I've given this book three stars as I feel some people will love it and it'll be a standout read for the for 2021 however it wasn't for me. I felt this book had so much potential however there were way to many words and long (beautiful) descriptions. I also felt like you waited too long for the ending and it wasn't shocking enough. There is the mystery element throughout but I was expecting more of a twisty thriller which wasn't the case.

A very intriguing premise of the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers from a locked tower off the coast. The writing is often very poetic, written in dual timelines from the perspective of the keepers at the time of the disappearance and their partners twenty years later this gives a really thorough overview for the reader.

I'm not sure if it's because I had just finished a book I loved or whether this just wasn't really my for me but I found the first half quite slow (though beautifully written, the imagery of the sea in particular) & the action a little disjointed in as much as you don't know which version of events to believe as the story unravels. The end was a little strange & left me wondering what it was really all about.

The three keepers at the lighthouse had gone missing. No one knows what happened to them that fateful day. Almost twenty years later and the women they each left behind still have no closure on what happened. A writer wants to look again at the mystery but can the truth really be found?

This had such an interesting premise and the mystery had me hooked but I didn't like the way the story was written. Much of it reads like a monologue from each character with little input from the writer until the end. Its not a style of writing for me. I did like that the story jumps from the women to their husbands so it slowly builds up the story from everyones perspective. I had figured out what may have happened but not quite how it all came together. I cant say any of the characters are overly likeable but I think that works with the story. The imagery and atmosphere at the lighthouse is so well written though and creepy. You can really sense the lonely isolation they would have felt. An interesting mystery but not the format for me.

After reading the blurb for this book I was looking forward to reading it.
The author takes inspiration for this book from the Eileen Mor lighthouse in the Outer Hebrides where the lighthouse keepers disappear. This story is set in Cornwall in 1972.
In 1972 three lighthouse keepers vanish without trace. The story jumps between 1972(told from each of the three keepers point of view) and 1992 when an author interviews the wives and girlfriends of the three keepers.
I found the book quite slow paced and I didn't engage with any if the six main characters but I was interested to see how the book would conclude. I liked the small twist at the end with the author reveal, but on the whole this book sadly wasn't for me

In theory, this would be right up my street. The mysterious disappearances of three lighthouse keepers in the 1970s and, 1992, an author interviews the wives of two and the girlfriend of the third to try and sold the mystery. A locked room murder mystery with unreliable sources? Where do I sign up?

And yet... this didn't deliver. It was a struggle and, after a certain point, I realised I just didn't care. I didn't care for any of the lighthouse keepers nor the wives/girlfriends chapters when told in their point of view (a one sided conversation, which is interesting storytelling, but feel gimmicky after a while) and when chapters were told in third person, I found the writing a bit purple prose and flowery for my tastes (there's only one author I seem to enjoy reading who writes in this style and that's Laini Taylor in her Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy). Because of all this and me not caring for the characters, I didn't care about finding out what happened.

I know am in the minority but this didn't work for me.

This book completely captivated me, it is a stunning debut novel. Three keepers vanish from a remote sea lighthouse in Cornwall in 1972. Arthur, Bill and Vince have never been seen again, leaving behind wives, children and girlfriends. When a boat managed to get out to the lighthouse, they found the door locked from the inside, no bodies, no sign of a struggle and no lighthouse keepers. It is a mystery that has fascinated many for years but for those directly involved, it is a nightmare that will not go away.

Emma Stonex writes beautifully, I loved how observational she is and some of the text reads like a stream of consciousness that brings you so close to the characters. There are so many different strands to this story, it is about love, grief, ghosts, secrets and lies. Each chapter is told from one of the lighthouse keeper's perspectives or their respective partners. These chapters flit from the days before their disappearance to the present day where they are still dealing with the tragic event.

The Lamplighters is one of the best books I have read so far this year, it was so mysterious and enthralling, I can highly recommend this one.

This entertaining novel sees Emma Stonex (her first written under her own name) taking as her inspiration the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in the Outer Hebrides in 1900. She moves the action 72 years forward relocating it to the Maiden Lighthouse in Cornwall and within her fictional account attempts to unravel this mystery.
In many ways it is a classic locked room thriller. The men are found missing from the lighthouse which is bolted on the inside with food preparations on the table and clocks stopped at the same time.
Alongside this narrative the author focuses on twenty years later and the wives and girlfriend of the three missing men as they are approached by a novelist wanting answers for his latest book.
What I feel is done very well is the 70’s set lighthouse sections which conveys the intensity and boredom of the three men cooped up together. I felt that the more modern sections did not establish the characters as well, although, obviously, it is within these parts that the secrets of the past are revealed in first and third person narrative and through letters.
I was most intrigued by the almost romantic allure that the lighthouse had for the keepers whilst also acknowledging the reality of spending their working lives in a small inescapable space cooped up with others. The book both builds up the appeal of this work as well as illustrating the downsides. After months of lockdown I think we are all in a better position to appreciate better Stonex’s writing and have stronger ideas of these lives than we would have done a year or two ago, making this a very commercially apposite proposition.
The author makes no assumptions as to what happened during the real-life disappearance in 1900 but comes to a conclusion as to her characters. At times I felt this might go in some outlandish direction but it all feels plausible and in some ways that felt a little anti-climatic, I almost wish she had left things a little more open-ended, which was an unusual response because surely the motive behind reading the book would be to find out what happened..
This was one of the titles that I highlighted for 2021 in my Looking Back Looking Forward post . I enjoyed Emma Stonex’s writing and looked forward to seeing what she comes up next.
The Lamplighters is published by Picador in the UK on Thursday 4th March 2021. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Cornwal, 1972: Three keepers vanish from a remote lighthouse, miles from the shore. The enterance door id locked from the inside. The clocks have stopped, The Princioal Keeper's weather log describes a mighty storm, but the sjies have been clear all week.

