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.

Although I’ve never been afraid of the dark, I could really relate to Grace. This because whether it is being afraid of the dark, or open water, or spiders, in Lights Out it becomes clear that your fears can really cripple you.
Grace is crippled by her fear of the dark and she knows why: some classmates locked her up in a cupboard when she was small… and ever since she needs a lot of light, even when sleeping. Or – was being locked up really what triggered her fear, all those years ago? Sometimes Grace is not sure. Anyway, she’s a single mother with an adult son, who’s happily living elsewhere while maintaining a good relationship with his mother. Grace has always been rather independent and she and her son build their own world. Later in life she met a lovely man and they’ve been married for some ten years now. Grace works during the night – in a hospice – so she can mostly sleep during the day.
Lights Out (or better: electricity out) is a rather strange invention of the government to try and save energy. Strange, because they didn’t think beforehand what this would mean for the people – especially not for the poor families who are, because it is January, are freezing and miserable without heat or lighting. For Grace, it is horrifying to have to spend a whole night with only the light of one simple battery-operated lamp. The food goes off in the fridge because that’s also shut down each night and she cannot even make tea (although I don’t understand why she cannot boil water in a kettle on the stove).
From the first night one, strange things are happening and not just in her home; her husband is behaving strange too. How all this is connected is becoming clear during the next nights. There is more going on, but in the end everything comes together neatly.
I really liked this book and although its sometimes a bit repetitive, I had a hard time putting it down.
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this review copy.

4.5 stars but I honestly couldn't tell you if I loved this or I hated it... Hear me out!

Here in South Africa, we are often hit with load shedding, aka rolling blackouts, aka regularly scheduled power cuts. It's been going on for years. Life goes on. So when I saw LIGHTS OUT on netgalley, I knew I had to read it. A book that gives the UK drastic overnight load shedding, every night? Everywhere? All night? I was immediately intrigued, and wondered how the author could make it scary. The UK is a lot wealthier than SA. Get some lanterns; get some solar panels; keep calm and carry on, right? Well, Louise Swanson did it! Grace has a crippling childhood-trauma-derived phobia of the dark. Her anxiety bleeds off the page. Every creak and bump in the night made ME jump, because Grace was in such a heightened state of stress. Add to that one of the most bizarre twists I've ever read in a thriller - and I read a lot of bonkers thrillers - and I found this compulsively readable. I genuinely didn't have a clue how the story was going to pan out.

As for why I flip-flop on why I liked it or not... Grace is quite a wishy-washy main character. All part of her growth arc, sure, but it was still somewhat tedious in the earlier chapters. And ultimately, there's a Beauty and the Beast-esque plot line that was not for me. Despite all that, I can't deny that I couldn't put this down.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an early read of 'Lights Out'. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Somehow the idea of a government turning all electricity off between 8pm and 7am in winter time to conserve power sounds pretty scary to me but sadly not that too far fetched. Grown up Grace is scared of the dark and as the book progresses we find out why. A compelling psychological thriller with twists. Definitely recommend this well written but sometimes creepy book, just maybe best read with the lights on.

An excellent read, great characters with well-woven stories. I love how the plot evolves and our main focus, Grace, develops over the course of the book.
Will be recommending this to all my friends when it releases, & I can't wait for Louise's next book!

Louise Swanson has a skill for writing extremely disquieting near-dystopian psychological thrillers - I still feel haunted by 'End of Story' and 'Lights Out' is a book in a similar vein. The central character is Grace, a care worker who is terrified of the dark after a traumatic experience in childhood. So she is particularly affected by a new government policy of power cuts to residential areas between 8pm and 7am in order to reduce carbon emissions. Her husband has little sympathy, even when bizarre incidents start happening each dark night - someone is breaking into their home and leaving objects and notes signed 'The Night'. There are also some chapters from the perspective of Tom, who is turning out for marriage guidance sessions on his own and is unable to sit still. Eventually the two storylines come together.

