Set during the Spanish flu epidemic, sisters Helen and Lutie own a house together in Denver. Helen, a nurse, is engaged to a doctor while Lutie is engaged to a soldier fighting in France. When their downstairs tenant dies of the flu, Helen and Lutie take in Dorothy, the woman's daughter. One day Lutie comes home to find Dorothy's father dead on the floor and her sister holding an ice pick. Together, they move his body to the street and leave a sign stating that he is an influenza victim.

Although this book had a slow start, it eventually picked up. The book itself was complex, weaving together different events throughout the story. The characters were well developed and engaging. Overall, well worth reading. ( )

Set in Denver at the end of WWI during the influenza epidemic, Little Souls tells the story of love, loss, friendship, dark secrets, and ultimately prevailing over hard times. Lucretia, an artist who draws ads for a clothing store, and Helen, a nurse, are orphan sisters who live together in Denver. They rent the bottom apartment out to a family of three, the father being somewhat of a shady character.

Lucretia is engaged to Peter, a divinity student who ends up going off to war; Helen is engaged to Gil, a doctor. Sadly, Peter dies overseas and Helen dies of the influenza. Lucretia, called "Lude" by her friends, and Gil comfort one another. They also take on Dorothy, the 10 year old girl who lives below Lude. Dorothy's mother passes away and her father, mostly absent, returns home occasionally only to violate his daughter. Dorothy's father is found dead, having been stabbed with an ice pick. Lude and Gil drag his body to a field with an "influenza" note tagged on his body. Later, the police investigate his death and determine that he was murdered. Dorothy is now officially an orphan and Lude wants to adopt her. Her aunt, an evil woman married to a bootlegger, comes forward and wants to adopt Dorothy so she can put her to work. In the end, Peter's mother, a lovely benefactor with a difficult past, helps Lude come up with a plan. She offers to put up money so she can start a hat business, and plants a seed about Lude marrying GIl, so that the two can adopt Dorothy. ( )

Although listed as a mystery this is more a novel with criminal elements than a detective story. Two sisters become sympathetic to the child of their basement tenants. One sister dies in the influenza epidemic while the other loses her fiancé in WWI. The tenant's child loses her mother to the flu as well and her father is killed. Complications ensue. Interesting if a little predictable.

It’s 1918 in Denver, Colorado. The Spanish Flu continues it’s deadly spread throughout the world, Taking mostly young adults as it’s victims. The world is further devastated by the continued carnage of WWI.
As the novel opens we meet a young woman Lutie who owns a house in a reputable neighborhood with her sister Helen. Lutie comes home one night after work to a dark house which is unusual since Helen, a nurse usually arrives home first. Lutie heads to the kitchen calling out for her. When she arrives there Helen yells for her to leave the light off. As her eyes adjust Lutie makes out 3 figures. First there is Dorothy a 10 year old girl who had lived in the basement apartment with her parents the Streeters. Dorothy lives with the sisters now because her mother recently died of the flu and her father, known to the sisters as a brutal man, disappeared. Next is Helen standing with an ice pick in her hand. Crumpled at their feet is the missing Mr. Streeter obviously dead. What happened here and why? This mystery forms the core of the book.
Though This novel is a mystery it is also great Historical Fiction seamlessly weaving accurate details of WWI, the Flu and day to day life into the storyline. Oh and yes there are romances. Though they form an integral part of the story they never over power it. Instead they add layers and a little lightness to what otherwise could have become a very dark book.
This book is also an exploration of family. What constitutes one? Is it strictly biological or can choice play a part?
This book is so well written I was totally engaged. The main characters are vividly defined and portrayed. I felt the two sisters could very well be my own. We even get to know the secondary characters well. Some you will love others you will hate.
This work is fast paced. It never gets bogged down. It advances easily from one scene to another always moving the multiple parallel storylines forward.
This novel is a very emotional read. I must caution potential readers. There are situations where disease and death are described in detail and sexual assault is discussed. Their are other triggers, yet to share them I would need to include spoilers which I'm trying to avoid. If one does have triggering events please read the description carefully. Also feel free to private message me and I will answer any questions you have.
It’s almost impossible to read this book and not draw parallels between that time and today’s. What with Covid ramping up again with the newest variant and the war in Ukraine continuing to generate talk of WW3, one can be forgiven for confusing which millennia one is in.
i “ read”. Lost Souls using the audiobook version, which was an excellent choice! The narrator does an admirable job bringing the book to life. The characters were each well delineated with their own voice. Though there are quite a few characters I never got confused.
I can highly recommend this novel to all mystery, romance and historical fiction lovers alike. If you like complicated story lines, great believable dialogue and main characters you grow to love and respect this book is for you.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. This fact in no way influenced my review ( )

Thanks to Sandra Dallas, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As Spanish influenza and World War I rages, Lutie and her sister Helen continue to live their daily lives in Denver, Colorado. Helen, a nurse, takes care of influenza patients every day praying she does not bring it home while Lutie, an ad designer, prays her sister does not catch the illness from her patients. The sister's downstairs neighbor passes away leaving her young child with nowhere to go as her father has deserted the family. They decide to take in the child, Dorothy as opposed to sending her to an orphanage. As the story progresses, it is discovered that Dorothy was horribly abused and the sister will do anything needed to keep her safe after her father returns.

This was a book with a few dark moments but mostly it was a story that shows that love comes in many forms and can continue when after those we love have left us. It was also a story that had moments of excitement that it never truly capitalized on. I found the story pleasant to read but it will not be something that I suggest to others. ( )