In 1998, with nowhere else to go and running from a secret, Olivia Stay and her three daughters arrived on a remote Scottish island where she had been commissioned to paint a mural. She is given very little instruction, just a diagram of what she is meant to paint inside the crumbling lighthouse.
The island is rife with a dark history of murder and mayhem but Olivia is out of options and at least able to have a roof over her children's heads which is something they have lacked since her husband's death. At some point, we know not why, the eldest and youngest daughter disappear, and the middle child is abandoned in the woods before Olivia also goes missing. Now all these years later that middle child is a grown and pregnant woman who has never given up hope of finding out what happened to her family, when out of the blue she is told her baby sister has been found. Her joy at this news soon turns to shock and dread when she rushes to be reunited with her sister, and finds not the grown woman she expected, but a 7 year old child who thinks she has only been gone for days instead of decades.
Legend, myth, and folklore bubble over into the modern day in this chilling story of witches and changelings. Multi layered complex characters weave together a terrifying narrative told on three timelines. The ever increasing suspense kept me glued to the pages. Highly recommended to all fans of horror and folklore.

This book was so crazy and a rollercoaster (all in a good way)! The plot of this book was absolutely brilliant and creative. I was pulled in instantly and so intrigued as to what was happening that it was hard to put down. If I didn’t have a full time job, I probably would have finished this in a day!

If you’re a fan of mystery and a little bit of gothic horror, this is the book for you! It is such a page turner and I had no idea how this book was going to end! I loved the characters, and even though there are time jobs it all ties together nicely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! (Shared to Goodreads) (review to be added to my Bookstagram, BookishlyShan before publication and I will reshare my post on day of publication)

In the year 2012, the late, great British author Graham Joyce published a novel entitled Some Kind of Fairy Tale. It was the story of a young woman who goes missing, only to turn up years later though she hadn’t aged at all. The book isn’t perfect — if I recall correctly, there’s a silly subplot involving a missing cat — but it is an entertaining read, as are all of Joyce’s books that I’ve read (and there’s only a few that I haven’t, which means that he’s one of my favourite authors). Well, nearly 10 years later, another book is being published that has an almost identical plot point: the missing girl who shows up years later unaged. C. J. Cooke’s The Lighthouse Witches is that book, and it is an entertaining read, even if there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. It’s not quite as good as Joyce’s book, but if you’re looking for a counterpoint to Some Kind of Fairy Tale written from the feminine perspective, this novel is for you.

The Lighthouse Witches is told from varying viewpoints in the years 1998 and 2021, with a subplot set in the 1600s. The story is about a single mother, Liv, who is contracted to paint a rather strange, and possibly Satanic, mural on the inside walls of a lighthouse called The Longing on an island off the eastern shores of Scotland at the end of the 20th century. Tagging along are her three children, teenaged Sapphire (or Saffy for short), and Luna and Clover, who are just little girls. Flash forward to the future, and a thirty-something (and pregnant) Luna is looking for her mother and two sisters who vanished off the island in 1998. When Clover is found, she is still seven years old. She has marks on her that take the form of a date, 2021, and the legend of the island is that this means that the child is a wildling or an imposter who looks like Clover but is a fairy in disguise. In any event, Luna takes Clover to the island to find out the true reason for the events of 1998 and why Clover hasn’t aged. In the 1998 timeline, Saffy reads from a grimoire that is left in the home near the lighthouse where the family is staying, and it is partially a diary written in the 1600s that details witch burnings on the island.

As you can tell, there’s a lot of plots in this book, but it is also stuffed to the gills with atmosphere. You’ll feel the cool spray of the ocean and the nip of the night air as you read. It’s helpful that this book is being released in October 2021 as this is the type of thing you’ll want to read by the fireplace with a blanket pulled over you and your favourite chair. After a bit of a slow start, the novel picks up steam and motors on to a strange climax that sort of changes the tone of the book. There’s love, loss, and betrayal in these pages, and these elements add to a particularly enjoyable reading experience. Also, you might come to dislike these characters at first as they are all deeply flawed, but you’ll warm up to them and like them as the novel progresses. The background use of runes and animal bones make the novel also seem wistfully magical. The witches’ storyline is enthralling and captivating. So, there are things about this book that make it worthy of examination.

However, The Lighthouse Witches is flawed. For one thing, the segments set in the 1600s are written in a 21st-century writing style, and seeing that this is a diary, you’d expect it to be written in old-timey English — the way David Mitchell might have handled this narrative if we were holding the pen. The other thing that is particularly weird about this read is that — at a time when authors are bending over backward to set their novels in the recent past as they wouldn’t be plausible during the pandemic lockdowns of the years 2020 and 2021 — the 2021 portion of this novel doesn’t mention a pandemic at all! It is as though COVID-19 has never happened, which makes this portion of the read seem rather unbelievable. I suppose you could write the book off as being set in an alternate timeline, but it does still feel odd that a book being published and set in the current year wouldn’t address COVID in any manner. I suppose there’s some time before the dates could be changed upon the publication of this work, but even then galleys could have been sent out with the current-day timeline of the story being set in 2019, and it wouldn’t mess too much with the narrative. You’d just have to do a universal find and replace on the manuscript and change a few dates and the age of Luna.

Still, for all of its strengths and shortcomings, The Lighthouse Witches is not that bad of an experience. Even though it shares its plot and magical elements of European folklore with Some Kind of Fairy Tale, it is almost just as enjoyable of a book. It is dazzling magical and is even somewhat feminist as it tells its story largely from the perspective of women, sometimes in the first person singular. This is a book about the dangers of a patriarchal society and the misogyny that it harbours. However, you can also enjoy The Lighthouse Witches as a straight-up horror story or psychological thriller. There’s much to mull over here, even though I felt that the ending was a bit forced and rushed — I’ll say nothing further as I don’t want to spoil the book — and it holds a candle to the works of Graham Joyce. While The Lighthouse Witches is far from being original, it casts a spell. If you’re looking for a good potboiler to spend a fall evening with, this novel should do just the trick.

a well-written story, perfect for autumn. sadly, it did drag on a bit at times, and it was not super memorable.

A story that spans centuries and involves a lighthouse, witches, two generations of women and missing children is told.

Single mother Liv brought her three children to a remote Scottish island to paint a mural in an 100-year-old lighthouse. The relationship with oldest daughter Sapphire is strained, especially when a boy becomes involved. When Sapphire disappears, at first it looks like a teen acting out. Then Clover, the youngest, disappears.

Years later, Luna, the middle child and only one remaining, has hoped someday to learn what happened to her sisters and why she was abandoned by her mother. She is living with her partner and pregnant with their child, hoping to make a family of her own. Then she gets a call from the area where they disappeared and learns that Clover has been found and is asking for her and their mother. Ecstatic, she races there only to find out...that Clover is still a 7-year-old girl and not in her 20s as she should be. Stories of wildings - supernatural beings who pretend to be human children - abound in the area, complete with strange numbers. And Clover has those numbers. Is it Clover or a creature? What is the town's history with witches and a secret prison for them? Who is Patrick, the lighthouse keeper?

This is a story that has a lot going on. Chapters go between Luna and her mother, Liv, and what is happening around them with some chapters thrown in from a Patrick in the 1600s during the witch trials. I honestly wasn't sure I liked it until I got to the end, and then suddenly everything made sense, and I was impressed. There is a heavy blend of thriller, with fantasy and even science-fiction thrown into the mix. If readers aren't sure at first, they should stick with it like I did.

I got really engrossed into this gothic story of the Scottish Highlands! At first I thought it would be another supernatural story about witches but it was much more than that. Incredibly atmospheric, the setting is almost a character within itself. Set in different timelines, the story comes to a climax and finishes in present time, Combining Nordic and Icelandic mythology, it's a great read from start to finish. #thelighthousewitches #cjcooke #netgalley

This the the first book that have read by C.J.Cooke and loved it! I loved the sisters and their different personalities. Being a middle child with just sisters I could relate to Luna completely. I loved the time travel aspect of the story and how Patrick was just trying to get back to Amy, and how the Stay family got caught in it. This book made cry due to Liv’s illness and having to leave her children just when she was reunited with them. Also how Finn had loved Liv and ended up marrying her before she died. When I finished this book I wanted more of the story. How Luna, Saffy, and Clover worked everything out with their age difference and bonding as sisters again. I did like that the author put a link at the back of the book about the Witches of Scotland. I knew that there were witches in Europe but I never knew that background of it all. When I think of witches mostly from Salem. I loved this book from start to finish and have been telling coworkers at the library about this book.

I LOVED this book! It was fresh, engaging, super fun, and like nothing else I have read. As the story begins, we meet a woman and her three daughters who are moving into an old Scottish lighthouse where the mom is commissioned to paint a mural. There is loads of atmosphere and supernatural mystery surrounding the small village they are in. Two of the daughters go missing. One daughter is found twenty years later... but she has not aged a day. And she might be evil.

