The Lighthouse

This was so creepy it kept me awake!

When Kira arranges a trip away for her old uni friends, they end up staying in a refurbished lighthouse and cottage. Then James goes missing and when he reappears things start to take a turn for the mysterious.

This was part ghost story, part psychological thriller, and a lot of issues between friends! Great location, the lighthouse felt like another character in itself. And the way the tension built throughout really kept me turning the pages.

Brilliant.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read and review.

This is a very good suspense and thriller novel. The premise of the book is what really interested me. The author expertly wrote this novel drawing the reader in to the many characters and overall plot and story of the book. Looks of what if’s, twists and turns, and nail biting suspense made this a very satisfying read. Highly recommend!

Kira, a travel photographer, brings five university friends with her on a weekend assignment to an isolated island. There will be a long awaited reunion while Kira photographs the lighthouse and nearby cottage, scheduled to open soon as a boutique getaway. On the first alcohol fueled night, James wanders off to find matches and returns the next morning, visibly upset. The weekend progresses, marked by storms and mysterious disappearances as long buried personality conflicts bubble to the surface. And then comes the question they have all been thinking:

“What if we’re not alone here?”

The Lighthouse, a creepy thriller, pulls you in from the first site of the tall, strikingly white structure rising from the mist and doesn’t let you go until the unexpected conclusion. You’ll wonder what is true and what has really happened. Its part ghost story, part horror, part psychological thriller and a 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Fran Dorricott for this ARC.

Avon Books UK......
Thank you so much for this eARC!

I loved Fran's book The Final Child if you haven't read it you should! Awesome story!

I want to read Wild and Wicked Things next by Francesca May & Fran Dorricott.... That book sounds amazing!
(PS... If you dish out any eARCs for WAWT book I would appreciate it 😉)

The Lighthouse by Fran Dorricott
A twisty, creepy, and impossible book to put down.
The plot is tightly woven and pulls you into this mystery like a magnet. There are so many secrets and lies that it was impossible to guess who the perpetrator was. Just as I thought I had it sussed another curve ball appeared to blow that theory out of the water.
So well written. And the story is very good. The description of the story was great.
The characters are all so interesting and very intriguing! Your head will spin by the time you're done reading this phenomenal book!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this eARC!
I will post to my platforms closer to pub date!

Slow Creeping Menace…
Six friends, a reunion, a remote Scottish island and a lighthouse. The lighthouse dominates the island, a glorious edifice which was once notorious for deaths at sea, and when the group arrive on the island they revel in its glory and the sheer beauty of the place. Things are soon to take a bizarre turn, however, with unexplained events and inexplicable occurrences. Tensions soon escalate. A wonderfully atmospheric, slow creeping menace of a read with a credible cast and a chilling edge. Perfect for this time of year.

The Lighthouse by Fran Dorricott

First time read by this author and going by this book, it won't be the last.
I got a creeping build up to what was part suspense , part horror and a feeling that something else bad was about to happen.
Kira and her friends go off to an isolated island that has a lighthouse she wants to photograph and a place being advertised as a boutique place to stay.
One member of the party goes temporarily missing and comes back different. The weather and storms blast the island keeping them on the island and emotions run high.
Lots of twists to this story and it keeps you guessing until the end.
.

A haunted lighthouse in Scotland? A ghostly story linked to a real life disappearance and enduring mystery? A very creepy atmosphere and thrilling read? Then if you like all of these things, this book is for you.

Enjoyed this one! I won't sleep for a while but totally worth it!

I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I started reading this book, a getaway for old friends reuniting, on a deserted island with an old lighthouse, what could go wrong!?

I read this at night and it certainly gave me the chills in parts, I think it’s supposed to have a theme of eeriness and spook to it and it certainly did the job 🤣!

Really liked how it was told through different characters, giving different insights to how things were unfolding.

Overall I liked the story, it was very clever although sometimes far fetched .. but that’s the good thing about imagination! Would recommend to someone who’s wanting an easy read with a bit of ‘spookiness’ to it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for the opportunity to read and review this title.

The Lighthouse got me so tense that my shoulders are still tight, and my pupils dilated like I have seen a ghost. The story follows 6 friends from college that come together for a reunion. They haven’t all hung out in ages. Now older but still longing for their younger selves, that feeling of freedom and friendship.

