Cover Image: The Lighthouse Witches

The Lighthouse Witches

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Member Reviews

I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the writting and the character building. There is enough clue spread throughout the book to guess what is happening, and some of the storyline are absolutely chilling and the author did a great job at creating a tense and frightening ambiance.
I was especting the ending to be way darker than it actually was, so I was a bit taken aback by it, but I still enjoyed it.

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The Lighthouse Witches is a mythological mystery that blends wildlings folklore, the witch trials, missing family and the power of time. The story is presented in three timelines with different POVs, but the short chapters and clear headings made it easy to read. I expected a supernatural element but the book went on an interesting and unexpected journey that feels fresh.

While the story does seem far-fetched at times, I was invested in the mystery and how the timelines intersect. The characters experience growth and reconciliation. The book looks into how fast time moves and how little time we actually have through the themes of family, love, sacrifice and injustice. How the wildlings folklore is revealed, too, is effectively moving. The ending feels slightly too neat but it works. Overall, this would be perfect for readers who love mysteries, family drama, and the history of witches.

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I requested this on a bit of a whim – I hadn’t heard of the author, it was witching season, and there’s something a little enchanting about that cover. And, that definitely followed through in the book. This was a surprise five star book, it was a gorgeous blend of fairytale and folklore with contemporary fiction, with a small but powerful cast of characters all of whom I truly felt for.


There are three timelines. We start with 1998, when Liv arrives at a remote lighthouse in Scotland with her three daughters. She’s got an art commission to paint the lighthouse, and she’s running away from her life in England and dragging her daughters with her. Their arrival at the lighthouse is incredibly atmospheric, and it doesn’t let us from there.

While there, her eldest daughter Sapphire discovers an ancient diary – a grimoire – which dates back to the 1700s. Through excerpts from this we get an insight into the area’s murky history, complete with superstition, witch hunts and curses.

The final storyline is in 2021. It follows the middle sister, Luna. She’s been searching for her missing mother and sisters since events unfolded at the lighthouse. Until, she receives a call. They’ve found her younger sister, Clover. But there’s a catch. Clover is still seven years old – the same age as when she disappeared over 20 years ago.

And, I don’t want to say too much more on the plot itself, because it’s really one you should just lose yourself in. This was a truly atmospheric and enchanting read, where the author expertly weaves together multiple timelines and mysteries in a way that is utterly engrossing. There’s folklore and wildlings, dark superstitions and, of course, witches.

“A wild place with a Viking soul, Lon Haven\s violet and tragic history had clearly infected the minds of its inhabitants, creating beliefs deeply rooted in fear.”

The author paints a vivid, gothic picture, twisting through time, theories and superstitions, throwing in red herrings and just the right amount of creepiness. And, at the heart of it all, there’s an emotional family drama that brings it all together as a mother and her daughters try to find their way back to each other. A gorgeous read, around Halloween or any time of year.

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I went into this book knowing that it was a historical fiction based in Scotland and on the Witch Trials... I was not expecting to read what I did. The lighthouse Witches is the prefect October/November spooky read, it caught me so off guard of what I thought it would be.

The Lighthouse witches has multiple timelines and povs that at the start can be a bit confusing but end up merging throughout the book that hooks you. This book was so captivating, with all the twists, it had me constantly guessing what happened to Luna and her family on The Longing, keeping me hooked until the end where all the loose threads eventual all pulled together in a way that I loved. Everything just leads to this ending in a way that left me satisfied with how it ended. You can expect time traveling, a creepy superstitious town, witch caves, trials and a mother-daughters love.

I can not wait to add this book to my shelves, Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with an Earc.

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4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2021/11/09/the-lighthouse-witches-by-cj-cooke/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Gothic, atmospheric and cunningly compelling

I was so happy to be approved for a review copy of The Lighthouse Witches, I’d previously read and enjoyed The Nesting and loved the author’s style, she can certainly create a story with plenty of atmosphere and so when I saw this book, hailed as a ‘chilling gothic thriller’ that takes place on a remote Scottish Island – well, colour me happy. Slight spoiler for the rest of the review. I really enjoyed this – it’s one of those books that is set to stealth mode. It teases you with an intriguing prologue, it then stalks you, hidden from view until finally it pounces and you’re held firm in its grip.

