The Lost and the Blind by Declan Burke throws ghostwriter and journalist Tom Noone into the midst of a WWII-era mystery. A desperate Ireland in the midst of the financial crisis in 2008 is beautifully rendered, and the island of Delphi off the coast of Donegal is an atmospheric setting. The plot is complex and layered, and Noone makes for a protagonist who reads authentically and engagingly. Burke writes with a stunning use of metaphor and simile, making for a lyrical and descriptive read. This piece of crime fiction weaves together modern politics and a historical mystery, and it highlights the tenuous balance between fiction and truth.