They get to stay at this newly renovated lighthouse that emulates everything you would imagine when you think small Scottish island. Draped in green hills, edgy cliffs, and a drift of fog and clouds the mood is rich in history and old charm. Being the very first guests they are excited to have some fun like in the old days but from the moment they arrive on the remote Island, they feel something isn’t quite right.

From their arrival on the island, things start to take a strange turn as things go missing but then reappear as if it was always there. James one of the friends in the group also disappears only to reappear hours later. Accusations are thrown around and tension builds as the group keeps on experiencing events that tear them apart.

Fran Dorricott writes a story full of perfect details and grand images of the lighthouse, the island, and the tense mood surrounding it. She writes from the perspective of three of the characters creating a story that is well-rounded and developed so the reader gets to be fully immersed in the tense yet fragile story. Filling it with the right number of questions to keep readers engaged and entertained right through the book.

The characters while not developed in detail come together very well as a group to make the story feel full and immersive. The conflict between the characters and the inner turmoil each character faces while navigating the strange and disturbing events builds the suspense to a deliciously agonising point.

The book oozes mystery and thrilling moments and leaves the reader craving more with an ending that they won’t see coming and questions that are left unanswered. While I found the ending entertaining I was a bit disappointed. The questions left for the reader to mull over are too big to leave up to the imagination.

A great thrilling read that left me wishing there were a few more pages.

Thank you Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I also posted my review on my Blog and Instagram https://www.benicewithabook.com/book-reviews/the-light-house

The Lighthouse has been one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 from about the moment I knew about it. Fran Dorricott’s books have been consistently among my favourites and it’s got to the point that, no matter what she writes, I will be there reading it.

In a bit of a departure from her previous thrillers, the book doesn’t start with a crime. Or, at least, not that we know of. Instead, it starts with the arrival of a group of friends on the island, to stay at the lighthouse-slash-cottage-next-door for the weekend. Everything seems idyllic, in terms of location at least. But tensions simmer and friendships are perhaps a little more fractured than they were at the start, and none of this is helped by the disappearance of one of their party on the first night.

The atmosphere throughout the book, the tension and the fear, is almost palpable. It’s a thriller of the best sort in that it’s genuinely thrilling. Once I’d got into the book, I didn’t want to put it down. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout, because I had no idea where the plot would go next.

You also have, on top of this, a group of characters who, on the surface, seem like the kind of people who have what they want in life, who are right where they ought to be. But then they’re put under the kind of stress as in this book and it all comes spiralling out. It’s compelling and makes for a very fun read (in one sense). They all have secrets and you can’t help but want to know them.

The only thing I would say, that stopped me giving this 5 stars perhaps, was that it felt like the opening to something. As in, the events of the book felt like a catalyst, you might have expected them to be as such in any other book. This is the secret they must now keep, which precipitates the fracturing of their friendship. I’m not saying this was a bad thing, but more possibly it’s not what I expected. I’m sure, if I reread this book with that knowledge in mind, my thoughts on that part would change.

Overall though, The Lighthouse more than lived up to my expectations, and definitely cements Fran Dorricott as one of my favourite authors.

This was an exciting read and kept you in suspense right till the end.The characters were very believable and interesting and you could relate to them to them easily.The spooky atmosphere was delightful and it certainly kept me in suspense.I would most definitely recommend this book.

When this intense, atmospheric thriller opens we find the six main characters, Moira and her wife Jess, James, Lucas and his girlfriend Genevieve aboard a boat sailing towards Ora Island where the final member of the group Kira has arranged for them to spend a weekend in a cottage near a renovated lighthouse. Kira had hoped that the time away would give the group a chance to celebrate their tenth anniversary, reconnect, get drunk, catch up on each others lives and reminisce about their shared memories. But things started going wrong almost from the moment that the group arrived on the island.It was quite obvious from quite early in the story there was toxic undercurrents churning away below the surface of the relationships between the members of the group. Problems in their personal lives, hidden secrets, resentments and animosities that caused the atmosphere between them to be so thick at times, you could cut it with a knife. As time passed and strange things kept happening, mistrust spread throughout the group and accusations started flying around the cottage's cold rooms.They were supposed to be the only people on the island, surely they could trust each other.... or could they? Where they really on their own or was there a unknown enemy hiding amongst the many hiding places that covered the island?

Each member of the group was a vivid, relatable individual with their own unique personality and character traits. My feelings for each of them ebbed and flowed like the waves that crashed onto the rocks of the island.I felt a lot of sympathy for Genevieve due to the way that she was treated by the other members of the group especially Kira. I loved Genevieve's fascination with the history of islands that are watching over by lighthouses,the tragic stories,mysterious deaths and how people can find themselves overcome by the loneliness and isolation. Genevieve appeared to be a very likeable individual but was she really or had the author cleverly manipulated me into believing that the newest member of the group could be trusted when she was actually hiding her true nature behind a mask?

Wow....just wow, I loved this fast paced, intense, atmospheric thrill ride that hooks the reader in from the first page, keeps you captivated and hardly gives you a opportunity to draw in a breath as the story rockets along towards its mind blowing, thought provoking,unexpected conclusion. I love books that are based in isolated locations especially where the characters are cut off from civilisation and have no way of summoning help. I loved the author's descriptions of the island with its numerous hiding places, deadly cliffs, the waves crashing on the rocks and the lighthouse that stood tall and proud on its grassy outcrop. I would love to watch a film or tv adaptation of this, addictive suspense packed story, worth far more than five stars, very very highly recommended and definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year.

A brilliant atmospheric book. I lobed and really liked every character and thought they were written really well. Brilliant story. Id read more from this author xx

Fancy a spooky story set in an old lighthouse? Oh yes, please! I love spooky, and I love lighthouses, so as soon as I read the description of this book I had to have it. Don't be fooled by the innocuous title because this story will soon raise goosebumps. I made the mistake of reading it at night whilst on a camping trip near an actual lighthouse and was terrified to venture out after dark.

Here we have a fantastic atmospheric setting on a small Scottish island dominated by an old majestic lighthouse and keeper's cottage that have been turned into an exclusive holiday resort. Without phone or internet reception, it makes for a perfect escape from the modern world. Kira, a travel writer, has been offered a free stay and thinks it would make a great location for an annual reunion with four of her closest friends from university. Packed with lots of food and alcohol, the group set out on the boat trip to this spectacular location.

The author knows how to set the scene and the island initially sounds like heaven. Remote, windswept and buffeted by the waves, the landscape appears serene and beautiful to the friends as they settle in for a weekend of fun and relaxation. Soon, however, the atmosphere changes. Things disappear and everyone denies having taken them. Shadows appear in corners when there is noone there. And what lies behind the only locked door in the lighthouse? Suddenly the isolation becomes claustrophobic as the friends realise they are stranded here without a way off the island, with something that doesn't want them here.

How perfect is this premise? Despite my growing unease, I read it in almost one sitting because I had to get answers. As the weather closed in and darkness fell, I knew I was in for a spooky treat. I loved the hinting at a supernatural element that made me wonder if there was something ghostly going on or if there would be a rational explanation, which made the story even creepier for me without ever feeling unbelievable.
My only quibble was that the ending appeared a bit rushed and could have exploited the eerie background a bit longer. I was at the 95% mark when I thought that there wasn’t enough time to wrap up all the threads and ultimately felt that a few very good elements were left hanging. Seeing how the beginning of the book was slow, character driven and atmospheric, I felt that the rush to the conclusion let the book down a bit.
All in all, THE LIGHTHOUSE is the type of atmospheric, claustrophobic story that makes for a perfect escape. With a hint of a supernatural element, it managed to spook me enough to keep the lights on and read late into the night to get all the answers. Despite the rushed ending, I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to read more from this author in future.

The Lighthouse by @franwritesstuff is a 4.5 Star 🌟 📚


Six friends travel to a remote island to stay in a Lighthouse for the weekend, what was meant to be a fun time away quickly turns into a chilly creepy nightmare..

They are not wanted on the island but now they are will they make it off the island alive..

First of all this book wasn't what I expected and thats a good thing, I loved the setting of the Lighthouse you can really get the cold chilly vibe of the setting as I was reading I could picture the heavy waves hitting the rocks I could feel the cold air, I really enjoyed the story I found it uniquely different from other books in a refreshing way, I loved how your thrown in the deep end straight away how things start going wrong the moment they step foot on the island, I liked the different personalities of the characters you really get to feel who they are as people and the setting was brilliant it added that extra chill to the story. I was literally walking down the street reading this it's one of those books that you don't want to stop reading that you have to know what happens next, the ending was good and kind of sets up a sequel as what happens next and what could bring them back to the island if the author chose to do so it's something I would read.