So, following the prologue we are swiftly introduced to mother of three Olivia (known as Liv) and her daughters, Sapphire (Saffy), 15, Luna 9, and Clover aged 7. The year is 1998 and Liv has brought her daughters to Lon Haven, to a Lighthouse known as the Longing. Essentially, Liv is running from something (all will eventually be revealed) and has taken a commission to paint a mural for the lighthouse’s new owner. The family arrive late on a blustery evening and are introduced to their cosy keeper’s bothy but any romantic notions about the lighthouse are immediately dispelled when they are introduced to the grim interior. A stark granite cone that covers something sinister from the Island’s past.

The Story is told from a number of POVs. Primarily, Luna in 2021. Pregnant, involved in a slightly rocky relationship and still trying to come to terms with the sketchy memories she has of the time spent on the Scottish Isle. What she does know is that two of her sisters went missing and she was abandoned by her mother so it’s a huge shock when she receives a call to say that her sister Clover has been found – and she doesn’t appear to have aged a day. We jump back to Liv in 1998 as she begins to get a feel for the Island. It’s a close knit place rife with superstitions and a turbulent history that culminated in a witch hunt of a number of women who were eventually tried and executed. Other stories abound – talk of wildlings and missing children run rife and it soon becomes apparent that Lon Haven has experienced more than its fair share of sad events that have undoubtedly led the islanders to harbour some strange beliefs. The final pov is Sapphire, also from 1998. Saffy’s pov includes excerpts from an old Grimoire that she found in the bothy and is slowly making her way through. I won’t elaborate but these excerpts helpt to tie the time jumps together and give a feeling for what took place on the island back in the 1600s that eventually led to the brutal torturing and wrongful executions of a number of women.

The writing is really good. Again Cooke manages to infuse the pages with a brooding and intriguing story, the atmosphere is like pea soup. There’s an ever increasing sense of foreboding which is only exacerbated by Luna’s pov. We know that the storyline from 1998 is slowly building up to something terrible and the suspense is huge. There’s a great sense of family here, and one that is slightly fraying at the edges. Liv, struggling to raise her daughters following the death of her partner, Saffy, rebelling against the move away from everything she knows and loves, the sisters being at odds with each other and the ever looming presence of threat that is slowly revealed. There is a slight move into teenage angst at times where Saffy is concerned and I must admit that sometimes I was astounded by how oblivious Liv seemed to be but then I cut her some slack. She was struggling so hard to hold everything together and barely coping herself.

This story really does move into the realms of fantasy, more so.than the Nesting I’m not talking about dungeons and dragons but something much more subtle. The villages believe almost religiously in the story of wildlings (in my mind I’m thinking of these as changelings – fae that mimic human children, stealing the children away and taking their place in the home). There’s also the Grimoire and the fascinating story it relates that eventually provides answers to the mystery of Lon Haven. I won’t spoil the final reveal, this took me in a direction that was completely unforeseen and one that I really enjoyed.

In terms of criticisms. I don’t have very much to be honest. I did find a few elements, particularly in relation to Clover when she was eventually found and released to her much older sister – a little doubtful – but given the route the story takes I think I was much more willing to give it some leeway. I think I probably also had questions about the nature of what was taking place here but, to be fair, I think the author’s style of ‘less is more’ was probably more fitting than any attempts to really define what was actually happening.

Overall this was a gripping tale. I admit that I enjoy stories with alternating timelines. I also love anything related to the fae which wildlings sound suspiciously akin to and the whole idea of this cursed island where the islanders have bought into their suspicions and fears so strongly, that they go to terrible lengths in order to keep any darkness at bay – coupled with the great gothic setting – well, as I already said, I was very happy to pick this one up and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

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Books that have a subject matter of witches and witch trials, albeit non fiction or fiction, have long appealed to me. This book was even better than I had thought it would be. The writing was incredibly descriptive, and it was so easy to play the scenes out in my mind whilst reading. I found it very hard to put this down. Absolutely amazing book, I really enjoyed.

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A bit of a slow start had me struggling with this book but once it got going, wow.
The story sets scene in a superstitious and claustrophobic little Scottish island called Lon Haven.
Olivia has brought her three daughters here for work, what follows is a dip into the history of the island dating back to the witch hunts which slowly melts into the present in a very surprising way.
The main plot line of the story was not something I expected but found oddly satisfying and was pleased with the well rounded end.
The characters were described nicely and I warmed to one or two of them, especially Finn and Cassie.
Slow at first but then picking up the pace, this is a solid novel that’s worth a read.

