The Lantern (eBook)

Description

A modern gothic novel of love, secrets, and murder—set against thelush 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.

About the Author

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.

Praise for The Lantern…

âeoeThe Lantern is a smart, gothic, bodice ripper that transcends the genre, thanks . . . to Lawrensonâe(TM)s gift for bringing the senses to life.âe
-People (3 ½ stars)

âeoeDeborah Lawrensonâe(TM)s new novel, a modern Gothic tale set in the lavender-scented landscape of Provence, serves up an escapist mix of mystery, romance and murder.âe
-Wall Street Journal

âeoeI absolutely adored this beautifully written, modern Gothic novel, set in Provence, full of scents, colors and mystery. Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurierâe(TM)s classic, Rebecca, The Lantern will hook you in from the start and weave its dark, lush magic around you.âe
-Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key and A Secret Kept

âeoeSensuousâe¦. Lawrensonâe(TM)s poetic prose vibrantly conjures up both the beauty of southern France and the ghosts, real or imagined, from different eras. B+âe
-Entertainment Weekly

âeoeWith 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 bookâe"at times vivid and lush, at times provocative and chilling.âe
-Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

âeoeA seductive mixture of a Gothic ghost story and a modern romance. . . . If the story doesnâe(TM)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.âe
-Danielle Trussoni, author of Angelology

âeoeA luscious mix of romance and gothic ghost story.âe
-O, The Oprah Magazine

âeoeDeborah 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.âe
-Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife