The Lost Story: A Novel BY Meg Shaffer

In this enchanting novel inspired by C. S. Lewis’s "The Chronicles of Narnia," author weaves a tale that blends fantastical realms with the complexities of human memory and resilience. Best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell mysteriously vanished as boys in a vast West Virginia forest, only to reappear six months later with no memory of their ordeal. Now, fifteen years later, Rafe is a reclusive artist haunted by internal and external scars, while Jeremy has become a renowned missing persons’ investigator, uniquely equipped to unravel disappearances.

When vet tech Emilie Wendell seeks Jeremy's help in finding her missing sister, who vanished in the same forest, Jeremy is convinced the answers lie in the magical realm where he and Rafe spent their missing months. He believes they must return to this realm to rescue Emilie’s sister, a journey that forces long-buried secrets to the surface.

As Emilie, Rafe, and Jeremy embark on their quest, they confront not only external dangers but also the traumatic memories that shaped their lives. Jeremy, who alone remembers the fantastical world they inhabited, must navigate his complicated relationship with Rafe, whom he has shielded from the truth for years.

The narrative explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the transformative power of confronting one’s past. It delves into the idea that sometimes, to move forward, one must revisit the past—no matter how painful or magical it may be. With lush prose and a blend of wonder and darkness, the novel promises a journey into realms both extraordinary and deeply human, where the line between reality and fantasy blurs in unexpected ways.