This was an awesome ghost story! I was hooked from the beginning to end. The author did have a few surprises in store and I loved them all.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this book.

3.5 stars.... it's a good fast paced book. Based on the premise of book, I really hyped up my expectations. I thought it would be dark/scary and it wasn't. Still, it was a good story line. I feel, the characters needed to be/could have been further developed, and the dialogue between them better scripted (for my taste), but it did not deter from the story. Overall it was a good read.

Unlike other reviews, I did not see the ending coming until well... almost the end. I don't want to give anything away, but suffice it to say that what happened to the village of Silvertjarn was not anything super natural - again, not a spoiler. What happened to the town's people was actually sad, and shows what being extremely isolated can do to a town/village especially they become radicalized. Alice, who's grandmother was born in the town of Silvertjarn along with her friend Tone (who is also connected with the town). and 3 other members to film a documentary on the strange disappearance. From the 5 members who went back to the mining town, only 3 come back. Why did the town disappear and why are the members of the film crew being picked off?

In the late 1950s an entire population in the town of Silvertjärn vanishes without a trace. People from the Government and other private sources investigate, but they couldn’t find the reason. Can a documentary director Alice, along with her friends find out what happened to THE LOST VILLAGE of Sweden?

What peaked Alice’s interest in filming this documentary? Well Alice’s grandmother is the only survivor of this town before everyone vanished. So as a team they go to investigate the phenomenon and try to understand what had really happened in the town.

The story progresses in an atmospheric sense and makes us believe that something paranormal is going on in this town. As a human reader, we are tend to give into such feelings until an unreliable character with a past history that is tied to this town comes along. I honestly did not believe anyone except for Alice and Emmy. The storyline is framed brilliantly focusing on the past and present giving us the glimpses of the “brainwashed” town in the name of religion and how that past connects with the present. One important take away — always be kind to people and don’t mix humanity with religion. No religion says to hate a fellow human under any circumstances. Also, don’t get brainwashed.

But, I feel that my feelings toward the story moved like a sinusoidal wave, a moment will peak my interest and when it slowly degenerates, another moment comes along that will keep me gripped!! That ending was unexpected 😯

This is a good horror mixed thriller and Sten sure is a louding voice amongst Scandinavian writers.

This is my honest review for the arc provided by Minotaur books & Netgalley.

The Lost Village is a horror suspense novel following an amateur film crew hoping to make a documentary on the mysterious fate of Silvertjarn, a small Swedish mining town in the late 50’s which saw its entire population of about 900 disappear overnight. Only a newborn baby was found left behind in the schoolhouse, her parents unknown.

Now in the present day, a group of young filmmakers are hoping to travel to the village and discover the truth of what happened. As their leader, Alice has a vested interest in the project, and not only because she has already spent much of the funding that was poured into this documentary and needs it to succeed. Silvertjarn was also the hometown of her grandmother, who lost her parents and beloved little sister when everyone disappeared. Alice’s connection to the village had also led her to befriend Tone, the miracle baby that was found, now all grown up and hoping to tag along and uncover her mysterious origins.

Also part of the team is Alice’s good friend Max, who had done quite well for himself after college, and is now a major financial backer of the film. As well, Alice was forced to hire another one of her old contacts from film school, her one best friend Emmy. Following their epic falling out, things were never quite the same between the two women, but Alice needed a production manager and for some reason Emmy was willing to work for her and bring along her partner Robert, an experienced technician. The two of them also didn’t mind taking a pay cut, which was a big plus, since money was tight.

Alice hopes that she will find something in Silvertjarn to make her documentary a hit and launch her career. But when the five of them arrive at the lost village, nothing goes as planned. One of them suffers a serious injury, jeopardizing their whole schedule. Then there are the strange noises, and the glimpses of a stranger among the broken rundown houses. But surely there can’t be anyone else in these woods but them?

The Lost Village is being pitched as The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar, presumably because of the filmmaking angle and the Swedish setting, respectively. But what it really is something entirely different and on its own. I will say that the book was thoroughly enjoyable, even though it was not without its flaws. It is slow-moving, for one, at least at the beginning, but the mood-building and story development was excellent. The plot unfolds via two timelines, one in the present following our movie crew, and one in the past, which is revealed to us gradually through letters and journal entries written by the close relatives of Alice’s grandmother.

