The Photographer of the Lost

A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK
Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and 1917

If someone you loved went missing, would you ever stop searching for them?

'This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war' The Times
'[An] impressive debut... a touching novel of love and loss' Sunday Times

1921. The Great War is over and while many survivors have been reunited with their loved ones, Edie 's husband Francis has not come home. He has been declared 'missing, believed killed', but when Edie receives a mysterious photograph in the post, taken by Francis, hope flares. And so she begins to search.

Francis's brother, Harry , is also searching. Hired by grieving families to photograph gravesites, he has returned to the Western Front. He too longs for Francis to be alive, so they can forgive each other for the last conversation they ever had.

And as Harry and Edie's paths converge, they begin to get closer to a startling truth.

An incredibly moving account of an often-forgotten moment in history, The Photographer of the Lost is an epic novel of forbidden love, loss and the shattered hearts left behind in the wake of the First World War.

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 :
'There's only one word for this novel... and that's epic... A beautifully written must-read' heat
'A gripping, devastating novel about the lost and the ones they left behind' Sarra Manning, RED
'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
'Scott has done an amazing job of drawing on real stories to craft a powerful novel' Good Housekeeping
'A deeply poignant and immersive novel . . . told in beautiful, elevated prose. I was completely caught up in these characters' stories' Rachel Hore, author of The Love Child
'What a wonderful debut novel. So accomplished. It grabs you from page one with such immediacy, such urgency. With a mystery at its heart and a moving, but page turning hook, I couldn't stop reading' Lorna Cook, author of The Forgotten Village
'A profoundly moving story of love and loss. The Photographer of the Lost is a sublimely rendered portrait of the search for answers amidst the chaos and devastation left behind in the aftermath of World War 1' Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift
'A poignant hymn to those who gave up their lives for their country and to those who were left behind' Fanny Blake, author of A Summer Reunion
'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: The Photographer of the Lost is going to be on an awful lot of Best Books of the Year lists, mine included... unforgettable' Iona Grey, author of The Glittering Hour
'Momentous, revelatory and astonishing historical fiction!' Historical Novel Society
'Had me spellbound from the first page to the last' Hazel Gaynor, author of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
'An amazing debut. It captivated me from start to finish and I can't recommend it highly enough' NB Magazine