I raced through this book because I just had to know what happened to the people of the "Lost Village." Decades after an entire Swedish town goes missing, Alice and her film crew go to explore to make a documentary. However, some creepy things start happening. I liked how there were multiple mysteries going throughout the book and how the past and present were weaved together. I didn't want to stop reading. But I wanted this book to be so much more creepy than it actually was. I was hoping for a lot more scariness and went into the book expecting that. I did like how the ending of the past narrative almost comes full circle.
This is a book I recommend going into without any knowledge. I think it would make the experience much more enjoyable.

I enjoyed this thriller. Not only is this author new for me but I look forward to reading more from her in the future. This is a well developed story about an old mining town where the people are going missing. The characters find themselves in a town where things are happening without explaination but are things really as they seem? I had no problems relating to them as they kept the story engaging. This story is full of action and is engaging.. The twists and turns kept me turning pages fast. I highly recommend reading this book to see if the mysteries of this town is solved or will they be next.

I tried a couple of times to start this book but only got a few chapters in before switching to another book.
The idea of an abandoned town that has a mystery surrounding it sounded great but I found the past narrative a bit ‘wordy’ and flat (for want of a better word). I also didn’t feel and kind of link to the characters including the lead. It’s hard to continue when you aren’t interested in a particular character.
I think I may revisit this one down the line but I’m not sure I will get much further if I’m honest.

A Documentary Film Site Visit Doesn’t Go Well

The basic story concerns a site visit for a planned documentary concerning a fictional town, Silvertjärn, where in 1959 everyone disappeared without a trace but for a baby found in the school and a woman hanging from a flag pole.

The main storyline opens with Alice, a film maker whose grandmother left Silvertjärn a little before the disappearance, and Tone, a copywriter and photographer, driving to this very remote village with their team. The rest of the team consists of Max, financial backer, Emmy, fledgling production assistant, and Robert, a technician. They arrive and camp for the night. The goal of the visit is to take as many pictures as possible that can be used to flesh out the documentary for later filming.

During the first night Alice is awaken by a load scream. Tone is missing. Emmy states that someone in front of the van was looking at her. Then, Alice sees a figure off in the distance walking towards them. Once the figure emerges into the moonlight, she recognizes Tone who was returned from a nature call. Then, while exploring the village the next morning, Tone has an accident. The main storyline proceeds from this start.

The main storyline proceeds with two timelines, the present with Alice and her team and flashbacks to 1959 with the family of Alice’s grandmother’s sister. In addition the author also uses letters between her grandmother and the family in Silvertjärn, and stories that Alice had heard from her grandmother. Lastly, there is research that Alice has gathered. As with all mysteries, there are plentiful twists and turns to help maintain interest. All of these aspects meld together into very rich main storyline.

The B-storyline as in most standalone novels is integrated very closely and much is part of the main storyline. The major characters with extensive B-storylines are Alice and Tone. As the main storyline proceeds, the B-storylines proceeds lock stepped and strongly supports what is happening in the main storyline.

For aspects that can trigger some readers dislike for novels, there are not any intimate scenes. There is a level of offensive language, but it is used consistently with high stress situations during which this language should be expected. There is some violence with some described as it occurred which puts more edge on it. I do not believe that most readers would find any of these three aspects rising to an objectionable level.

The largest problem I experienced in reading this novel was its long and slow start. Some teasers that I’ve read mention that this novel has Blair Witch Project aspects. That movie was a thriller on steroids; this novel had infrequent strange happenings but not an avalanche of heart-stopping events. It was not until halfway through the novel that something happened that grabbed my attention, but there was a lull before more such events occurred. Finally, my attention was captured during the last quarter of the novel. All the questions that I raised while reading were answered by the end of the novel.

Lastly, this novel is a translation from Swedish. I did not observe any problems that I could directly associate with the translation. There were many words that I had to use the embedded dictionary on my e-reader and the Internet for some words. Neither of these aspects affected my rating.