I especially enjoyed these flashback sections to the past, showing us what life in Silvertjarn was like before everyone disappeared, including the devastating closure of the local mine which led to many of its residents moving away to find new work. Some of those who stayed became depressed or turned to drink. For the most part though, this was a tight knit community that supported each other through tough times. But then came the arrival of a mysterious and charismatic new pastor, who changes the fate of the village forever.

Given all that transpires in the past, it’s no wonder I found that timeline more enticing. In fact, one of the criticisms I have is that for about three quarters of the book, much of the present timeline feels uneventful and dull in comparison. When Alice and her team arrive in Silvertjarn, they find a whole lot of nothing. This quiet, eerie and lonely atmosphere was effective only up to a point, however, as tensions around the camp quickly devolve into incessant bickering and handwringing. For a film crew, they also don’t seem to do much or know anything about filmmaking. Granted, this could be due to the problems they run into, but with all these concerns about their limited time, you’d think these characters would have more agency.

Fortunately, the pacing picks up dramatically the closer we get to the ending, as more shocking developments occur in the present and horrible revelations also come to light in the past. The ending could have gone in a number of possible directions, but I thought things came together in the best way they could have. Overall, despite some pacing issues and unevenness in the interest generated between its two timelines, The Lost Village was a good read, for it made up for its minor shortcomings with an intriguing hook and great atmosphere.

This book was creepy. It reminded me a little of The Blair Witch Project in both premise and scare factor. However, you need a willing suspension of disbelief in order for all the little pieces fit. There’s not much to say without giving away plot points, but if you’re looking for something to keep you up at night, this might be the perfect read for you.

While competently written and the setting was spooky, this book simply didn't live up to its hype. I found the constant movement back and forth in time kept me from focusing deeply on either story, although I thought the story from the past was more compelling than the later investigation. None of the characters was particularly likable, nor real enough for a reader connection. The village failed to come alive in any way that actually made it scary.

Frankly, I was bored. Which was the absolute last experience I expected to have with this. The concept was compelling, the atmosphere and setting were super spooky. But nothing scary really happened IMO and it ended up being mostly the filmmakers walking around not filming and group drama. It just totally fell flat for me, unfortunately. I do think it would be a good movie, though, because the visual element could make it come to life better. And I do love the book cover.

A great premise grabbed me, since I love a thriller, especially about a deserted town with a mysterious past. The cast of characters were interesting enough, just not compelling in a way that endeared me to the story. It was intriguing, then a little dry, then a flurry of interesting albeit slightly unbelievable activity. Probably fitting around October for a cold, spooky read. Not so much in bright spring.

I do so love a dual timeline story, but the past backstory didn't give me the usual feeling of closure and tie-in. The present and past should fold together and it just didn't work for this book. Around Ch 61 I just wanted to know how it concluded, so I fast forwarded to the end.

Another suspenseful, horror book that I LOVED! I listened to the audiobook of The Lost Village and as most do, it definitely added to the story. This book has such a creepy, chilling setting that you can't help but get freaked out by. The plot pulled me in and I loved how the story alternates between the present time, following Alice and the documentary crew, and the past, where you get to see first hand what happened in the mining town to make the hundreds of residents vanish without a trace. It kept me guessing as to what was happening to Alice and her crew and also to what happened to all the people of the town. This is definitely a 5 star read for me. I had to keep reading to find out what happens in both timelines. This book creeped me out, inwas hearing noises at night in my apartment and it was just all the makings of a great horror movie. I definitely recommend this to all my suspense, thriller and horror book lovers!

Thank you @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the ARC.

Synopsis: Alice is a making a documentary of the lost village. Her grandmother came from the village and this makes it even more special to her. The village residents just disappeared one day living a ghost town, all except the corpse of a woman and a baby found in the school.

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I really enjoyed this book. It was creepy without being scary. I was sucked into figuring out what happened to the villagers. I wish they would have spoken more of the grandmothers life after her family disappeared. When i found out what really happened to the villagers I felt sad for them. I felt sad for Alice’s friends that she had helping her with the documentary, even if I didn’t like them at first. I can’t wait to read more by this author, her descriptions were enough without being too much to make you feel you were in the village too. I definitely recommend this if you are looking for a book with a little creepiness and written like a ghost story. You can get your copy today!

