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The Keepers of the Lighthouse
A lonely windswept lighthouse island in Bass Strait hides a dangerous secret hundreds of years in the making ... Secrets and sabotage keep readers guessing in the new novel from Australian author Kaye Dobbie.
1882
Laura Webster and her father are the stalwart keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place stranded in the turbulent Bass Strait. When a raging storm wrecks a schooner just offshore, the few survivors take shelter with the Websters, awaiting rescue from the mainland. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences, the ripples of which echo far into the future ...
2020
Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs, with plans to open up the island to tourists. Also on the expedition, for reason of his own, is Jude Rawlins, a man Nina once loved. A man who once destroyed her.
But the idyllic location soon turns into a nightmare as random acts of sabotage leave them with no communication to the mainland and the sense of someone on the island who shouldn't be there.
The fingers of those secrets from the passengers lost long ago are reaching into the present, and Nina will never be the same again ...
1882
Laura Webster and her father are the stalwart keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place stranded in the turbulent Bass Strait. When a raging storm wrecks a schooner just offshore, the few survivors take shelter with the Websters, awaiting rescue from the mainland. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences, the ripples of which echo far into the future ...
2020
Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs, with plans to open up the island to tourists. Also on the expedition, for reason of his own, is Jude Rawlins, a man Nina once loved. A man who once destroyed her.
But the idyllic location soon turns into a nightmare as random acts of sabotage leave them with no communication to the mainland and the sense of someone on the island who shouldn't be there.
The fingers of those secrets from the passengers lost long ago are reaching into the present, and Nina will never be the same again ...
320 pages, Paperback
Published August 3, 2022
10 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Kaye Dobbie
29 books54 followersKaye Dobbie lives in an old house in the old gold rush town Bendigo, in the state of Victoria, Australia. She has been writing professionally ever since she won the Big River short story contest at the age of eighteen. Her career has undergone many changes, including writing Australian historical fiction under the name Lilly Sommers, to romance written as Sara Bennett/Sara Mackenzie and published by Avon in the USA. Her books have been translated into many languages. She is currently writing under her 'proper' name, Kaye Dobbie, and is published by Harlequin Mira in Australia and Weltbild in Germany. Kaye lives on the central Victorian goldfields, where she creates her stories and in her spare time researches her family tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
July 14, 2022
This is a terrific dual timeline mystery set on a small, lonely island in Bass Strait, between Tasmania and Victoria.
In 1882 Leo Webster is the Lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island. His 25 year old daughter Laura helps him keep the lighthouse lamp burning and is more help to him than his useless assistant Rorie. Ten years before Laura’s mother died during an attempt to rescue survivors of a shipwreck when Leo was a lighthouse keeper in Scotland. He and Laura moved to Australia to help forget the tragedy but found that lighthouse keeping was the only job he was able to get. Now Leo and Laura once again find themselves watching a ship flounder on the rocks near the island during a raging storm. Some survivors do make it to shore, but two of them are hiding a terrible secret that will put all their lives at risk.
In 2020 a group of volunteers from Island Heritage has arrived on Benevolence for two weeks to carry out some restoration work on the old cottages around the lighthouse to make them safe for summer visitors. Nina Robinson is the project manager and is determined to make sure the project is successfully carried out as her future with Island Heritage depends on it.
Nina is confident all should go well with her old friend ex-soldier Paul along as cook and competent construction manager Brian Mason leading the volunteers. Also on the island is Nina’s ex boyfriend Jude Rawlins, a writer and presenter of travel documentaries, someone she hasn’t seen since she broke up with him ten years ago on the traumatic night that changed her life. When small acts of sabotage start to occur within the group, Nina realises that a stranger may be on the island. But why he is there and what he wants with them is a mystery to her.
I loved the island setting for this mystery. The author captures its remoteness, beauty and ruggedness perfectly. Both groups of people in the two lines are cut off from help from the mainland and must fend for themselves dealing with threats from some ruthless characters. Laura is a wonderful character, capable and brave and a woman who knows what she wants in life while Nina is stronger than she thinks, as long as she can learn to put her past trauma behind her. I enjoyed the historical aspect more than the present day (the coincidences seemed somewhat implausible) but enjoyed the way both tales came together.
with thanks to Harlequin Australia via Netgalley for a copy to read
In 1882 Leo Webster is the Lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island. His 25 year old daughter Laura helps him keep the lighthouse lamp burning and is more help to him than his useless assistant Rorie. Ten years before Laura’s mother died during an attempt to rescue survivors of a shipwreck when Leo was a lighthouse keeper in Scotland. He and Laura moved to Australia to help forget the tragedy but found that lighthouse keeping was the only job he was able to get. Now Leo and Laura once again find themselves watching a ship flounder on the rocks near the island during a raging storm. Some survivors do make it to shore, but two of them are hiding a terrible secret that will put all their lives at risk.
In 2020 a group of volunteers from Island Heritage has arrived on Benevolence for two weeks to carry out some restoration work on the old cottages around the lighthouse to make them safe for summer visitors. Nina Robinson is the project manager and is determined to make sure the project is successfully carried out as her future with Island Heritage depends on it.
Nina is confident all should go well with her old friend ex-soldier Paul along as cook and competent construction manager Brian Mason leading the volunteers. Also on the island is Nina’s ex boyfriend Jude Rawlins, a writer and presenter of travel documentaries, someone she hasn’t seen since she broke up with him ten years ago on the traumatic night that changed her life. When small acts of sabotage start to occur within the group, Nina realises that a stranger may be on the island. But why he is there and what he wants with them is a mystery to her.
I loved the island setting for this mystery. The author captures its remoteness, beauty and ruggedness perfectly. Both groups of people in the two lines are cut off from help from the mainland and must fend for themselves dealing with threats from some ruthless characters. Laura is a wonderful character, capable and brave and a woman who knows what she wants in life while Nina is stronger than she thinks, as long as she can learn to put her past trauma behind her. I enjoyed the historical aspect more than the present day (the coincidences seemed somewhat implausible) but enjoyed the way both tales came together.
with thanks to Harlequin Australia via Netgalley for a copy to read
August 6, 2022
Another dual time line book, this one set on Benevolence Island in the Bass Straight. A beautiful setting, some interesting characters and some mysterious incidents make this a very readable book.
The story in 1882 tells of the lives of Laura Webster and her father who were the keepers of the lighthouse. They led a very solitary life on the island with long periods between visits from the supply ship. A bad storm causes a boat to founder on the rocks and they manage to save a few people who are not all who they claim to be.
In 2020 Nina leads a team of people to the island with the aim of getting it prepared for tourists to visit. Again things turn out unexpectedly and the isolated island becomes dangerous. These sections were okay but Nina was not as interesting as Laura and I ended up rushing a bit to get back to 1882.
There is always a danger with dual timelines that one will be more interesting than the other and for me that definitely happened in this case. I think I would have preferred that the author had written a straight forward story set in just the historical timeline. Nevertheless this is still a book that is well worth reading.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
The story in 1882 tells of the lives of Laura Webster and her father who were the keepers of the lighthouse. They led a very solitary life on the island with long periods between visits from the supply ship. A bad storm causes a boat to founder on the rocks and they manage to save a few people who are not all who they claim to be.
In 2020 Nina leads a team of people to the island with the aim of getting it prepared for tourists to visit. Again things turn out unexpectedly and the isolated island becomes dangerous. These sections were okay but Nina was not as interesting as Laura and I ended up rushing a bit to get back to 1882.
There is always a danger with dual timelines that one will be more interesting than the other and for me that definitely happened in this case. I think I would have preferred that the author had written a straight forward story set in just the historical timeline. Nevertheless this is still a book that is well worth reading.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
October 5, 2022
The Keepers of the Lighthouse by Kaye Dobbie
Synopsis /
1882
Laura Webster and her father are the stalwart keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place stranded in the turbulent Bass Strait. When a raging storm wrecks a schooner just offshore, the few survivors take shelter with the Websters, awaiting rescue from the mainland. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences, the ripples of which echo far into the future.
2020
Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs, with plans to open up the island to tourists. Also on the expedition, for reason of his own, is Jude Rawlins, a man Nina once loved. A man who once destroyed her.
But the idyllic location soon turns into a nightmare as random acts of sabotage leave them with no communication to the mainland and the sense of someone on the island who shouldn't be there.
The fingers of those secrets from the passengers lost long ago are reaching into the present, and Nina will never be the same again.
My Thoughts /
You know it’s going to be a good book when you can’t bear to put it down. A deeply engrossing historical story, with an irresistibly compelling contemporary thriller storyline.
I absolutely loved the setting of Kaye Dobbie’s latest book, The Keepers of the Lighthouse.
I don’t think I’ve done one of these in a while, so……
LET’S LEARN THINGS:
Lighthouses. Evolving from very humble beginnings, such as basic primitive flames to the towers and flashing lights we have today, lighthouses have come a very long way.
Their historic beginnings stretch right back to Egypt, where one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was in fact a lighthouse. The first lighthouse in recorded history was Egypt’s Pharos of Alexandria. Built around 280 BC, the source of light was a huge open fire at its summit. As well as being the world’s first, it was also the tallest one ever built, standing a colossal 450 feet high.
In Medieval times, the lighting used was mainly burning wood, coal or torches out in the open. A little later oil lamps and candles were introduced.
With the onset of the ‘modern’ era, improvements in both the structure of the lighthouse as well as its lighting equipment began. This time-period saw the first construction of towers which were fully exposed to the open sea. While masonry and brick were the most widely used materials for construction; concrete and steel were also well suited for building and lent itself to more aesthetically pleasing designs.
Daymarks and Nightmarks make every lighthouse unique. The daymark is the paint colour and pattern on a lighthouse. The nightmark is a distinctive light pattern that is fixed and flashes - or rotates and flashes. Each distinctive daymark and nightmark can be seen from the sea and are used by sailors so they know where their ships are located along the coast.
TO THE STORY:
Free up your ‘to-do-list’, you’ll want plenty of uninterrupted reading time for this one.
A remote island lighthouse in the Bass Strait provides the setting for this dual timeline story, set in 1882 and 2020. In 1882 Laura Webster is living a rather unconventional life for a young woman. She lives with her father, stepmother, and half-brother on Benevolence Island, where Laura’s father Leo mans and maintains the lighthouse. Ever since Laura can remember, she has loved being her father’s assistant. One evening, when a violent storm leads to a boat becoming shipwrecked on the nearby coral reef and breaking apart, Laura and Leo help rescue the survivors.
In 2020 the lighthouse is now no longer manned, and Benevolence Island is treated largely as a wildlife reserve. Nina Robinson and a small group of volunteers arrive on the Island to undertake restoration work on some of the old lighthouse cottages. This work will make it possible for the area to function effectively as a place for tourism and wildlife conservation. It’s critical this job goes smoothly. Workwise, Nina has made a few errors of judgment lately, so there is a lot riding on the outcome of this job. The are dangerous secrets which lay buried in this Island’s history, which find their way bubbling to the surface in this modern timeline.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I can tell you that both timelines are equally interesting, which was a refreshing anomaly for this reader. In both time periods, the characters are endearing and compassionate and I became totally absorbed in the action within each. Although it took a little time for the link between the two to become obvious (or maybe that was just me!) that connection once revealed was brilliantly written and well worth the wait.
Synopsis /
1882
Laura Webster and her father are the stalwart keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place stranded in the turbulent Bass Strait. When a raging storm wrecks a schooner just offshore, the few survivors take shelter with the Websters, awaiting rescue from the mainland. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences, the ripples of which echo far into the future.
2020
Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs, with plans to open up the island to tourists. Also on the expedition, for reason of his own, is Jude Rawlins, a man Nina once loved. A man who once destroyed her.
But the idyllic location soon turns into a nightmare as random acts of sabotage leave them with no communication to the mainland and the sense of someone on the island who shouldn't be there.
The fingers of those secrets from the passengers lost long ago are reaching into the present, and Nina will never be the same again.
My Thoughts /
You know it’s going to be a good book when you can’t bear to put it down. A deeply engrossing historical story, with an irresistibly compelling contemporary thriller storyline.
I absolutely loved the setting of Kaye Dobbie’s latest book, The Keepers of the Lighthouse.
I don’t think I’ve done one of these in a while, so……
LET’S LEARN THINGS:
Lighthouses. Evolving from very humble beginnings, such as basic primitive flames to the towers and flashing lights we have today, lighthouses have come a very long way.
Their historic beginnings stretch right back to Egypt, where one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was in fact a lighthouse. The first lighthouse in recorded history was Egypt’s Pharos of Alexandria. Built around 280 BC, the source of light was a huge open fire at its summit. As well as being the world’s first, it was also the tallest one ever built, standing a colossal 450 feet high.
In Medieval times, the lighting used was mainly burning wood, coal or torches out in the open. A little later oil lamps and candles were introduced.
With the onset of the ‘modern’ era, improvements in both the structure of the lighthouse as well as its lighting equipment began. This time-period saw the first construction of towers which were fully exposed to the open sea. While masonry and brick were the most widely used materials for construction; concrete and steel were also well suited for building and lent itself to more aesthetically pleasing designs.
Daymarks and Nightmarks make every lighthouse unique. The daymark is the paint colour and pattern on a lighthouse. The nightmark is a distinctive light pattern that is fixed and flashes - or rotates and flashes. Each distinctive daymark and nightmark can be seen from the sea and are used by sailors so they know where their ships are located along the coast.
TO THE STORY:
Free up your ‘to-do-list’, you’ll want plenty of uninterrupted reading time for this one.
A remote island lighthouse in the Bass Strait provides the setting for this dual timeline story, set in 1882 and 2020. In 1882 Laura Webster is living a rather unconventional life for a young woman. She lives with her father, stepmother, and half-brother on Benevolence Island, where Laura’s father Leo mans and maintains the lighthouse. Ever since Laura can remember, she has loved being her father’s assistant. One evening, when a violent storm leads to a boat becoming shipwrecked on the nearby coral reef and breaking apart, Laura and Leo help rescue the survivors.
In 2020 the lighthouse is now no longer manned, and Benevolence Island is treated largely as a wildlife reserve. Nina Robinson and a small group of volunteers arrive on the Island to undertake restoration work on some of the old lighthouse cottages. This work will make it possible for the area to function effectively as a place for tourism and wildlife conservation. It’s critical this job goes smoothly. Workwise, Nina has made a few errors of judgment lately, so there is a lot riding on the outcome of this job. The are dangerous secrets which lay buried in this Island’s history, which find their way bubbling to the surface in this modern timeline.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I can tell you that both timelines are equally interesting, which was a refreshing anomaly for this reader. In both time periods, the characters are endearing and compassionate and I became totally absorbed in the action within each. Although it took a little time for the link between the two to become obvious (or maybe that was just me!) that connection once revealed was brilliantly written and well worth the wait.
September 12, 2023
WOWZA!!!
This was my first read by Kaye Dobbie & won’t be my last this was very atmospheric, vivid, heart breaking I loved 🥰 every minute.
1882
Benevolence Island 🏝️ between Bass Strait & Victoria Leo & Laura Webster run the lighthouse where shipping vessels 🚢 try to get through the dangerous Bass Strait. when a raging storm passes through & the passengers of a wrecked Schooner called Alcatraz settle on the island until help arrives.
2020
Nina returns to Benevolance with her team to repair the damage & then open it up for the tourists… but Jude Rawlins Nina’s former lover & now a travel writer turns up then the sparks fly between them, Nina doesn’t want anything to do with him.
An unexpected visitor turns up leaving everyone in fear for their lives I just loved every moment of this novel I hadn’t read an Historical Fiction book for a long time, I loved the dual time lines I just couldn’t stop turning those pages this gets all the stars ⭐️ & is a gem.
This was my first read by Kaye Dobbie & won’t be my last this was very atmospheric, vivid, heart breaking I loved 🥰 every minute.
1882
Benevolence Island 🏝️ between Bass Strait & Victoria Leo & Laura Webster run the lighthouse where shipping vessels 🚢 try to get through the dangerous Bass Strait. when a raging storm passes through & the passengers of a wrecked Schooner called Alcatraz settle on the island until help arrives.
2020
Nina returns to Benevolance with her team to repair the damage & then open it up for the tourists… but Jude Rawlins Nina’s former lover & now a travel writer turns up then the sparks fly between them, Nina doesn’t want anything to do with him.
An unexpected visitor turns up leaving everyone in fear for their lives I just loved every moment of this novel I hadn’t read an Historical Fiction book for a long time, I loved the dual time lines I just couldn’t stop turning those pages this gets all the stars ⭐️ & is a gem.
August 4, 2022
It was 1882 and Leo Webster was the lighthouse keeper on the small island of Benevolence in Bass Strait, midway between Tasmania and the mainland. His daughter, Laura, was his assistant and had known nothing but lighthouse life since she was born in Scotland. They had left after Laura's mother had drowned trying to rescue people from a wreck. The violent storm which was currently hitting the island, had Leo and Laura watching the seas for any ships which might be too close to the rocks, and when a small schooner came to grief, they hurried down to the ocean's edge to help any survivors ashore. The supply ship wouldn't arrive for days, so the survivors had to stay in the cottage with the Websters.
In 2020 when Nina and her team arrived on Benevolence to repair the cottages and lighthouse, preparing the island for tourists, she was horrified to see Jude Rawlins also on the team. She hadn't seen Jude for ten years after an event which changed Nina's life, and she had no desire to see him now. Gradually the team of volunteers worked their jobs - but soon strange things began to happen. It didn't take long to point to sabotage, and also evidence of a stranger living on the island. What was going on?
The Keepers of the Lighthouse is another excellent dual-time tale from Aussie author Kaye Dobbie, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the characters - Laura was a strong, determined young woman, independent and feisty, while Nina was struggling with her past and was adamant she would put it behind her. I love Ms Dobbie's historical novels, and this one proved no different. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
In 2020 when Nina and her team arrived on Benevolence to repair the cottages and lighthouse, preparing the island for tourists, she was horrified to see Jude Rawlins also on the team. She hadn't seen Jude for ten years after an event which changed Nina's life, and she had no desire to see him now. Gradually the team of volunteers worked their jobs - but soon strange things began to happen. It didn't take long to point to sabotage, and also evidence of a stranger living on the island. What was going on?
The Keepers of the Lighthouse is another excellent dual-time tale from Aussie author Kaye Dobbie, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the characters - Laura was a strong, determined young woman, independent and feisty, while Nina was struggling with her past and was adamant she would put it behind her. I love Ms Dobbie's historical novels, and this one proved no different. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2022
Benevolence Island is the location of a lighthouse in 1882, it’s needed to ensure the safe passage of shipping vessels through the dangerous Bass Strait, located between Tasmania and Victoria. Leo Webster and his daughter Laura are in charge of the lighthouse, due to the remote site, they have trouble finding decent help, and Leo is thinking of sending his hopeless assistant back to Tasmania on the next supply ship.
One stormy night in May, the Webster’s are worried when they see a boat heading for the dangerous rocks called the Tigers Teeth and the Alvarez is in big trouble. Leo and Laura find five survivors, they stay with the Webster’s in their cottage and one man is seriously hurt. It doesn’t take long for a couple of the passengers to start complaining, they want to get to Victoria and can’t understand why the Webster’s can’t take them? Simple, they can't leave the lighthouse unattended, not everyone sailing on the Alvarez has been accounted for, and they don’t have a suitable boat to make the crossing.
The Keepers of the Lighthouse has a dual timeline, it's set in on Benevolence Island in 1882 and the present time of 2020 and both stories are linked by hidden secrets, the consequences and greed!
Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive at Benevolence Island by chopper, they have two weeks to make repairs to the old lighthouse buildings and are part of the Island Heritage Committee. They want to attract tourists to the island, preserve the history, habitat, and stop any further deterioration of the buildings.
Nina has a lot riding on this project going well, so when strange things start happening and acts of sabotage, she’s very worried, and there have been sightings of a strange man on the island in the past? Nina is also trying to cope with the fact that her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlings a travel writer is part of the group, she’s spent the last ten years trying to avoid him, and the bad memories of why the broke up!
I received a copy of The Keepers of the Lighthouse from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Kaye Dobbie has written an engrossing dual timeline story, she has really stepped up the ante with her latest book and in my opinion it’s her best work. You really get a sense of how remote, rugged and isolated Benevolence Island is, and the hidden dangers of the waters of the Bass Strait. How two strong and intelligent women a decade apart manage to survive during a major crisis, and when people's lives are at risk. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in reading about Tasmania, lighthouses, saving historical sites, and five stars from me.
One stormy night in May, the Webster’s are worried when they see a boat heading for the dangerous rocks called the Tigers Teeth and the Alvarez is in big trouble. Leo and Laura find five survivors, they stay with the Webster’s in their cottage and one man is seriously hurt. It doesn’t take long for a couple of the passengers to start complaining, they want to get to Victoria and can’t understand why the Webster’s can’t take them? Simple, they can't leave the lighthouse unattended, not everyone sailing on the Alvarez has been accounted for, and they don’t have a suitable boat to make the crossing.
The Keepers of the Lighthouse has a dual timeline, it's set in on Benevolence Island in 1882 and the present time of 2020 and both stories are linked by hidden secrets, the consequences and greed!
Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive at Benevolence Island by chopper, they have two weeks to make repairs to the old lighthouse buildings and are part of the Island Heritage Committee. They want to attract tourists to the island, preserve the history, habitat, and stop any further deterioration of the buildings.
Nina has a lot riding on this project going well, so when strange things start happening and acts of sabotage, she’s very worried, and there have been sightings of a strange man on the island in the past? Nina is also trying to cope with the fact that her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlings a travel writer is part of the group, she’s spent the last ten years trying to avoid him, and the bad memories of why the broke up!
I received a copy of The Keepers of the Lighthouse from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia in exchange for an honest review. Kaye Dobbie has written an engrossing dual timeline story, she has really stepped up the ante with her latest book and in my opinion it’s her best work. You really get a sense of how remote, rugged and isolated Benevolence Island is, and the hidden dangers of the waters of the Bass Strait. How two strong and intelligent women a decade apart manage to survive during a major crisis, and when people's lives are at risk. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in reading about Tasmania, lighthouses, saving historical sites, and five stars from me.
August 22, 2022
This is an awesome story with duel time lines set on an island, Benevolence in The Bass Strait, it follows the story of the lighthouse keepers back in 1882 and then in 2020 when a group of people arrive to do repairs for visitors to camp on the island but there is a link between the past and the present and danger and mystery in both times, this is a story that will keep you turning the pages.
In 1882 Leo Webster is the lighthouse keeper on this desolate Island in Bass Strait where the winds blow wild during a storm, Leo is here with his wife and daughter, Laura who loves the island and helping her father, when a storm blows up and a schooner is wrecked on the rocks Laura and Leo rescue the survivors, never realizing the secrets and danger that come with them.
2020 and Nina with a team of volunteers arrive on the island to repair damage done to some buildings from a storm so as the island can be used for tourists the lighthouse is not in use these days but stands tall in the place it always has, Jude Rawlins is also on the island to do some filming, unfortunately he and Nina have a past a past the involves heartache and hurt. When acts of sabotage start happening Nina and Jude must join to work out what is happening and by who, could these acts be linked to the past?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and both time lines, Laura and Nina were different but strong with such totally different personalities and they both were caught up in secrets and danger that had me eager to find the answer to the mystery. This is a story that I would highly recommend, MS Dobbie has bought the characters to life on the pages in this beautifully written story, one which I am sure readers will love.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy read and review.
In 1882 Leo Webster is the lighthouse keeper on this desolate Island in Bass Strait where the winds blow wild during a storm, Leo is here with his wife and daughter, Laura who loves the island and helping her father, when a storm blows up and a schooner is wrecked on the rocks Laura and Leo rescue the survivors, never realizing the secrets and danger that come with them.
2020 and Nina with a team of volunteers arrive on the island to repair damage done to some buildings from a storm so as the island can be used for tourists the lighthouse is not in use these days but stands tall in the place it always has, Jude Rawlins is also on the island to do some filming, unfortunately he and Nina have a past a past the involves heartache and hurt. When acts of sabotage start happening Nina and Jude must join to work out what is happening and by who, could these acts be linked to the past?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and both time lines, Laura and Nina were different but strong with such totally different personalities and they both were caught up in secrets and danger that had me eager to find the answer to the mystery. This is a story that I would highly recommend, MS Dobbie has bought the characters to life on the pages in this beautifully written story, one which I am sure readers will love.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy read and review.
August 16, 2025
Three and a half stars.
1882 Laura Webster’s father, Leo, is the lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island and Laura is his assistant. The island is in the Bass Strait. A raging storm leaves a ship, the Alvarez, wrecked and a few survivors make it to shore or are rescued. But it seems there are secrets these survivors are hiding. What will that mean going forward?
This is a dual time line story. The other story is from 2020. It involves Nina and a team of volunteers from Island Heritage, who have come to help get Benevolence Island ready for tourists. Among those who come to the island is Jude Rawlins. They were once a couple in love. Until disaster struck, as events and secrets tore them apart. So Nina is less than thrilled to see Jude on the island. They have not seen each other for ten years. After a time it becomes clear there is someone else on the island as well, someone who has ulterior motives. This person is trying to cut off all communication from the island. The situation turns into a nightmare as lives come under threat.
Maybe it was me but this story seemed a bit confusing. Even though they are clearly labelled I felt a bit unsettled. Not really sure why. Maybe because the two stories had too many similarities.
it is an interesting story and I did enjoy it. I have read several stories by this author before and they have all been great reads. This was no exception. I just wasn’t quite as enamoured of this one as I have been some of her others. But maybe it is just my frame of mind at the moment as others have loved it more.
1882 Laura Webster’s father, Leo, is the lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island and Laura is his assistant. The island is in the Bass Strait. A raging storm leaves a ship, the Alvarez, wrecked and a few survivors make it to shore or are rescued. But it seems there are secrets these survivors are hiding. What will that mean going forward?
This is a dual time line story. The other story is from 2020. It involves Nina and a team of volunteers from Island Heritage, who have come to help get Benevolence Island ready for tourists. Among those who come to the island is Jude Rawlins. They were once a couple in love. Until disaster struck, as events and secrets tore them apart. So Nina is less than thrilled to see Jude on the island. They have not seen each other for ten years. After a time it becomes clear there is someone else on the island as well, someone who has ulterior motives. This person is trying to cut off all communication from the island. The situation turns into a nightmare as lives come under threat.
Maybe it was me but this story seemed a bit confusing. Even though they are clearly labelled I felt a bit unsettled. Not really sure why. Maybe because the two stories had too many similarities.
it is an interesting story and I did enjoy it. I have read several stories by this author before and they have all been great reads. This was no exception. I just wasn’t quite as enamoured of this one as I have been some of her others. But maybe it is just my frame of mind at the moment as others have loved it more.
November 2, 2022
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The Keepers of the Lighthouse by Kaye Dobbie. (2022).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 3 August 2022**
1882. Laura and her father are the keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place in the Bass Strait. A raging storm wrecks a schooner, with the survivors sheltering with Laura's family. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences far into the future...
2020. Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs. Also there is Jude, a man who Nina once loved and destroyed her. Random acts of sabotage leave the group with no communication to the mainland and a possibility of an unknown person also on the island who shouldn't be there...
After enjoying a previous novel from this author ('The Road to Ironbark'), I was looking forward to this novel. Happy to say it did not disappoint. Featuring dual timelines, both involve mysteries that are actually connected, with the specific connection revealed near the end. Both Laura and Nina were great leads to follow. Laura is a strong and determined young lady whose life is thrown upside down after a schooner wrecks on the island where she lives with her father, tending the lighthouse. Nina is an intelligent woman haunted by a traumatic past which is gradually revealed as people from her past confront her in the present. Each narrative is a gripping read as the mysteries play out.
Overall: happily recommend for those that enjoy mystery storylines in dual timelines, and/or those that have a fondness for Australian fiction.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Keepers of the Lighthouse by Kaye Dobbie. (2022).
**Thank you to Harlequin Australia for sending me a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review; published 3 August 2022**
1882. Laura and her father are the keepers of Benevolence Island Lighthouse, a desolate place in the Bass Strait. A raging storm wrecks a schooner, with the survivors sheltering with Laura's family. But some of the passengers have secrets that lead to dreadful consequences far into the future...
2020. Nina and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence to work on repairs. Also there is Jude, a man who Nina once loved and destroyed her. Random acts of sabotage leave the group with no communication to the mainland and a possibility of an unknown person also on the island who shouldn't be there...
After enjoying a previous novel from this author ('The Road to Ironbark'), I was looking forward to this novel. Happy to say it did not disappoint. Featuring dual timelines, both involve mysteries that are actually connected, with the specific connection revealed near the end. Both Laura and Nina were great leads to follow. Laura is a strong and determined young lady whose life is thrown upside down after a schooner wrecks on the island where she lives with her father, tending the lighthouse. Nina is an intelligent woman haunted by a traumatic past which is gradually revealed as people from her past confront her in the present. Each narrative is a gripping read as the mysteries play out.
Overall: happily recommend for those that enjoy mystery storylines in dual timelines, and/or those that have a fondness for Australian fiction.
August 24, 2022
This is a dual timeline story set on Benevolence island in the Bass Strait. The historical timeline is 1882 and Is the story of Laura Webster, daughter of the lighthouse keeper. They witness a shipwreck and rush to help survivors. The second timeline its 2020, and centred on Nina, who works for a heritage group sent to the island to refurbish the cottages. The chapters alternate between the two and for me this pulled me out of the story, it’s a long time before a connection between the two stories is revealed (apart from the location) and I found the modern characters irritating. I guessed the secret in each timeline before it was revealed also, which meant the slow reveal didn’t work. It’s still a good read, and I love books set in Tasmania (and lighthouses for that matter!)
August 25, 2022
I am such a fan of Kaye’s work having thoroughly enjoyed her previous historical fiction tales. Her latest, Keepers of the Lighthouse is no exception, in fact, I think it might be her best yet as it was such an intriguing mystery (twice over) that I found hard to put down!
