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Lighthouses: An Anthology of Dark Tales
Black Beacon Books presents an anthology of dark tales about lighthouses and beacons. This unique book offers you, the most daring of readers, fourteen original stories of horror, mystery, suspense, and adventure.
Within these pages lurk monsters from the depths of the seas and the far reaches of the cosmos. There are murders to solve, hauntings to investigate, and loved ones to be rescued. There are tales of hidden treasure, timeless curses, and ancient orders. Seafarers face ferocious storms while families fall apart and lighthouse keepers lose their sanity.
The storm is coming, so batten down the hatches and let Lighthouses guide you into the darkness.
Within these pages lurk monsters from the depths of the seas and the far reaches of the cosmos. There are murders to solve, hauntings to investigate, and loved ones to be rescued. There are tales of hidden treasure, timeless curses, and ancient orders. Seafarers face ferocious storms while families fall apart and lighthouse keepers lose their sanity.
The storm is coming, so batten down the hatches and let Lighthouses guide you into the darkness.
- GenresHorrorAnthologiesMystery
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2015
8 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Cameron Trost
54 books685 followersCameron Trost is an author of mystery, suspense, post-apocalyptic, and horror fiction best known for his puzzles featuring Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable. He has written four novels, Dead on the Dolmen, Flicker, The Tunnel Runner, and Letterbox, and three collections, Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable, Hoffman's Creeper and Other Disturbing Tales, and The Animal Inside. He runs the independent press, Black Beacon Books, and is a member of the Australian Crime Writers Association and The Short Mystery Fiction Society. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, his home is now in southern Brittany, between the rugged coast and treacherous marshland.
I aim to rate every book I finish and I usually leave a short review. I rarely leave one-star or two-star ratings. If I don't like a book, I won't finish or rate it. I'm here to share good reads.
Reviewers: Send me a message if you'd like to receive ebook copies for review.
Authors: If you'd like to suggest I review your book, get in touch via my blog: https://trostlibrary.blogspot.com/p/b...
You can find me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, TikTok, and other platforms. Complete links here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost
I aim to rate every book I finish and I usually leave a short review. I rarely leave one-star or two-star ratings. If I don't like a book, I won't finish or rate it. I'm here to share good reads.
Reviewers: Send me a message if you'd like to receive ebook copies for review.
Authors: If you'd like to suggest I review your book, get in touch via my blog: https://trostlibrary.blogspot.com/p/b...
You can find me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, TikTok, and other platforms. Complete links here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 23, 2026
3.5 stars
short review for busy readers:
An Australian anthology centring on lighthouses, both modern and historical. Many have a paranormal or horror aspect, but not all. Varying genres, not all nautical. At 3.5 stars, about par for a themed anthology.
in detail:
My big discovery from this volume was Deborah Sheldon whose story "Will 'O the Wisp" is one of, it not the best, of the collection.
Other top faves were "Scrimshaw" by Duncan Richardson, based on a true story that took place on a lighthouse island in Wales (terrifying!), and "The Last Keeper" by Linda Brucesmith, which includes a magical, talking lighthouse.
"Into the Light" by Alice Godwin is also a very good entry. Romantasy with somewhat flowery chick lit writing is not my thing, but the story is pretty good as is the dreamy atmosphere of an oceanic "otherworld".
Here's a run down of the individual stories:
1. Light House, Dark House by Greg Chapman
Silly and overwrought attempt at being scary with a lighthouse. 2 stars
2. Scrimshaw by Duncan Richardson
One of the lighthouse men on a remote island dies, what will the other man do with the body? Based on a true story. 5 stars
3. Horror at Hollow Head by Cameron Trost
Treasure hunters get more than they bargained for in this little town. Slight nod to Lovecraft. 🦑2.5 stars
4. Psychopomp by Mark McAuliffe
Don't eat the mushrooms, you may see your real desires. And they're not fit to be shared. 4 stars
5. Trepidation by Danielle Birch
What's a 14-yr old run away to do when both his parents are abusive tyrants? Not supernatural but pretty realistic about domestic abuse. 3 stars.