Overall, this novel is very well written, but the flow was too slow for me. This slow start was the result of all of the information provided by flash backs to 1959, correspondence from 1959, and relating of personal memories. These aspects provided an added richness to the novel. Combining all of the above, the slowness at the start won out. I was at a quandary on my rating. I was going back and three and four stars. I rate the novel at three and half stars, but I had to select one. I settled with four stars. If you can make it through the start, this novel could be enjoyable. Reader be forewarned.

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books with an expectation for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

I enjoyed this book! I loved how the historical elements of the town tied into the story. The ‘now’ and ‘then’ dual timelines worked so well in creating the scene.

It was extremely atmospheric; I could picture this creepy, desolate town. Although I wasn’t spooked, I’d definitely recommend to people who are reluctant to reading ‘scary’ books.

Well that was...weird 🤨
•
Let’s talk disappointing books. When I saw @crimebythebook pegged The Lost Village as a five star, I knew I had to get my hands on it. However, this one has left me with mixed feelings. 😕
•
This book had SO much potential & the thought of an abandoned town was the perfect plot. I loved the creepy atmospheric vibe of Silvertjärn & when things started to go wrong, I kept feeling spooked and wanting to know what really happened. 👻
•
However, there was a few things I just felt so disappointed about. The “then” chapters for me were such a bore & they felt dragged out a bit. Not to mention the religious aspect of the creepy priest; just not my thing. I saw one of the bigger twists coming about 45% of the way in which really bummed me out. The ending left me with a lot of questions still & I’m really not a fan of not getting all the answers.
•
If you’ve read this one, what are your thoughts? 💭
•
Overall I’d probably give this a 2.5/5. I’d like to thank @netgalley for my ARC 🤍 The Lost Village is available March 23rd 📖

The Lost Village really does bring to mind a Swedish "The Blair Witch Project". A young, struggling film-maker goes to the remote town of Silvertjarn to try to solve the mystery of how 877 residents disappeared in 1959. Alice's great grandmother was one of the townspeople who disappeared, and her grandmother, who had moved away, luckily escaped that fate. The mystery of what happened to the residents has never been solved, and the town sits deserted, but largely intact. Alice, and a small crew of film maker friends, have a budget that allows five days of filming. Alice hopes for a breakthrough that will allow her to solve the mystery and thus make her documentary a success.

The author creates a very atmospheric and spooky aura in the town of Silvertjarn. There is a sense of foreboding, and sure enough accidents begin to befall the five. I looked forward to diving into the book each night, and the action kept me awake and reading far longer than I intended. My favorite thing about the book was the setting and the story line. The mysterious disappearance of so many people reeled me in, and the town itself was a character in the story, perhaps the strongest one. I was worried that there wouldn't be a satisfactory explanation to the mystery, but there was. Perhaps I should have seen the solution coming but I absolutely didn't. The only area where the story let me down slightly, and the reason I gave it 4 stars rather than 5, was I just didn't quite connect totally with the characters. I was interested in them, but I never crossed over to the point where I acutely cared what happened to them. However, I still found this a very good read, and as an avid mystery reader, this is one of the best plots and atmospheric settings that I have read all year! I would look forward to reading more from this author and I can highly recommend this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and the author Camilla Sten for allowing me to ready this ARC.

I was really looking forward to reading “The Lost Village” by Camilla Sten. The premise sounded so promising, and I love a good abandoned town story. The writing was great, and the atmosphere portrayed by the author matched perfectly with the theme.

My main problem with the story was its characters. There was not a single person in the book that I liked or felt for. The protagonist Alice was tolerable at most. It’s hard to get invested in a book, if you can’t stand the people in it.

I would have rated it lower, if not for the ending. I really did not see that coming, and I enjoyed the twist. Some of the twists were not that surprising, but the ending itself was solid.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the review copy.