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Wow! what a spine tingling book ! I hadn't heard much about the Scottish Witches as they were called , & just like those women in England were usually the Village Midwives , Healers & those with Folklore Knowledge . King James VI has much to atone for to the Women of the British Isles after his Book Daemonologie (1582) in which he stated that Women are weaker & thus more likely to be deceived by the Devil. The word `Witch' continues even in todays World to be aimed at Women . In this story Liv an artist who is commissioned to paint a Mural in a Light House known as `The Longings' on a remote Scottish Island along with her three children Staffy ,Luna & Clover soon become mixed up in mysterious happenings , it's a fabulous read . #NetGalley,#GoodReads, #FB, #Instagram, #Amazon.co.uk, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/c566f42be23a0e25d120e78a3454e2d427c4beee" width="80" height="80" alt="50 Book Reviews" title="50 Book Reviews"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/ef856e6ce35e6d2d729539aa1808a5fb4326a415" width="80" height="80" alt="Reviews Published" title="Reviews Published"/>, #<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/aa60c7e77cc330186f26ea1f647542df8af8326a" width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>.

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The Lighthouse Witches was a brilliantly crafted story that was hair raising and extremely creepy. This book is a perfect fall read for those who enjoy modern day retellings of folklore, mythology and witchcraft.
The remote island of Lon Haven, Scotland has a dark and terrifying history of witches, curses and missing children. It’s 1998 and Liv arrives on the island hoping to build a new future with her three daughters, after she’s commissioned to paint a mural in an abandoned and forgotten 100 year old lighthouse. Whilst working on the mural, Liv soon learns the islands folklore and when coincidental unexplained events occur, she cannot help but be intrigued and unsettled. But, when two of her daughters go missing, Liv’s fears become very real and soon secrets and mysteries of the past resurface.
The story flickered between timelines (1666, 1998 & 2021) and POVs that cleverly intertwined and threw you off track, always making you second guess yourself. Although the structure of the story come across confusing at times, the puzzle pieces started to fit together and the outcome was brilliant!
Rating: 3.5/5 stars.

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“Upon the cliffs of a remote Scottish island, Lòn Haven stands a lighthouse. A lighthouse that has weathered more than storms. Mysterious and terrible events have happened on this island. It started with a witch hunt. Now, centuries later, islanders are vanishing without explanation. Coincidence? Or curse?

Liv Stay flees to the island with her three daughters, in search of a home. She doesn’t believe in witches, or dark omens, or hauntings. But within months, her daughter Luna will be the only one of them left. Twenty years later, Luna is drawn back to the place her family vanished. As the last sister left, it’s up to her to find out the truth. But what really happened at the lighthouse all those years ago?”

I loved this book so much! The historian in me was drawn straight in at the first mention of witchcraft - I loved that incorporation of historical witch hunts into the storyline. I loved the characters in this book each with qualities that are equally as unlikeable as they are likeable, they were complex and vulnerable. The story is told on multiple timelines, from multiple perspectives - it’s not complicated to follow and it all slots together nicely, in the end, to reveal exactly what has been going on. It’s all so very well done, this book really gets that mix of history, magic and folklore just right to create a stunner of a story filled with atmosphere and mystery.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

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If you're looking for a witchy, spooky October read, look no further!
Unfortunately though, not for me.

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The story revolves around a mother and her three girls who move to a new place and some strange things happen and all the family except one go missing. Fast forward to twenty two years where the only one surviving founds her sister however she is of the same age as she was twenty two years ago, when she went missing.
If you are looking for a spooky read, this is definitely it.
The atmosphere set in the book was eerie and I wws definitely getting spooked as I was reading it at nights.
I really liked the characters, they were not shown as either white or black but had shades in between. What I also liked that the mother, Liv had a mind of her own and refused to believe in so called superstitions. A lot of historic insight of Scotland was also given regarding the treatment women and children used to face in the olden days which was something I was not aware of.
Few things I felt could be improved was: the ending became a bit soppy and stretched out. There were a few grammatical errors which I hope was fixed in the final copy.
Thank you netgalley for the eARC.

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I enjoyed this book , never knowing what was going to happen next , I would definitely recommend it if you like an on the edge of your seat read.

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I have loved everything about this one. This is well-written and a book that I have been completely unwilling to put down. I am a huge fan of this author and cannot wait for more.

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Oh my god. This book had me on The Edge of my Seat from plage 20 or something. The mystery was amazing and scared me alot. The plot twists were unexpected. I loved The characters and their story made my heart hurt several times. In a few scenes I had to look away because i was scared of what was gonna happen. Some parts of this book did not male sense for me, but overall a great book

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Perfect! Just perfect!! The settings and the characters did it all for me, but if that wasn't enough the story is as good, with some great surprise and a fast pace. Do I need to say it a third time... Perfect!

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There really is nothing like an eerie Scottish setting in a book, especially when there are witches and wildlings about. I remember hearing about this book earlier in the year and thinking that it sounded fantastic but I don’t think I had envisioned that it was going to give me goosebumps. This is an atmospheric and intense story that got dark and creepy but in a way that kept me transfixed to the pages, I did find it a little slow to start but once the mysterious things started happening I couldn’t put it down.

The story is told through three main perspectives Liv and Saffy in the past and Luna in the present day as well as some excerpts from a historical book that Saffy is reading, that gives more detail on the witches that were kept in the lighthouse. I enjoyed the change in perspectives, getting to see the different stages of the story through different eyes but also because it added to the mystery of what happened to Liv, Saffy and Clover, and gave me enough questions that I couldn’t help but be invested in discovering what the outcome would be.

I found it quite hard to find my feet with this family in the beginning but actually, that turned out to be a good thing because it meant that I had no idea what was going to be revealed next, they all had secrets and adding that to a place that has some big secrets too just makes for some perfectly tense and thrilling reading. The characters are all so well written, they all felt so realistic there were times that I could empathise with them and times that I couldn’t believe what they were doing, and I felt like the relationships were so brilliantly presented, flawed but profound.

I enjoyed delving into the past with the sections from the Grimoire and finding out about how the witches came to stand trial and how that related to what was happening in the current timeline. I won’t say much about the plot but it is very clever and unexpected, right until the end I kept being surprised and I could never predict which way the story would go; I also liked that it was getting more ominous as the story went on, but still had love and family at its core.

The Lighthouse Witches is a well-written and intriguing gothic thriller that is the perfect company for the dark gloomy nights, expect the unexpected and to be thinking about this book long after you’ve finished reading it.

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This was a great spooky read, a blend of contemporary and historical fiction, myth and mystery, set amongst the brooding Scottish coastal landscape.

1998, Lòn Haven: When artist Liv flees in the night with her three daughters to a lighthouse keeper’s bothy in The Black Isle, she expects the Scottish highlands to be different from their home in York. But what she wasn’t bargaining for is their lives turning upside down.

Having been commissioned to paint a mural in the old Longing, a disused lighthouse near the bothy, she has her work cut out as the plasterwork is flaking away, and bats have made their homes in the rafters. And why does she have a niggling sense of déjà vu?Meanwhile, her children are settling into life in the village of Lòn Haven and making new friends. Eldest daughter Saffy discovers an old book, a grimoire belonging to the owner of The Longing, Patrick Roberts, and secrets of this creepy place start to be revealed.

2021, Coventry: 32 year old Luna is about to start a family of her own, but she’s never given up looking for her mum Liv, and missing sisters Saffy and Clover. One day out of the blue she gets a phone call with shocking news that sends her back to Lòn Haven where back in 1998 her life changed forever.

I loved the time jumps and the voices of different characters in the audiobook version of this fantastic novel. The predominantly female cast is strong and powerful, and the story weaves a slow and satisfying tapestry, revealing secrets and taking twists little by little.
By the end there are some threads left untied… I liked this though. I had my own theories about what might have happened!

I also loved The Nesting by CJ Cooke when I listened to it last year. I actually only realised halfway through TLW that she had also written The Nesting. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for another atmospheric and slightly spooky read!
Another realisation came later as I’d never known it as The Black Isle, but I actually spent several family caravan holidays in the location around where The Lighthouse Witches is set, in the summers growing up, at Chanonry point and Rosemarkie. We didn’t see Basil the basking shark but we did see plenty of dolphins!

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I was sent this book for an honest review.

Oh my goodness. I loved this book and would definitely read another book from this author, based on this. Really interesting and kept me gripped. I’ve read less of late due to not feeling great but always felt like I wanted to go back to reading this book. Really well written. Thanks for letting me read it.

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This was a fantastic audiobook!
I had heard lots of great reviews and I was so excited to dive in!
The start hooked me straight away and I loved the suspense and intrigue, with little plot developments along the way to keep me there.
I cared about the characters, in both timelines and I think that is a huge challenge for an author!
The only negative I have was that as the book was tying up the ends, I still felt some areas were not explained and I wanted more of a 'wow' ending, as having finished this audio a few days ago, I'm struggling to remember some of it.

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