Another book by Louise Swanson that is fantastically written!! I love the slight dystopian aspect to this novel - Lights Out is a completely believable concept and perfectly executed in this book.
The whole book has a spooky vibe to it and it kept me turning page after page! Whilst the ending was not what I expected, I found that it fitted quite nicely with things. The idea of isolation and loneliness if prominent throughout the book and I think Louise’s authors noted at the end lend itself even more to this theme.

Grace is a carer in a hospice and, after an incident that happened when she was a child, she's afraid of the dark so, when the Government introduce a new initiative called Lights Out, where all electricity is switched off between 8pm and 7am, it's Grace's worst nightmare and she doesn't know how she'll get through it. Added to her fear is the fact someone is coming into her home every night and leaving messages for her and she becomes more convinced each day that it's someone that knows about her past. How will she ever overcome her fears when she doesn't even feel safe in her own home?

Lights Out is the latest speculative/dystopian thriller by Swanson with an intriguing and well crafted premise. Told on a daily basis from the start of the Lights Out initiative introduced by the government, we learn how it affects the public, especially the less well off who are already struggling without this being added to their woes. There are some great characters in this book and Grace, in particular, was one of my favourites, we all have doubts and insecurities and she had them by the bucketload. This is a creepy and atmospheric read that, if you're scared of the dark like Grace, should definitely not be read after lights out! Another fabulous tale by this author and I can't wait to see what she delights us with next.

I'd like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

I have reviewed Lights Out for book recommendation and selling site LoveReading.co.uk. I have chosen this title as both a LoveReading Star Book and a Liz Pick of the Month (for October). Please see the link for the full review.

3⭐️

Having loved the uniqueness of End of Story, I was intrigued to read this book.
It’s more of a slow suspense for me than thriller with it being very character driven. It mostly centres around Grace a hospice worker, but we get the story from a couple of POV. It’s storyline is current as we were threatened with the possibility of electric cuts which were averted mostly because people couldn’t afford to use as much electricity as they would normally have done due to the price hikes.

Unfortunately for me this was too slow, and it struggled to keep my attention. When we get the explanation it’s so drawn out, for me it didn’t add any suspense it irritated me.

A traumatic incident in her childhood, imperfectly remembered, has left Grace with a deep-seated fear – no, let’s make that a terror – of darkness. So the Government declaration of a state of emergency – from 8pm, the electricity will be cut off, only to be restored in the mornings – is the stuff of nightmares.

Working in a hospice, she sometimes works nights – she’ll be safe there, where the restrictions won’t apply. But some nights she’s at home, unexpectedly alone – and her fear is only magnified when she realises that someone is entering her home in the darkness, leaving unusual gifts and disturbing messages. There are small things that make her feel a little more secure: her mother’s phone calls, though she rarely has time for her; a young girl she waves to from her window, until she’s not there any more; and a friend at work who provides support, but she’s not around when she’s barricaded in her bedroom hearing noises downstairs. The watchers on the streets – to make sure people are safe – see nothing unusual. And her husband should be with her – but he isn’t.

This is one of those books that rather defies categorisation. In many ways, it’s a psychological thriller, and set in a very real imagined world – the Government response to the climate crisis and the absence of concern for the people left without heat or light, the spread of illness, the increasing number of accidents filling hospitals, is all too believable. But it’s also very much Grace’s own story – her emotional experience, facing up to her fear, trying to apply logic to a situation that she can’t understand, finding the bravery to examine the past and deal with the present. And I’ll use the word “emotional” again – there are so many layers to the story, and it’s such a compelling read, but Grace’s loneliness and vulnerability is something that really hurts at times, especially during those dark and endless nights.

It’s a chilling read, the tension steadily mounting, filled with darkness and the horrors it conceals – but also uplifting as Grace finds the courage and tenacity to cope with her challenges, and reach a new understanding. The author’s writing has never been better – this was an extraordinary read, stunningly believable, and entirely unforgettable.

(Review also copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

Well this certainly gave me the fear! We are at the mercy of our governments and I could just imagine them imposing an electricity power cut like this to win them popularity and votes. Turning off the power from 8pm to 7am was absolute madness, however it was justified by the government similar to the 'pile the bodies high' comment during Covid, any lives lost would be worth it.
This is a book about relationships in all their forms and the characters were written beautifully. The nightly 'lights out' was preceded by a sense of dread and made for very uncomfortable reading.
Very interesting concept the story went in a direction I certainly wasn't expecting. Would definitely recommend.

Every time I read something by this author I just am hypnotised by it.
The way of writing and the storylines, just keep me in there with it.
The story itself, I can’t even imagine what this would be like! The time it was written explained at the end was cold enough & bad enough. This would be a nightmare.
The characters, Tom ok weird but bless him. Grace, strength & definitely amazing.
Fab book

Overall I found this book to be very creepy with the stalker / intruder tension but coupled with an almost close reality of electricity controlled by government made it even more scary.