6. Cloak of Madness by Matthew Wilson
You don't have to be insane to work here, but having a horrific mother doesn't hurt. 3 stars
7. The Cape by B. Michael Radburn
A journalist rents a haunted cottage as research for an article. And the ghosts oblige! 3 stars
8. The Last Keeper by Linda Brucesmith
Highly imaginative elegy for lighthouse keepers when a soon-to-be-automated lighthouse throws a tantrum. Love me a talking lighthouse, so I do! 5 stars.
9. In Search of Jimmy by David Dolan
Boy goes searching for lost dog, ends up in middle grade fantasy quest. Yawn. 2 stars.
10. Into the Light by Alice Godwin
Romantasy with an interesting mythological twist. Three-way bisexual sex scenes and the sea dead play prominent roles. 4 stars.
11. The Crystal Lighthouse by Sam Muller
Not paranormal. A husband buys his ailing wife model lighthouses to cheer her up. 2.5 stars.
12. To Keep the Lamp Alight by Steve Cameron
Mystery tale. The maritime Commission wants to close down the local lighthouse -- the rep mysteriously disappears. Who could have done him in? 2.5 stars
13. The Towerby B. T. Joy
A traumatised man returns to a strange lighthouse years later at the urging of his girlfriend to confront his demons. Literally. Decent horror. 3 stars.
14. Will o’ the Wisp by Deborah Sheldon
A new mother is terrified her unresponsive baby is a changeling. Based on a fairy tale. Moor gas lights are the lighthouse here. 5 stars.
short review for busy readers:
An Australian anthology centring on lighthouses, both modern and historical. Many have a paranormal or horror aspect, but not all. Varying genres, not all nautical. At 3.5 stars, about par for a themed anthology.
in detail:
My big discovery from this volume was Deborah Sheldon whose story "Will 'O the Wisp" is one of, it not the best, of the collection.
Other top faves were "Scrimshaw" by Duncan Richardson, based on a true story that took place on a lighthouse island in Wales (terrifying!), and "The Last Keeper" by Linda Brucesmith, which includes a magical, talking lighthouse.
"Into the Light" by Alice Godwin is also a very good entry. Romantasy with somewhat flowery chick lit writing is not my thing, but the story is pretty good as is the dreamy atmosphere of an oceanic "otherworld".
Here's a run down of the individual stories:
1. Light House, Dark House by Greg Chapman
Silly and overwrought attempt at being scary with a lighthouse. 2 stars
2. Scrimshaw by Duncan Richardson
One of the lighthouse men on a remote island dies, what will the other man do with the body? Based on a true story. 5 stars
3. Horror at Hollow Head by Cameron Trost
Treasure hunters get more than they bargained for in this little town. Slight nod to Lovecraft. 🦑2.5 stars
4. Psychopomp by Mark McAuliffe
Don't eat the mushrooms, you may see your real desires. And they're not fit to be shared. 4 stars
5. Trepidation by Danielle Birch
What's a 14-yr old run away to do when both his parents are abusive tyrants? Not supernatural but pretty realistic about domestic abuse. 3 stars.
6. Cloak of Madness by Matthew Wilson
You don't have to be insane to work here, but having a horrific mother doesn't hurt. 3 stars
7. The Cape by B. Michael Radburn
A journalist rents a haunted cottage as research for an article. And the ghosts oblige! 3 stars
8. The Last Keeper by Linda Brucesmith
Highly imaginative elegy for lighthouse keepers when a soon-to-be-automated lighthouse throws a tantrum. Love me a talking lighthouse, so I do! 5 stars.
9. In Search of Jimmy by David Dolan
Boy goes searching for lost dog, ends up in middle grade fantasy quest. Yawn. 2 stars.
10. Into the Light by Alice Godwin
Romantasy with an interesting mythological twist. Three-way bisexual sex scenes and the sea dead play prominent roles. 4 stars.
11. The Crystal Lighthouse by Sam Muller
Not paranormal. A husband buys his ailing wife model lighthouses to cheer her up. 2.5 stars.
12. To Keep the Lamp Alight by Steve Cameron
Mystery tale. The maritime Commission wants to close down the local lighthouse -- the rep mysteriously disappears. Who could have done him in? 2.5 stars
13. The Towerby B. T. Joy
A traumatised man returns to a strange lighthouse years later at the urging of his girlfriend to confront his demons. Literally. Decent horror. 3 stars.