I'm not usually a horror fan, but the premise of this book intrigued me and I gave it a try. Although it was pretty scary at parts, I really enjoyed it.

The plot switches back and forth between the present, where a documentary filmmaker who's investigating a town where everyone disappeared without a trace in the 1950s, and the past, where we see what actually happened in the town.

The author does a great job of ratcheting up the tension in both the present and past sections. The present parts are legitimately scary, as a small group of people go to the deserted village to investigate the mystery and start to think they may not be alone. These parts are super creepy.

The past sections are more sad than creepy, but the slight change in tone between the two time periods works well for the story. My only complaint is that I would have liked a bit more time spent in the past. Things seemed to escalate quickly in the past, and I would liked to see more of how this happened.

Very creepy! I really liked the Blair Witch feels and the twists in this story. It went back and forth between timelines and it was a great way to tell this story. There were a few quirks with the translation but otherwise a great thriller.

This novel follows documentary film maker Alice as she investigates a mystery with ties to her own past. How did nine hundred (!) people disappear leaving only two vulnerable survivors? What will be uncovered in a search for the truth? What will happen if there is no going back?

This is author Camilla Sten’s first novel to be translated into English. She is the daughter of Viveca Sten, according to something that I saw. I have enjoyed Viveca Sten’s Sandham mysteries a great deal. This novel by Camila Sten was not in my usual genre as it is horror related. That makes it a bit difficult for me to evaluate. I would say that I do not really enjoy horror. However, if you are a fan of mysterious disappearances and can take in some horror, give this one a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

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This propulsive Swedish thriller is billed as a Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar wild ride of a story. If you are looking for a creepy Gothic thriller, this one might be for you.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

What an interesting idea for a novel! The story reads very much like The Blairwitch Project.

Alice Lindstedt is a wannabe documentary filmmaker. She has set her sights on a documentary about the lost village in a small mining town in Sweden. It’s a town that virtually disappeared in the 1950’s. No one left, doors left open, coffee still sitting in cups. The only survivor, a small baby found in the nurse’s office at a school.

She chose this village, not just because of it’s creepy history, but also because of her family ties. Her great grandmother and her family were in the village and also disappeared.

Alice arrives with a few people to help her with the documentary. They are collecting pictures and info in order to secure funding. One of the people with Alice has a secret that only she and Alice know.

Pretty soon, things start getting a little strange, a little spooky and then even dangerous.

Good atmospheric thriller. The story is told in alternating points of time, then and now. Then...you learn about the events leading up to the disappearance of the village. Now...the events taking place with Alice and her crew in the creepy village.

I enjoyed it and it definitely held my interest the whole way. A few surprises along the way. Characters were not particularly likable.

Camilla Stem has written a thriller/mystery book that will have the reader trying to guess what will happen next....and who/where/what is the danger the group is facing? Alice is a documentary film maker who comes to this disappearing village where an unexpected and unexplained tragedy occurred many years ago. Alice only knows what her grandmother, who was raised in the village but left for schooling, has shared through letters written long ago with her sister, who remained in the village.....and was a part of the tragedy. Alice, Emmy, Tone, Max and Robert hope to solve the mystery of the missing villagers while documenting all their activities for the film. The author writes very descriptively, which brings the reader's imagination into the story and the characters as secrets and dangers lurk along with increasing tension and goosebumps.. Unexpected twists, challenges and tragedies make this book one a reader will not want to put down until the very surprising and satisfying ending. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. #NetGalley #TheLostVillageBook

Great premise, lousy writing, plotting and execution. I'm sorry I plowed through to the end to read this one.

Some decades ago, a small Swedish mining village went from bustling and filled with residents to a deserted ghost town. The disappearance was sudden and suspicious, appearing as though everyone had vanished. The only clues to this mystery are an abandoned newborn left alone in the schoolhouse, and a woman tied to a pole and stoned to death in the center of town. Neither of these facts much improve upon a solution to the mystery that surrounds Silvertjärn. For decades that mystery remains, leaving the town to garner the name, “The Lost Village.”

Questions regarding the circumstances linger in the minds of friends, family, and descendants. Alice Lindstedt, a descendant of one of the families that disappeared, and a small production crew set out to film a documentary about the village and what actually happened there all those years ago.

