For the first time in her life, sixteen-year-old Lutie Painter decides to cut school. She's received a phone call that she can't tell her aunt and uncle about, and the only thing she can do is take the bus to the very wrong part of town where danger (be it emotional or physical) may be awaiting her. A few blocks away, Train Green burns with anger. He's trying hard to live up the reputation of his criminal brother, but it's not as easy as he thought it would be. In the nicer section of town, Kelvin Hartley gets ready for a typical day at school, where he considers everyone his friend, and rarely tries any harder than absolutely necessary to get things done. Doria Bell, who has just moved to South Carolina from Connecticut, waits by the bus stop hoping that today will be the day that one of her classmates will finally notice her. These four lives intertwine in unexpected ways as Lutie explores her family ties, and her connection to a batch of gospel songs called the Laundry List that were passed down to her by her great-great grandmother. The songs are an important piece of American history, and represent faith and hope to those in need. Changes are in store for Lutie, Train, Kelvin, and Doria, as their paths cross and merge in ways they never could have imagined.

The Lost Songs is a beautifully written story about the South and its musical roots. Lutie is the unofficial "owner" of a set of gospel songs sung by her great-great grandmother Mabel years ago as Mabel struggled with her relationship with God while she worked to make a life for her family when her status was barely above that of a slave. A museum curator in the present day has heard of this Laundry List, and traced it to Lutie, who must decide whether to share the songs with the world so that they can take their rightful place in the history of gospel music, or whether she should guard them as her own, which she feels is her obligation to her family. Book clubs might enjoy a discussion about whether Lutie has a right to withhold the songs, or whether the historical importance of the music trumps her "ownership." The characters in the book encounter serious issues, and they are handled in a frank but still age-appropriate way. Lutie's mother is a crack addict who abandoned her as a baby but makes sporadic appearances in her life. Train feels the only way he can be noticed in a town full of "nice people" is to follow the cruel example set by his violent hoodlum older brother. Doria experiences profound loneliness after she moves to a new town and realizes that coming from a place where her friends were always there, she has no idea how to go about making new ones. Train's unpredictable character represents a threat of real violence as he repeatedly ponders old incidents where two teens were nearly killed by senseless cruelty. Though the plot builds slowly, the reward is a truly engaging story with a highly satisfying ending, and an emphasis on the themes of faith, hope, and redemption. Music-minded readers will enjoy the descriptions of Lutie's and Doria's immense musical gifts.

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