Emma Stonex is a novelist and The Lamplighters is her debut under her own name; she is the author of several books written under a pseudonym. Before becoming a writer, she worked as an editor at a major publishing house. She lives in Bristol with her husband and two young daughters.
Shy Creatures (2024) Clare Chambers "Shy Creatures is a magnificent novel, elegantly written, beautifully devised and radiant with treasures to surprise and delight. It is both a compelling mystery about a lonely man with a hidden past and a deeply involving study of human frailty, divided loyalties, and what it means to help someone. Clare Chambers is a writer of formidable skill and this is her best work yet, penned with such intelligence, tenderness and emotional acuity, it took my breath away. I loved it to its bones."
The Kellerby Code (2024) Jonny Sweet "Tom Ripley meets The Wych Elm in this creepy, acerbic, darkly funny thriller about loneliness, ambition and the lengths we go to to escape ourselves. Sweet is as interested in themes of love and revenge as he is in skewering the elite, in a novel whose dialogue is pin-sharp and whose pages ripple with tension. A hugely enjoyable and impressive debut."
The Painter's Daughters (2024) Emily Howes "A beautifully written, impressively researched novel about sisterly love, art and sacrifice, The Painter's Daughters is historical fiction at its finest. Both entertaining and enlightening, it swept me along in its galloping pace while teaching me about a world I never knew. Howes is a talent to be reckoned with. Wonderful."
Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge (2024) Lizzie Pook "Thrilling, heartfelt and utterly compulsive, Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge is a triumphant second novel. It is that rare thing - a gripping adventure story and an intelligent, richly textured portrait of a moment in history. Every page is steeped in atmosphere, from the gallows of Victorian London to the perils of polar exploration aboard the great ship Makepeace, as Pook combines impressive research with fine-tuned characterisation, a galloping plot and absolute command of her story. This is a glorious creation indeed - I loved it."
The Witching Tide (2023) Margaret Meyer "A superb writer. The world Margaret Meyer conjures in The Witching Tide is elegant and haunting, utterly beguiling and so convincing of time and place. I was moved and gripped by Martha's plight, captivated by the gleaming details of the prose and horrified at the wider picture they revealed. As with all great historical fiction, The Witching Tide gives voice to the unspoken and brings light to dark places, drawing to the surface those stories that need to be told and need us to listen. I loved it."
The Shell House Detectives (2023) (Shell House Detectives Mystery, book 1) Emylia Hall "The mystery is perfectly paced and the characters vivid and true, inviting us to join in as fellow sleuths as we unravel the secrets of the past. I can't wait to return to Cornwall with Emylia Hall for the next adventure."
The Housekeepers (2023) Alex Hay "Fun, fast-paced, and totally immersive, The Housekeepers is a rare jewel worth coveting. Combining vivid characterization, irresistible historical detail, and a rip-roaring plot, it's a hugely enjoyable heist novel that delivers on every page. Sensational!"
Ghost Girl, Banana (2023) Wiz Wharton "A gripping and evocative tale of family secrets, courage, adversity and love. Sook-Yin and Lily's stories are beautifully told and truly unforgettable . . . such accomplished storytelling and gorgeous prose. Brilliant."
Queen K (2023) Sarah Thomas "Thrilling, revealing and disturbing, Queen K dives deep into the hidden lives of the mega-rich, the dark structures of privilege and power, and the lies we tell ourselves to keep the illusion afloat. Thomas knows her subject inside out and it shows - her dazzling debut is both a gripping mystery and a relevant treatise on the dangers of wealth without limits."
The Garnett Girls (2023) Georgina Moore "Pure pleasure. Indulgent, escapist, and gorgeously atmospheric, The Garnett Girls is a sweeping saga of family secrets, glamour and betrayal, in the tradition of Penny Vincenzi and Louise Bagshawe but with a style and heart all its own. Wonderful."
What July Knew (2023) Emily Koch "Tenderly told and utterly compelling, this coming-of-age mystery is as full of twists and surprises as it is of heart. July is an unforgettable lead - I loved following her back to the 90s!"
Becky (2023) Sarah May "Becky by the supremely talented Sarah May is spiky, clever, funny and dark . . . I'm riveted."
Tell Me an Ending (2022) Jo Harkin "An extraordinary novel - intelligent and searching, with deep questions about humanity, history and self. Expansive in its scope and themes, but never losing touch with its characters' hearts and minds, Tell Me an Ending is gripping, inventive, and a memory I'll never forget."
Sundial (2022) Catriona Ward "Catriona Ward has done it again with Sundial. Elegantly horrifying, this tale of a family's darker-than-dark past drives the knife in deep and isn't afraid to twist. It's a desert-dust nightmare with a scorpion's sting, and I LOVED it."
Wahala (2022) Nikki May "Brilliant... a funny, tragic, piercing portrait of modern women and friendship, written in glittering and discerning prose."
The Maid (2022) (Molly the Maid mystery, book 1) Nita Prose "I enjoyed every minute of this twisty yet tender thriller. The Maid is gripping, deftly written, and led by a truly unforgettable protagonist in Molly. I'm recommending it to everyone I know."
The Key in the Lock (2022) Beth Underdown "Underdown's latest is a gothic mystery of the highest order. Chilling, sad, beautiful, and so elegantly conjured, it's a story that summons du Maurier but retains ghosts all its own. I raced through it, my heart in my mouth. Superb."
Devotion (2022) Hannah Kent "A superb novel. A fantastic merging of exquisite lyrical writing and page-turning adventure. Devotion had me constantly surprised, always entertained, and ultimately deeply moved: it deserves to be a glittering success."
Black Drop (2021) (Laurence Jago, book 1) Leonora Nattrass "A thrilling slice of pitch-dark historical fiction, led by a superbly engaging narrator. Entertaining and deftly written, this gripping tale of murder and treachery on the smouldering streets of eighteenth-century London deserves to be huge."
The Mad Women's Ball (2021) Victoria Mas "The Mad Women's Ball is a darkly sumptuous tale of wicked spectacle, wild injustice, and the insuppressible strength of women . . . as moving as it is macabre."
The Lip (2021) Charlie Carroll "A moving and affecting novel about life on the edge, with a very special flavour of wild and rugged Cornwall."