Twenty years later, the women they left behind are struling to move on. Helen, Jenny and Michelle should have been united by the tragedy, but instead it drove them apart. A writer wants to ive them a chance to tell theoir side of the story.

The atory flips back and forth from 1972 and twenty years after their husbands went missing. The story is told from the six main characters points of view. This story was inspired by the unsolved disappearance of three lighthouse kepers from the Flannigan Isles lighthouse in 1990. The pace is steady in this creepy, atmospheric and well written book.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #PanMacmillan and the author #EmmaStonex for my ARC #The Lamplighters in exchange for an honest review.

Such an intriguing read. Loosely based on real life events where 3 lighthouse keepers disappear without trace. The story is told from several different angles including the lighthouse keepers and their partners. The book portrays what life must be like living in a lighthouse, living with the same people for weeks on end and you feel the sense of loneliness not only of those out at sea but also of those left on the shore. Not quite the simple, peaceful life you’d expect-everyone has their secrets. The biggest secret of all is what really happened to the men? A great read..

I was so excited by this book's premise. Who doesn't love a locked room mystery, and one set on a creepy lighthouse in atmospheric Cornwall? Sign me up!
However, the book was a disappointment for me. The constant change of character viewpoint and timeliness without clear enough distinction of either just made this book very hard to get stuck into. The paragraphs were very literary and I found myself skimming them to get to the actual substance of the mystery itself. The mystery was intriguing and gripping, but it was a battle to get to. I know I'm in the minority, so I'm glad other readers could enjoy it.

The Lamplighters is a work of fiction, but takes its inspiration from the case of three missing lighthouse keepers who disappeared from the Outer Hebrides. Here the author writes a mystery novel, that is atmospheric, suspenseful and that leads us down one route, only to find that to be a dead end. What did happen to Arthur, Bill and Vince? Who is the mysterious silver haired man? Is their disappearance fatal accident, or premeditated murder? We move around in time from 1972, the year of their disappearance, to 1992, and here we hear from the wives and girlfriend left behind. Each has their own secrets and theories. When we return to 1972 we hear the story from each of the men, but even when we think we finally know the real truth - do we?

Interesting book, and it kept me hooked from start to finish.

This wasn't for me, I'm afraid. It's not a bad story, nor is it badly told, it just didn't hold my attention.

It's a solid, interesting premise; 3 men on a lighthouse and then they disappear, plus, it's based upon a true story. However, I found it disjointed, particularly the conversations from the women's perspective.

Overall, an OK read, just not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

As a lover of a good mysterious page turner, The Lamplighters certainly ticked the box. Set across two different year, two decades apart Emma Stone weaves a tale based on a true story. In this imagined retelling of the story, it is 1972 and three men disappear without trace from a lighthouse off the Cornish coast, the door is locked from the inside.
1992 and the wives/partners of the men are approached by an author who wishes to write a book about the events leading up to after the men disappeared.
Slowly and with a real sense of developing every character's traits, strength's and weaknesses, Emma Stonex brings each person to life as their backstory is revealed having effects on their futures that they couldn't have been foreseen.
Cleverly written, I couldn't leave this book alone; I needed to know the next part of the story.
The Lamplighters explores themes of grief, devotion, loneliness, resilience, secrets and the lies we tell to ourselves rather than admit truths about our own failings.
I loved it.
And the mystery? Well you'll just have to read it!

The Lamplighters had me intrigued from the start, I love a mysterious disappearance and have long been obsessed with lighthouses so what’s not like!

The book is partly set in 1972 and 1992 and tells the tale of three lighthouse keepers that mysteriously disappear but how? There are lots of other odd things like the door being bolted from the inside, the clocks all having stopped at the same time and the weather log having recorded with a storm that never happened. In 1992 the wives and girlfriend of the men are interviewed for a book and we learn the stories of the women left behind.

I believe the book is inspired by a true story and the book has a very real feel to it with interviews, newspaper articles and letters.

This book deals with themes of isolation, grief and loss not only of the men but of the way of life of being a lighthouse keeping. The characters are well written and there are enough clues and secrets revealed throughout to keep you interested until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

The Lamplighters tells the story of 3 men working as lighthouse keepers who mysteriously vanish, leaving no trace of their whereabouts. The clocks have been stopped at 8.45, the table is set for a meal, the lighthouse is spotless abs the door is heavily locked from the inside. What happened to the men? Where have they gone? Alive or dead? And what happens to the 3 women they left behind....

