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 wealthy older man, Eve embarks on a whirlwind romance that soon offers a new life and a new home—Les Genévriers, a charming hamlet amid the fragrant lavender fields of Provence. But Eve finds it impossible to ignore the mysteries that haunt both her lover and the run-down old house. The more reluctant Dom is to tell her about his past, the more she is drawn to it—and to the mysterious disappearance of his beautiful ex-wife. 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.
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"I just let this book take me away. Some people found the switching back and forth from past to present; the different points of view taking over; found it confusing, but I did not. I just let it happen and I enjoyed it. It was like magic. "
— Mary (5 out of 5 stars)
“A luscious mix of romance and gothic ghost story.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine“A smart, gothic bodice ripper that transcends the genre, thanks in part to journalist Lawrenson’s gift for bringing the senses to life.”
— People“Sensuous…Lawrenson’s poetic prose vibrantly conjures up both the beauty of southern France and the ghosts, real or imagined, from different eras.”
— Entertainment Weekly“A modern gothic tale set in the lavender-scented landscape of Provence…Serves up an escapist mix of mystery, romance, and murder.”
— Wall Street Journal“Offers a vivid escape to an intriguing place…Lawrenson embellishes her merging stores with description of the rich scents surrounding the hamlet: rosemary, ripe figs, and a breath of lavender so fresh that readers might close their eyes and inhale, expecting a faint whiff of the purple-flowering plant.”
— Washington Post" This book was meh. The "big reveal" of what happened to Rachel was a big let down and a bit of a cop out. And the "big romance", which was the central relationship of the novel, I never saw happen. Probably because the author TOLD us it happened within a few pages and as the reader we're just supposed to go with it: "Meeting Dom was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to me. A classic whirlwind romance.". I would've cared more about what happened to these lovebirds if I'd seen any semblance of a romance between them. As it was, I couldn't understand why she didn't just leave the guy, his big "Rachel secret" and the creepy house and go find a fabulous Frenchman somewhere else in Provence. "
— Noelle, 2/9/2014" I loved this book! A little over-descriptive in places, but otherwise I couldn't stop reading. Excellent build-up of mystery and tension throughout. "
— Jen, 1/31/2014" Took reading most of the book before I became interested. Almost gave it up but enjoyed the way the author described scenes. Not really much of a plot but the last 1/4 of book brought the different time frames together. "
— Denese, 1/27/2014" A modern gothic novel of secrets, love and murder set against the lush backdrop of Provence. "
— Tiffin-Seneca, 1/26/2014" A very well-thought out story. It was a little like a Mary Higgins Clark story, but I thought it played out much too slowly for my taste. "
— Shauna, 1/26/2014" what could have been a good ghost story limps to a explanatory end "
— Susan, 1/15/2014" Lawrenson is a very descriptive writer, now I'm into reading about Provence. Good book, I thought it was just a well written ghost story/mystery, but packs a triple punch at the end! "
— Liza, 1/15/2014" Great gothic read. It is difficult to find books of this genre now-a-days and I would definitely read more books by this author. "
— Sandy, 1/3/2014" If you love Rebecca, you will like The Lantern. It is a very obvious tribute to Du Maurier, sometimes a bit too much of one. But modern gothic-y fun. "
— Jan, 12/23/2013" This rating should actually be 3 1/2 stars. Good story but not as creepy as I would have liked and a little too much description. All in all, well worth reading. "
— Cindy, 12/19/2013" SLOOOOOOW. Builds to a conclusion that is satisfying only because the book is finally over. Skip. "
— Karen, 11/24/2013" One of my friends lent me this book. I found it confusing at first until I got the feel of the book. Good book to read, now I would like to read Rebecca. "
— Lauren~, 11/11/2013" ok it's definitely a beach read 4 stars; 3.5 elsewhere. ghosts, mystery, past and present stories coming together. a little fluffy, but overall well developed and paced "
— Meg, 6/13/2013" Actually would rate this 4.25-4.50. Read the first 25% with no idea what was going on. Almost gave up so glad I stayed with it. Great story, loved how it all wrapped up in the end "
— Hope, 5/25/2013" This book was timely for me as I was reading it on vacation after days after driving through Provence, so that was a kick for me. As far as the actual book goes, it was a decent beach read. "
— Bzak2, 2/27/2013" It was an okay read. A bit too shallow in character development but entertaining. It probably would make an enjoyable movie. "
— Lois, 2/26/2013" A hauntingly, beautifully written book. I enjoyed the lush descriptions and the bow to "Rebecca". :) "
— Beth, 1/10/2013" A real page-turner. Part Gothic, part CSI, all good. Sure to please! "
— Barbara, 10/24/2012" Sort of a modern day "Rebecca." Set in a French villa. "
— Linden, 8/18/2012" This book was recommended to me by a friend - mostly because it takes place in France. I didn't get through the first 50 pages. It just didn't interest me - I found it boring. "
— Janna, 7/4/2012" 3 1/4 stars for this one. . . .it was good but not great. The storyline didn't really captivate me and the ending was a big let down. . . nothing like "Rebecca" (which it has been compared to). "
— Mendy-Sue, 6/10/2012" Attracted to the setting in Provence, I picked up this book with parallel stories in time, the connection being an old farm house/village. The older story is interesting and well developed the modern story felt lacking. "
— Cynthia, 3/20/2012" I LOVED this book... so reminiscent of "Rebecca"--with a mixture of modern gothic undertones woven into the mystery. I wish it could have gone on and on. "
— Nancy, 3/3/2012" I was disappointed in this book. I had trouble following the transitions from chapter to chapter as the narrator changed. Just felt that there was a lot missing. Meh, "
— Debbie, 1/23/2012" Good book, although I'm not much into ghost stories. It did not turn out as expected, in a good way. The descriptions of the old hamlet are so detailed it made me want to move into one and fix it up myself. "
— Elise, 11/4/2011" Attracted to the setting in Provence, I picked up this book with parallel stories in time, the connection being an old farm house/village. The older story is interesting and well developed the modern story felt lacking. "
— Cynthia, 11/2/2011" This book is probably a 3+. Part of the story is aactually told by a ghost and I'm not big into that, but it was interwoven with current happenings. It actually made it intriguing and I definitely wanted to read it to the end. "
— Peggy, 10/30/2011" This was a fun read and was reminiscent of Rebecca, but included a storyline that took place in history as well as the current storyline. <br/> <br/> "
— Julie, 10/26/2011" The book contained many of the elements of my favorite reads: mystery, dynamics of human relationships, and a setting in a foreign country. "
— Carole, 10/25/2011" couldn't wait for this book to just end. "
— Sharon, 10/23/2011" A woman, nicknamed Eve, and her lover have purchased an old house in Provence. From the beginning, though, they are surrounded by the memories and spirits of the area. <br/><br/>A gorgeous book in the vein of Rebecca. "
— Becky, 10/22/2011" This was a little slow moving despite the alternating chapters. I'd still recommend it though. "
— Rachel, 10/21/2011Deborah Lawrenson grew up in Kuwait, China, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Singapore. She studied English at Cambridge University and has worked as a journalist for various publications in England, including the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, and Woman’s Journal magazine. She lives in Kent, England, and she and her family spend as much time as possible at a crumbling hamlet in Provence, France, the setting for The Lantern.