Review: The Lamplighter

It's funny--I've been reading a lot of good books in general, and try to be picky as such so that I self-select against the rotten apples, but it's not so often that a book keeps my mind's attention even when I'm reading another book, keeps me awake till the wee hours and after, and makes me wonder about the existence of human nature.

Edinburgh, 1886, and several men are being murdered in an unbelievably gruesome fashion. The first known victim is found on several streets, his flesh ripped apart and strewn all over the place. The grave of a distinguished colonel, dead fourteen years, is brutally desecrated. And in each case, a cryptic note is left--what to make of phrase like "Innocentium Persecutor" and "Ce Grand Trompeur"?

There are two parallel investigations. The first is lead by Inspector Carus Groves, who had long been overshadowed by the legendary exploits of another Inspector known as the Wax Man. Groves is anxious and eager to solve the case in order to bolster the content of his memoirs, which he writes every single day (and excerpts are included at key moments). The second, and most unofficial, is led by a disillusioned professor of logic and metaphysics, Thomas McKnight, and his friend and younger assistant, the watchman Joseph Canavan. Both investigations lead to a mysterious, enigmatic woman named Evelyn Todd, who claims to see the murders in her dreams while they are happening. To say that she is troubled is an understatement, and the truth turns out to be far, far stranger, and leads to Canavan and McKnight facing a showdown with the worst of all evil, the kind that wasn't even supposed to exist....

There are so many layers to this book. It starts out as a complex mystery, with troubling questions--who could possibly have committed such horrible murders? The actions of each of the main characters show their flaws and agendas, especially poor Groves, who just wants to gain a greater reputation. Then there are the conversations between McKnight and Canavan, the latter trying to catch up to the knowledge of his mentor and friend. The exchanges on logic and philosophy are fascinating. When the first twist comes at the midpoint of the book, I was stunned. As more information dropped in, I couldn't believe what was happening and yet, no matter how fantastical and grandiose the actions were, they were believable in context. And the climax is something to behold.

THE LAMPLIGHTER is a beautifully written, incredibly atmospheric novel that will make you think, long and hard, about logic, evil, and humankind. And it'll probably scare the hell out of you as well.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sarah - RAM

Book Review: The Lamplighter