When the production crew first arrives at the village, it is marked by age but still standing. Much of it appears to be frozen in time as if the villagers had just vanished in the middle of the day. They set up camp in the village square and begin exploring the buildings for clues. The village has a haunting feel to it, almost as if it isn’t entirely abandoned. Soon, it starts to weigh on them all, and no one can shake the feeling that they are not alone. What secrets are hiding there? Can those secrets explain the sudden disappearance of an entire population? And is it just their imagination or is there someone, or something, there with them?

The Lost Village takes the reader along on the search for truth. The Lost Village is a ghost story about a village shrouded in mystery, a remarkable disappearance of all life, and suspicion surrounds any clues it left behind. Thrilling and suspenseful, this page-turner will keep you up at night. Partially because it haunts you, and partially because you simply cannot sleep without knowing the truth.

Alice Lindstedt, the director of the documentary, has a direct connection to the village. She grew up on stories from her grandmother, who grew up in the village, and whose sister and parents were among those that went missing. Alice wants answers more than she wants to perpetuate the mystery surrounding Silvertjärn. However, even she cannot deny the spooky feeling the emanates from the village. Instead, she tries to capture this feeling in her filming.

“To let the camera linger while the absence of any sound makes the viewer aware of their own breaths, their own heartbeats. To make them feel like they’re here in Silvertjärn with us, give them the same prickle along their spines that I feel as I stand here.”

Thanks so much to Minotaur Books for providing me with a free copy for honest review. I was so excited to have The Lost Village in my hands and have the opportunity to read it early.
There were so many things about The Lost Village that were my jam. Things that I just love in books.
My favorite thing about The Lost Village was the atmosphere and setting. I love an abandoned place. I love that feeling of stepping into a place that has been left to be reclaimed by nature. The houses and buildings have just been left like their owners have just stepped out for a minute, but they never returned. It's a delicious setting, made even better by the fact that this town is out in the middle of nowhere and hasn't really been disturbed for 60 years. I loved it. It made for such a creepy and sad setting that had such a visual feel. I could see Silvertjarn in my mind so clearly.
The mystery was a super enjoyable aspect of this book too. I was so intrigued to see where it was going to go. I think the book did a great job of slipping in reveals and twists. It had a really good pace. I was curious throughout the whole thing to see where it was going to go, why all these people just disappeared, and what was going to happen.
I liked the characters. I don't know if there were any standouts, but I felt like they made a good team that did have some tension sprinkled throughout.
I wish there had been a little more documentary film in this. Our crew is scouting so they can work on a trailer, but there really wasn't any filming or mixed media aspect except for the very beginning.
I also really enjoyed the glimpses of the past that were sprinkled throughout the story. We got to see Silvertjarn in the months leading up to the disappearance from Alice's great-grandmother point of view. I was always excited to read another snippet of what was happening in the village in real time. Those chapters were a welcome addition to the story.
I didn't necessarily love who turned out to be (one of) the big bads. It's just a villain type I've seen many, many times in stories, and I was hoping for something different in The Lost Village. I wanted an explanation that I hadn't seen before, that would surprise me. There definitely were some surprising aspects of the story, things I wasn't expecting, but the villain just didn't do it for me.
I also found myself still having questions by the end of the book, and those questions directly related to that villain. It didn't give me enough reasons to buy into what happened and why it happened.
This book was a ride that I really enjoyed. It had an A+ setting and a mystery that kept me reading until the very end. It would make a great movie. I'm glad I got to read it.
BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5
The Atmosphere, Perfection!

The Lost Village is a gripping horror/ suspense novel that will have you peeking out your curtains to make sure that you are alone. The story follows a group of 5 people who are trying to film a documentary on an abandoned town. There is drama and tension between the characters that keeps the story feeling fast paced and interesting, especially since the characters all blame each other for the weird stuff that begins to occur.

Our main character, Alice, has been obsessed with the lost village since she was a child, and I determined to make this documentary a reality, even if she has to rely on the help of an ex-friend to make it happen.

The story has murder, plot twists, explosions, mysteries, and more. I think any fans of The Hills Have Eyes or The Blair Witch Project will enjoy this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Camila Sten for providing me with an arc of this book.