Lost … still waiting … still searching.
In Lost, bestselling author of Vanished and Missing, and founder of the Australian Missing Persons Register, Nicole Morris returns with her most investigative and wide-reaching book yet.
Cold cases. Empty chairs. Birthdays marked in absence.
From a blonde Texan backpacker who survived the dangers of 1970s America only to vanish on the NSW mid north coast, possibly crossing paths with a serial killer, to a brilliant computer prodigy who made a frantic 000 call before disappearing on a lonely highway, Morris uncovers cases as baffling as they are heartbreaking.
There is the elderly husband who scaled two fences trying to return to the wife he adored. A 10-year-old Indigenous boy who ran for a train and never made it home. A teenage foster child believed to have been abducted from a Melbourne street. A man lost in remote desert country, leaving messages scratched into red earth as searchers followed close behind. In a rainforest, unidentified remains hang unanswered for decades, belonging to someone still missing from a family somewhere.
But this time, the search goes further.
Nicole tracks down eyewitnesses to suspected abductions who were never formally interviewed, uncovering first-hand accounts unheard for decades. She speaks to parents, children, partners, investigators and searchers, and interviews former teenage runaways to expose why so many young Australians disappear each year. With access to letters, police files and personal testimony, she follows new leads and asks difficult questions.
Nicole Morris once again shines a light on Australia’s long-term missing and invites readers to remember their names and help bring them home.
“Compassionate, compelling and impossible to forget.”
“Nicole Morris gives a powerful voice to families who refuse to stop searching.”
“Without Nicole, we would never have known the information she uncovered. Knowing she is still looking gives us peace of mind.”
— Tammy Lockey, former wife of Steven Lockey
“A lifeline of hope. You inspire others to genuinely care.”
— Lynelle Crowther
“Truly a godsend. Thank you for the work you do.”
— Jackie Hutchison, sister of Gail Lynch, missing’
“Without you, I would be lost trying to cope. I thank and appreciate you.”
— Sandi, mother of Leisl Smith, missing
“Having a missing loved one is the worst feeling in the world. Thank you for keeping their stories alive.”
— Malcolm Goodall, brother of Leanne Goodall, missing 1978
Kori –
To Nicole,
The work you do is truly admirable. Thank you for your unwavering dedication to Australia’s missing people and the families who continue searching for answers.
This book took me through every emotion imaginable. I laughed, I cried, I felt angry at the lack of police effort in some cases, and there were moments that were absolutely gruelling to read. But that’s what makes your books so powerful.. they don’t just tell stories, they make you feel them too.
I’ve read all three of your books and have been a huge supporter of your work for years. The compassion and respect you show every missing person and their loved ones is something truly special. Thank you for ensuring these people are never forgotten. Your work makes a real difference, and I can’t wait to read your future work (as sad as that is to say, given how many more stories need to be told) Thank you!