A captivating story with well written characters, it's mystery and romance had me flying through the pages. An historical fiction with a dual timeline. Loved it. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I am such a fan of Kaye’s work having thoroughly enjoyed her previous historical fiction tales. Her latest, Keepers of the Lighthouse is no exception, in fact, I think it might be her best yet as it was such an intriguing mystery (twice over) that I found hard to put down!

‘…neither Laura nor her father could leave the lighthouse. There were lives at stake out there on the wild water. Lives that were in their hands.’

This dual time narrative just oozes with atmosphere in both the historic and contemporary tales. On a lonely isolated island stands a lighthouse where storms and secrets, dangers and revelations come to pass. Based on a real island in Bass Strait, you will be sure to feel the wind whipping through your hair and watch helplessly as ships become wrecked on the ragged rocks. Could there ever be a more perfect setting for mysteries, past and present, to arise and fill the occupants' lives with drama and danger? The two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with occasional flashbacks to 2010) work so well together with the final connective revelations fantastic! You will be on the edge of your reading chair, furiously flipping the pages to see how all the pieces of this puzzle will fit together. And it does …. and I loved it!

Both timelines present tales of fortitude and dedication on the one hand with greed and jealousy on the other. There is romance (both past and present) but it fits in so well with the events unfolding. I loved Laura’s character with her love for the island and its way of life. Lonely? Bored? Never!

‘There is much to do here, but apart from tending the light, I make my own decisions. I value my freedom.' 'Is it freedom? You live on an island far away from the rest of the world. Many people would see that as effectively a prison. Aren't you lonely? Bored?'

Keepers of the Lighthouse is a fabulous tale full of mystery and intrigue set against the wonderful backdrop of a lighthouse on an isolated island. With rich and vivid descriptions, characters to cheer and characters to curse, this is a tale that truly captivated me.






This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

This is a dual timeline story set on Benevolence island in the Bass Strait. The historical timeline is 1882 and Is the story of Laura Webster, daughter of the lighthouse keeper. They witness a shipwreck and rush to help survivors. The second timeline its 2020, and centred on Nina, who works for a heritage group sent to the island to refurbish the cottages. The chapters alternate between the two and for me this pulled me out of the story, it’s a long time before a connection between the two stories is revealed (apart from the location) and I found the modern characters irritating. I guessed the secret in each timeline before it was revealed also, which meant the slow reveal didn’t work. It’s still a good read, and I love books set in Tasmania (and lighthouses for that matter!)

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

First book I've read by this author and I loved it. Dual time line with romance and mystery in both parts. Nice touch to mention lockdowns!! Absolutely loved the character of Laura and my heart broke for her at one point. Nina's story was a little more difficult to read. Highly recommend.

This is an awesome story with duel time lines set on an island, Benevolence in The Bass Strait, it follows the story of the lighthouse keepers back in 1882 and then in 2020 when a group of people arrive to do repairs for visitors to camp on the island but there is a link between the past and the present and danger and mystery in both times, this is a story that will keep you turning the pages.

In 1882 Leo Webster is the lighthouse keeper on this desolate Island in Bass Strait where the winds blow wild during a storm, Leo is here with his wife and daughter, Laura who loves the island and helping her father, when a storm blows up and a schooner is wrecked on the rocks Laura and Leo rescue the survivors, never realizing the secrets and danger that come with them.

2020 and Nina with a team of volunteers arrive on the island to repair damage done to some buildings from a storm so as the island can be used for tourists the lighthouse is not in use these days but stands tall in the place it always has, Jude Rawlins is also on the island to do some filming, unfortunately he and Nina have a past a past the involves heartache and hurt. When acts of sabotage start happening Nina and Jude must join to work out what is happening and by who, could these acts be linked to the past?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and both time lines, Laura and Nina were different but strong with such totally different personalities and they both were caught up in secrets and danger that had me eager to find the answer to the mystery. This is a story that I would highly recommend, MS Dobbie has bought the characters to life on the pages in this beautifully written story, one which I am sure readers will love.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy read and review.

