The Lost Passenger, Frances Quinn
The Lost Passenger, Frances Quinn
List: $22.00 | Sale: $15.40
Club: $11.00

The Lost Passenger

Author: Frances Quinn

Narrator: Heather Long

Unabridged: 9 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/25/2025

Categories: Fiction, Women, Sagas


Synopsis

An immersive historical drama about a young mother who starts a new life with her son in New York after faking their deaths on the Titanic—the U.S. debut of acclaimed British novelist Frances Quinn.

“A compelling examination of the cost of dreams, delusions of the heart, and the unbreakable bond of mother and child.”—Shana Abé, author of The Second Mrs. Astor

Sometimes it takes a disaster to change your life.

Marrying above your social class can come with unexpected consequences, as Elinor Coombes discovers when she is swept into a fairy-tale marriage with the son of English aristocrats. But she realizes too late that it was the appeal of her father’s hard-earned wealth rather than her own pretty face that attracted her new husband and his family. Ground down by rigid social rules that include her being allowed to see her nanny-raised infant son for only moments each day, Elinor faces a lonely future. But a present from her father—tickets for the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, a luxurious new ocean liner—offers a welcome escape from the cold, controlling atmosphere of her husband’s ancestral home, and some precious time with her little son, Teddy.

After the ship goes down, Elinor grasps at the chance to take Teddy and start a new life in America: They can disappear completely if they are listed among the dead. After stealing another woman’s identity, a now penniless Elinor must put that terrible night behind her and learn to survive in a brash new world that couldn’t be more different from her own. And when a face from the past appears, she must risk everything to keep her secret—and her son.

An absorbing historical drama set between the hidebound traditions of the English aristocracy and the opportunities of a bustling young city, The Lost Passenger is a gripping and dramatic story about grabbing your chances with both hands, and being brave enough to find out who you really are.

About The Author

Frances Quinn grew up in London and studied English at King’s College, Cambridge. She became a journalist, writing for magazines including Prima, Good Housekeeping, She, Woman’s Weekly, and Ideal Home, and later branched out into copywriting. Upon winning a place on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course, she started work on her first novel, The Smallest Man. Her second novel is That Bonesetter Woman and The Lost Passenger is her third. She lives in Brighton, England, with her husband and three Tonkinese cats.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Margo on December 09, 2024

'The Lost Passenger' feels a bit like a fairy-tale, and one which upends Cinderella expectations. I really liked the voice of the writing - it was irreverent and agile. I've had 'The Smallest Man' and 'That Bonesetter Woman' on my TBR for ages, and look forward to catching up with those earlier stor......more

Goodreads review by Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews on April 20, 2025

Tricked into a marriage that was only for the benefit of the groom because his family needed money even though they were aristocrats, Elinor finds herself looked down upon and not even allowed to raise her own son. Elinor was very unhappy, but when her father wrote and said he had tickets on the Tita......more

Goodreads review by Teresa on January 16, 2025

Absolutely brilliant from the first page to the last!! I was hooked completely and couldn't put it down! Elinor is a fantastic character who has a huge amount to deal with in her life. She lives with her father who owns cotton mills but has fingers in other pies as well. He's a very wealthy man who a......more

Goodreads review by Laura A on November 15, 2024

Elinor was surprised to learn her husband married her for her money. When she gets a chance to travel on a new ship, she is so excited. Elinor gets an idea to take someone's identity when the ship sinks. A nice read.......more

Goodreads review by Cindy on February 24, 2025

Elinor, a young woman in 1910 Manchester, is trapped in a marriage to a man who doesn’t love her and looked down upon by her husband’s aristocratic family. When she and her infant son survive the Titanic disaster, she makes a desperate decision— assuming her maid’s identity to protect her child from......more


Quotes

“[The Lost Passenger] skillfully contrasts the claustrophobic world of Britain’s upper classes with the bustle of New York City in the early twentieth century. Despite its crowds, hubbub and packed tenements, the city proves a place where secrets and lies all too easily come bubbling to the surface as Elinor tries to build her new existence.”The Washington Post

“Stories of loss and survival on the Titanic never cease to fascinate us, and France Quinn’s The Lost Passenger is no exception. This deftly plotted novel goes far beyond a suspenseful page-turner. It’s also a heartfelt immigrant’s story, as well as a story of motherhood, reinvention, and a testament to the human spirit. I couldn’t put it down.”—Renee Rosen, author of The Social Graces and Park Avenue Summer

“ A compelling examination of the cost of dreams, delusions of the heart, and the unbreakable bond of mother and child.”—Shana Abé, author of An American Beauty and The Second Mrs. Astor

“An acutely observed account of one woman’s struggle to escape the shackles of an aristocratic marriage, and the desperate decisions she has to make after the sinking of the Titanic. You'll be rooting for Elinor Coombes all the way in this compelling, heart-warming novel.”—Gill Paul, author of Women and Children First and The Secret Wife

“Move over Rose and Jack, because Elinor Coombes has come to tell her story of surviving one of the greatest maritime disasters of all time, and it's a story that readers won't want to miss. From her richly drawn characters to her vivid descriptions of New York in the early 20th century, Frances Quinn’s The Lost Passenger stands out as a must read for 2025.”—Michelle Moran, author of Maria and Nefertiti

“A delightful tale of female courage against the odds that will keep you pinned in your chair till the last page.”—Jenny Lecoat, author of The Girl from the Channel Islands

The Lost Passenger is storytelling at its very finest. [Frances Quinn] perfectly captures the terror and tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic without salacious melodrama, and the jeopardy of Elinor as she makes life-altering choices to protect her son and build a new life for them both, is utterly captivating.”—Louise Fein, author of The Hidden Child and Daughter of The Reich

“I'm such a fan of Frances Quinn's writing and her new novel certainly doesn't disappoint. Elinor is such a wonderful heroine and I was rooting for her all the way. A thoroughly enjoyable novel about being brave enough to grab hold of a second chance and make the most of it.”—Louise Hare, author of This Lovely City

“Readers will be captivated by Elinor’s resilience and heart, which emerge like a lighthouse in her darkest, stormiest moments. A must-read for fans of female centric historical fiction.”Booklist