The Lantern ~ Deborah Lawrenson

This is a great "curl up in a comfy chair and let it scare you silly" book.

It begins with a haunting scent. And southern France in the autumn with the many winds moaning and howling over the rocky, vine-clad hills. And, of course, murder.

You are just not quite sure who's murder to focus on. And the police make the same mistake, as Continental police will do for some literary reason.

There are young girls going missing. There are tales of wives and family going missing. There are motives for murder and gaping holes in the past that beg explanation. There are the many things that go bump in the night and a villa that is crashing down around its inhabitants.

And nothing is as it seems.

The Lantern is a true Gothic mystery, a ghost tale in a lushly haunting setting. The language, too, is lush and lyrical, drawing you into the tale.

In fact, this lovely language is the only reason I would limit its audience to older teens and adults. Like the great Gothic tales of the 19th century, the language of The Lantern is for book lovers not the casual reader. It's, I think, just beyond the average kid. However, anyone who has enjoyed Rebecca and Wuthering Heights will love The Lantern!