Lost People

By: Margaret Elphinstone

Narrated by: Ruth Urquhart

A new short novel from one of Scotland’s renowned writers.

In a fractured dystopic future, the child Rue finds solace in the garden of a mysterious community. Rue has lost identity, family, home and people to war. Too much has happened for Rue to trust others, but connection with the rest of the living world is not lost. Adulthood requires a courageous journey through a landscape of despair, yet ultimately Rue finds hope of regeneration from unexpected sources.

Margaret Elphinstone is a distinguished author with eight novels, poetry, and short stories to her credit. A graduate of Durham University and Emeritus Professor of Strathclyde University, her The Sea Road, published in 2000, received a Scottish Arts Council Award and earned a place in The List magazine’s 100 Best Scottish Books of All Time.

©2024 Margaret Elphinstone (P)2025 Wild Goose Publications

Critic reviews

Shortlisted for Scotland’s National Book Awards 2024

Beautiful tale so relevant to our time

This gorgeously written little book should not be missed. Weaving the story of human experience with the beautiful plants in a garden being created, the character of Rue and their story exemplifies a ‘lost person’ as so many in our world today are. Insightful and touching, it is wonderfully heartfelt and empathic and given how folk shout about ‘small boats’ this is an insight into how it must actually be to be a refugee. Great narration too.