“A whirlwind love affair, a wife who dies under mysterious circumstances, and a string of murder—and ghosts!—all set in a crumbling countryside estate in Provence. This haunting tale is everything you could want in a Gothic mystery that doesn’t also include a heroine named Jane Eyre.” — Redbook
Set in the lush countryside of Provence, Deborah Lawrenson’s The Lantern is an atmospheric modern gothic tale of love, suspicion, and murder, in the tradition of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca.
Drawn to a confident and artistic wealthy older man she barely knows, bookish Eve recklessly embarks on a whirlwind affair that soon offers a new life and a new home—Les Genévriers, a charming yet decaying hamlet nestled amid the fragrant lavender fields of Provence.
But with autumn’s arrival the days begin to cool—and so, too, does Dom. Though Eve knows he bears the emotional scars of a failed marriage—which he refuses to talk about—his silence arouses suspicion and uncertainty. And, like its owner, Les Genévriers is also changing. Bright, warm rooms have turned cold and uninviting; shadows now fall unexpectedly; and Eve senses a presence moving through the garden. Is it a ghost from the past—or a manifestation of her current troubles with Dom? Can she trust Dom—or could her life truly be in danger?
An evocative tale of romantic and psychological suspense, The Lantern masterfully melds past and present, secrets and lies, appearances and disappearances—along with our age-old fear of the dark.
Deborah Lawrenson studied English at Cambridge University and worked as a journalist in London. She is married with a daughter, and lives in Kent, England. Deborah’s previous novels include The Lantern and The Sea Garden.
What People are Saying About This
Garth Stein
“With The Lantern, Deborah Lawrenson delivers a feast of sights, sounds and smells that grow and change and linger, like a wonderfully complex perfume. I was captivated by this marvelous, haunting book—at times vivid and lush, at times provocative and chilling.”
Tatiana de Rosnay
“I absolutely adored this beautifully written, modern Gothic novel, set in Provence, full of scents, colors and mystery. Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s classic, Rebecca, The Lantern will hook you in from the start and weave its dark, lush magic around you.”
Danielle Trussoni
“A seductive mixture of a Gothic ghost story and a modern romance. . . . If the story doesn’t keep you up all night reading, the sharp and beautiful descriptions of the South of France will. Deborah Lawrenson has written an alluring, dark novel that will haunt you and leave you wanting more.”
Paula McLain
“Deborah Lawrenson is a master of mood and shadow as she spins this absorbing tale of intense passion and growing dread. Her Provence is sumptuous and forbidding and utterly real. Prepare to be riveted.”