The narrative jumps around from past to present, from one character to another, in a carefully orchestrated manner to allow the reader to try to figure out what is happening. There are many red herrings along the way. I had so much fun trying to figure this one out, toying with one hypothesis after another until it finally made sense. The story is exceptionally unique and clever. You must have an open-mind to enjoy this, but if you can suspend reality enough to accept the main premise, everything falls into logical order. I personally love this merging of the supernatural and thriller/mystery genres, partially because it avoids falling into the same old predictable storyline of a large number of the thrillers out there today.

I was new to this author, but I grabbed another of her books, "I Know My Name" which was more firmly rooted in reality but also very clever and engaging. Looks like this author might be one to watch.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a ARC of this book.

This one didn't quite work for me or live up to its potential. It felt like the author was trying to do too many things, making the book feel thrown together. There was also a lot of telling vs. showing, which made it hard to engage in the story, and the pace was a bit too slow compared to others I've read in this genre.

Creepy and atmospheric, I really enjoyed the overall vibe of The Lighthouse Witches, especially having spent some time in rural (though not island) Scotland in a location that has a history of executing women with their own opinions and the courage to speak out (though Wigtown used a martyr spike rather than fire). I often avoid horror that use children as the focus but Cooke did so in such a way that it was suspenseful rather than traumatic and interesting rather than rather than too terrible to contemplate.
I'm also a sucker for using mythology was a twist - especially if the twist is something even I, as a writer myself, don't see coming. Changing the entire shape of a novel so close to the end successful is a fear few can manage and bravo to Cooke on her skill.
I've already recommended this one to several of my friends.
Also, as someone who thinks many books published in the last few years need to be cut by 25-50 pages, I found The Lighthouse Witches to be of a perfect length. Well done authors and editors.

Cooke has done an incredible job of combining many concepts. From witch trials, to sci-fi, and adding in familial trauma and potential murder, this was a fun mixed bag. I really enjoyed the way all these things played out. The varying points of view, including from different time periods, was well thought out and well written. Honestly, even the incredibly frustrating way the women and children were written was comparable to reality.

Overall, I enjoyed this book fully. While I wish the book had been a tad longer to allow for more development, it was still great. If you like witch trials, paranormal things, and creepy children, this book is something you should check out. It’s easy to follow, and the ending left me pretty satisfied.

A fun, dark and twisty tale that’s I’ll delight readers. Pacing is wonderful and characters are written well to where the reader feels a connection and relationship with the characters.

The Lighthouse Witches has been my favorite read of the summer, but it will make for the perfect fall book when released in October. I do recommend that you search online to peak at the overseas cover because it better represents the energy of the story. The art is mesmerizing as is this book with its multiple timelines and paranormal mysteries. I was admittedly slightly concerned during the opening pages that it would be too gory, but that brief violence against those accused of witchcraft served as an effective hook and didn't dominate the story. The author is now on my radar.

I appreciate NetGalley, the Berkley Publishing Group, and C. J. Cooke for the ARC.

This book is dreamy combination of Nordic folklore, Iceland mythology, witch trials or let’s say it’s Fear Street Part three- 1666 meets German Netflix original series “Dark” with a new form of changeling ( human like creature found in folklore throughout Europe) vibes as wildling.

Can you imagine your long gone sister you haven’t heard from for 23 years appears at the same place where she was missing? But the strange thing about this not only the way how they found her after all those years, she’s still 7 years, she hasn’t aged for a day after she got missing. Well, did you get intrigued? You might be, because things will get more complex and crazier at each chapter. Go on! It’s so exciting!

The story told by three timelines and several POVs but it’s not confusing to gather pieces together: at the end everything about this paranormal, mind blowing, intelligent story makes sense and all those loopholes will be filled with surprising explanations.

The timelines divided between a diary belongs to Patrick’s telling the events take place the witch hunt, trials, burning them in stakes in 17th century, 1998 : when Liv rides into her car, running away from a secret she keeps, carrying her three daughters: Sapphire (15), Luna( 9) , Clover( 7) with her. When they live their lives behind, she stops by at a cafe to check her emails and get a job offer for working on a mural project at a venue owned by mysterious, wealthy and eerie man Patrick who mostly spends his time in sailing. The venue is decommissioned lighthouse with a bizarre name Longing where is situated in Lon Haven- the east coast of Scotland. Patrick wants the artist create an inspiring and stunning mural inside the lighthouse which will be transformed to writing studio. He will pay handsomely which also will provide a purpose to Liv till she plans her next step.