Compulsive and mind bending this is a wild ride. This book is bananas in the best possible way. Alice has been obsessed with the lost village in an old mining town where all 887 villagers disappeared except for a girl hanging in the town square and a baby crying in the church.
.
She brings a small skeletal documentary crew to begin filming but what started as a simple project turns into some Blair Witch business is no time.
.
With dual timelines between then and now I frantically read how the town disappeared with such love for Alice’s great-grandmother. She was a tough woman trying to hold a town together, take care of Birgitta, her neighbor and worry about her daughter who has preeclampsia miles away having her first baby. She feels helpless, yet is still helpful and if that isn’t history repeating itself during quarantine I don’t know what is.
.
Also, speaking of quarantine It was described in the book as when the mines shut down every day was like a Sunday. I mean, if every single day in quarantine didn’t feel like Sunday, am I right?
.
Anyway, this book gives you everything. A Mysterious pastor, the Mystery of Birgitta, and even cult like singing in the town square that is like a deranged picture of the who’s singing in Whoville.
.
This one had me up all night reading. I cannot wait to discuss it with @lovearctually
.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #Minotaur for an arc in exchange for an honest review
.
This book comes out March 23rd

One of the creepiest novels I’ve ever read, The Lost Village combines different elements of ghost and horror stories into an immersive and impossibly addictive read. Alice is trying to get funding for a documentary about a ghost town where all the inhabitants disappeared leaving behind a corpse and a baby. Alice’s grandma had just left for Stockholm but her whole family was amongst the missing so this project is personal for her. As they explore the abandoned buildings, it is clear that something is not right and Alice and her team start falling prey to whatever is haunting (or hunting) them. Some chapters are set in the past and they show what actually happened and both stories eventually converge in an explosive conclusion that’s unbearably suspenseful. The characters are well drawn and their relationships feel organic. I wasn’t sure about what was going on, was it supernatural or did it have a rational explanation? I also didn’t see the ending coming, but it made perfect sense. This is a great read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books!

I don't even know what to say about this book. It was wild, crazy, twisted and surprising.

Silvertjärn has been abandoned for years, An old mining town, the entire town simply got up and disappeared - leaving behind drying laundry, half eaten meals, and a body tied to a pole. Fast forward to present day, and documentary film-maker Alice has been drawn to Silvertjärn by her curiosity and her family ties. Her grandmother was born in this town, but moved away as a young woman to Stockholm to find work and raise her family, leaving behind her parents and little sister. Alice and her team explore the ghost town, hoping to find clues as to what happened, and something to make a blockbuster documentary. But when sinister things start happening, the crew starts questioning whether they're safe, or if they aren't, in fact, alone.

Told in dual timelines, this book immediately had me hooked. We slowly get pieces from the people of Silvertjärn and the events that led to their disappearance. Brigitta, the body tied to the pole, was misunderstood by almost everyone in town; the new pastor, who mysteriously arrived and somehow had almost the entire town entranced; Elsa, Alice's great-grandmother, the only one who looks out Brigitta's well-being; and the abandoned baby, found by Alice's grandfather when he comes to investigate what happened. In present day, the events surrounding the crew and the fear they feel is intense. I couldn't stop reading, because I needed to know what was happening and who was doing all these horrible things. The end had a couple of surprise twists that I didn't see coming, and managed to tie all lose ends together. With a cult-like feel, it was interesting to see how the people of Silvertjärn changed in such a short time.

Overall, a very enjoyable, suspenseful thriller.

3.5

4.5 stars -- The Lost Village by Camilla Sten was better than I anticipated! Although I predicted a few things, which still surprised me, didn't take a whole lot away from this story. I didn't want to put this one down until I had answers! 🤓

Who doesn't love a mystery surrounding a small town of 900 or so that seem to simply vanish one day..... except for a body and a crying baby.
About 60 yrs later, Alice whose grandmother hailed from said town, returns to film what she hopes will be a successful documentary. Alice along with 4 others begin to experience strange sights and sounds. Are they alone or just paranoid?

Side note- I would have loved to have had more details about Ainas way of thinking as well as some of her interactions with those around her.

