The Lost

In her debut novel, Michelle Hancock brings a well-written, fast-paced thriller based on the most relevant and interesting of concepts: the nature of personal faith, personal behavior as a result of faith, and the strain placed on faith in the face of contradiction. Ms. Hancock easily and quickly moves the reader through the story, smoothly into the characters lives and struggles, and gracefully on through the tough issues at hand. Things are not always what they seem in this gem of a first novel and shouldn't be missed. I look forward to see what she comes up with next!

With The Lost, Michelle Hancock has crafted a debut novel that not only entertains, but also--and more impressively--makes the reader think. The conflict faced by the main character (choosing whether to reveal or destroy information that is sure crush millions of people's Christian faith) provides the basis for a very exciting and thought provoking read. It is an engaging novel, but what stays with the reader after (too quickly) finishing it are questions about the nature of faith, the relativity of good and evil, the fallibility of religious institutions, free will versus determinism, and redemption that are explored in The Lost. If you want a quick read you can just buzz through and forget, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for a story that will challenge you, as well as entertain you, you will find it in The Lost.

This book was a fantastic journey. I absolutely loved every page. The book effortlessly weaves the story between decades and locations around the world. I loved all the attention to detail Michelle Hancock put in the story. I fell in love with so many characters, especially Zippy and Ariel. I have recommended this book to several of my friends and I look forward to more books by Ms. Hancock.

Hancock's use of detail, description and great dialogue kept this book moving from cover to cover. I read it in two days and the only reason I didn't read it in one was work and sleep. Stupendous achievement for a first time author. Looking forward to her work in the future.

In December 2004, ninety-five years old Aldo Cecilio dies from cancer; his daughter Pia inherits his vast estate including his Cecilio Museum of Art and Antiquities in New Paltz, New York. Among his papers is an ancient document written in a language that Pia has no idea what it might be. She visits Columbia University where she seeks to meet brilliant ancient language graduate student Guy Coffee Daniels. She asks him to translate her father's apparent Dead Sea scroll. What Coffee translates crushes his spirit as the document is the gospel by Jesus. In it the Son of God claims to be actually the Devil's disciple. Unable to cope, Coffee becomes a homeless street person carrying a sign John 13.16 instead of the usual 3.16 as this fallen student knows now "the population wants to be deceived, so let them be deceived" for deception is the root of evil. Pia searches for the lost Coffee and her scroll not realizing that he fears revealing the truth because devout believers like her would handle the great con worse than a cynic like him who became a street person once he learned the meaning of the word. Readers will be hooked by the underlying premise of THE LOST and wonder how Pia will react if she catches up to Coffee and gets him to reveal what he learned that sent him into a mental tailspin. The story line is fast-paced although it contains some well written "required" action scenes that add suspense but also takes the audience away from the powerful thought provoking philosophical issues. Michelle Hancock's tale is stupendous when the plot coaxes the audience to a paradigm switching pondering of the plausibility whether Jesus and company pulled off the greatest hoax in history and if true how the faithful and the non-believers would react. Harriet Klausner