This book has everything from drama chills, secrets and thrills very C.L Taylor and Nuala Ellwood

I would highly recommend this book its one that you will find difficult to put down I loved it from start to finish it's left chills in my bones

Synopsis:
It should have been a relaxing reunion at a pittoresque lighthouse for the group of old friends, but soon it becomes clear that there are some unresolved tensions between them. And when things are being moved and the bathroom mirror is broken, everyone suspects everyone else. But then, one of them discovers some old ghost stories taking place on the island. Can it really be ghosts?

My thoughts?
A locked-room mystery combined with a ghost story? Yes, please! I enjoyed the dynamics between the friends, and the atmospheric details of the island as well as the tension building up as strange things start to happen. The characters were distinctive and relatable, and not as stereotypical as they are in some similar mysteries. The ending, on the other side, left too many questions unanswered (in my opinion) and the friends' final decision left me a little unsatisfied.

Parts of this book reminded me of:
- The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin
- Odd Numbers by JJ Marsh

This was my first book by Fran Dorricott, and it definitely won't be my last!

A remote Scottish Island, a lighthouse and lots of myths and ghost stories so to be honest I was always going to love this book and I did. I loved the perfect creepy atmosphere and the sense of drama created by the Island. I have read a few stories recently where a group of friends have been stranded together in a remote location but this story is quite different to the others but I will say no more! The characters are all really well written and relatable. This story is highly addictive and you won’t be able to put it down.

Oh my gosh this book was AMAZING. I was gripped right from the start and it compelled me the whole way through. It was creppy, chilling and atmopsheric and gave me goosebumps all over and left the haors standing up on the back of my neck several times while reading it. It was unpredictable and I didnt know what to expect. I really enjoyed it .

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this book for review.

What an absolute blast of a read, it's so atmospheric, tense and creepy, I was totally gripped and couldn't read it quick enough. A new author for me, I have already ordered another of her books.

I received a gifted copy of ‘The Lighthouse’ by Fran Dorricott in return for my honest review. I took part in the cover reveal for this book, so I was really keen to read.

This book follows a group of friends as they are going on a weekend away to catch up on the island of Ora, where there is a converted lighthouse.

On the journey ghost stories were told, which had some of the friends spooked right from the start.
Then on the first night one of them goes missing and although he is found, seems to be acting strangely.

Personal belongings keep going missing, so the group start to wonder whether there is something paranormal on the island.

The tension builds causing them to air their differences, whilst they are trying to unravel the secrets of the island.

Is the island haunted? Will they survive the weekend?

I enjoyed reading this book and I liked that it was told by three points of view. The characters chosen gave you an insight into most of the groupings within the friends, so it was a varied point of view.

There was plenty of mystery throughout and was very eerie as the group of friends suspect the island is haunted.

I don’t think I really related to any of the characters but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy following their story and discovering their secret and the islands.

Overall, an eerie and tense thriller where a group of friends must unravel the mystery behind the island of Ora.

A group of old friends go visit a secluded island- what could possibly go wrong?
This book is packed with intrigue, suspicion and tension. Some old secrets are revealed which added to the drama quite nicely. The multiple narratives worked well within this novel as it revealed certain tensions within the group which added to the books tense atmosphere. There's a tinge/hint of supernatural in the book and I would have liked the author to have played into it a bit more. The climax of the book for me when it was all finally revealed just didn't quite hit the mark for me after the book's amazing build up. The ending just feel clunky and I didn't feel fully satisfied that it was tied up properly. I do think however it could making an excellent sequel if the author used the same skills in exploring the supernatural side that had been hinted at.

Kira has been asked to take photographs of a converted lighthouse on a remote Scottish Island for an article in a magazine. She thinks it's the perfect place for a reunion weekend with her friends from University, a place to reconnect and have a good fun weekend.

Their excitement soon turns into unease as there's a strange feeling to the island, is it just because of Genevieve's ghost stories or is it something more? It takes a sinister turn when things start to go missing ... including James!

The book is told in turn from the perspective of Kira, Genevieve and Moira which I think adds to the suspense of the story.

I loved the premise of the book, it's dark and atmospheric with a great mix of characters and I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for ARC

Six friends travel to a remote island north of the Scottish Highlands for an old school reunion. They've rented the lighthouse - a stunning, now abandoned building that was once notorious for deaths at sea. On the first evening, someone goes missing, The group search all through the night to no avail. But when the five remaining friends return to the lighthouse early the next morning, they are shocked to find James inside, He looks terrified - but won't say a word where he's been.

What a creepy vibe this book had throughout. Six friends got together for an old school reunion, and I expected something to happen to one of them, but not for them to return. Other strange things start happening to the group. The story is told from multiple points of view. This book was not quite what I expected it to be, but I still liked it. I liked that things started to go wrong the moment they set foot on the island. The story has a steady pace. There's plenty of drama, thrills, secrets' and bickering between the friends.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #AvonBooksUK and the author #FranDorricott for my ARC of #TheLighthouse in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

I really liked the premise of this book when I requested it from Netgalley It didn't disappoint. 6 friends, 5 of which have known each other since University. Hire a cottage on a remote Scottish island next to a lighthouse. The story is told from a different POV for each Chapter, which worked well. Although I was surprised it wasn't told from every character's viewpoint. Unless I missed those.

This was an exciting story that was well told and pulled you in and kept you guessing till the end. Great characters that were relatable and believable

Overall, this was a spooky atmospheric story that was part psychological thriller, part ghost story and a bit of the Famous Five thrown in. I would have liked another twist at the end, but I won't spoil it

Six old friends stay in a converted lighthouse on an uninhabited island. What could possibly go wrong? It begins on the first night when James is seemingly lost, then reappears in a somewhat traumatised state. There’s a good build-up of creepy and potentially supernatural tension in this book and this atmosphere doesn’t let up. I enjoyed this aspect of the story. I didn’t find James’s secret really enough to explain things, and the later revelation, although it does explain certain happenings, I couldn’t quite believe. A good story, even so.

When six friends stay on an isolated Scottish island with a lighthouse and cottage for a long weekend they think they are the only ones on the island. Then items start disappearing and they are unable to contact anyone off the island is there ghosts or spirits here from tragedies that happened years ago or are they allowing their nerves to frighten them. As the hours pass everyone seems to be unravelling until they receive a message telling them to LEAVE.
A book that keeps you awake and turning the pages until you get to the last page definately worth a read.

THE LIGHTHOUSE by Fran Dorricott
Publish Date: 3 February 2022

I enjoyed this book with a touch of folklore, with mysterious and creepy bits. The well written novel had atmosphere and descriptions I could picture in my imagination. The dialogue, at times, annoyed and felt overpowering and niggly but all in all I good read.

I give a 4 star rating

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

An intriguing mystery with ghostly elements set in a lighthouse on a remote Scottish island. Six university friends are reuniting for the weekend. There are undercurrents with the new girlfriend, and one another couple have differences of opinion having left their baby for the first time. Only 4 stars from me as I would have liked the individual characters to be more fully developed. Sometimes I had to go back to the start of the chapter to see who was narrating it: they didn’t have distinctive personalities.

*4 Stars!!

This book follows a group of friends who decide to have their yearly reunion on a deserted island north of the Scottish Highlands in a recently renovated lighthouse. However no sooner have they arrived and settled in other members of the group start to notice that things are disappearing and being moved around there cottage and then there's the feeling of being watched, but there's no time to worry about that as a member of their group disappears only to reappear hours later confused and terrified but unwilling to talk about what happened during those missing hours. The group try to put things behind them and carry on with their weekend as planned but when one of the group starts talking about ghost stories related to the island things on the island become even more bizarre and a threatening message follows. Is one of the group responsible for the terror that follows or has the ghost story got them imagining things.

I really liked the authors description of when they were approaching the island it really made me get a feeling for the island and the lighthouse and the beauty surrounding it. I was slightly disappointed by the ending I think a confirmation that they were right about their theory and a family reunion would have been interesting. I did like that some of the things which had been happening were kind of left for the reader to decide if it was a person or a ghost.

Overall I really enjoyed this book but that being said the pace felt really slow to me and didn't really start to get interesting until the 75% mark and then after that I couldn't put it down. The first 75% was mostly them just snapping at each other for the littlest things and taking things others said the wrong way. I did consider DNF-ing it but glad I didn't. Overall I really liked the book but the last 15% really made the story.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.*

I read this book in one sitting!

I liked the way it switched between characters narration so you read it from their experiences. Some characters I liked better than others but that's always the way.

The plot was good, if I haven't guessed the plot by halfway through (which I hadn't) then it's a win!