Received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The lost village is scheduled to be released on March 23rd

Silvertjärn is a ghost village in Sweden that used to be an animated mining town, until the mysterious events of 1959, leading to the disappearance of the entire town's population, except for two people: a newborn baby girl, and the corpse of a woman tied to a pole.
Alice is a young filmmaker, who grew up listening to her grandmother's stories about Silvertjärn. It was only natural for her first serious project to be a documentary about Silvertjärn. She gathered a small crew of friends and amateurs to set camp in the ghost town for a few days to explore the village in the hope to find decisive answers to what happened to her family.

"The lost village" is a dark thriller with a penchant for the supernatural that sets the premise to suspense and paranoia since the first chapters.

The storyline is divided between the past and the present, with Alice as the main character.
The plot is gripping with many twists and unexpected events. The characters' backstories and the split narrative, gave the book an interesting multi-dimensional aspect.

I think the villain was not fully developed and I've found the ending a little rushed out, as opposed to the middle of the novel where the story got a little slow.
In all, the lost village is an engaging and addictive read. I enjoyed it

I enjoyed most of “The Lost Village” for the creepy, suspenseful thriller that it was. The premise is unique and it was easy to get pulled into the narrative. Unfortunately, I found the last 1/3 of the book to be rushed. I’m not sure how I would have preferred all the loose ends to be tied up, but I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the ending. All in all, though, it is an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers or horror.


* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I will admit I was not feeling the beginning of the book but wow, did that change real fast. Once I was hooked I couldn’t stop reading. Literally read it in one day. There is slight gore/blood but nothing I would consider extreme. Even more interesting than the creepiness factor was the mystery of the Lost Village. The characters were one note but it’s the plot that steals the show. Read this if you are interested in a quick creepy mystery!

I liked a lot of the ideas in and around this book but I think the execution was a bit off for my taste. Kinda had a Blair witch hint to it but they didn't actually film, anything. The ending was a bit tidy and quick, not really realistic or that interesting.

Hi there,

I tried multiple times to get into the book but the voice and POV just wasn't for me. Highly disappointed since the premise is great - I won't be leaving a public review as I don't want to mark down for a "not for me" read.

Thank you for the opportunity.

I was very much into the plot of this one. An abandoned village where an entire town went mysteriously missing followed by a documentary crew with some dark history makes for an intriguing read! I was interested and it maintained my interest throughout. Unfortunately it fell flat in some areas for me, but I still like it overall.

There are definitely creepy elements in this one and definitely some horror elements here as well. I was never particularly scared reading this one, however. This may be in part due to the fact that I saw the ending coming and predicted a lot of what was going on. That always mildly ruins a read like this for me. The pacing was also difficult at times. The narrative alternates between a present and a past with two different characters, but the way it was set up made the narrative slow at times. This perhaps also contributed to the fact it not particularly frightening. The reader was never in the narrative long enough to be frightened.

Aside from this, however, is the fact that the idea for this plot is A+. Had the execution of it had landed a little better for me this would have been an outstanding read. It is still a strong read though. If you enjoy mystery, a little creepiness, and plot that keeps you wanting to flip the pages, then this read is for you. I was definitely absorbed by it.

Fast paced thriller/horror title following a group of 5 scouting a Lost Village for use in a documentary about what happened to the almost 900 villagers who disappeared 60 years before. Through 5 days, the history of their prior relationships, the history of the town and their various connections to its mystery and prior residents. I enjoyed the pace and had a hard time putting it down, plowing through late into the night. Not my usual cup of tea, but highly enjoyable.

While not set in Ireland, this book conveys all the gothicness of an Irish tale! By taking you back and forth in time, the author shows how things are not always how they seem. How 'good' families lie behind facades that they show to the public, and how those that serve them know the ugly truth, and sometimes those truths need to be hidden. Very very deep. This is an interesting book that is subtle in how it entices and draws you into the story and makes you care about what happened years ago and want Alice to find the truth, no matter how harsh. But the ending may surprise even the most prlific of readers. Well done Camillia! Do NOT miss this book before it becomes a movie!