Book Title: Lost And Found
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Pages: 289
Author: Jeff LaFerney
Date Published: 28 April 2015
Synopsis:
In 1939, a sole Jewish smuggler immigrates to America to preserve a heritage Hitler hoped to erase. In 1944, two spies enter the United States on a mission to track down one man and a treasure of missing Spanish gold. In 2014, the immigrant’s son, his mind deteriorating from dementia, disappears, but not before he leaves his grandson clues, thrusting him into a mystery seventy-five years in the making. Blake Nolan and his girlfriend set out to unravel clues that could not only set secrets from history right again but also lead to two priceless treasures. With his grandfather’s life in the balance and suspects hot on Blake’s trail, will what was lost be found in time?
Review:
Lost and Found by Jeff LaFerneyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Review 6*
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is a fantastic YA mystery/thriller. I LOVED it!
Blake Nolan is a wonderful character. I really liked this young man. He is kind, loving and incredibly gorgeous! He finds himself on an exciting but dangerous adventure when his grandfather, who suffers from dementia, goes missing.
This is a fantastic tale woven through a real life event. The second World War saw atrocities that have left the survivors reeling even after seventy-five years. Not only was the loss of life an outrage, the loss of possessions, either by theft or destruction, has left deep emotional scars within the families affected. Precious heirlooms and significant historical documents and paintings were either pillaged or destroyed by a regime that did it's best to wipe out a whole race. In this story, we are taken on a journey back to 1939 and a war torn Germany and a Jew by the name of Yosef Bloomberg. His journey to the USA is fraught with danger, but he bravely sets off to create a new life for himself after his release from Dachau. The story then jumps ahead to 2014, where Blake finds himself on a treasure hunt for his grandfather, who has gone missing. But, as the mystery of his grandfather's disappearance grows, he finds himself unraveling the clues to a past that will affect his future.
When the author approached me to review this book, I said yes immediately because having read a few of his other books, I knew I was in for an exciting read. I was not wrong! This story hooked me from the first page and had me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I read this book in one sitting, as I didn't want to put it down! There are several twists and turns that kept me riveted and I found myself guessing for most of the story as to what happened to Matthias Bloom, Blake's grandfather. When the big reveal happened, I was completely surprised. I love the red herrings the author had thrown into the reader's path. They had me thinking one thing when in reality, it was a completely different scenario. The history used in this story is well researched, and I loved the way the author blended the horror and danger of that time into a story that is not only believable, but sad and joyous at the same time. The characters are extremely lifelike and relatable, and the action and danger is intense. I reached the end of the story and my first thought was "Wow!". I had a book hangover from this book and struggled to begin my next read for quite some time. Avid readers will know what I mean when I say that, but for those who don't know what it means to have one of those: A book hangover is where a book affects you so much that you can't stop thinking about it for several hours or days. This book was that intense. I can't wait to see what else this author is working on!
Jeff LaFerney has written a fantastic young adult mystery/thriller. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and exciting, and the flow is wonderfully fluid; each scene flows into the next seamlessly. He is one of the few male authors who has made it onto my favourite authors list and I am looking forward to finally reading Bulletproof, his third book of his Clay and Tanner Thomas series, next.
I highly recommend this as a "MUST READ" to not only teens aged twelve to eighteen but to adults too, who are looking for an exciting read. - Lynn Worton
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Jeff LaFerney is currently a full-time language arts teacher where he lives in Davison, Michigan. After coaching basketball for most of his career, he decided to write books instead and took on his new hobby. Now he spends his free time reading, writing, and editing books. He and his beautiful wife have two young adult children. His Clay and Tanner Thomas series focuses on a father and son team who use parapsychological abilities to solve mysteries. Jumper is a time-travel science fiction adventure. He also has a blog called The Red Pen where he usually infuses humor to share about himself or to give inspiration or writing tips.
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