitate Arden's passion. Archaeology- and history-loving Fiona resents the change--and the attention the girls' parents lavish on Arden. Despite her resentment, though, she finds the one place in town she feels comfortable: its luxurious library, located in a converted mansion that holds mysteries of its own. Fiona quickly stumbles upon an old book with a green cover and no library tag containing an unfinished story about two sisters of a bygone era. With the help of local boy Charlie, Fiona investigates similarities between the stories and local history, contending with a secretive librarian and the specter of Fiona's tenuous relationship with Arden. Alternating a contemporary third-person narrative with the found book's parallel telling, West draws readers into a supernaturally tinged dual story, simultaneously offering an authentic portrait of sibling angst. Ages 8-12. Agent: Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary. (May)
Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
