Letters From The Lighthouse

From the queen of historical fiction, Letters From the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll is a stunningly evocative wartime drama, and sure to keep you breathlessly reading to its very last page.

We weren't supposed to be going to the pictures that night. We weren't even meant to be outside, not in a blackout, and definitely not when German bombs had been falling on London all month like pennies from a jar.

February, 1941. After months of bombing raids in London, twelve-year-old Olive Bradshaw and her little brother Cliff are evacuated to the Devon coast. The only person with two spare beds is Mr Ephraim, the local lighthouse keeper. But he's not used to company and he certainly doesn't want any evacuees.

Desperate to be helpful, Olive becomes his post-girl, carrying secret messages (as she likes to think of the letters) to the villagers. But Olive has a secret of her own. Her older sister Sukie went missing in an air raid, and she's desperate to discover what happened to her. And then she finds a strange coded note which seems to link Sukie to Devon, and to something dark and impossibly dangerous.

'A gripping adventure.' Guardian

'A triumph.' The Bookseller

'Carroll sews together accessible history with a cracking plot and a character to love in the strong, principled Olive.' The Times, Children's Book of the Week

What readers are saying:

'I recommend that you buy this book now!!' Hugo, age 11

'Buy this book because it has lots of action, mystery and tragedy.' Joshua, age 10

'An amazing book.' Skye, age 9

'This is the book for you. It has secret, mystery and suspense, how could you not like this?' Roman, age 11

'It will be the most incredible book you've ever read.' Ananya, age 9



An adventure of old-fashioned charm ― Sunday Times, Book of the Week

If your middle grade kids (ages 8-12) haven't discovered Emma Carroll yet, then they're missing out. ― Irish Times

A triumph: a finely crafted and deeply atmospheric mystery, with themes of prejudice, refugees and belonging which resonate poignantly with current world events. ― The Bookseller

This is modern classic which should be read and loved by generations to come. -- Alison Kerridge ― Waterstones, Bury St Edmunds

Emma Carroll is brilliant. Everything she writes is brilliant. This is a fact. Yet, somehow, she has managed to top her previous works with the stunning Letters From The Lighthouse. There are some true heart-in-your-mouth moments and heavily moving parts that make it so difficult to put it down. You simply need this book if you're a Year 5 or 6 teacher. ― The Teaching Booth

There are echoes of Michael Morpurgo and Nina Bawden, but in a style of her own Carroll (The Girl Who Walked on Air, Strange Star) sews together accessible history with a cracking plot and a character to love in the strong, principled Olive. This gripping read for anyone aged 7 or over is a pertinent reminder of how the effort of a group of individuals can shine light on the darkest of nights. ― The Times Children's Book of the Week

A gripping adventure...interwoven with a plea to welcome refugees with generosity, rather than mistrust. ― Guardian

With a rich cast of village characters and a theme of prejudice and acceptance, it brings history close to us ― Sunday Times Summer Reading

Letters from the Lighthouse will appeal to readers of all dispositions, as Carroll ensures the historical elements never overwhelm the story, which is as accessible as anything set in modern times. That said, Letters From the Lighthouse will also sit nicely with other classic second World War tales, like Nina Bawden's Carrie's War and, more recently, Shirley Hughes's Whistling in the Dark. ― Irish Times

Emma Carroll is a natural storyteller and her sixth novel cements her place as the go-to writer for middle-grade historical fiction. ― Booktrust

A terrific evocation of the privations of wartime. this builds into a story about what happens when compassion prevails over fear, and generosity over self-interest. It's a bit like Enid Blyton with a social conscience, and beautifully realised too. ― Financial Times

Carroll (The Girl Who Walked on Air, Strange Star) sews together accessible history with a cracking plot and a character to love ― Sunday Times

Has the feel of a classic ― Sunday Times

The tension builds until the very end, which doesn't whitewash the harsh realities of conflict. ― Daily Mail

Emma Carroll follows her previous books with another beautifully written story. ― Sunday Express