"The Book of Lost and Found" by Lucy Foley

Above: The Book of Lost and Found. Lucy Foley - 432 pages.

When a writer uses terms like "ersatz bonhomie" to describe the interactions of patrons of a Paris cafe, you know you have found a writer with a superior ability to describe the human condition.

I completed reading this book today.

Listened to the book on Audible while driving in the Sprinter with TIMDT.

Beautifully told story of unrequited love; a departure from Lucy Foley's murder mysteries, The Hunting Party, The Guest List and The Paris Apartment, books previously read by TIMDT and Mwah (sic).

1986. Kate is a photographer living in London with her mother, June, a once famous ballerina, and her "grandmother" Edie. Her mother dies, and her dying grandmother (Edie) passes to her a trove of letters from a woman named Alice. Edie tells Kate that she is not her real grandmother and that the truth about her mother's origins lies in the letters.

The letters Edie passed to Kate are from her real grandmother, Alice. Kate thought her mother, June, was an orphan. In one of the letters is a sketch of a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Kate's own mother, ballerina June. The sketch is signed by the pre-WWII era's preeminent painters, Thomas Stafford. Kate finds Stafford, approaching his dotage, in Corsica.

Kate embarks on a quest to discover her true identity. This is a beautifully written book which takes the reader across time, from 1918 to the present, and space, including Paris, London, Corsica, war time Poland, and New York City.

When a writer uses terms like "ersatz bonhomie" to describe the interactions of patrons of a Paris cafe, you know you have found a writer with a superior ability to describe the human condition. The language and the metaphors used by Lucy Foley used throughout the novel, not to mention the epic story line, are worth the price of purchasing the novel. Prepare to shed some tears.

I'm looking forward to reading more Lucy Foley works.