Title: All We've Lost
Series: The Unraveling
Author: Kevin Craver
Release Date: 4th August 2025
BLURB
Far from home at the world's end ...
Army sergeant Martin Crenshaw counts down the days in Germany until his discharge. Teenage music prodigy Melinda Hodgson performs her summer away at arts camp in the Michigan Northwoods. Kara Westman, the daughter of a decorated two-star general, begins her sophomore year at the prestigious London School of Economics.
They had their entire lives ahead of them—until the merciless one-two punch of economic collapse and the deadly H7N9 pandemic destroyed everything.
Stranded and alone, they set out into a shattered world to make their way home. Martin and other marooned servicemen trek across a devastated Europe in a race against time to reach a boat heading back to the States. Kara catches the last flight out of a dying United Kingdom only to find that her powerful father can do nothing more to help her. And Melinda embarks on a dangerous odyssey to reach her family in Wisconsin before winter descends to snuff her life like a candle in the wind.
The third book in the riveting Unraveling series, All We’ve Lost continues the thrilling post-apocalyptic survival saga that explores the question everyone should ask themselves in these troubled times—what will you do when it all falls apart?
REVIEW
The cover design of All We’ve Lost is a great depiction of a scene from the book, of Melinda and Jimmy on their bikes as they try to reach safety with people they know. The cover fits in very well with the other book in the Unraveling Series.
After reading and loving Big Sky Fallen and Cascadia Rising I was looking forward to reading All We’ve Lost, learning about other characters in different areas but set in the same world that is crashing down.
All We’ve Lost follows different groups of survivors of a devastating pandemic and the following economic collapse as they fight to make it home, not knowing if their loved ones are safe or even if their home even exists anymore.
The first group of survivors are four men from the Outlaw Troop, Fourth Squadron, Seconds Cavalry Regiment. Sergeant Martin Crenshaw, their leader, was due to retire, but ends up being promoted to Lieutenant during his groups journey through Germany, Belgium and France in their attempt to get a boat back to America. The men with him are Specialist Josh Czernik, Specialist Theo Carlvin, and Specialist Patton Childress. The civilian who ends up joining the military men on their arduous journey is Ann-Katryn, Patton's pregnant German girlfriend.
The second 'group/person' is Melinda Hodgson a student attending Interlochen Music college when disaster strikes. Melinda suffers losses along the way and also gains a dependent, in 8 year old Jimmy who has become an orphan due to the virus which is really ironic as his parents were quite prepared to be able to live off-grid with plenty of supplies on hand. Melinda later stumbles across one of the other groups and joins them.
The third “group” is the group that Melinda stumbles upon when confronted by a biker gang called the Devils Warriors. The group is made up of ex-military personnel and preppers. The land once known as the Moran Farm belongs to Donna Moran and her late husband, though since the collapse of society it is now referred to as “the compound” Donna’s son Will and 18yr old grandson Ethan live there with her along with the group that has formed consisting of people like Gunnar, his fellow former SWAT sniper Lucasz, and ex-marine, newlyweds Jane & Justin Christenson and Al Leonard a ham radio operator and his grandson Kyle, among others their Golden Retriever, Buck and the Belgian Malinois, Reaper that belongs to Gunnar. They are a tough group and everyone has their job to do within the compound. It may be Donna’s land but everything is put to a vote. So, when Donna’s estranged daughter Ashley shows up, looking for a place to stay with no real skills to add to the team as well as all the family history she is given a bag of basic supplies and sent on her way towards Iron Point.
When the local Police Chief Milo Beecher & the village President Bud Alworth turn up at the compound wanting access to the supplies they have, it is obvious that Ashley has given them information. Donna and the other compound members send the Police Chief and President on their way empty handed and an order to not come back. Unfortunately for those at the compound, Iron Point initially becomes aligned with the biker gang the Devils Warriors and it cut throat leader Razor, and then taken over. Its not long before Razor and the Devils Warriors set their sights on the Compound. Though they don’t want to take it from Donna and her group, they just want control and access to the supplies and want Donna and her group along with people from Iron Point to work as slaves for them! Obviously, Donna and her family group at the compound are not going to just accept this, so a battle ensues.
The final “group/person” is Kara Westman whose father Major General Jack Westman, pulls strings in an attempt to get his daughter safely transported to him, Theres a plane ride from London that is re-routed and then travel from army base to army base. Major General Westman certainly seems to be a respected member of the military with people willing to help transport his daughter Kara, though Alexia initially resents “Babysitting the Major Generals Princess” but along with her fellow RAF member Reed they kind of warm to Kara. That and they think of the possible goodwill/reward that may come their way from Major General Westman.
I don’t really want to go further into detail about the plot of the book as I don’t want to give too much away. I hope the taster/teaser from each group/person that is central to the book is enough to make you want to read it. If you’ve read Big Sky Fallen and Cascadia Rising then All We’ve Lost is a must read for you. The books in the Unraveling series can be read as standalone books but of course I’d recommend reading them all! Be warned you will not want to put this book down. I was immediately pulled into the book within the first chapter, totally hooked and hated having to put it down! If you love Post Apocalyptic books, that are realistic and have characters you grow to love and can relate to then you need to read these books. The plot of the book, the pandemic and financial collapse are scarily believable, the way people act in such situations, so realistic.
I loved the humour within the book. I love the disclaimer at the start of the book!
Some of references went a little over my head a little, such as “Calling Doctor Howard, Doctor Fine, Doctor Howard!” Three Stooges reference.
I also adored Duly’s reasoning for “looting” the sporting goods store when they come across it, Melinda is reluctant to do but Dulcy reasons with Melinda as her stomach rumbles and she & Dulcy argue about whether to break into the sporting goods store and Dulcy says '“My point exactly— your gut just vetoed your conscience. Now let’s do this and scram— in and out.”
I found the three gnomes holding up their middle finger at the entrance to Donna's compound in Wisconsin hilarious, and certainly to the point, a very clear message.
I thought the references to 'you'll be a man, my son' at the end of a Kipling poem {IF by Rudyard Kipling} to be very poignant and really relevant to that moment in the book.
My immediate thoughts after finishing reading All We've Lost by Kevin Craver were Wow, there were some harsh character losses in this book, but that made it all the more realistic. It has amazing characters, a brilliant plot & fantastic world building!!
Summing up All We’ve Lost is so well written, the detail, the characters you grow to love who are fighting for survival, some make it, others sadly don't. It's a realistic portrayal of what could happen. It makes you realise how under prepared you would be!
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