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.

I read this absolutely beautiful book up until the point that pregnancy, infertility and miscarriage were a main part of the subject, at which point for personal reasons I stopped reading.

What I did read of the book was absolutely beautifully written and highly engaging, and I wish the author all the very best.

It did take some rather unexpected turns and was also quite atmospheric but there is no getting around the fact that I was often a bit bored. I can always tell with an audiobook/book how good I find it by how many steps I take listening to it. When I love a book, I will extend my walk, I will do more housework, I will walk to the shop rather than drive etc. And despite the fact that there was a lot I loved, I did not fully love it.

The book had an interesting premise but failed to execute it. We follow multiple POVs; one set in 2021 following a 30-something pregnant Luna, one set in 1998 following Liv in Scotland with her three daughters, one is a POV of Sapphi, Liv's eldest daughter while they were in Scotland, and a POV of unspecified time period following a mysterious man. I liked the fact that there were different narrators for different POVs, it really helped in distinguishing between them. I didn't understand why some POVs were in 3rd person and others in 1st person. The book promises to be a mysterious gothic thriller, and the secluded seaside village is the perfect setting for that. Alas, the plot disappointed me. It was really predictable what was actually going on, and it seemed like the whole mysterious cave plot was pulled straight outta the Netflix show "Dark". I liked the mother-daughters and sisters dynamics, it was portrayed well.

You: Hey Regina, you seem to read a lot of books. I’m in the mood for a story about witches. I need a page-turner that gives me all the right vibes for October seasonal reading.

Me: Can you be more specific? What kind of witches? Scary/not scary? Who are your typical favorite authors?

You: I don’t really love fantasy “hocus pocus” paranormal books, and the witches that interest me most are of the 1600’s “burnt at the stake” variety. I’m a bit of a lightweight in the scares department, but it’s Halloween so I wanna get a little spooky. I usually read thrillers like those by Lisa Jewell, Clare Mackintosh, and Sharon Bolton.

Me: Ah well then I have just the thing! May I suggest The Lighthouse Witches? C.J. Cooke has concocted a spellbinding novel that bubbles over with gothic atmosphere, thriller vibes and the perfect amount of supernatural elements.

You: What’s it about?

Me: The story starts in 1998 when single mum Liv takes her three daughters to a remote Scottish island when she’s commissioned to paint a mural in the lighthouse. Two go missing. Flash forward to 2021 when the remaining sister is informed the youngest has been found, but - gasp - she’s still only 7 years old! Flash back to 1662 when the sinister nature of the island began, where women were labeled and murdered as witches, and hence the land started its cursed trajectory of superstition, paranoia, and spookiness.

You: Sounds perfect! What’s not to like?

Me: It nearly is. My only slight hesitation is that a major part of the storyline comes a bit too close to the Netflix series “Dark.” Maybe it’s true what they say that there aren’t any wholly original ideas anymore. But no matter. Buy the book for your shelves (the UK cover is gorgeous!) or listen to the fantastic multi-narrator 10-hour audiobook. Either way, you’ll love it.

4.5 stars

A fantastic read over multiple timelines with a handful of characters. The timeliness are easy to follow and link together very well.

Great autumn read!

Great narrator too. Highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC.

3.5/5
A solid read, but perhaps not best consumed in audio format.
I think this was so ambitious that it would've been difficult to get perfectly right, which is perhaps why it missed the mark a little for me. The multiple perspectives make for a sweeping, multifaceted story, keeping the reader curious and unsettled and always hungry for more, but they were sometimes difficult to keep up with, particularly at the beginning.
Overall a strong, emotional and haunting story. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Wow! I've read so many books that flirt with gothic elements or hint at ghosts, so I really admire the author here for writing an old school, fully superstitious, intriguing ghost story. Sometimes the magic is real. I liked the narrator too and thought she handled the multiple timelines well, which isn't always easy. A great Halloween listen

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?

Thank you to Net Galley for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The book is narrated by Eva Feiler; Lesley Harcourt; Jess Nesling; Joshua Manning and the four different voices worked so well with this book which is set in 1998 and the present day. I loved the theme of past and present and witches and wildlings. A gripping story I couldn’t stop listening to.

Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

My first mystery of the spooky season was a success, with 3.5 stars this book gave me all the rainy , spooky vibes I was craving during this October spring time.

C.J. Cooke crafts a wonderfully atmospheric read filled with mystery as we start to explore Lòn Haven and all that hides and resides within it. The story flits back and forth between 1990, 2021, and 1620, adding both to the mystery and richness of the story as we spend time with our characters and start to explore the world of the book.

I haven't read a mystery in a while and this one was great. It was a little creepy, set in a town with a harrowing past and, it was a little cold, the waters of the lighthouse almost spraying you through the pages.

I really liked the characters in the story , but felt myself wanting more from them still. More depth, more personality ? , I'm not sure but I felt a bit removed from them in the story.
I think my favourite storyline had to be Sapphire's. The explorations and plights of a teenage girl coping with grief in a new home all the while resenting her mother , placing her at the centre of all her problems. She falls for a boy and the things she does and experiences in that relationship are hard to read ,but so unfortunately common in relationships where older boys take advantage of teenage girls. The will to be seen makes sapphire agree with a lot more than she wants to.

I felt as though all of this build up and the pacing of the story was jolted at the end of the book, it was a little fast for me, I think I would have liked a bit more time at the end. I did enjoyed the reveals and the way the story developed at the end , but my sad brain wanted something a bit more sinister for the reveal ( i clearly need help) . Although I really enjoined this story I do wonder if my enjoyment could have been increased by reading the book with my eyes instead of through audio?

All in all C.J .Cook crafted a gripping story of family, tradition and a love that knows no bounds all touched with a film of witchery. If this sounds like something you'd like, I would highly recommend you read this book.


Thank you again to #NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the arc of The Lighthouse Witches for review.

Review: The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke.

Thank you HarperCollins, Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the Audio Arc of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I will start by saying the narrators did fantastic jobs at making the story truly come to life, the intonations and various tones for each character do make the story come to life. The story is a wonderful gothic thriller with sprinklings of magic in there. I did love it and could hardly stop listening.

Lon Haven, a remote Scottish island, stands a lighthouse. But this lighthouse has weathered more than storms. Mysterious and terrible events have happened on Lon Haven. It started centuries ago with a witch hunt and now islanders are vanishing without explanation. Is this a coincidence or a curse?

Liv Stay flees to the island looking for an escape and a home with her three daughters. She doesn’t believe in curses, hauntings or dark omens and witches. Only within a few months of moving to the island, one of her daughters Luna will by the only Stay left.

Twenty years later, Luna is drawn back to the place her family vanished. It’s up to Luna to find out the truth as the last sister left but what really happened at the lighthouse all those years ago?

Told from different character's point of view and different times the novel manages not only to keep you engaged but manages to keep the story focused. Sometimes I feel authors that choose to tell the story via different characters can fall into the trap of losing some focus and drive of the story but Cooke did not do this. I think anyone who is interested in gothic thrillers or stories about witches and supernatural would enjoy this book. I’ve already recommended this book to friends and family and will continue to do so. It most definitely is worth a read

i absolutely loved this gothic thriller, i wish i could listen to it all again, the narrators were brilliant and made the story come alive in my mind.

The plot unravels slowly which compels the reader to want more. This is a rich and engrossing tale of folklore , magic and myth.

This book is a must for anyone that enjoys dark supernatural thrillers

The Lighthouse Witches by CJ Cooke on audiobook. is a wonderful story told in 3 timelines of love, fear, belief and yes, witches, but all is not as it seems. The writing was beautiful and evocative, bringing the land and the family to life. Recommended.

This was ok, unfortunatly this started out very slow and I even was a bit bored sometimes. It salveged itself a bit at the end and I was creeped out a few times. But that was also because of the excellent narration.

Perfect read for spooky season! CJ Cooke captures Scottish island life beautifully. The story unfolds across different timelines and draws on historic witch trials. I particularly enjoyed the folklore. I listened to the audiobook which was brilliantly narrated by Eva Feiler, Lesley Harcourt, Jess Nesling and Joshua Manning.

