The Finding of Martha Lost by Caroline Wallace (first published in 2016 by Doubleday)
About the book:
Martha is lost.
She’s been lost since she was a baby, abandoned in a suitcase on the train from Paris. Ever since, she’s waited in the station's lost property for someone to claim her. It’s been sixteen years, but she’s still hopeful.
In the meantime, there are mysteries to solve: secret tunnels under the station, a suitcase that may have belonged to the Beatles, the roman soldier who appears at the same time every day with his packed lunch. Not to mention the stuffed monkey that someone keeps misplacing.
But there is one mystery Martha cannot solve. And now the authorities have found out about the girl in lost property. Time is running out - if Martha can’t discover who she really is, she will lose everything.
Review:
To find out what an abandoned baby, a lost suitcase containing Beatles memorabilia and Lime Street Station in Liverpool have in common, you will have to read this charming and unusual book.
Part “fairytale” and partly based on fact, I initially thought the writing quite naïve and possibly aimed at a younger readership.
Despite this, I found myself drawn in by the quirky characters and imaginative story line. I also enjoyed the Liverpudlian flavour of the story and the true life references to the Beatles interspersed throughout the book.
Whilst possibly not great literature, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading something a bit out of the ordinary.
Keen on reading this book? Buy your copy now.