Overview

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke is a haunting, beautifully layered novel that blurs the line between myth and reality. Set on a windswept Scottish island, it combines gothic atmosphere, family drama, and folklore into a deeply emotional story about motherhood, loss, and legacy. The book follows Liv, a single mother who moves with her daughters to a remote island to paint a mural inside an old lighthouse. But the island, known locally as Lon Haven, carries dark memories of witch trials and whispered legends of “wildlings”—children who return changed, not quite human.

Writing & Atmosphere

Cooke’s prose is richly atmospheric and immersive. You can almost smell the sea salt and feel the chill of mist rolling over the cliffs. The author captures the eerie isolation of the island perfectly, using it as both a setting and a metaphor for grief and generational trauma. The tone is gothic but grounded; even as strange events unfold, the emotional reality of the characters keeps the story believable and heartbreaking.

What makes this novel stand out is its structure—told through multiple timelines and perspectives, including the 1600s witch trials that haunt the present. These threads weave together seamlessly, deepening the mystery rather than confusing it. Cooke’s control of pacing ensures that every reveal feels earned.

Characters

Liv is a quietly powerful protagonist—creative, wounded, and doing her best to hold her family together after loss. Her daughters, Sapphire and Luna, are drawn with tenderness and complexity, their sibling dynamic full of both love and tension. The supporting characters—the locals of Lon Haven—add to the sense of unease, each guarding secrets about the island’s dark history. Cooke excels at making every voice distinct, even when timelines shift.

Themes

At its core, The Lighthouse Witches is about the fears that come with motherhood—what it means to protect your children from a world that doesn’t always understand them. It also explores how women across generations have been labeled, mistrusted, and punished for their strength or strangeness. The folklore of changelings becomes a powerful metaphor for difference, trauma, and the cycle of misunderstanding that history repeats.

What Worked

• Beautifully eerie setting: The Scottish coast feels alive and full of personality.
• Strong emotional core: Cooke’s portrayal of motherhood and loss hits hard.
• Folklore that feels real: The mythology blends seamlessly with modern life.
• Smart structure: The alternating timelines enrich, rather than complicate, the narrative.

Minor Quibbles

• The climax resolves quickly after such slow, exquisite build-up—it’s satisfying but slightly rushed.
• Readers who prefer straightforward thrillers might find the folklore elements too supernatural.

Final Thoughts

With its blend of haunting atmosphere, emotional depth, and folklore-inspired mystery, The Lighthouse Witches is a modern gothic triumph. It’s as much about the ghosts of the past as the fears of the present, and it lingers long after you’ve closed the book.

Rating: ★★★★½☆ (4.5/5)