My enormous thanks to lovely Jenni Kerr for ensuring that I received a copy of her latest book, The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/strong>. It\u2019s my pleasure to share my review today.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Published by Boldwood on 10th July 2026, The Secret of The Lantern Keepers<\/strong> is available for purchase through the links here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When Edith Averly is sent to investigate a murder at Green Briar Lunatic Asylum, a rambling gothic institution on the edge of the Cornish moors, she\u2019s horrified to realise that in order to infiltrate the asylum, she\u2019ll have to pretend to be mad herself\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Several weeks before her arrival, her beloved father stipulates in his will that his reclusive but strangely-gifted daughters must live apart from each other for a whole year in order to retain their family home. As a further condition of their inheritance, he assigns them each a crime that he was unable to solve during his recent years of armchair detecting.<\/span><\/p>\n The eldest sister, Edith, can see echoes of violent events from the past. So when she is sent to the remote Cornish asylum where the brutal murder of Dr Hawkins took place seven years ago \u2013 she is quickly overwhelmed by her disturbing visions and begins to fear for her both her sanity and her safety\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Because Green Briar is a place that asks more questions than it answers. Such as, why is the darkly-handsome new doctor in charge unable to meet her eye? Where do the patients keep disappearing to? And who are the Lantern Keepers and what are the secrets they keep?<\/span><\/p>\n Only Edith can find out\u2026 if Dr Hawkins\u2019 killer doesn\u2019t find her first.<\/span><\/p>\n Edith Averly\u2019s father has set her an unusual task in his will.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What a brilliant book! The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/strong> is part historical fiction, part slow burn romance, part crime fiction, part paranormal narrative and part murder mystery so that there truly is something for everyone between its pages. Any of these aspects individually make it a cracking read, but together they are far greater than the sum of their parts. I found The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/strong> gripping, insightful and fascinating.<\/span><\/p>\n Grounded in meticulous historical research of so-called lunatic asylums in the 1880s the narrative is shocking, feminist and all too believable. Jenni Keer plunges the reader right in the heart of social history. I thought the name of the asylum was inspired, because once Edit arrives she is ensnared much like a briar in clothing. Add in the dramatic plot and this book would make a fabulous series for television. I loved the visual quality of the descriptions because I could picture the settings, the clothing and the food so readily. Equally engaging is the sense of menace and uncertainty Edith discovers as she integrates into asylum life, especially as this is balanced by warmth and humour too.<\/span><\/p>\n Edith is a carefully crafted character who is utterly convincing. With an uneasy gift of being able to \u2018see\u2019 moments of heightened emotion from the past she is set the task to discover the brutal murder of Dr Hawkins in a remote Cornish asylum. Remarkably well organised and determined, she has simultaneously led a sheltered life with her sisters. This means that the reader is plunged into her new environment with her, making for an immersive reading experience. The gradual development of her relationship with Dr Lambert is a real joy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The plot of The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/strong> is completely absorbing. It\u2019s fast paced, highly cleverly constructed and so unpredictable that I found myself totally taken aback on several occasions. I thought the writing was so skilful because I had no idea what might happen next or who the murderer might be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, underneath the wonderful entertainment of the narrative are some important themes that have unsettling resonance in today\u2019s society, every bit as much as in Edith\u2019s era. Mental health, masculine dominance, social care, corruption, family bonds and responsibilities all swirl through the story, making it one that feels highly relevant.<\/span><\/p>\n I had no real idea what to expect from this story, but I thought The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/strong> was brilliant. Authentic, fresh and innovative, it held me rapt. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it completely. Not to be missed \u2013 though it has now made me determined to catch up with Jenni Keer\u2019s other books!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Jenni Keer lives in the glorious Suffolk countryside with her four grown up children, three demanding cats, but just the one husband. She still pinches herself that she gets paid for making up stories and truly believes being an author is the best job in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n She writes romantic historical fiction, often set in the late 1880s and early 1900s, in beautiful locations across the UK, from the rugged Norfolk coast to the eerie Cornish moors. If you love novels dripping with Gothic vibes, the grandeur of old country houses, and twisty plotlines full of long-hidden secrets and suspicious deaths, then you\u2019ll love Jenni\u2019s books.<\/span><\/p>\n Her bestselling book to date is No 23 Burlington Square, which has sold over 125,000 copies worldwide, and her latest release is the first in THE AVERLY SISTERS\u2019 TRILOGY, with The Secret of The Lantern Keepers out now.<\/span><\/p>\n For further information, visit Jenni\u2019s website <\/span>https:\/\/jennikeer.co.uk<\/span><\/a> and find her on X @JenniKeer<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0Bluesky<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/lindasbookbag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/lantern-keepers.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nMy Review of The Secret of the Lantern Keepers<\/span><\/h3>\n
About Jenni Keer<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n