14. Will o’ the Wisp by Deborah Sheldon
A new mother is terrified her unresponsive baby is a changeling. Based on a fairy tale. Moor gas lights are the lighthouse here. 5 stars.
December 29, 2015
A wonderfully designed cover by Greg Chapman draws the reader into an exploration of the fourteen dark tales inside this anthology, with lighthouses being the primary focus.
We encounter mystery, murders most foul; dark disturbing accounts of growing madness, flights of fantasy, and delving's into the supernatural. This book contains some gems of stories and, even if a few of the offerings are not quite as consistently strong, this collection is thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the read.
To highlight just two of the stories, in ‘Scrimshaw’ Duncan Richardson takes a true happening in history to weave a fascinatingly macabre tale. The tension builds nicely. I would have liked a little more early intrigue between the two main characters but the story is strong and reminiscent of peculiar real life accounts of the long ago past. ‘Psychopomp’ by Mark McAuliffe was my favourite in the book. I don’t think I am giving too much away to say that the unfolding problem to occur in this story becomes apparent quite early on. However, it is just as apparent that the author knows this himself, and he plays with the developing action wonderfully. It is beautifully written, and the characterisation excellent. The protagonists’ spring from the pages as real people, with real needs and genuine human concerns, and the telling of the grim finale is an absolute treat.
Other brief mentions: ‘In Search of Jimmy’ didn’t have a great deal to do with lighthouses, though it was engaging; Sam Muller in ‘The Crystal Lighthouse’ effectively fooled me--I didn’t see it coming. Final thoughts: an enjoyable read. All of the stories had something to offer. All up, my rating for this book was somewhere closer to four stars than three.
We encounter mystery, murders most foul; dark disturbing accounts of growing madness, flights of fantasy, and delving's into the supernatural. This book contains some gems of stories and, even if a few of the offerings are not quite as consistently strong, this collection is thoroughly enjoyable and well worth the read.
To highlight just two of the stories, in ‘Scrimshaw’ Duncan Richardson takes a true happening in history to weave a fascinatingly macabre tale. The tension builds nicely. I would have liked a little more early intrigue between the two main characters but the story is strong and reminiscent of peculiar real life accounts of the long ago past. ‘Psychopomp’ by Mark McAuliffe was my favourite in the book. I don’t think I am giving too much away to say that the unfolding problem to occur in this story becomes apparent quite early on. However, it is just as apparent that the author knows this himself, and he plays with the developing action wonderfully. It is beautifully written, and the characterisation excellent. The protagonists’ spring from the pages as real people, with real needs and genuine human concerns, and the telling of the grim finale is an absolute treat.
Other brief mentions: ‘In Search of Jimmy’ didn’t have a great deal to do with lighthouses, though it was engaging; Sam Muller in ‘The Crystal Lighthouse’ effectively fooled me--I didn’t see it coming. Final thoughts: an enjoyable read. All of the stories had something to offer. All up, my rating for this book was somewhere closer to four stars than three.
December 21, 2015
(Please note: I have a story in the collection, 'Will o' the wisp', which I'm leaving out of this review.) Editor Cameron Trost has put together an entertaining and intriguing mix of dark stories. I especially liked the broad range of styles and genres. Recommended reading for aficionados of the short story form.
October 7, 2018
This is not quite what I was looking for but that is just me, I would highly recommend this for any nautical horror shelf. A nice collection. I was just looking for something more 1800's.
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https://gszengarden.wixsite.com/mylit...
See full review here
https://gszengarden.wixsite.com/mylit...
July 18, 2023
Disclaimer: I wrote this review based on an advance reading e-copy that the publisher, Lorikeet Ink, sent me.
Most of us as readers have one or a couple of preferred literary genres. Because there is never enough time to consume all the books on our TBR lists in our favourite genre(s), it is rare – or at least not often – that we will venture outside of our reading comfort zone and explore those authors and books unknown and unfamiliar to us. Sometimes I wonder what I have missed and am still missing.
Which is why Lighthouse – An Anthology is refreshing, as it offers a delightful glimpse of some of the reading routes that I have never before taken. The 15 stories collected here share the same theme but are from a diverse range of genres, including fantasy, sci-fi, romance, crime, historical fiction, dystopian and paranormal. In the words of Chris Foley, the anthology’s organiser and contributing author: “Each contributing writer accepted the challenge of setting their story in a lighthouse, applying their own special brand of creativity to produce this collective work… The willingness by everyone to be involved, and additionally to offer other talents, is truly inspiring.”
