I had a bit of trouble getting into this book in the beginning, but as I continued I was really taken in by the mystery of what happened. I also really enjoyed the back and forth between the past leading up to events and the present following the lives of those left behind still trying to figure out what happened 20 years after the event. Great mystery, leaves you guessing throughout most of the book.

In The Lamplighters, Emma Stonex provides the readers with a compelling dual timeline historical mystery. Through this deftly interwoven story, we follow three lighthouse keepers as they work towards their demise in 1972, and, twenty years later, their wives and loved ones as they tell their stories to a writer who is aiming to publish a book about the keepers’ disappearances. The Lamplighters blends these two timelines together in order to answer one question: what really happened on Maiden Rock?

The setup of this novel is quite effective, with the multiple points of view lending themselves well to the mystery element. It becomes a bit of a whodunit, with each person’s perspective leading the reader closer to the truth. The sections set in 1972 were especially well done, showing the growing strains and tensions between the three lighthouse keepers the longer they’re on the tower. As the men learn new facts about the others that they’re essentially trapped with, the reader is able to cast suspicion on each of them, with the author never completely showing her hand until the very end.

The author also does an excellent job of slowly fleshing out each character as the novel wears on. A few of the “twist” elements that were meant to lend more meat to the characters were very obvious from early on, but overall the strategy works well. Each character is complex, with elements of good and bad. There’s no true hero here, just a cast of very human, slightly (or in some cases, more than slightly) damaged individuals trying to navigate past traumas and the difficulties of maintaining their relationships.

While the writing was very good and the characters well fleshed out, there was something that prevented me from fully engaging with this novel. I recognize that this is an exceptionally well-crafted story, however it didn’t quite resonate with me in the way I’d hoped. I enjoyed my time with the story and characters, but ultimately didn’t find the emotional connection I needed to make this book truly memorable. However, I believe this is firmly a case of not being the right reader for this book, as Stonex has written an original, captivating story that many will find to be an engaging pageturner.

The synopsis for this one alone gave me goosebumps and even more so when I realised that this book is actually inspired by a true story! I have a huge lighthouse obsession so I absolutely loved this book.

I read a lot of mysteries and am usually pretty good at figuring out where a story is going but I had absolutely no idea with this one.

The only part I didn’t love of this story was the supernatural element, but that’s purely just a personal preference.
Definitely recommend this one.

Synopsis: In 1972, a relief boat arrives at a lighthouse located miles from shore to bring a keeper to relieve one of the three men on duty – Arthur, William (Bill) and Vince. When the boatman and his crew arrive at the lighthouse no one answers their calls, and the door is locked from the inside. When they gain entry, they find the table set for two, the clocks stopped and no sign of the men. They have simply vanished.

Twenty years later a writer is speaking with the three women that were left behind that day to get their opinions and thoughts as to what happened to their men. It’s now the women’s turn to tell their side of the story.

My Thoughts: I struggled a bit with this book at the half-way point. While the mystery aspect of the story was intriguing, I found it difficult to connect with the characters. The book is almost 350 pages long and each chapter is dedicated is one of the characters’ stories. As the chapters proceed, we get more of the truth but in effect there is very little character development. We discover what their lives were like and their truths are unveiled but we really don’t get to know the men. We don’t know what their values are, what brings them happiness, who they are deep in their soul, etc. For me, they felt two dimensional. I gave this book 3/5 stars on Goodreads for the mystery aspect, the descriptions of the lighthouse and what being a lamplighter really entailed. If you are a plot-centric reader rather than character-development, and you have an interest in lighthouses, this may be the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins Canada for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the concept of The Lamplighters and it had an amazing start and finish, but I do not think that the middle of the book was well done. The book is inspired by the true events of three lamplighters missing from their lighthouse, without a trace. Through the course of the book, we go back and forth in time, learning about what truly happened back in 1972 and how the remaining family members are doing in 1992.

The first quarter of the book does a phenomenal job of setting up the stage and introducing the past and present. The writing was immersive and sometimes it felt to me like I was watching a movie. A variety of formats were used for storytelling - newspaper clippings, interviews, monologues, and third person narrative. That kept me engaged with the book. I liked the multiple different perspectives that were provided and the multi-dimensional view they provided of the characters. I loved how intentionally the writer doing the interviews for the book was a shadowy presence, his influence and connection to Helen unknown.

My biggest problem with the book is that there are just too many possible side plots. In order to create mystery and suspense, the reader is led astray to imagine all these different people, organizations and situations that
could have led to the disappearance of the lamplighters. The book could have been more focused.

Inspite of all this, I still liked the book and read it quickly. It came full circle at the end, explaining the relevance of the people at the beginning of the book. It was a satisfying read!

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy via NetGalley. Full review to come on Armed with A Book on 17th March.

What a remarkable book! Based on a true story about three missing lamplighters, this fictional novel is enveloped in atmosphere, displays fascinating characters, and wows with unexpected twists and suspense. We see how isolation affects people in different ways and how crucial it is for the workers to get along with others for weeks or months at a time, as well as their families ashore.

Towers are different from typical lighthouses as they are located well off the land, completely isolated and surrounded by water which can mean being shut off from civilization for extended periods due to storms and rough water conditions. Maiden Rock is one such tower. On New Year's Eve, 1972 it was discovered to be empty with the metal door barred shut from the inside, table readied for a meal and the clocks set to 8:45. The three lamplighters are missing. We learn from the two wives and one girlfriend what they believe happened and their thoughts and feelings. Not only that but we hear their perspectives and those of the men before they went missing. The author goes back and forth between the present and the past in such a way to create such tension! Adventure novelist Dan Sharp probes further which conjures up even more questions and depth. And that ending!

The uniqueness is what drew me to this book and what caused me to research the topic after reading it. So cliche but I couldn't put it down. I had no idea what training for this job entailed and what the duties were and many things didn't occur to me. I feel enlightened!

My sincere thank you to HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this incredible ARC. This one will really stick with me.

Thank you so much to HarperCollins Canada, NetGallery and Emma Stonex for this copy in exchange for an honest review. This novel is expected to be published March 16, 2021.

Brief Synopsis:
Inspired by the true story of the unsolved disappearance of 3 lighthouse keepers in Flannan Isles in 1900, Emma weaves together a novel of what happened that day and the secrets that were uncovered & the mysteries that remain.
The novel is moved to the year 1972 to a Cornwell lighthouse on the Atlantic. It is written in past/present tense where in the past we mainly rotate between the lives of the 3 lighthouse keepers & in the present we hear the stories from their wives. This combination brings together everyone's views on what could have happened that day & the events leading up to it.

My Thoughts/Opinions:
There are secrets, betrayals & grief uncovered in this novel! I thought it was very interesting to gain a glimpse into the life of a lighthouse keeper. The novel is a bit slower paced with a very mysterious vibe to it and you find yourself wanting to continue to try and figure out what may have happened. I did start to get a bit tired of the narrative style throughout the book however & there were a couple items that were mentioned where I didn't understand how they have any relevance to the story.

Trigger: There is one brief scene involving animal abuse that I felt did not need to be in there at all. It made me feel sick to read & I honestly just ending up speed reading the book after that. Sorry, but any book or movie that involves this content, I am very queasy on & it ruins the experience a bit.

I start by thanking NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review. The Lamplighters is a haunting, harrowing book that slowly draws up its characters and mystery, sometimes too slowly. The question is how can three men disappear from a locked lighthouse surrounded by the sea? A true story is the premise that drew me to the book, but for me it became too drawn out and not what I had hoped for.

4.5 Stars. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Canada for this atmospheric and haunting book. Its author, Emma Stonex, was inspired by the mysterious, unsolved disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in 1900 from a lighthouse in the Outer Hebrides. Interesting accounts of this true disappearance can be found by googling the Eilean Mor lighthouse.

This fictional novel moves the event to a Cornwell lighthouse in the Atlantic, miles from the shore. In 1972, three keepers vanished from Maiden Lighthouse under mysterious circumstances. The detailed description of the sea was enthralling. In vivid, rich prose, it describes the coldness, the grey sky and ocean, its churning waves, the fog, mist, howling wind, and the tossing of the supply vessel. I could almost taste the salty sea air and felt momentarily on the verge of seasickness.

The book emphasizes the importance of the three lighthouse keepers' personalities, their ability to get along or at least tolerate their differences. It is a lonely, solitary life spending long periods of time away from wives and girlfriends. The longing for their loved ones on land must be endured, or for some, their isolation may come as a relief. Secrets and deceptions emerge that lead to anger, resentment, and even madness with a supernatural element.

Those on the supply ship in 1972 find an empty, abandoned lighthouse, a heavy door locked from the inside, a table set for only two, and clocks stopped at the same hour. Even stranger, the Principal Keeper's log indicates a fearsome, raging storm when the weather was calm. What was the fate of the three men?

Twenty years later, in 1992, their women are struggling with sorrow, abandonment, and resentment over the lack of answers from the company's investigations. They have not found any closure for the tragedy. A well-known author of fictional naval thrillers intends to write his first non-fiction book on the disappearances and hopes he can solve the mystery. As he interviews the women, he explores their feelings, and he uncovers long-held secrets, emotions of love and loss, deceptions, anger, betrayal and grief. They admit their feelings towards their men who vanished. Women who should have formed a sympathetic and friendly union after the tragedy were driven further apart afterwards. The book portrays their unfulfilled, often lonely lives and their struggles to move on.

I don't think I have ever read a book that so vividly describes the chill of the North Atlantic, its storms, the raging ocean, loneliness, and the dynamics of people living in isolated close quarters. I felt I had more questions than answers at the end of this excellent, intriguing novel.