Are you looking for a spooky, twisty and atmospheric thriller surrounding witches this fall? You’ll want to grab The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke. Chilling, captivating this story, pulled me in and held me until the end.
by C.J. Cooke
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. Twenty years later, one is found--but she's still the same age as when she disappeared. The secrets of witches have reached across the centuries in this chilling Gothic thriller from the author of the acclaimed The Nesting.
When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.
Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her.
I love when a book pulls me in and Cooke did just that as we travel to a remote Scottish island. Liv has been commissioned to paint a mural inside a 100-year-old lighthouse. She and her three daughters, Sapphire, Clover, and Luna, will live in the caretaker’s cottage. Liv and the girls needed this after losing their husband (father) and their home.
This atmospheric tale takes us back and forth from present time to two other time-lines that share not only the lighthouse history but the present day mystery. We learn Luna was abandoned in a field near the woods and that they did not find her sisters and mother. Pregnant with her, Luna receives a call that her sister Clover has been found. She is ecstatic, but when she arrives at the hospital, her sister is still a child. She hasn’t aged a bit. The child looks like Clover and has her memories…but is she Clover? It’s been twenty-seven years! The gothic thriller that unfolds will keep you reading into the wee hours.
Talk of witches and wildlings made my hair stand on end as we learned the history and traveled back to the time of the witch trials. Wildlings are believed to be fae who mimic a child and bring evil. The island has a history of them. The timelines we traverse are 1662, 1998, and 2021. Cooke easily pulled me into each timeline, and the transitions were easy to follow. The overall flow of the story was well done as each timeline delivered answers to the others, bringing us to frenzied climax before cooling things off with a well-done conclusion.
From supernatural elements to the heart-pounding climax, you’ll find The LightHouse Witches to be the perfect fall read.
*Recommended read for #FraterfestRAT.
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke is an atmospheric and chilling thriller perfect for fans of witches this Halloween! #NewRelease #Thriller Share on XAbout C.J. Cooke
C. J. Cooke is an award-winning poet and novelist published in twenty-three languages. She teaches creative writing at the University of Glasgow, where she also researches the impact of motherhood on women's writing and creative writing interventions for mental health.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Anthony Bidulka
Sounds like a perfect October read.
Katherine
Really you had me at remote Scottish island and completely sold me at lighthouse. This sounds a bit unique and like a great read!
DEBBIE HAUPT
ooh yes please
Carla
This sounds really good Kimberly. I don’t normally read spooky stories, but I couldn’t resist this one and was fortunate to get an audio copy, so it is up this week. Wonderful review.
Zelda
Great review, I am about 60% into this one and loving it.
Lover of Romance
whew boy….this book sounds so intense but also just perfect for this time of year!!!
Nadene
Ah, I think I need to get this one. Sounds delightful.
Mary Kirkland
That does sound like it would be a really good read.
Ethan
Wow does this sound like the perfect book for spooky season! It definitely gives me similar vibes to Alice Hoffman’s “Magic” series.
Sophia Rose
Just your description has me riveted and wanting to know what happened and if Clover is for real. What a thrilling find!
Anne - Books of My Heart
I thought about reading this one. I guess I should jump into it at some point. Excellent review!
Felicity Grace Terry
Oh no! Just went to add this to my wish list and it isn’t available in paper until September next year 🙂
Kimberly
Are you not stateside? It is on Amazon.
Felicity Grace Terry
What sounds like my kind of Halloween reading, I’m thinking this is one for the Wish List.
Melliane
I remember seeing the cover but it’s the first review I read and now I admit that it looks really good! I want to try too!