The Photographer of the Lost: A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK - Tapa blanda

In the aftermath of war, everyone is searching for answers... An epic novel of forbidden love, loss, and the shattered hearts left behind in the wake of the First World War 'This excellent debut is a melancholic reminder of the rippling after-effects of war' The Times 1921. The Great War is over and families are desperately trying to piece together the fragments of their broken lives. While many survivors have been reunited with their loved ones, Edie's husband Francis has not come home. He was declared 'missing, believed killed' during the war, 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. As Harry travels through battle-scarred France, gathering news for British wives and mothers, he 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 tells the story of the thousands of soldiers who were lost amid the chaos and ruins, and the even greater number of men and women desperate to find them again. 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: '[An] impressive debut . . . a touching novel of love and loss' Sunday Times 'There's only one word for this novel... and that's epic... A beautifully written must-read' heat '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 '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 'Had me spellbound from the first page to the last' Hazel Gaynor, author of The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter

Caroline completed a PhD in History at the University of Durham. She has a particular interest in the experience of women during the First World War, in the challenges faced by the returning soldier, and in the development of tourism and pilgrimage in the former conflict zones. Caroline is originally from Lancashire, but now lives in south-west France.