Book Summary and Reviews of The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke

Book Summary

Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. Twenty years later, one is found--but she's still the same age as when she disappeared. The secrets of witches have reached across the centuries in this chilling Gothic thriller from the author of the acclaimed The Nesting.

When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it's an opportunity to start over with her three daughters--Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she's frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.

Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she's initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers--except she's still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she'll have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she doesn't realize just how much the truth will change her.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The island of Lòn Haven is described as having a "Viking soul." How does this setting shape the story? In what ways does it seem to affect the characters who live there?
2. Discuss Saffy's relationship with her mother. Why do you think she hates her so much?
3. Why do you think Luna is so reluctant to marry Ethan?
4. How is motherhood explored throughout the novel? How does Liv feel about it, and why do you think that is? Do her feelings change?
5. How do you think Patrick's experiences affected him? What did you think about his actions toward Liv?
6. At one point in the novel, Liv asks Isla why she stays on Lòn Haven, given its history of disappearances, including Isla's little brother. Why do you think ...