The Lamplighter

“The twist at the end is satisfying, and the spooky atmosphere and (righteous) female rage linger like the town’s infamous fog. Chilling.” —Kirkus Reviews

★ “Bell valiantly braids edge-of-the-seat plotting, moody imagery, and evocatively rendered characters into unsettling knots. Temperance’s struggles to prove herself in her male-dominated society are explored with depth and nuance, making this chilling mystery feel at once like a classic folktale and a sharp allegory for the obstacles of modern women.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Treachery abounds in the historical novel The Lamplighter, wherein crime comes to a seaport town with insidious consequences for its residents.” —Foreword Reviews

“Crystal J. Bell’s The Lamplighter is an eerie and unsettling debut that sucks you in from the first page. Both quiet yet intensely haunting, this dark, powerful horror mystery will keep you up at night. The rich setting comes alive, and its flawed characters and complicated relationships in a small, whaling village will make you question everything you thought you knew about fog and lampposts. This is a debut you don’t want to miss.” —Colby Wilkens, author of If I Stopped Haunting You

“A unique, beautifully written tale, replete with suspense and atmosphere. The Lamplighter casts a darkly hypnotic spell, with a shocking ending you won't soon forget. I couldn't stop reading--I had to know what happened next!” —Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain

“Gracefully written and bewitchingly atmospheric, The Lamplighter is as heartrending as it is haunting. On her hunt to find a string of missing girls, Tempe navigates a menacing, male-dominated world with ferocity and fortitude—even as she comes face-to-face with the evil lurking in Warbler seaport’s infamous fog. This must-read novel scared me and moved me in equal measure, and cemented Crystal J. Bell as my new favorite horror author.” —Ellen O'Clover, author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux

“Atmospheric and haunting, The Lamplighter is the kind of book made to be read at midnight as the candles flicker and the wind howls—a masterpiece in folkloric horror. Tempe is a fiercely relatable protagonist, one for whom every girl who has ever felt her voice has been unfairly silenced will love. Each element of this story adds to the deliciously spooky horror of the world Bell has crafted: the slow-burn rising tension; the lush, spine-chilling descriptions of the small whaling town and the mysterious fog stealing away the souls of those unlucky enough to be caught in the dark when it arrives; the tension between madness and morality we see Tempe struggle with as she is drawn further and further into Warbler’s web; all culminating in a climactic finale that will leave the reader awestruck and horror stricken, desperate to know more. A must-read for mystery and horror lovers!” —Christy Healy, author of Unbound

“Crystal J. Bell has conjured a lush maritime tale with a churning sense of dread that builds to a stunning conclusion. I absolutely devoured this gothic story of haunted New England forests, family secrets, girls fighting the patriarchy, and the darker side of magic.” —Megan Cooley Peterson, author of The Liar’s Daughter

• National review coverage
• National print and online advertising
• Featured title at national and regional industry events
• Influencer and prominent book blogger outreach
• Local and regional author appearances
• Librarian and educator outreach
• Digital marketing and social media campaign
• Digital ARC available on NetGalley and Edelweiss+