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The Lamplighters

the mesmerising Sunday Times bestselling mystery, inspired by true events

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The Lamplighters

By: Emma Stonex
Narrated by: Indira Varma, Tom Burke
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About this listen

This audiobook is narrated by Indira Varma and Tom Burke.

As recommended by the BBC Radio 2 Book Club
'A mystery, a love story and a ghost story, all at once. I didn’t want it to end' - S J Watson

They say we'll never know what happened to those men.
They say the sea keeps its secrets . . .


Cornwall, 1972. Three keepers vanish from a remote lighthouse, miles from the shore. The entrance door is locked from the inside. The clocks have stopped. The Principal Keeper’s weather log describes a mighty storm, but the skies have been clear all week.

What happened to those three men, out on the tower? The heavy sea whispers their names. The tide shifts beneath the swell, drowning ghosts. Can their secrets ever be recovered from the waves?

Twenty years later, the women they left behind are still struggling to move on. Helen, Jenny and Michelle should have been united by the tragedy, but instead it drove them apart. And then a writer approaches them. He wants to give them a chance to tell their side of the story. But only in confronting their darkest fears can the truth begin to surface . . .

Inspired by real events, The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex is an intoxicating and suspenseful mystery, an unforgettable story of love and grief that explores the way our fears blur the line between the real and the imagined.

Genre Fiction Ghosts Historical Horror Literary Fiction Mystery Psychological Sea Adventures Thriller & Suspense Exciting

Critic Reviews

I loved The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex – lighthouse keepers, ghosts, warring widows. It’s a wonderfully smart and atmospheric story
The novel I've enjoyed most this year (Hilary Mantel)
Outstanding. Literary and insanely gripping. (India Knight)
A remarkable book, through every page, every character, the writing resonates with the dark, powerful presence of the sea (Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path)
Stonex’s story has the mesmerism of a churned winter sea
Superbly accomplished . . . The Lamplighters is a whodunnit, horror novel, ghost story and fantastically gripping psychological investigation rolled into one. It is also a pitch-perfect piece of writing
An intoxicating and beautifully written mystery about love and loss, as moving as it is suspenseful (C.L. Taylor, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Missing)
Full of atmosphere and dread, it’s the perfect way to escape right now
Atmospheric and suspenseful . . . Part psychological drama, part mystery, part ghost story, The Lamplighters is a triumph
Beautifully written and evocative, this is a mystery, a love story and a ghost story, all at once. It kept me gripped throughout, and I didn’t want it to end. Wonderful. (S J Watson, bestselling author of Before I Go to Sleep)
Riveting . . . Stonex’s clever slow reveal is as much keen psychological drama as it is an intriguing thriller
The Lamplighters transported me effortlessly to the mysterious Maiden Rock and life on the Cornish coast. Stonex creates a most engaging collection of voices and perspectives that unveil what happened in true pager-turner fashion, a mystery told through vivid prose that had me completely absorbed from start to finish. Haunting, harrowing and heartbreaking, this is a novel that will stay with you. (Ashley Audrain, author of The Push)
The Lamplighters draws you in and keeps you utterly gripped, with Stonex's writing particularly excelling in her gorgeous and evocative descriptions of the sea. A haunting, hugely atmospheric book
Beautiful, absorbing and utterly riveting, The Lamplighters is a hymn to loneliness, to the sea, and to the stories we allow ourselves to believe when we are alone. I treasured every moment of this dazzlingly accomplished and completely unforgettable novel. (Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call)
A really enjoyable literary mystery. Stonex's descriptions of the storms and the sea are wonderful (Claire Fuller)
All stars
Most relevant
This is a fantastic book, really well read.

Not bothering to write more at this stage as none of my recent reviews have appeared. This is a test to see if there is still anyone out there, Audible???

Brilliant book

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Fabulous narration of deeply moving story. Tom Burke and Indira Varma bring this fascinating story to life and make the mystery almost bearable. Wonderful descriptions of life on and off a lighthouse, and great insights into human nature. Inspired by events back in the 1900s, but completely it's own story. Totally recommended.

ENLIGHTENING

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I came to this book because I would listen to Tom Burke read a telephone book, and his performance does not disappoint. Indira Varma voicing the female roles also does a good job.

The description of lighthouse life are both vivid and gripping. The author has done her research and is skilled at creating atmosphere. I felt like I was on the lighthouse with the men.

The actual story, however, drags a fair bit; you are constantly aware that each character is holding back on their story, but the details are revealed at a glacial rate. The author's imagining of what happened to the men is both plausible and clever, but it was like pulling teeth to get there. I also found the use of the character of an author writing a book about the mystery a bit forced; what the women say to him in this context is just not plausible.

Notwithstanding these flaws, I would still recommend this book.

Great atmosphere but story drags

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.