After enjoying The Lovers, I was curious to see where the second book in the Echoes from the Past series would take me. Once again, Irina Shapiro combines a historical mystery with a present-day investigation, slowly revealing how the two timelines connect.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the mystery itself. I spent a large part of the audiobook trying to piece together the clues, work out how the past and present were connected, and come up with theories about the identities of the remains discovered in the present day. Every time I thought I had the answer, a new detail would send me in a different direction. Even when I eventually guessed part of the mystery, I still wanted to know what had happened and why, which kept me listening right to the end.

The historical storyline follows Petra, a widow trying to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. I found myself particularly invested in her story and enjoyed uncovering the events that eventually connected her to the present-day mystery. The dual timeline worked well, and I liked seeing the pieces gradually come together.

On the present-day side of the story, I enjoyed spending more time with Quinn and Gabe. Their relationship continues to develop throughout the book, and some of the most memorable moments for me involved their growing family. Emma quickly became one of my favourite characters, and her scenes added warmth and heart to the story alongside the mystery.

I also have to mention the audiobook narration. Over the course of these books, I’ve become a real fan of the narrator. The performance made it easy to follow both timelines and helped bring the characters to life. The narration kept me engaged throughout and definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

While this wasn’t quite a four-star read for me, it was an enjoyable historical mystery that kept me guessing throughout. I had a lot of fun discussing theories as I listened and trying to solve the mystery before the characters did. If you enjoy dual-timeline historical mysteries, family secrets, and gradually unfolding investigations, The Forgotten is well worth a listen.

Final Rating: 3.75 Stars ⭐