But she has no idea about the place’s history: the cave beneath the lighthouse was once upon a time a prison for women accused of witchcraft. Before they’ve been burned at stakes, witches haunted the island: created wildlings, supernatural creatures ( a kind of changelings) who are mimicking exactly the lost children of the town!

Then we turn back to our final and third timeline: 2021: Luna lost her sisters and mother 23 years ago in Lon Haven and now she’s expecting her first child after having too many miscarriages, having issues with her long time boyfriend, still getting angry of her mother who left her in the woods 23 years ago.

But she gets a call from officers informs her: her little sister Clover is found! But she’s not an adult. She’s still the same seven years old girl she got missing. Could she be a creature acting like her sister or she’s suffering from the same disease Benjamin Button had.

Luna has to return back to the place where everything started to solve the puzzle but the truth may be more complicated she can absorb!

I devoured in one sit! I enjoyed so much! I loved the idea the author formed around entire revelations and without thinking any further I’m giving five changeling, surprising, shocking, smart stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

This started but slow, but I'm so glad I stuck with it. The history of the Scottish witch trials & the isle were fascinating and developed. Liv, Saffie, Luna, and Clover were nicely developed characters and I felt invested in their story.

Wow. I think this one was just a bit too much for me. I tried. I really did.

I feel that there is a great audience out there for Scottish gothic thrillers, but it isn’t me…

didn't like this one. Too many ideas thrown in the story blender, not enough of any one of them to create something great. Too much changeling panic. Too much purple prose and telling, not showing. Not enough atmosphere. Definitely not enough witches. Too many clueless women running around reacting to bad things happening to them instead of having agency and making real decisions, and this largely seemed to be so that they could each slowly find out a piece of the puzzle so the reader didn’t get information too quickly. Most of the critical information came from a man's diary instead of the women actually being smart and figuring things out. The jacket copy sounded so promising. What a disappointment.

I was hooked so fast and was even spooked a few times! I absolutely loved all of the Luna, 2021 chapters, they were definitely the most interesting to me. The "reveal" felt a bit anticlimactic but maybe it was supposed to feel like that since we knew time travel was a thing as soon as Luna saw Clover in current time.

CJ Cooke has done it again! I absolutely adored last year’s The Nesting (4.5 stars) so it’s so surprise that I jumped at a chance to read this one early.
The Lighthouse Witches is a delightfully gothic thriller set on a remote island off the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Liv, mother of three girls and unlucky in love, down on her luck painter, gets commissioned to paint a mural in a lighthouse by a mysterious wealthy man. So she relocates her girls to this remote island where witchcraft is real and curses mean something, at least to the locals. By the end of their time there, 2 of the 3 daughters and Liv are missing. The story takes up again with the middle daughter Luna, 20 years in the future.
The story started a bit slow but as it picked up speed it really picked up speed! By the last quarter of the book I was reading as fast as I possibly could, breathlessly turning pages.
If you are into gothic creepiness and folklore, this is the book for you. 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Books for my eARC in exchange for my honest review of C.J. Cooke's "The Lighthouse Witches".

This book will be published October 5, 2021. (this review will be posted to retail sites a week before publication)

"The Lighthouse Witches" is about single mom Olivia 'Liv' Stay and her three daughters Sapphire (Saffy), Luna, and Clover. This single parent family arrives on an island in the dead of night because Liv has been commissioned to paint a mural on the inside of the Lighthouse there. What ensues is a fantastical topsy turvy adventure. I'm making it sound much more lighthearted than the actual tone of the novel, but at its heart the novel comes across like a Doctor Who or Star Trek episode.

Since it is a long while before the novel is out, I will keep this review short. I had a difficult time getting into the novel at the start. Something about the writing style felt just a tad slow and there were a lot of instances that I felt that an editor could have gone in and cut some things from the final manuscript. I liked the bonds that Cooke depicted between Liv and her daughters. I felt that a lot of the reactions felt grounded in reality, especially with Sapphire's actions and how she treated Liv (especially because she was a teenager which I find some authors can get wrong).

Generally, I liked this novel but I didn't find it particularly amazing or groundbreaking. It definitely had really slow and boring parts and I found myself speedreading through those parts until I could get back to the main storyline action. I thought the eventual "twist" was kind of cool but if you pay attention you can definitely call the "twist" really early on. Still an interesting read and I would recommend it for anybody looking for an easy read.