Swanson writes well and it's a very compelling book - I read it in two sessions, not because I really had the time to spare, but because I didn't want to stop. She has a talent for conjuring up a powerful atmosphere - you are left feeling unsettled for a long time after reading. The storyline is a bit far-fetched, but it's original. I couldn't help thinking about all the ways it was implausible, starting with the unlikelihood of the government implementing such an unpopular and counter-productive initiative (although I'm not sure why I consider that implausible!). But this isn't the sort of book that bears close inspection and analysis - it's the sort you read and enjoy in the moment and then consider sleeping with the lights on afterwards.

I'd recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers and those who like dystopian near-future settings.

Disturbing, Compelling..
Disturbing and compelling in equal measure, an eerily possible premise which is extremely well executed. Lights out at eight across the United Kingdom, the censor is promised to be but a temporary measure. For Grace, nothing and nowhere is safe in the dark. Tense, claustrophobic and terrifying, this is an exceptional novel of suspense which will creep slowly under the reader’s skin and stay there. Chilling.

Unique story: I had no idea where it was going until it all came together. Scary and very possible future that makes you think how you would cope with this situation! Will definitely read more by Louise Swanson.

I loved Louise's previous novel, End of Story, therefore I was delighted to be approved for this one too.

The premise is excellent. Due to the energy issues, the UK Government have implemented a Lights Out policy, meaning that at 8pm each night, the electricity supply is cut off leaving the country in darkness.

For Grace, this is far from ideal, long having been scared of the dark since childhood. And it becomes even worse when, at night, she discovers that someone is breaking into her house leaving notes signed, The Night.

This novel is very creepy and thoroughly enjoyable and, whilst I enjoyed End of Story more, this was another great novel from Louise Swanson.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

What a fantastic read. I really enjoyed it. Full of twists and a truly enjoyable read in less than a day

Thank you for the opportunity to review

To all intents and purposes, Lights Out is a story about one woman, Grace, who is afraid of the dark for reasons that we are warned are about more than just the childhood 'monster under the bed'; so when a state of emergency by the government of the day (and look closely, readers, this isn't as far-fetched as it may sound) is declared in the interest of conserving energy, and all lights will be turned out from 8pm each day, and in winter no less, Grace's demons return in dreams that become nightmares that become reality.

One of Louise Swanson's strengths has always been her portrayal of the people in her stories and here we find some pretty disturbing as well as thought-provoking examples - even Grace, at times, I wanted to shout "he's behind you!" at, but I mean that well - characters need to display weaknesses, too, and handled well, as it is here, creates the extra dimension I look for.

The "Lights Out" order isn't as futuristic as it sounds and is a hugely integral part of the story, of course; following Grace's progress as she slowly realises that if someone is taking advantage of her fears, then she, too, can play the same game and reverse that role.

I have only read one of Louise's books - End of Story - and I thought it was marvellous,; it was so clever, with a great storyline, fantastic characters, and an interesting twist, and so I've been keeping an eye out ever since for her next one.

I must say, I am a complete and utter wuss when it comes to scary things, especially scary things in the dark, so this really shouldn't have been a book for me, but knowing how much I love her writing, I wanted to at least give it a go.

Oh and I was scared of the dark until I was about 18, and had to sleep with some kind of light on, so that really didn't help.

I really felt for Grace. She's clearly had some childhood trauma and it seems like the world world is using that trauma against her. Even her loved ones.

This was Grace's story, for me. Yes there are other characters - her husband, colleagues, neighbours - and they're all find (although I didn't particular like her husband for reasons I won't spoil), but she steals every scene. She's a phenomenal creation.

We also have, every so often, some scenes that are seemingly unrelated, revolving around a character and counsellor we do not know, and we do not know how they're connected to Grace. But there were occasions where things were suggested and I found myself going, "oohhhhhhh" like I'd solved it, but of course I hadn't.

I did have to take breaks frrom it. It's not horror per se, it's just very jumpy and very tense and for me, I find that scarier than if it was full of scary violent moments. So I made sure that every couple of chapters, I took a pause and read a chapter of a kids book, just to take the edge off.

It isn't a particularly happy book, and it does contain some difficult topics, including parental abuse, domestic abuse, end of life care, mental illness, fears, phobias, affairs, missing people, violence etc.

I struggled to begin with, this eery thrill, it was frightening. Not in the obvious way, but in the secrets, the shadows, and the unknown. But now I've finished it, I would say it wasn't as scary as I first feared. It hits the right level which makes it scary but still enjoyable.

