A gripping storyline from beginning to the end! The author has done a magnificent portrayal of what displaced children must have endured and experienced during England’s traumatic War torn cities! The children, Molly & Jacob are shuffled around between homes and then when their mother is killed, they are just thrown into a panic because who and where do they go to now?

How horrible for so many children to discover that they no longer have families and they are left with anyone who will take them into their homes. What if those individuals were not good people? How many children ended up enduring lives of abuse and suffering?

Jacob has a secret letter he is only to open in an emergency. He is wondering if his mother’s death would be considered that time? What a burden to place on a child to make that type of decision!
This book was so compelling that I was brought to tears!
The author has phenomenal insight into the characters and drew every ounce of life into them that made them just jump off the pages!

I would buy this book and recommend it!
I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions!

4.5 Stars
The Lost Children is a hauntingly beautiful story about single mother, Martha, who's last resort is to leave her twin children, Jacob and Molly, to evacuate to the country, with a letter to be read as a last resort! The twins find country life to be very different than what they are used to, but are able to use their resiliency to stay together and survive. The book takes us on their adventures and trials as they try to survive the war.

I am a huge fan of Historical Fiction, and this story reminds me why I love it so much! Ms. Dickson had me captivated from the first page with a beautiful yet heartbreaking story. This is one the type of book that keeps you glued to the pages to finish the story, but at the same time, you never want the book to end.... if you are not a Historical Fiction fan, I encourage you to give it a shot. This is the kind of book that will make you a booklover.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review and honest opinion.

This was my first book by Shirley Dickson. She did an outstanding job of developing a whole village of likable characters. Molly, Jacob, and the friends and caretakers all bear the hardships of war with grace and determination. She also provides excellent details of life in England during WW II. The heartbreaking story is easy to follow making it a quick read. The only negatives for me were the story was a bit predictable and I was a bit confused regarding the twins paternity. Overall I enjoyed it. I thank NetGallery for giving me this ARC.

Thank you for the early copy of this book in return for a full review which is entirely my own opinion

I had never read a book by this author before - and had no idea that there had been a previous novel in the series about two of the other characters until I had finished The Lost Children.
However this made no difference as all the characters were well written and I didn't feel at any time that I was missing part of the narrative.
It was a heart rending story about a pair of twins one of whom was disabled with cerebral palsy and at times treated very badly but this was probably reflective of the times. They lost all who were dear to them and were left alone. Molly's decision towards the end of the book had me in tears which is not a usual occurrence when I read a book.
One thing that did confuse me was the father of the twins and I shall bring this up with the publisher- as I had an advance review copy I wonder if this was corrected in the final copy?

I don't usually read books that have similar content consecutively - but this time it seems to have fallen this way. Both books were about children being evacuated to the country - but the two books could not have been more different - which was nice to read but a surprise. I am not old enough to know what life was like in the War - or what it must have been like to lose family or be taken away from them - so to read two different views of evacuation was interesting.
I would certainly read more books by this author - maybe not the prequel to The Lost Children now as I know the outcome.
Thank you to Shirley Dickson for this book and the chance to read it

This is the first book that I have read by this author and I am so glad that i found it. I truly felt for the characters Molly and Jacob. They faced so much at a very young age. I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationships and the growth of the other characters, too. This was a heart felt look at a very difficult time in history that I didn't know about before.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What an emotional read this was and had me in tears, well written and a very good story.

Shirley Dickson does it again. The Lost Children is a heartbreaking story of Jacob and Molly, twins born out of wedlock to a young English mother. Determined to keep them safe from the bombings over England during WWII, their mother sends them to safety to in the countryside. There, they meet wonderful people who make them feel at home even though they’re far away from their real one. When the war claims the life of their mother, the twins are in limbo as they aren’t sure what will happen to them once the war is over.

When reading about the children refugees in the English countryside during the war, we’re often told of stories with no great times. The author discovered that just as there are many bad experiences for these children, she also learns that there are just as many good ones. Dickson paints a picture of a good experience for the children. They are taken in by strangers and loved. I love the emotional roller coaster the children go on during this book. Kids back then went through so much and even though this is fiction, it’s paints a very realistic picture and at a crazy time like this, restores your faith that there are good people out there willing to help out their fellow citizens.

