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

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.

Good story. Full of twists and turns that keeps you guessing until the end.
Definitely worth a read.

Few authors have made such an impact on me as Louise Swanson (AKA Louise Beech). Since reading the brilliant End Of Story I’ve been reading through her back catalogue and I’ve loved most of them.

Lights Out stars Grace, she works as a carer in an end of life hospice, and is afraid of the dark. The Government has imposed a night-time electricity switch off.

The switch off introduces a slightly speculative feel, the public react badly, there’s quite a few things going on with Grace and her anxieties at the centre.

This is an unusual book, as much Grace’s character story as it is a thriller. There’s a few sentences in the book that captured it ‘…a book that needed to find the right reader; a genre that didn’t fit easily into a box. That only when a lover of that unusual category found him would he find his voice’.

It kept it reading, and interested. I know the right reader will love this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton

I enjoyed this book. A government scheme to save electricity by having lights out each night. What happens when darkness comes! A slow burn thriller with a fantastic ending! Thanks for the opportunity.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
Well this was an addictive read! The author does a very good job of capturing the essence of the darkness. Centred around Grace a very needy and unstable character with a backstory of secrets and is convincingly portrayed. Wonderfully written this book is so much more than just a thriller, more a journey of discovery and how people’s lives entwine. A few red herrings and a nice twist add depth. A different type of read for me but one I found very enjoyable

Not too long ago this premise would have been deemed dystopian, however it's much more of a threat these days. What happens in the dark? Houses rot, people descend into madness and evil creeps over. It was a stunning read and a scenario I can well imagine in Brirtain in 2024 sadly.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eCopy to review

Lights Out is a solid thriller. In an effort to achieve their Green goals the Government has decreed that electricity be switched off from 8pm to 7 am what follows is chaos as houses become damp and mouldy, fridges break, people become unwell from the freezing cold and damp. As if all this is not bad enough Grace has to contend with her childhood fear of the dark which she has never been able to overcome. Already terrified Grace almost reaches breaking point when someone starts breaking into her house and leaving little gifts. I liked the characters, the plot moved along well and I was rooting for Grace to overcome her fears.

A very clever book, with some ingenious twists

A scary and believable thriller set in the near future when the Government decides to turn off the electricity at night for civilians. Great storytelling and characters plus a strong sense of emotion. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

What can I say except this is one of the scariest books I've read. Based in our world where the government decide to save the planet the electricity must go off from 8pm until 7am. To Grace who has always been afraid of the dark this is her worst nightmare. A completely different kind of scary but nevertheless a brilliant one , more so because it could happen. Louse is a brilliant writer and I can't recommend her highly enough

In their infinite wisdom, the Government of the UK decide that due to the escalating climate change crisis, they would be implementing a new policy, Lights Out, to combat the excessive usage of electricity. Each night at 8 p.m. there would be a power cut, with the electricity reinstated at 7 a.m. the following morning. This is to be for a couple of months in the first instance. Major services would not be affected, neither would London, which obviously goes without saying! The government statement of its “the first priority is always the safety of our country”, is oft quoted. In a particularly cold snap during January this is an unbelievable statement and the decision seems cruel and immoral, with the general public suffering greatly.

Grace, the main protagonist is terrified of the dark, to such an extent that her life becomes almost unbearable, waiting for the 8 p.m. switch off is all she thinks about. How will she cope when facing her worst fear? Without giving spoilers, Grace does not have an easy time!

I love Louise Swanson’s writing so much, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this. The characterisation is absolutely superb, the issues raised so very true in today’s society, all written with compassion and empathy, and the plot wonderful, like peeling an onion, the layers keep unfurling.

I thoroughly recommend this perfection of a book, the best I have read in ages.

5 GOLD ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton.

Most of all, thank you Louise Swanson.