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The Lost Passenger

A Novel

Author Frances Quinn
Ebook (EPUB)
Ballantine Group | Ballantine Books
On sale Feb 25, 2025 | 384 Pages | 9780593973042
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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.

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.
“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
 
“The Lost Passenger tells the story of an emotional transformation: a young woman’s journey from a stifling, sheltered life to one of risk, impoverishment, and survival. Quinn explores both the gilded realm of London’s high society and the desperate underbelly of New York’s Lower East Side, allowing her heroine to not merely overcome the odds against her, but to thrive. 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 juicy story of Dickensian scope, packed with color and characters that leap from the page. Underpinned with serious themes of class and misogyny, Quinn deftly leads you from domestic turmoil to heart-stopping adventure, bringing the pre-WW1 period to life with just the right amount of historic detail. 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. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!”—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
© Owen Boyd
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. View titles by Frances Quinn

About

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.

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.

Reviews

“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
 
“The Lost Passenger tells the story of an emotional transformation: a young woman’s journey from a stifling, sheltered life to one of risk, impoverishment, and survival. Quinn explores both the gilded realm of London’s high society and the desperate underbelly of New York’s Lower East Side, allowing her heroine to not merely overcome the odds against her, but to thrive. 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 juicy story of Dickensian scope, packed with color and characters that leap from the page. Underpinned with serious themes of class and misogyny, Quinn deftly leads you from domestic turmoil to heart-stopping adventure, bringing the pre-WW1 period to life with just the right amount of historic detail. 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. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!”—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

Author

© Owen Boyd
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. View titles by Frances Quinn

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