Creepy, gripping, genius

 

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  This raw and gripping novel had me enthralled to know what happened to the three lighthouse keepers in a fictionalized account based loosely on real life events of the early 1900s. How could three keepers vanish without a trace leaving the tower locked from within and a troubling trail of breadcrumb clues for all to ponder over after they have been labelled missing?

Unflinchingly personal, painful and reflective the thoughtful musings of Arthur, Bill and Vince, in the seventies just before they disappeared, added to the sense of mystery surrounding their fate. Twenty years later the women they left behind are approached by a writer keen to solve the mystery. Each woman has her own pains and struggles with what transpired years before and knows more than she may wish to impart.

The dynamic, poetic writing was as hypnotic as a siren's song. I could not put The Lamplighters down. Filled with heavy emotion and a deep love and respect for the sea, there is a darkness lurking in the shadows unwilling to part with its troubling truth. Quite possibly one of the most gripping books I've read in a while. I was completely enveloped by this narrative and there in the claustrophobic tower with PK and his crew. Spellbinding and creepy, heartbreaking and yet hopeful, too? Magical storytelling, honestly.