A series of newspaper articles centred on the engagement and subsequent marriage of heiress Rochelle Fernley and apparently wealthy Victorian property owner Albert Munro is the central focus of this fabulous dual timeline story. The Keepers of the Lighthouse is set mainly on tiny Benevolence Island in Bass Strait. I loved the remote island setting and the way that remoteness impacted on the characters and the way they related to each other.
The story opens in 1882 with focal character Laura Webster, daughter of lighthouse keeper Leo, working through the night to help him rescue survivors from the clipper Alvarez, which has sunk after being swept onto the rocks. While Laura is as strong and capable as they come, she also has a vulnerable side, though that only makes her more admirable. loved, respected and admired Laura from the first. She’s hardworking, resourceful, admirable and likeable, but you also get a glimpse of her vulnerable side. Rescued survivor Edmund Bailey, who spends much of his time on the page telling Laura how worthless he is, really comes into his own when circumstances throw one challenge after another at him.. He is Laura’s perfect hero!
Running parallel to Laura’s story and set in 2020, we see Island Heritage team leader Nina thrust into conflict immediately on arriving on Benevolence Island. Clashes with team members and strange happenings quickly ramp up the tension, forcing Nina to revisit her broken relationship with former lover Jude Rawlins, who is also on the island. Nina is emotionally fragile but determined. I admit to finding Nina frustrating at times, but I liked and respected her more and more as I got to know what was motivating her behaviour.
This story is complex but skilfully woven. While it is character-driven, there is plenty in the plot to keep you guessing to the end.

Another dual time line book, this one set on Benevolence Island in the Bass Straight. A beautiful setting, some interesting characters and some mysterious incidents make this a very readable book.

The story in 1882 tells of the lives of Laura Webster and her father who were the keepers of the lighthouse. They led a very solitary life on the island with long periods between visits from the supply ship. A bad storm causes a boat to founder on the rocks and they manage to save a few people who are not all who they claim to be.

In 2020 Nina leads a team of people to the island with the aim of getting it prepared for tourists to visit. Again things turn out unexpectedly and the isolated island becomes dangerous. These sections were okay but Nina was not as interesting as Laura and I ended up rushing a bit to get back to 1882.

There is always a danger with dual timelines that one will be more interesting than the other and for me that definitely happened in this case. I think I would have preferred that the author had written a straight forward story set in just the historical timeline. Nevertheless this is still a book that is well worth reading.

It was 1882 and Leo Webster was the lighthouse keeper on the small island of Benevolence in Bass Strait, midway between Tasmania and the mainland. His daughter, Laura, was his assistant and had known nothing but lighthouse life since she was born in Scotland. They had left after Laura's mother had drowned trying to rescue people from a wreck. The violent storm which was currently hitting the island, had Leo and Laura watching the seas for any ships which might be too close to the rocks, and when a small schooner came to grief, they hurried down to the ocean's edge to help any survivors ashore. The supply ship wouldn't arrive for days, so the survivors had to stay in the cottage with the Websters.

In 2020 when Nina and her team arrived on Benevolence to repair the cottages and lighthouse, preparing the island for tourists, she was horrified to see Jude Rawlins also on the team. She hadn't seen Jude for ten years after an event which changed Nina's life, and she had no desire to see him now. Gradually the team of volunteers worked their jobs - but soon strange things began to happen. It didn't take long to point to sabotage, and also evidence of a stranger living on the island. What was going on?

The Keepers of the Lighthouse is another excellent dual-time tale from Aussie author Kaye Dobbie, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the characters - Laura was a strong, determined young woman, independent and feisty, while Nina was struggling with her past and was adamant she would put it behind her. I love Ms Dobbie's historical novels, and this one proved no different. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Keepers of the Lighthouse is an extraordinary tale of mystery and intrigue; as well as the solitary life of a lightkeeper, which absolutely fascinates me.

Set on the Tasmanian coast the detailed descriptions are breathtaking and leave me wanting to explore; and help maintain the heritage of these places.

The characters are well written and the story kept me captivated..'