This books was so well written, keeping you in suspense of what was happening with disappearances, witches being burned and cursing the land, weird happenings.

The one downside to the audiobook i was provided by publisher to listen and review, didnt have the authors note which can be found in the book. This is a shame because it highlights the dark scottish history around the torture and burning of women accused of witch craft with little evidence and yet hardly mentioned in history.

The narration was clear and easy to follow that you knew when we was in the time of the witch trials as it became a male narrator but this is due to this story is told through a journal. The titles are clear and let you know what year you are in but also who's perspective we are following

The book does talk about about what women accused of witch craft went through, and this lead to the story of the island being cursed.

This is more than just a disappearance but a journey. The story is set across 3 time lines, the time of the witch trials via a journal, 1998 (disappearance) & 2021 (the mention of mask due to covid).

Im trying to write a review without giving away what makes this such a great read. I can't wait to read more by C J Cooke, who turns out to be a local author :)

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a audiobook for an honest review.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

If you're still looking for your perfect October-witchy-read ór if you perhaps wanted a literary equivalent to the netflix show "Dark": look no further... You have found it. Witches, changelings, elements of Scottish folklore and a vividly spooky setting, all woven together seamlessly make Where The Lighthouse Witches my favourite Halloween release of 2021 so far.

Scotland, 1998. Liv, single mother of three daughters is commissioned to paint a mural in an abandoned lighthouse on a remote isle just off shore. What begins as an opportunity for a fresh start for her and her family soon takes an ominous turn. The lighthouse, as well as the cave-network below it, are saturated with dark history and sinister folktales: witches, curses and wildlings have left their mark on the place for centuries now. Any doubts on their validity are shattered when first her two young daughters, and then Liv herself, vanish without a trace.

Scottish shores, 2021. Luna has been looking for her sisters and mum for over twenty years. Then one day, she receives a call that her youngest sister has been found near the lighthouse where she disappeared. Only she hasn’t aged a day since she was last seen… Is this girl really her sister? Is she a changeling from the folktales Luna grew up with? In order to find out, she has to return to the lighthouse, to unearth the secrets that linger there once and for all.

Where The Lighthouse Witches has all the ingredients to make for my perfect Halloween-read, and mixes them together in its cauldron to become even more than the sum of its parts. Told in three timelines (the witch-hunt of 1662 that started it all, the vanishings of 1998, and “return” of 2021), this story sucked me into its mystery, its atmospheric setting and its Gothic imagery from page one, and kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipating and suspense throughout. Although I already enjoyed Cookes previous novel The Nesting, I feel they’ve grown so much as an author since. Where The Lighthouse Witches matches its predecessor in creepy atmosphere, it has has tighter and sharper prose, pitch perfect pacing and a much more vivid and likable cast of characters. It also incorporates some elements of different subgenres to elevate it above your “typical horror novel”.

Even though it’s still early in the month, this has to be my favourite Halloween release of the year so far, and I can’t recommend it enough. Where The Lighthouse Witches is available in print, as well as in audio-format, both of which I can highly recommend. For full immersion points, I suggest a dark room on a stormy night; letting the excellent narration and the Scottish accents carry you away to the foggy shores...

Many thanks to Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely perfect spooky story! I listened to the audio version of The Lighthouse Witches and just loved it. I listen to books when I'm at work and actually had to turn it off a couple of times because I was so creeped out. And that's exactly what I wanted. It's not often that I find a book with the right amount of scariness. I loved the storyline too, it kept me engaged and coming back for more. I think the setting was perfect - isolated Scottish island with their own way of doing things, their own traditions, and some Scottish folklore in there too. Wonderfully atmospheric.

I was given a review copy of the audio version of the book via netgalley
Wow after the first ten minutes of this book I was hooked
It's chilling book and has to be my favourite audio book of the year so far and it's going to be a book which I will add the hardback to my bookshelf
If you read or listen to one book this year choose this book

Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft.
Twenty-two years later, Luna is still searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. She's determined to find out about the truth of what happened to her family.

My thoughts:
Overall, this book captivates from beginning to end, with ideas and concepts that keep you hooked. I thought the different points of view added an exciting pace to the novel. I also loved the parts of fae lore.