Book Recommendation: The Lost Clue

Hello, friends and fellow book readers! Today, I am doing a book recommendation for the first time, and this means that I get to talk about one of my favorite books! This one is a little treasure, and even though it isn’t packed with as much drama and adventure as some other great books are, it is still worth the read in my opinion. As the title obviously states, the book for today is The Lost Clue by Mrs. O. F. Walton. It was originally published in 1907 and is now published by Lamplighter Publishing. I have likely mentioned them before, and if you haven’t already, go check them out.

The Lost Clue is one of the first Lamplighter books that I collected, so it has a sentimental value to me as well. Off the bat, I will give a caveat and say that the title is a little deceptive, although if you read the book it does technically make sense. I’m just saying if you are coming at this expecting a thriller or mystery book, you won’t get it. Sorry. Yes, there is some mystery, but it’s not a very intricate one with tons of twists and turns and one that will make you desperately grip your book, trying to survive the rollercoaster. The book is focused more on character development and character interactions than anything else, and I believe that is its strength.

Anyway, now with that out of the way, let’s get into a brief teaser! The story follows a young, rich man named Kenneth Fortescue who hangs out with the rich and popular but feels out of place because his father isn’t from the aristocracy by birth. Kenneth has no siblings and his mother died when he was young, so his father is all that he has left. Anyway, he gets word that his father urgently needs him, and when he gets home, he learns that his father invested all his money in a faulty business venture and it has all come to ruin. Not only that, but his father also invested his friend’s money into this venture, and this friend happens to be a relatively poor widow named Mrs. Douglas. Kenneth’s father is devastated and his health rapidly deteriorates to the point that he knows he is going to die. Mr. Fortescue tells Kenneth to go and tell Mrs. Douglas and her family what happened, and he also tells him that there is an important letter locked in a safe that Kenneth must read after his father dies. Kenneth agrees, and soon after, Mr. Fortescue dies, leaving Kenneth with next to nothing to live on, a mysterious letter to read, and a troubling task of telling sorrowful news to a widow and her family.

This book was very helpful to me in the way of character building as well as being interesting in plot. The characters are relatable, but the main characters Kenneth and Marjorie Douglas (Mrs. Douglas’s daughter) also serve as role models. Personally, Marjorie is the kind of person I want to become––not perfect, but genuinely a caring and serving person. Since this is a Lamplighter publishing book, there isn’t any language or offensive terms, and I would say that this is appropriate for all ages, although the story itself leans more toward teenagers to adults. There is also some romance in this book, but not to worry, it doesn’t get gross. Personally, I think it is so adorable and sweet!

I wouldn’t say there are many negatives to this book, but there are a few I will mention. Like I said, it isn’t a thriller and it doesn’t get as deep into heavy topics as some other books, which can be disappointing for some people that want to be challenged more deeply when they read a book. Let’s just say it isn’t a Ted Dekker novel, lol. It also has a slower pace, which is typical of this era, and it definitely starts out a little slow. But I believe it is worth the read because of its likable characters, interesting storyline, character building and the lessons that it teaches. It is overall a good, wholesome read.

So, if you don’t know the next thing to read, go ahead and try The Lost Clue!

~Evelyn Knight