After reading End of Story, I was expecting some big twist like that, and it wasn't there. Not a negative, because what is there is fantastic, but I suppose yeah, the reveal wasn't as shocking as I expected, but it's still very good and she will still be a go-to author for me.

Every now and again there comes along a book that’s a bit different in the the best possible way and this was one of those and I absolutely loved it. The story centres around the main character of Grace and builds in tension as she struggles to cope with the government’s new policy of “lights out” which means all electricity is off from 8pm every night and as she is unnaturally terrified of the dark this all becomes a nightmare for her. It’s such a cleverly written book that brings all the threads of other happenings in the story that don’t seem connected to an absolutely brilliant conclusion that was just perfect. I was sad to finish the book I really found it to be a compulsive read that took over my life for a few days and all praise to Louise Swanson for that.
I didn’t quite know what to expect when I started the read and so for me that made it a better reading experience and it’s a book I would highly recommend and not to be missed.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was quite a surreal book to read. I liked the concept, in order to save fuel, the lights will be turned out between 8pm and 7 am, plunging the country into darkness. We then follow the strange occurrences that happen in the dark and witness the terror of our lead character, Grace, who has a fear of the dark and then strange things keep happening in her home at night.
As I have said the premise is good and for the most part it was executed well, I was certainly kept gripped by it. When the truth of what has been happening to Grace is revealed I have to confess to being a bit disappointed. It was a bit weak and I could not help but think is that it? The book in the lead up to this though was very strong. I particularly liked Swanson's characters, they were realistic and strong as well as flawed. The major strength in this book is that I could see the events happening in the real world which makes them all the more terrifying.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy.

I loved the sound of this book, had me intrigued and keen to read it.
Sadly i soon discovered it wasn't for me, i found myself skimming and although i went back to it several times it just didn't do it for me.
Sorry for the negative review.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.

This book had such a creepy feel to it, I was gripped all the way through, it felt different compared to other thrillers, I absolutely loved it.

In the gripping novel "Lights Out," the government has launched a nationwide energy-saving initiative, plunging homes into darkness from 8 PM to 7 AM every night to combat the energy crisis. For hospice worker Grace, this is more than just an inconvenience—it's a nightmare come true. Grace has always been terrified of the dark, but now she's forced to confront her fear head-on.

As if the darkness wasn't challenging enough, Grace begins to notice strange objects appearing in her house, accompanied by cryptic notes signed by 'The Night.' With each passing evening, the mystery deepens, and Grace realizes that to uncover the truth and protect herself, she must face her fears and shine a light on the secrets lurking in the shadows.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat, blending suspense with an emotional journey. Grace's character is relatable and her struggle with her phobia is portrayed with such depth that you can't help but root for her. The tension builds beautifully, and the mysterious notes add an extra layer of intrigue that kept me guessing until the very end. If you're looking for a thrilling read that explores both the external and internal battles we face, "Lights Out" is definitely worth picking up.

Thank you to author Louise Swanson, Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review this book as an ARC.

Years ago, the UK government did actually turn off the electricity - without warning, at night - during the miners' strike. Those of us old enough to remember those endless dark nights, flickering candles, and the weirdness of such eerie dark will sympathise with Swanson's protagonist, Grace. Using this idea as a premise, except, in this case, Swanson's government switch off electricity each night eat 8pm for the sake of climate change, the novel turns into a thriller. Great idea. In 'Lights Out', it's winter. It's cold. Accidents happen. It's mayhem. Grace is terrified of the dark, and on top of all that, someone is getting into her house and leaving her messages as she sleeps. SUPER CREEPY. And Swanson handles this quite complex plot really well. There is a real propulsion to the story. Highly recommended. My grateful thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers for the ARC.

Unfortunately for me I didn't really enjoy this, found it hard to get into the storyline and couldn't really 'get my head' round it.

Overall it was well written, just not my sort of book unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book it was scary where the lights go out at 8pm till 7am everyday.
It is a dark story about all our fears that could really happen Grace is afraid of the dark and between these times somebody is breaking in and leaving little gifts.
Great twists a clever read.