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

By Ruth Hogan

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: 6.81

480 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Keeper of Lost Things* is a gentle, reflective novel filled with love, life, and the stories behind lost objects. Reviewers agree on ...

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.
Lee Ann
Jun 18, 2026
8/10 stars
The Keeper of Lost Things

This story is full of love, life, and lost things. It is an interesting story that I enjoyed reading. Anthony spends his time finding lost items and carefully tagging them with information about when and where they were found. He hopes to return them to their owners, but he is mainly looking for something very precious that he lost years before. The story of the love of his life is precious, but sad.
Louise K
May 12, 2026
6/10 stars
I enjoyed the book but felt the ending was quick and short compared to the build up. Too much is left to the readers imagination for me. Still enjoyable though and would make a good holiday read
wonderedpages
Apr 12, 2026
4/10 stars
The Keeper of Lost Things centers on lost objects and the lives tied to them. It should have been a perfect match for my interests. I love building stories around found items and researching the history of homes. Instead, I found myself bored and repeatedly zoning out during the audiobook. Anthony Peardew spends decades collecting lost things after a life-altering loss. Each object carries a story he cannot release. When he dies, his house and his mission pass to Laura, a woman rebuilding her life after divorce. She moves into a home filled with forgotten items, lingering grief, and a ghost that never quite settles. Her world begins to shift through her connection with Sunshine, the neighbor’s daughter. Freddy, the gardener, becomes Laura's romantic interest. A separate thread follows another character tied to a long-kept object, regret, and a broken promise. Sunshine brings warmth and personality that the rest of the cast lacks. She adds energy to scenes that need it. The remaining characters feel muted, including the ghost. The multiple storylines should create intrigue but instead fade into the background. The pacing moves at a crawl. My attention drifted through long stretches that feel more reflective than engaging. The writing style reads very proper and restrained, creating distance rather than connection. The emotions and moments of action never rise enough to pull focus back. The narration mirrors the tone of the book and works against engagement. The delivery stays polished and subdued, reinforcing the same flat feeling that made it difficult for me to stay present. Readers who enjoy gentle and reflective literary fiction may find comfort here. The themes of grief, memory, and the meaning attached to objects come through clearly. The experience never moved beyond mild interest on my end.
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.

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