I got caught up in this story and the events that led to it. A story that kept me guessing all the way through.

Thank you NetGalley.

I live in Eastbourne on the Sussex coast only a short distance from the iconic Beachy Head and its often photographed lighthouse. Not only is the spot awe inspiring and beautiful but dangerous and full of tragedy.
Therefore I was totally intrigued by the fact this novel was based on a mysterious but true disappearance of men who worked on a lighthouse in 1900.
The narrative of the book reveals many layers of reality and misconception and the viewpoints of the three men balance well against the three women left alone after tragedy strikes in the story and they disappear in 1972. Twenty years later a writer wants to delve into the mystery and the twists of the story are at stages revealing then also terrifying.
The atmosphere and scenery of the isolation of the lighthouse and surprisingly the gap between the men and their loves is small but in emotional terms very wide. The ideas of loneliness weave within the novel and how the past has impacted the three men brought together in the lighthouse. The surrounding sea and the impact of the weather is described in all its beauty and terror. How its nature cannot be stopped by man and how a storm or high seas can threaten even the thick walls keeping the men safe.
I loved the ideas of ghosts and legends of sea mysteries that are linked with the minds of the characters and how unworldly this makes their lives. The part I perhaps found least convincing was the position and secret complicity of the lighthouse authorities as interpreted by the story. A sort of sea freemason society that was maybe a loose link in the telling of the tale.
Overall an immersive read that swept me in but saved me at least to discover the truth in all its sadness.

This book was incredible. Beautifully written with real humanity mixed in with elements of a traditional thriller. The descriptions of the elements and the lighthouse were amazing and I loved the different perspectives and stories that were all entwined.

The novel is loosely based on the Eilean Mor disappearances,in which three lighthouse keepers vanished from the island in the outer Hebrides in 1900.

In The Lamplighters, three lighthouse keepers disappear from their posts in 1972.The mystery was never solved and even more puzzling-the door was barred from the inside.So,on the twenty year anniversary a writer decides to piece together what happened by asking their loved ones to tell their sides of the story, and only in confronting the darkest secrets can the truth be revealed.

The story shifts between both 1972 and 1992 and the POVs of both the Lamplighters leading up to their disappearance and their wives and girlfriends in 1992. I personally found the 1992 POVs very difficult to enjoy as they were very one sided- monologue in style and we never hear from the perspective of the writer (which I found a little jarring in comparison to the 1972 flashback scenes.) This Ultimately made it difficult for me to enjoy,unfortunately.

It’s also a slow burn but the mystery elements are incredibly well written, there were several red herrings that had me questioning several characters throughout. Although the story was good, I just felt that it dragged a little too much for my liking. But, personal preferences aside, if you love or enjoy slow burn mystery thrillers then this is perfect for you.

Also just wanted to thank Pan Macmillan/Picador and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC copy of this book.

As a child I visited the lighthouse where Grace Darling and her family lived and this sewed the seeds of a lifetime fascination for lighthouses and their keepers. I was therefore very excited by the prospect of a novel about lamplighters. This is the story of three men stationed on a lighthouse, the Maiden. When the relief watch arrives to take over they find the lighthouse locked from the inside: there are no signs of life and the clocks have all stopped at the same time. The story begins with this terrible discovery and then the narrative switches between past and present, between events on the lighthouse before the discovery, and between the different accounts of the wives/girlfriend and family involved. In the present a writer is reinvestigating the story, trying to get to piece together what happened. Knowing that this novel is inspired by true events did undoubtedly affect my reading of the book, particularly because the mystery of the disappearance was never solved. I was curious about whether this story would perpetuate its own mystery or whether it would present its own theories about how three men might go missing in such circumstances. This is a very compelling read as you pursue the mystery to its conclusion. I loved the way the story gradually built through the individual accounts. As the women become more determined to speak the truth and begin to reveal more about themselves, the story builds, little clues emerge. I loved the detail of lighthouse life: routines and tasks; the minutia of keeping the light alive; coexistence in a limited space with little outside except sea. I was particularly compelled by the depiction of the different men and the way they dealt with this way of life mentally. This becomes more and more difficult as things begin to go wrong. The unraveling is fascinating as it throws up so many possibilities as to what might happened. At times I found myself lost between land and sea, questioning reality, drawn into the strange world of their thoughts. I greatly enjoyed this read. Although I felt it started quite slowly, the pace builds, the story takes hold and you are desperate to find out the truth. With thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for a digital copy of this fascinating read.

Firstly, I’d like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I was quite excited about reading this book. Based on the true story of the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers who go missing from their lighthouse in 1972. However, although I quite enjoyed this book, it was a bit slow. The story jumped from 1972, when the men disappeared, to 1992, on the 20th anniversary of the disappearance, and each chapter was written from the perspective of one character, from the three lighthouse keepers and their partners. You needed to concentrate to know whose account you were reading.

Also, as I love a good thriller, I thought that it might lead to an exciting conclusion about what happened, but I don’t feel it did, unfortunately.