The Keeper of Lost Things: A Delightful Blend of Magical Realism and Romance, Fall in Love with the Keeper of Lost Things

Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs Queen Takes the Train, and The Silver Linings Playbook.

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

A charming, clever, and quietly moving novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.

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Published Nov 28, 2017

288 pages

Average rating: 6.8

461 RATINGS

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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Keeper of Lost Things* is a charming, cozy novel blending love, loss, and redemption through treasured lost items. Reviewers agree on...

Zya The Book Dragon
Jun 17, 2025
6/10 stars
cozy, sweet, endearing novel about love and loss. I can't believe how much I am enjoying these fiction books. it was very sweet and cute. some of the phrases were strange but only because the author is from London. I would recommend this book to everyone
Khris Sellin
Jul 05, 2024
8/10 stars
Laura is at an unhappy crossroads in her life when she answers an ad to be an assistant to a local writer, Anthony Peardew. They become like family to each other and open up new worlds for Laura.
Nicky Cupp
Feb 02, 2026
2/10 stars
My expectations were too high going into this book. It started out ok. Then, he found the tin. A good author helps the reader experience the story. So I pondered. What would I do if I had found that tin? I would have immediately set to work identifying who lost this tin, and I would have made every effort to return it immediately. Nope. The old man cataloged it, then placed it on the shelf with all of the other lost things. A tin of human ashes next to a button (likely from someone's coat). Who in their right mind does this? The man never returned a single item. Instead, he left the house and all of the lost items to his housekeeper. This story is far-fetched, too slow, and just doesn't make sense. I found the stories about the lost items to be a complete waste of time to read. The old man made them up. Did they add any value? The author could have led our imagination into building stories of our own instead of telling us what he imagined. Others have enjoyed this book, but I couldn't finish it. My apologies of the author reads this review. Take it with a grain of salt. This is just not my cup of tea.
mbgierlinger
Jan 12, 2026
Lovely, cozy little read. Loved the characters - people I'd want to be friends with. Writing is solid, and the story keeps one's attention.
Margie Pettersen
Oct 27, 2025
8/10 stars
Anthony Peardew, owner of the house of Padua, mourns the loss of his wife, Therese, who died 40 years ago. Ever since her death he's become the keeper of lost things while he searches for something he lost. His house is now a museum filled with all the treasures he's found over the years. Laura, comes to work as for him in his house. Laura befriends Sunny, a woman with Downs Syndrome, who lives next door to Anthony. Freddy is the friendly gardener, who becomes her love interest. There is a side story of a woman named Eunice and her former employer, Bomber, a gay book publisher, whom she loved dearly. She loses his cremains on a bus. The story goes back and forth between the present and events in Eunice's life over the course of 40 years. Eventually Andrew dies and leaves his house to Laura. Freddy and Laura join forces and create a website to help connect items in Andrew's collection to their original owners.
It's a happy ending but a bit sappy. All the lose endings are tied up. Eunice finds Bomber's cremains and she had Therese's medal that Anthony had lost. Therese manifests herself as a ghost from time to time by locking doors and doing other mysterious things in the house. I loved this book and its quirky characters. It certainly held my interest and kept me reading.

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