Lost Passenger

Frances Quinn grew up in London and read English at King’s College, Cambridge, realising too late that the course would require more than lying around reading novels for three years. After snatching a degree from the jaws of laziness, she became a journalist, writing for magazines including Prima, Good Housekeeping, She, Woman’s Weekly and Ideal Home, and later branched out into copywriting, producing words for everything from Waitrose pizza packaging to the EasyJet in-flight brochure.In 2013, she won a place on the Curtis Brown Creative novel writing course, and started work on her first novel, The Smallest Man. That Bonesetter Woman was published in 2022 and The Lost Passenger in 2025.She lives in Brighton, with her husband and two Tonkinese cats.

‘Big-hearted’ DAILY MAIL ‘Uplifting’ PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH ‘A wonderful, atmospheric and absorbing story’ BISHOP'S STORTFORD INDEPENDENT  'The author of The Smallest Man and That Bonesetter Woman has done it again with another gripping historical drama' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ‘A juicy story of Dickensian scope, packed with colour 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’ JENNY LECOAT ‘Frances Quinn is one of my favourite historical fiction novelists and this book may just be her best yet! The Lost Passenger is storytelling at its very finest. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!’ LOUISE FEIN ‘A thoroughly enjoyable novel about being brave enough to grab hold of a second chance and make the most of it’ LOUISE HARE ‘The Lost Passenger hooked me from the opening page, and the brilliant storytelling drew me all the way through to the moving and heart-warming conclusion. Great characterisation, authentic world-building and a really satisfying narrative. Another triumph from Frances Quinn!’ PHILIPPA EAST ‘A cracking riches-to-rags tale from the queen of the underdog story, which cleverly turns the standard Cinderella story on its head to page-turning effect’ TREVOR WOOD ‘A brilliant rags-to-riches novel set around the Titanic disaster and getting a second chance in life. The Lost Passenger says so much about what family and love really means, and is emotionally heartwarming without ever being saccharine. Brilliantly compelling’ NIKKI SMITH ‘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 ‘An addictive, page turning read filled with wit, wisdom and a central character to root for’ CAROLINE BISHOP ‘A brilliant, big-hearted book with a brave and complex heroine struggling to make a new life for herself and her son after the wreckage of the Titanic. A powerful and inspiring story about finding strength in the face of insurmountable odds’  ANNA MAZZOLA ‘A stunning, uplifting tale of love, bravery and finding your place in the world – and having an amazing adventure on the way. Once again, Frances Quinn has created funny, flawed female characters you genuinely care about. Such a feel-good book – I’m buying it for everyone’ ELENI KYRIACOU  ‘Unputdownable. It’s stacked with typically-memorable Quinn characters, brilliant historical detail and pages that turn themselves with so many delicious twists’ FRAN HILL ‘Excoriates the British aristocracy who put dynastic ambitions above love and happiness. A beautifully written page-turner of the highest order. We are with Elinor on her riches to rags adventure every step of the way’ LILA CAIN ‘I absolutely loved The Lost Passenger. Elinor’s story of survival and perseverance gripped me from the first page. Frances Quinn has such a talent for creating compelling and admirable characters, along with memorable stories that stay with you long after reading the final words. Brilliant!’ CHARLOTTE LEVIN ‘I loved this wonderful and beautifully told story about grabbing your chances with both hands and triumphing against all odds. Frances Quinn is brilliant at creating characters who leap off the page and stay with you long after you’ve finished reading’ NICOLA GILL ‘An utterly captivating story of reinvention that is so evocative I didn’t want to leave that world behind. This book will stay with me for a long time’ VICTORIA DOWD ‘I was swept away by this story of bravery and resilience in a life of changing fortunes. Utterly compelling’ ESSIE FOX ‘Elinor - the cotton king’s daughter - is a wonderfully engaging character. Frances Quinn makes you care about her so that you are furious on her behalf at the slights and deceptions visited upon her, and cheer her on as she takes her future in her own two strong and capable hands through this thoroughly enjoyable, pacy and involving tale’  JANE JOHNSON ‘Through her wonderfully imagined character of Elinor Coombes, Frances Quinn shapes a powerful, immersive and intriguing narrative of the Titanic tragedy. I walked every step of that journey with Elinor and Teddy, and still think about them long after turning the final page. Brilliant historical drama’ HAZEL GAYNOR ‘A vivid, compelling and immaculately researched story with a protagonist in Elinor you can’t help but root for’ LUCY BARKER ‘In the deftly conjured world and era of The Lost Passenger, we find ourselves caught up inside the tension of Elinor’s apparently hopeless plight and the daily jeopardy of her bold re-invention. In this captivating story, Frances Quinn has created a heroine to love and root for and relate to across the decades, causing us to wonder if we too would find her courage to start life again as someone else. A total joy to read!’ JOANNA GLEN ‘I absolutely loved The Lost Passenger. I adored the writing style, the characterization and the gripping storyline to the extent that I couldn’t wait to get to the end whilst really not wanting it to end. Bliss!’ JILL MANSELL ‘Gripping historical fiction’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING  ‘Thrilling’ UNSEEN HISTORIES ‘Full of warmth and humour’ BANGLE