Lost and Found by Tom Winter

Lost and Found by Tom Winter
Buy Lost and Found by Tom Winter at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: General Fiction
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Summary: Dark, almost savage humour, quirky and thought provoking. Don't let the cover fool you into thinking this is a romance.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 320	Date: Febraury 2013
Publisher: Corsair
ISBN: 978-1472104892
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Carol has lived in a state of unhappiness for many years, married to a man she doesn't love (and probably never has) and with a daughter whom she doesn't understand (and probably never will). But Sophie is just about independent now and Carol is determined that she's going to tell Bob that the marriage is over - that she's leaving - but something always gets in the way. As her frustration grows she writes letters - to the world at large - and posts them. It doesn't change anything, but she does feel better. She even puts a smiley face on the envelope.

Albert is a postman on the verge of retirement who lives with his cat, Gloria. He's not got over the death of his wife, decades ago and lives in a state of animosity with his neighbour. At work they're at something of a loss - when they bother to think about it - as to what should be done with him and he ends up in the post room - in the bowels of the building - where they sort undeliverable mail. When he finds a series of letters with a smiley face on the envelope he reads them. They intrigue him. They give him a purpose.

It's a quirky book and not at all what I was expecting. The cover hints that it might be a romance, but don't be fooled. If anything it's the antithesis of romance, with a penetrating look at loneliness, the iniquities of old age and the random ways in which illness attacks. I could have cried for Albert - he's the sort of person who should be loved but who, somehow, misses out. I warmed less to Carol, finding her anger a little tiring, but that's offset by the humour of the book which is dark and savage at times. I laughed out loud at the staff of the sorting office. Having rather more to do with Royal Mail than I would like at times, there were quite a few people there I could have put a name to.

The book's one to keep - perhaps not one that you'll immediately turn back to the beginning and start reading again, but certainly one that you'll come back to at a later date. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag.

If this book appeals then we think that you might also enjoy The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce and The Thoughts and Happenings of Wilfred Price, Purveyor of Superior Funerals by Wendy Jones.

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You can read more book reviews or buy Lost and Found by Tom Winter at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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