Book Review | The Lamplighter

Following her father's death, Tempe inherits his position as her town's Lamplighter. Her job is to keep the lamppost's lit so guide the townsfolk through the mysterious fog that plagues the land at night. However, as girls start to go missing, suspicion falls on her and her livelihood is threatened.

The Lamplighter by Crystal J. Bell is a darkly atmospheric and dread-inducing coastal gothic.

At first glance, the premise sounded stellar and like something that would be right up my alley. A small, 1800s whaling seaport with creepy fog? Sign me up!

However, as I was reading, I found myself continuously frustrated at Tempe as a main character. For the first half the novel, she's incredibly impassive. She doesn't go searching for the first girl that went missing--like shouldn't she feel guilty and partly responsible? Then for the second half, she proceeds to make a series of baffling rash choices, making for a rushed and unsatisfying ending.

It's a shame because there's some cool concepts and moments of body horror buried in this book.

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

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