Thank you to Shirley and NetGalley for the chance to read this a little early. I loved it!

This is the first book I have read by Shirley Dickson and I now know I have discovered a new author to enjoy further books. This book was a real page turner following the lives of Jacob and Molly who were unfortunately placed with strangers for their protection during the war. Reading about their struggles of loss and love through their young lives made me very emotional,optional.

The story is told in such a wonderful way that you are completely absorbed in their lives and can feel for them - the twins, as you would expect have a very strong bond. it makes you realise how tough life must have been for the children who experienced the painful heartbreak of being separated from their parents . I would highly recommend this book which I thoroughly enjoyed.

THIS. BOOK. WAS. AMAZING.
It made me sob so bad. Literally it was beautiful. The characters, the plot, everything was perfect.
The Lost Children is a WW2 Historical Fiction Novel which revolves around Molly and Jacob. The twins who were sent by their mother to leave the country, to live a new life.
This book takes us with Molly and Jacob on their little adventure, in which they are determined to stay together.

This is another outstanding WWII Historical Fiction by Author Shirley Dickson. What a fantastic page-turner!

Martha is an unwed mother who has twins, Molly and Jacob, that her mother is helping her raise. As the war escalates with bombings becoming more frequent, their home is hit while Martha is away working. Martha's mother is killed and she makes the difficult decision to evacuate her children to the country to live in order to keep them safe.

This story is heartbreaking with all of the obstacles the children face, yet their strength, resilience and loyalty to each other is astonishing. Keep the tissues handy because you will need them!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

Molly and Jacob are twins who have survived many hardships. Follow them in their journey as those around them are affected by the war. This is a story that made me both laugh and cry. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

A story of love and resiliency.

Martha Maddox has a good job as a typist but after a fling she finds herself pregnant and fired. At first she plans to give up the baby but then when she has twins her mother steps in and they decide to raise Jacob and Molly together and tell the children that their father is dead. It is war time and Martha sends the children out to the country but before they part she gives Jacob a letter and tells him when they are in trouble to give it to the person they trust most and above all else take care of his sister. They are moved to the town of Leadburn and they are taken care of by various people in the town. All the characters were wonderful. Sometimes I forgot that Jacob and Molly were only eight years old. They had suffered through so much and maintained their closeness in spite of everything. They developed close relationships with Aunty Bridgit and Aunty Doris and Mr. Bob. The countryside during the war was very well depicted with the work on the farms and the Land Girls that the children became friends with. I experienced a lot of emotions reading this. There were lots of ups and downs in the story but all in all very satisfying. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my copy of this book. These are my own opinions.

As the bombs rained down on London in 1943, parents were sending their children to the countryside to protect them, to keep them safe, but most of all to keep them alive. This is the story of Molly and Jacob, 8 year old twins whose mother did just that. At the train station bidding them goodbye she presses an envelope into Jacob's hand telling him to open what's inside only if the worst happens. This story tugs at your heartstrings, you know something is going to happen, you know the tragedy you expect is just a page away. These stories of WWII are sad, horrific and leave you with a sense of helplessness. While, we here in America we could never know the suffering that took place during the war, reading about it now years later actually puts us in the thick of things. Authors like Shirley Dickson write HF in such a way, you would think we are back in that era. You cannot escape the horror, you cannot escape the emotions or the feelings you are left with once the book has ended. Perhaps we shouldn't, perhaps we should remember so we never have to witness or be part of the cruelty of man's inhumane to man, the reality of which is overbearing. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author and I’ve yet to find a book which she has written which hasn’t completely captivated me from the very beginning. This story takes us straight into the heart of a wartime community in South Shields in the North East of England. We meet Martha Moffatt and her twins, and whilst you think this book is about Martha’s story, she actually features very little in it as, when the twins are evacuated, the story focuses mainly on them. I did like Martha’s character though, and I did really feel for her and the other woman who were having to work in the ammunitions factories as they were such dangerous places. She was obviously a good, kind woman who only had the best interests of her children and would do anything for them to keep them safe. I can’t begin to understand how difficult it must be to evacuate your children, handing them over to strangers and never knowing if you will ever see them again, but this author certainly gives you a sense of what that feels like with the emotional scenes and heart-felt writing.