4.25*

Nightly government mandated blackouts and a fear of the dark don’t make for great bedfellows and for Grace and it’s all made worse by a ‘visitor’ who is getting into her home and leaving terrifying notes and presents.

Who is it, what does he want and how will she get through that along with the blackouts and managing her crumbling marriage? It all makes for an absorbing and engaging story that is part mystery, part domestic thriller, and part social commentary on the impact of government policy.

It's a 'what if' story looking at the possible end results if the cost of living crisis had worsened in the UK and makes for uncomfortable reading, playing on our natural fears of the dark whilst also feeling very family centred with a lot of humanity and empathy, especially the end of life care setting.

As with End of Story, I loved Louise Swanson's writing and plot synopsis and love that we get a creepy, almost horror set up that ends up with very human focused reveals. Some of the characters didn't work for me initially and it took me a little while to get into but as the story ramped it gripped my attention and couldn't stop reading on to see what would come next.

I look forward to what comes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this digital review copy of "Lights Out" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This was a very readable book with an engaging main character, Grace. We meet her as the country is about to go into a semi blackout, with the electricity turned off from 8pm each night allegedly to combat climate change. This is a big problem because it's in the middle of winter and people are freezing, becoming ill as a result, and so on. But it's an even bigger problem for Grace because she has a debilitating fear of the dark.

From the beginning it's clear there is something in her past that has caused the fear. We think we know what it is, but more is uncovered as the book unfolds. We learn more about her father and a trauma in her childhood as we discover what really happened.

Grace's character is very easy to identify with. We get to see her most intimate and private fears, not only about the dark but also about her relationship with her husband Riley. It seems that she wants more from him than she is getting, and it was interesting to read about their relationship and wonder why she seemed to be settling for less.

I did think that the writing of their relationship lacked a bit of depth however, as did the character of Riley. We don't really get to know much about him - his personality or his background or his history with Grace - so that made the descriptions of him feel a little bit superficial. There are betrayals that he hides from Grace but we don't really get to understand why he's behaved the way he has.

The book is good at describing the impact of the fictitious Lights Out policy, and all of the things that could flow from something like that - rising hospital admissions for health complaints linked to the cold, protests over the policy, fridges packing up because they can't cope with being repeatedly switched off, and even someone who is diabetic and suffers because his insulin can't be refrigerated.

All of that, along with the developments in Grace's life and her experiences, made this very readable and engaging. Thanks to Netgalley for the preview.

A brilliant book and story from the pen of Louise.
Lights Out is a dystopian future which feels eerily prescient and all too plausible in this hellscape we are living in.
Thank goodness for books, and Louise especially.
Her stories are really heartbreaking and heartfelt.
I can well imagine any government espousing a Lights Out mandate. Well done, Louise.
I absolutely loved this scary but all believable tale.

An emergency national black out scheme called 'Lights Out' does not sound like fun, even if you aren't afraid of the dark, but for Grace who has had a fear of the dark since a scary event in her childhood, it is horrific. Adding in the strange goings on that start to happen and one of the residents at the car home she works at giving her a disturbing dying message, she really starts to struggle.

A clever, tense and atmospheric story with what should be a dystopian element, but feels scarily possible right now! As usual with this author it was beautifully written with excellently drawn characters, particularly Grace. Recommended if you like creepy reads, but make sure you have got batteries in your torch!

Omg amazing! So original and unique, and also strangely believable. I think having lived through lockdown it makes you think that one day we could actually be told we need to have lights out if there was a state of emergency so it jist gave me the creeps. Well written characters, so much tension, realistic reactions!!! I loved it

I really loved End of Story and was looking forward to this one, but I didn’t feel it worked quite as well. Having lived through the 3 day week and blackouts in 1974 I enjoyed the writing around the Lights Out premise which I thought was a clever basis for the creepy story which followed, but I couldn't quite get on board with the reasons it was mandated. There also seemed to be a lot of coincidences!
Having said all that, I do enjoy Ms Swanson's writing style and she kept me turning the pages to see what happened to everyone.
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book

The UK have declared a national emergency and have introduced the lights out scheme. Every household will have no electricity from 8PM until morning. For Grace this is very unwelcome news, due to her phobia of the dark, and when strange messages start occurring every morning, her fears spiral.

This sounded like a fascinating read with an interesting, unique premise so I was keen to pick it up. I am pleased I did after finishing it, as I found it to be a rewarding read, which conjured up many emotions. I wouldn’t say this was a thriller as such but a cross genre novel, combining speculative and contemporary fiction with some mystery, creating a thought provoking, compelling read.

