Alert close - icon Fill 1 Copy 10 Untitled-1 tt copy 3 Untitled-1 Untitled-1 tt copy 3 Fill 1 Copy 10 menu Group 3 Group 3 Copy 3 Group 3 Copy Page 1 Group 2 Group 2 Skip to content

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex

Published on 20 June 2022

'The Lamplighters' is inspired by the disappearance of 3 lighthouse keepers at the turn of the 20th Century.


The lamplighters book jacket

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex

June is crime reading month so we're featuring 'The Lamplighters' by Emma Stonex. 'The Lamplighters' is inspired by the 1900, real-life vanishing of 3 keepers from the Eilean Mor lighthouse on the Flannan Isles in the Outer Hebrides. The author has always been intrigued by what it was like to work on a lighthouse, far from land, for 8 weeks at a time and this book is the result.

Emma Stonex has set her story in Cornwall in 1972, where 3 men have disappeared from Maiden Rock lighthouse. The entrance door was locked from the inside, the clocks have all stopped at the same time and the table is set for dinner. The mystery unfolds as the tale switches between the viewpoints of the men in 1972, and that of their wives and girlfriend 20 years later, when an unnamed author stirs up old memories. 'The Lamplighters' is not just a mystery, it covers a whole range of emotions as the impact of the lighthouse, on the people and the surrounding area, is depicted - there's a touch of the supernatural too.

Our online reading group had a lively discussion of 'The Lamplighters'. There was plenty to talk about as each character had their own secrets, which were gradually revealed. We all felt that the lighthouse was a character in itself. Its brooding presence affected those ashore, who could see if from afar, as well as those within. We highly recommend it.

Other novels to try in Crime Reading Month

Crime novels I've enjoyed recently and would recommend are:

'The Dark' by Sharon Bolton. Her long-awaited (certainly by me) next Lacey Flint book didn't disappoint. Lacey's latest case puts her under threat from someone who knows more about her past than she would like. If you haven't read any of this series before, start at the beginning with 'Now You See Me'. Sharon Bolton has written many gripping standalone novels too.

Following his success with 'The Chain', Adrian McKinty's, 'The Island' will keep you on the edge of your seats as a family holiday turns into a nightmare after a terrible accident.

In Steve Cavanagh's'The Devil's Advocate', join Eddie Flynn in his latest fight to save an innocent client. In this instance the weight of the establishment, in the form of the District Attorney, stands in his way. Randal Korn lives to watch prisoners being executed, even if they are innocent, and he has the whole town convinced Andy Dubois is guilty. The Eddie Flynn books never fail to keep me caught up in their twists and turns.

All great reads; all available from Derbyshire libraries.


This blog post has been assigned the following categories:

Category iconMystery Category iconThriller Category iconTwist

Comments (2)

I read it BUT found it intensely annoying the way the narrative was shared out and basically no great amazing reveal at the end at all...

Posted by Kath on 24 July 2022


Reply to comment 2 by Kath

Thanks for this review, I am intrigued and will definitely be requesting this book from the library.

Posted by Ruth on 1 July 2022


Reply to comment 1 by Ruth

Aniliese avatar

That is excellent news! I hope you enjoy it!

Reply by Aniliese on 1 January 0001