The Lighthouse by Alex Bell

On Bird Rock, gannets circle and thick mist surrounds the lighthouse at its centre, hiding the secrets of a tragic past within …

From the second they set foot on the island to join their dad and his new family, Jess and Rosie feel that something’s wrong. Nightmares haunt their dreams and there seems to be someone, or something, else with them in the lighthouse – their home for the summer.

Counting down the days until they can leave, Jess and Rosie decide to investigate. But when Rosie disappears, the countdown takes on a new meaning. Especially when no one but Jess remembers Rosie at all…

---

I haven't read Alex Bell before, but I read Point Horror and Christopher Pike when they were cool, I read Charlie Higson's zombie series and Micheal Grant's Gone, I read Stephen King now. This'll be fine, right? Nothing can be as bad as those!

Oh, how I envy two days ago me's innocence.

To be fair, it starts out merely creepy, with a spooky setting and strange birds. That's like a lot of books. Then Alex starts to pile on the tension. And then...I don't want to spoil it, but it is up there in the blurb...Rosie vanishes, not just physically but from everyone's memories as well. Jess's panic and horror are painful to read, especially as she realises she's starting to forget her sister too.

When I was reading the scene in the cellar, I had to sit up and turn on some extra lights.

And it doesn't even end there! Alex drops a huge sequel hook right near the end, and I very much hope it gets picked up. Although some of the mysteries have been solved, there's still plenty left to find out about the lighthouse and its strange inhabitants.

Alex has a gift for capturing emotions both good and bad, and I felt everything her characters did. I'll be going to look for some more of her writing. But...maybe in the sunshine?

The Lighthouse publishes on the 29th of September, 2022. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.