The book did give me the chills occasionally, due to imagining this becoming a reality; the author did a good job in making this seem authentic and creating a dark atmosphere. The characters were written well, some I liked more than others. The way it all came together was unexpected and unusual… I am still trying to process my thoughts here. Although repetitive in parts and feeling as though it may have been slightly too long, this was an enjoyable read overall, exploring a lot of themes. This is a great book for those looking for a complex, multilayered and unique story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Grace is afraid of the dark, so when the government announces the 'Lights Out' initiative' to preserve energy, she is very apprehensive. When a dying patient tells her that 'something terrible is going to happen when the lights go out'. she is even more terrified.. When the lights do go out. strange things begin to appear in her house. She reports it to the police and meets someone who appears to be experiencing the same issues but is all as it seems?
This was a tense. psychological thriller which left me holding my breath in places - well worth a read.

The government have introduced Lights out, each evening at 8pm all of the electricity will be turned off till 7am the next morning (excluding some vital services and MO’s homes). The scheme is in response to the climate emergency but only serves to highlight the gulf between the government and public. It unfortunately sounds believable given recent events!

Grace is scared of the dark so dreads 8pm. The whole thing is even scarier when she finds someone has been leaving random objects and notes in her home during the black out. Her mental health as well as her marriage are put under enormous strain, can they survive till the government call for lights out to end?

Tom’s is also struggling to hold it together, his relationship with Harper is in danger and as he tries to repair it by attending therapy she is no where to be seen.

When Grace and Tom meet can they help each other?

I thought this was a clever story which mixed dystopian elements with a thriller. The whole idea sounds really plausible which makes it even scarier. Love Louise’s writing and raced to the end to find out what was going on.

A really creepy and original thriller, this book had me completely gripped and breathless at parts. Atmospheric and slight dystopia thriller, a fantastic read xx

This was a compelling read, a bit dystopian, a bit psychological thriller, a bit womens fiction and a bit contemporary fiction! The story centres around Grace, a care worker in a hospice, Grace is terrified of the dark. The government brings in a new initiative to help with environmental concerns – at 8 pm every night the electricity is cut off everywhere apart from necessary services such as hospitals.

Briefly, despite being aware of her fears her husband is less than supportive and to make matters worse someone is getting into her home and leaving notes and strange gifts - from a goldfish to a statue of Venus de Milo! She is convinced it is someone who knows about her fear which goes back to her childhood when some children locked her in a cupboard. Then on top of all this she finds out something about her husband that rocks her world.

The trauma that Grace suffers was so well done, I really felt for her. The premise of the government cutting off electricity seemed a bit unrealistic as it would clearly have terrible repercussions, especially in the winter, but hey it’s fiction so anything goes. There are a number of different threads in the books, no spoilers, and I found one of them particularly moving. A lot of difficult issues are covered in the book and as always this author deals with them well, from the phobias and anxieties to the multiple forms of abuse, and nothing is gratuitous. An entertaining and emotional read.

Lights Out, Louise Swanson's second novel under that name (she has also published as Louise Beech) was a very weird read. I think this is partly to do with the way it's been marketed. The publisher's blurb positions it as a thriller, but despite the effectively creepy atmosphere of the first two-thirds, this is not a thriller, and I think it might work better for those who enjoy women's fiction. I wouldn't have picked it up if I'd known this, so take my comments with a pinch of salt.

Grace has a terror of the dark after suffering childhood trauma, so she is horrified to find out that the British government are piloting a new Lights Out policy in midwinter. From eight pm to seven am, electricity supplies will be switched off to all households, with only essential services like hospitals kept on the grid. Things become even worse when she realises somebody is using the cover of darkness to sneak into her house and leave strange gifts, along with notes signed 'The Night'. I loved this premise, and I especially enjoyed the newspaper reports that intersperse the text about how people are responding to the blackouts - my favourite was the group who made protest art from their broken fridges.

Unfortunately, the way it plays out in the book is highly unrealistic. The Three-Day Week of 1973-4 only restricted power to commercial premises. Planned power cuts in domestic households in 1972 arose from an emergency shortage of coal due to the miners' strike. There's just no way this would be implemented as a policy in Britain outside this kind of genuine shortage situation, for all the reasons given in Lights Out itself. The implication is that the government see it as a vote-winner for tackling climate change, but unsurprisingly it's incredibly unpopular (and if this was the idea, why didn't Lights Out happen in the summer months?). I found it hard to just run with it because the novel keeps bringing the subject up.

The plot also becomes properly bizarre. A twist two-thirds of the way in felt ridiculous. There are also a number of loose ends from sub-plots that seem to only have been introduced to make us feel like we're reading a thriller when we are not. This was a shame, as I think this could have been a good read about trauma and family secrets without these trappings, even if it might not have been my thing. There are a number of very positive reviews, so perhaps this will work better for those who enjoyed Swanson/Beech's other novels.