About The Lantern
• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper (August 9, 2011)
“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.” –Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
“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.” –Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah’s Key and A Secret Kept
A modern gothic novel of love, secrets, and murder—set against the lush backdrop of Provence
Meeting Dom was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to me. When Eve falls for the secretive, charming Dom in Switzerland, their whirlwind relationship leads them to Les Genévriers, an abandoned house set among the fragrant lavender fields of the South of France. Each enchanting day delivers happy discoveries: hidden chambers, secret vaults, a beautiful wrought-iron lantern. Deeply in love and surrounded by music, books, and the heady summer scents of the French countryside, Eve has never felt more alive.
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—one he refuses to talk about—his silence arouses suspicion and uncertainty. The more reticent Dom is to explain, the more Eve becomes obsessed with finding answers—and with unraveling the mystery of his absent, beautiful ex-wife, Rachel.
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 be in danger?
Eve does not know that Les Genévriers has been haunted before. Bénédicte Lincel, the house’s former owner, thrived as a young girl within the rich elements of the landscape: the violets hidden in the woodland, the warm wind through the almond trees. She knew the bitter taste of heartbreak and tragedy—long-buried family secrets and evil deeds that, once unearthed, will hold shocking and unexpected consequences for Eve.
The Lantern is already being compared to the classic Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. To explore this interesting similarity, Harper is also offering copies of Rebecca to tour participants should they want to read both books in order to compare them. This is not a requirement for participation, but would add another level of interest to those who may not have heard of Deborah Lawrenson but who have read Rebecca.
About Deborah Lawrenson
Deborah 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.
Connect with Deborah:
Deborah’s Tour Stops (blogs with asterisks will do a review comparing The Lantern to Rebecca):
Tuesday, August 9th: A Soul Unsung
Wednesday, August 10th: Wordsmithonia
Thursday, August 11th: nomadreader
Friday, August 12th: Life In Review
Tuesday, August 16th: Unabridged Chick *
Wednesday, August 17th: Books Like Breathing
Thursday, August 18th: The Road to Here *
Friday, August 19th: The Lost Entwife
Monday, August 22th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Tuesday, August 23rd: Dolce Bellezza *
Wednesday, August 24th: Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, August 24th: Rundpinne
Thursday, August 25th: Bookstack
Friday, August 26th: Café of Dreams *
Monday, August 29th: Raging Bibliomania
Wednesday, August 31st: JenandthePen *
Thursday, September 1st: Book-a-rama
Tuesday, September 6th: Book Dilettante
Sunday, September 11th: Book Hooked Blog
Wednesday, September 14th: Colloquium
Harvee/Book Dilettante says
Glad to be part of the tour on Sept. 6, Trish!