Each of these stories leads down a unique path, with its author serving as a guide not only to that particular literary genre but also to his or her writing style and vision. Indeed, some of the stories make me want to know more about their authors and their previous publications, just to find out whether they can handle novel or novella-length projects as well as they do short stories. Other stories are intellectually intriguing, graceful yet tense, thoroughly challenging until the very end. Still others are light and fun, and surprisingly heart-warming. In general, these are stories that make me ask, Why are short stories so short? I want to read more!
I am hopelessly biased towards horror and sci-fi, so my favourite stories in this anthology are “Alice” by Carleton Chinner, “In the Dark” by Sophie Evans, “The Sound the Sea Makes” by Alyssa Mackay” and “Bereft of Morna” by Brooke Maggs. I also like “Jezebel” by Lane Thornton, a story that is both scary and infuriating. But, to me, the special treats are “A Gift to the Sentinel” by Kelly Lyonns and “Light the Way Home” by Sharyn Swanepoel. While I enjoy the former’s loving tenderness, the latter is smooth as silk and highly satisfying.
I am sure that you, too, will discover your own favourable stories in Lighthouse – An Anthology. While the book reveals how the same literary theme can be explored and enriched by writers of diverse backgrounds and genres, it is also an excellent and empowering demonstration of short story writing styles and skills.
For more information about Lighthouse – An Anthology, please visit Lorikeet Ink.
Most of us as readers have one or a couple of preferred literary genres. Because there is never enough time to consume all the books on our TBR lists in our favourite genre(s), it is rare – or at least not often – that we will venture outside of our reading comfort zone and explore those authors and books unknown and unfamiliar to us. Sometimes I wonder what I have missed and am still missing.
Which is why Lighthouse – An Anthology is refreshing, as it offers a delightful glimpse of some of the reading routes that I have never before taken. The 15 stories collected here share the same theme but are from a diverse range of genres, including fantasy, sci-fi, romance, crime, historical fiction, dystopian and paranormal. In the words of Chris Foley, the anthology’s organiser and contributing author: “Each contributing writer accepted the challenge of setting their story in a lighthouse, applying their own special brand of creativity to produce this collective work… The willingness by everyone to be involved, and additionally to offer other talents, is truly inspiring.”
Each of these stories leads down a unique path, with its author serving as a guide not only to that particular literary genre but also to his or her writing style and vision. Indeed, some of the stories make me want to know more about their authors and their previous publications, just to find out whether they can handle novel or novella-length projects as well as they do short stories. Other stories are intellectually intriguing, graceful yet tense, thoroughly challenging until the very end. Still others are light and fun, and surprisingly heart-warming. In general, these are stories that make me ask, Why are short stories so short? I want to read more!
I am hopelessly biased towards horror and sci-fi, so my favourite stories in this anthology are “Alice” by Carleton Chinner, “In the Dark” by Sophie Evans, “The Sound the Sea Makes” by Alyssa Mackay” and “Bereft of Morna” by Brooke Maggs. I also like “Jezebel” by Lane Thornton, a story that is both scary and infuriating. But, to me, the special treats are “A Gift to the Sentinel” by Kelly Lyonns and “Light the Way Home” by Sharyn Swanepoel. While I enjoy the former’s loving tenderness, the latter is smooth as silk and highly satisfying.
I am sure that you, too, will discover your own favourable stories in Lighthouse – An Anthology. While the book reveals how the same literary theme can be explored and enriched by writers of diverse backgrounds and genres, it is also an excellent and empowering demonstration of short story writing styles and skills.
For more information about Lighthouse – An Anthology, please visit Lorikeet Ink.
January 7, 2026
I received this as a free download. I enjoyed this collection. I thought the stories would all be horror or at least darker themed, but there were a few fantasy ones in there too. Not every story was a winner, but most I found quite engaging. 3.5 ⭐️
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February 7, 2016Read for judging.
September 22, 2016
3.5 stars. Lots of ghost stories here, which isn't my usual fare. Standout stories for me were Steve Cameron's "To Keep the Lamp Alight" and Alice Goodwin's "Into the Light".
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews