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Book Review | The Lighthouse Witches



The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke paints a chilling and atmospheric Scottish gothic that follows the lives of a mother and her three daughters across different decades.

1998: Liv is an artist hired to paint a mural inside a lighthouse on a small island off the coast of Scotland. She’s moves there with her daughters (Sapphire, Luna, and Clover). However, the mural she's been commissioned to paint includes strange symbols and she swears she keeps catching glimpses of a child in the lighthouse.

2021: After Luna's sister has been missing for 20 years, she mysteriously reappears—only she’s unaged. Luna’s baffled, so she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery and find out if this girl truly is her sister or if some supernatural being is trying to trick her.

First of all, I really love the author really plays into the story’s coastal setting and sheds light on Scotland’s bloody history of witch hunts. I’m so used to American gothics set in haunted houses that I find a cursed lighthouse is a refreshing change of scenery

Also, as a fair warning, this is not a straightforward story. It’s a tad confusing at first and hops between different characters and timelines. However, the structure thematically reflects the idea that time is not linear and history and events echo across all of time. It’s twisty and turvy, but gradually the puzzle pieces fall into place with a surprise reveal that shocked me.

Overall, The Lighthouse Witches is a witchy mystery that kept me guessing throughout, and I recommend this book if you’re looking for an unusual haunt!

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Book Details:

Publication Date : October 5, 2021
Publisher : Berkley
IBSN : 059333423X
Pages : 368

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