Laura’s father, Leo Webster is the lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island Lighthouse, in 1882. A lonely and isolated life on an island in the Bass Strait, Laura helps her father as best she can. When a raging storm hits the island, they find themselves rescuing several people aboard a schooner, two of whom a hiding a terrible secret which will have serious consequences.
In a dual timeline, set in 2020, Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to begin work on repairing the old lighthouse and its buildings. Whilst trying to deal with her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlins’ arrival on the island, which nearly destroyed her, she is also confronted with strange events surrounding the buildings. These random acts of sabotage soon lead to far greater issues, when they loss the means of communicating with the outside world. Soon Nina must begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the events of 1882.
I really enjoyed the dual timeline with both Nina and Laura’s story both fascinating. Both women and strong and dynamic, coping with their own challenges, staying strong despite events around them, spinning out of control. The harsh reality of life on Benevolence Island is well described and I found myself submerged in the surroundings as well as the intricate lives of all those involved.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A really enjoyable dual timeline novel.
Set in 1882 on the windswept island of Benevolence in the Bass Strait, lighthouse keeper Leo Webster and his daughter Laura save a few survivors from a sinking schooner. But little did they know that some were hiding some dangerous secrets.
In 2020 a group of volunteers arrive on the island to work on repairs but soon it’s obvious that someone with menacing intentions are putting the group at risk. Group leader Nina is struggling with her mental health and it doesn’t help that her old lover has been included on the trip to make a documentary of the work being done.
I love the idea of dual timelines but I often find myself liking one timeline more than the other and it’s often the contemporary story but with this one I throughly enjoyed both…unheard of for a long time for me!
The pace was really well done and the characters likeable, I had no idea how they would meld together but it did to a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

The Keepers of the Lighthouse is another intriguing mystery from Kaye Dobbie! I love lighthouses and this ‘lonely windswept’ island where it sits ‘hides a dangerous secret of years in the making.’ The quote on the back and the gorgeous scene on the cover were enough to get me interested plus I love Kaye’s stories. Any keen reader will want to pick up this novel and read it for they will be mesmerised by its atmospheric setting oozing with storms, danger and revelations.

The setting is a fictional Benevolence Island but the author tells us it is based on Deal Island in Northern Bass Strait. It is an area notorious for strong winds and wicked seas and many vessels have been beached or shipwrecked over the years. It is a perfect setting, though, for a story where the weather is at odds with humans on an island that harbours secrets so great that it adds phenomenal drama in their lives.

This story is told in two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with the occasional flashbacks to 2010). I found the historical thread initially the most fascinating because I love historical fiction but the modern timeline heats up fairly quickly and crosses over into the past. For dangerous secrets once buried in the island’s history, re-surface and bring long dormant ghosts to the fore. The mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat and flipping madly through the pages to see how the predicaments will all unravel.

On one side, The Keepers of the Lighthouse is a story about love, determination, fortitude and dedication but it is also about the dangers of greed, jealousy, vindictiveness and covetousness. It is also a story about identity: what is real, imagined and masked both in nature and people. The wild beauty of the island can be both idyllic and nightmarish. And in both timelines, there are visitors who may appear good but are driven by evil intent. Then there are those who are truly good but their actions are questioned.

At the start of the novel with the historical thread, we learn from The Hobart Recorder, posted on 15th May, 1882, that the schooner Alvarez, under the command of Captain Roberts and crew, has been chartered by Mr Albert Munro who has departed Hobart and is now on his way to Melbourne to begin a new life with his wife. Other members on board are visiting Englishman Mr Edmund Bailey and also a Mr Richard Jones who is on government business. But their journey does not go as planned when a terrible storm wrecks their schooner and tosses them on to the shores of Benevolence Island. Survivors are rescued by Laura and her father, the keepers of the Benevolence Island Lighthouse, set in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. The story unfolds as we learn about each one and the secrets they carry to the island. There are some great villainous moments that our Lighthouse Keepers Laura and her father must deal with in this strange collection of travellers. The plot has lots of surprises and twists! I personally admired the character of Laura, who is a woman of amazing strength and great capabilities (she is a fine sailor) with a hardy endurance. Resilient would be another word I would use as to live on such a remote island and continually be called upon to rescue and entertain strangers, takes a certain amount of fearlessness and fortitude.

In the modern thread, Nina has arrived on the island as a damaged soul. She carries a wound that has torn her trust and left her with long term fear and panic attacks. Of course, when she lands on Benevolence to do a job she finds that her past love interest, Jude, is there, too, also working. This unexpected encounter causes her to question everything she has built around herself for survival. Her pain reappears and the nightmares resume. If that is not enough, she senses danger lurking on the island: evidence of another presence who should not be there. This possible stranger adds more fuel to the fire of intrigue. The mystery ramps us while expectations run high. And Nina’s own history, Jude’s family history, and the island’s past residents’ history collide in an explosive showdown.

All in all, I loved this fascinating story (in both timelines that intersect), the colourful characters, the enduring romance, atmospheric mystery and matchless mayhem that kept me pinned to the pages. I highly recommend The Keepers of the Lighthouse. Take a sail on the pages of this story to the desolate windswept Tasmanian island of Benevolence and discover its treasures and tales of old! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to HarperCollins Australia (HQ) and Netgalley for a review copy.
Note: Review will be posted on Amazon AU when novel is released.

‘A wild and lonely life, with a heavy load of responsibility.’

A remote island lighthouse in Bass Strait provides the setting for this dual timeline story, set in 1882 and 2020.
In 1882, the Benevolence Island Lighthouse was manned by Leo Webster, largely assisted by his daughter Laura because his assistant Rorie was not of much use. A storm one evening leads to a shipwreck. The few survivors are sheltered by the Websters, but two of them have a secret which will have repercussions into the future.

In 2020, Nina Robinson and a group of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to undertake restoration work on the old lighthouse cottages. The lighthouse is no longer manned, and the plan is to prepare the cottages as accommodation for summer tourists. Nina has some burdens of her own and is unhappy that Jude Rawlins, a man that she once loved is part of the expedition. But Nina’s concern largely fades into the background when it becomes apparent that equipment is being sabotaged, leaving the team with no way of contacting the outside world. There seems to be someone else on the island who should not be there. Who are they, and why are they there? There are complicated and dangerous answers to these questions.

The story moves between past and present and while the 1882 timeline interested me more, the contemporary timeline gained momentum part way through and had me keen to find out how the story would end.
Ms Dobbie has written a fascinating story in which Laura, Nina and Benevolence Island itself are the main characters. I really enjoyed it.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia HQ for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

This is a terrific dual timeline mystery set on a small, lonely island in Bass Strait, between Tasmania and Victoria.

In 1882 Leo Webster is the Lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island. His 25 year old daughter Laura helps him keep the lighthouse lamp burning and is more help to him than his useless assistant Rorie. Ten years before Laura’s mother died during an attempt to rescue survivors of a shipwreck when Leo was a lighthouse keeper in Scotland. He and Laura moved to Australia to help forget the tragedy but found that lighthouse keeping was the only job he was able to get. Now Leo and Laura once again find themselves watching a ship flounder on the rocks near the island during a raging storm. Some survivors do make it to shore, but two of them are hiding a terrible secret that will put all their lives at risk.

In 2020 a group of volunteers from Island Heritage has arrived on Benevolence for two weeks to carry out some restoration work on the old cottages around the lighthouse to make them safe for summer visitors. Nina Robinson is the project manager and is determined to make sure the project is successfully carried out as her future with Island Heritage depends on it.

Nina is confident all should go well with her old friend ex-soldier Paul along as cook and competent construction manager Brian Mason leading the volunteers. Also on the island is Nina’s ex boyfriend Jude Rawlins, a writer and presenter of travel documentaries, someone she hasn’t seen since she broke up with him ten years ago on the traumatic night that changed her life. When small acts of sabotage start to occur within the group, Nina realises that a stranger may be on the island. But why he is there and what he wants with them is a mystery to her.

I loved the island setting for this mystery. The author captures its remoteness, beauty and ruggedness perfectly. Both groups of people in the two lines are cut off from help from the mainland and must fend for themselves dealing with threats from some ruthless characters. Laura is a wonderful character, capable and brave and a woman who knows what she wants in life while Nina is stronger than she thinks, as long as she can learn to put her past trauma behind her. I enjoyed the historical aspect more than the present day (the coincidences seemed somewhat implausible) but enjoyed the way both tales came together.

This is a dual timeline story that takes you from 1882 to 2020, set in Benevolence Island and of course revolves around a lighthouse.

The story and the atmosphere is rugged, the island isolated and the story intriguing. You can feel the a sense of solitude. The story of two women in two different eras and their survival instincts, their strength and the secrets they carry. Lighthouses always have secrets!

I love the setting and location and being a Tasmanian I know the ruggedness of the landscapes and the seas. This book did justice to its surroundings and is well written and a great read.

I highly recommend it. Great book.

Benevolence Island is the location of a lighthouse in 1882, it’s needed to ensure the safe passage of shipping vessels through the dangerous Bass Strait, located between Tasmania and Victoria. Leo Webster and his daughter Laura are in charge of the lighthouse, due to the remote site, they have trouble finding decent help, and Leo is thinking of sending his hopeless assistant back to Tasmania on the next supply ship.

One stormy night in May, the Webster’s are worried when they see a boat heading for the dangerous rocks called the Tigers Teeth and the Alvarez is in big trouble. Leo and Laura find five survivors, they stay with the Webster’s in their cottage and one man is seriously hurt. It doesn’t take long for a couple of the passengers to start complaining, they want to get to Victoria and can’t understand why the Webster’s can’t take them? Simple, they can't leave the lighthouse unattended, not everyone sailing on the Alvarez has been accounted for, and they don’t have a suitable boat to make the crossing.

The Keepers of the Lighthouse has a dual timeline, it's set in on Benevolence Island in 1882 and the present time of 2020 and both stories are linked by hidden secrets, the consequences and greed!

Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive at Benevolence Island by chopper, they have two weeks to make repairs to the old lighthouse buildings and are part of the Island Heritage Committee. They want to attract tourists to the island, preserve the history, habitat, and stop any further deterioration of the buildings.

Nina has a lot riding on this project going well, so when strange things start happening and acts of sabotage, she’s very worried, and there have been sightings of a strange man on the island in the past? Nina is also trying to cope with the fact that her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlings a travel writer is part of the group, she’s spent the last ten years trying to avoid him, and the bad memories of why the broke up!

I received a copy of The Keepers of the Lighthouse from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Kaye Dobbie has written an engrossing dual timeline story, she has really stepped up the ante with her latest book and in my opinion it’s her best work. You really get a sense of how remote, rugged and isolated Benevolence Island is, and the hidden dangers of the waters of the Bass Strait. How two strong and intelligent women a decade apart manage to survive during a major crisis, and when people's lives are at risk. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in reading about Tasmania, lighthouses, saving historical sites, and five stars from me.

What a great weekend read! Who doesn’t love a book about life on a desolate island with a family manning a lighthouse and rescuing people involved in shipwrecks. I could not put this book down as I had to find out what happened to the main characters.
This book is a dual time line with the Benevolence Island Lighthouse in Bass Strait as the central figure in the story.
Spanning the late 1880s we learn about the family of the Lighthouse keeper Leo Webster, his wife Miriam and his more than cable daughter Laura. Their life on the island is one of solitude and hard work but they wouldn’t have it any other way until the shipwreck of ‘The Alvarez’ changes the course of their lives.
Fast forward to 2020 and a group of volunteers and a film maker land on Benevolence Island to restore and undertake maintenance of the lighthouse cottages for ‘Island Heritage’. Nina is the project manager and she is trying hard to live with a trauma of a past event and do her job. There is foul play at hand from the time the group set foot on the Island.
How past secrets can weave themselves into the present day.
There is so much to like about this book. There is history, a touch of romance and lots of intrigue. A truly great read.