The story does centre mainly on Jacob and Molly. They are wonderful characters, and you couldn’t help but wanting to gather the two of them up and never letting them go. Jacob is a fine young lad, feisty and head-strong but desperately missing his mother. I loved his relationship with his twin sister, Molly. Molly has cerebral palsy, but back in those times this condition was rarely heard of. It was really interesting to read the differences in medical care from then to now, and also compare the advancements we have made in treating such conditions. Molly was definitely the weaker of the two, and she was also the quieter. Jacob protected his sister fiercely and it was heart-warming to see the bond between the two of them.

Being evacuated wasn’t the end of the twins’ problems though, and whilst living in the little village of Leadburn both Jacob and Molly find life very different. I was captivated by their story of their time here and loved some of the other characters which they come across. I also loved how the author wrote in the way the children of that time and region would have spoken, particularly with them calling men “the Mr” and women “the Mrs”! I really felt connected with the story, the location and the era, and it made a refreshing change for the main storyline to focus on children’s experiences instead of the adults! The storyline was emotional and upsetting in parts, but completely heart-warming and uplifting in others. I love wartime reads which show the camaraderie of the local community, rallying round together and making sacrifices for others, all of which are in this book!!

I’ve read all of this author’s books so far, and whilst she has managed to bring me to tears at some point through every single one of her stories, she’s also managed to leave me with a smile on my face and a happy feeling in my heart. This was such an easy book to read, I was caught at the very first page and didn’t put it down until I’d finished it! If you like wartime family sagas, then you will absolutely love this!! I loved this book; it was such a wonderful read!!! Would definitely recommend!

What an overwhelming, heart touching book.
This book is so perfect.


Martha did what she could do for her twins, Molly and Jacob during the war raids.


I really love the characters in this book especially Mr. Bob and Aunty Doris.


Jacob and Molly are so adorable you can’t help loving them even though they are fictional.


I was emotionally involved in the plot of this book. The author writes so well.


All those food mentioned in this book made me hungry.


This book is so emotional. I wanted to cry over the bond between twins.


This author deserves 5 perfect stars for this book.


War is tragic but family is everything.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this book review are mine.

"rom the bestselling author of The Orphan Sisters comes an utterly heartbreaking and unforgettable tale of two children who must lean on each other in a time of tragedy and learn the shocking truth of their past". An emotional, heart-wrenching story of love and loss amidst the horror of war. I didn’t want to put down. I was gripped from the very first page.

What a lovely, heartening book, well written and a very entertaining read.

Martha has two children, twins, and is struggling to cope during the war. She therefore makes the difficult decision to evacuate them to the country, so she can earn money for a new life after the war. Molly and Jacob find life in the country very different, and their resilience is tested time and again, as it seems that everyone they love and depend on are taken away from them. The story takes us on their journey, as they are determined to stay together.

Its a lovely read, I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Right from the very first page this book had me sucked right in. I didn’t want to stop reading it. I was hooked on this utterly fantastic story. A times this was a heartbreaking read and I will admit to shedding tears. So tissues are a necessity when reading this absolutely awesome book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc.
Any book by Shirley Dickson is always going to be brilliant and a treat.
The Lost Children is no exception.
Set during war torn Britain. As most children are being evacuated so too are twins Jacob and Molly. But only as a last resort by their single mother Martha who has just lost her own mother during a bomb raid. At the station she hands Jacob a letter telling him its only to be opened by someone they trust and only if they are desperate!! Well that time has come for Jacob and Molly.
Read on. This is a beautiful story of love, loss, heartache but above all heartfelt kindness!!

While this is a historical read, it is so much more than that. It’s about sorrows, loss, war torn countries, kindness, love and resilience.
Jacob and Molly are the most beautiful and resilient characters I have ever met.
After their house is bombed out and their grandmother is killed, their mom sends them to the country for a war free life... with a promise to be reunited after the war. Their mom hands Jacob a letter saying to only open in an emergency . An emergency happens and the letter is opened and a secret is revealed and while it may be a good thing it also may not.
This book was a beautiful story with such memorable characters.
I highly recommend this book.
A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.