‘…neither Laura nor her father could leave the lighthouse. There were lives at stake out there on the wild water. Lives that were in their hands.’
This dual time narrative just oozes with atmosphere in both the historic and contemporary tales. On a lonely isolated island stands a lighthouse where storms and secrets, dangers and revelations come to pass. Based on a real island in Bass Strait, you will be sure to feel the wind whipping through your hair and watch helplessly as ships become wrecked on the ragged rocks. Could there ever be a more perfect setting for mysteries, past and present, to arise and fill the occupants' lives with drama and danger? The two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with occasional flashbacks to 2010) work so well together with the final connective revelations fantastic! You will be on the edge of your reading chair, furiously flipping the pages to see how all the pieces of this puzzle will fit together. And it does …. and I loved it!
Both timelines present tales of fortitude and dedication on the one hand with greed and jealousy on the other. There is romance (both past and present) but it fits in so well with the events unfolding. I loved Laura’s character with her love for the island and its way of life. Lonely? Bored? Never!
‘There is much to do here, but apart from tending the light, I make my own decisions. I value my freedom.' 'Is it freedom? You live on an island far away from the rest of the world. Many people would see that as effectively a prison. Aren't you lonely? Bored?'
Keepers of the Lighthouse is a fabulous tale full of mystery and intrigue set against the wonderful backdrop of a lighthouse on an isolated island. With rich and vivid descriptions, characters to cheer and characters to curse, this is a tale that truly captivated me.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
‘…neither Laura nor her father could leave the lighthouse. There were lives at stake out there on the wild water. Lives that were in their hands.’
This dual time narrative just oozes with atmosphere in both the historic and contemporary tales. On a lonely isolated island stands a lighthouse where storms and secrets, dangers and revelations come to pass. Based on a real island in Bass Strait, you will be sure to feel the wind whipping through your hair and watch helplessly as ships become wrecked on the ragged rocks. Could there ever be a more perfect setting for mysteries, past and present, to arise and fill the occupants' lives with drama and danger? The two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with occasional flashbacks to 2010) work so well together with the final connective revelations fantastic! You will be on the edge of your reading chair, furiously flipping the pages to see how all the pieces of this puzzle will fit together. And it does …. and I loved it!
Both timelines present tales of fortitude and dedication on the one hand with greed and jealousy on the other. There is romance (both past and present) but it fits in so well with the events unfolding. I loved Laura’s character with her love for the island and its way of life. Lonely? Bored? Never!
‘There is much to do here, but apart from tending the light, I make my own decisions. I value my freedom.' 'Is it freedom? You live on an island far away from the rest of the world. Many people would see that as effectively a prison. Aren't you lonely? Bored?'
Keepers of the Lighthouse is a fabulous tale full of mystery and intrigue set against the wonderful backdrop of a lighthouse on an isolated island. With rich and vivid descriptions, characters to cheer and characters to curse, this is a tale that truly captivated me.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
August 23, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.
First book I've read by this author and I loved it. Dual time line with romance and mystery in both parts. Nice touch to mention lockdowns!! Absolutely loved the character of Laura and my heart broke for her at one point. Nina's story was a little more difficult to read. Highly recommend.
First book I've read by this author and I loved it. Dual time line with romance and mystery in both parts. Nice touch to mention lockdowns!! Absolutely loved the character of Laura and my heart broke for her at one point. Nina's story was a little more difficult to read. Highly recommend.
September 14, 2023
3.5 stars
Listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda audio
Narrated by Alice Batt
Duration: 9 hrs, 54 min. 1.50x Speed
Listened to the audiobook on BorrowBox
Published by Bolinda audio
Narrated by Alice Batt
Duration: 9 hrs, 54 min. 1.50x Speed
July 22, 2022
‘A wild and lonely life, with a heavy load of responsibility.’
A remote island lighthouse in Bass Strait provides the setting for this dual timeline story, set in 1882 and 2020.
In 1882, the Benevolence Island Lighthouse was manned by Leo Webster, largely assisted by his daughter Laura because his assistant Rorie was not of much use. A storm one evening leads to a shipwreck. The few survivors are sheltered by the Websters, but two of them have a secret which will have repercussions into the future.
In 2020, Nina Robinson and a group of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to undertake restoration work on the old lighthouse cottages. The lighthouse is no longer manned, and the plan is to prepare the cottages as accommodation for summer tourists. Nina has some burdens of her own and is unhappy that Jude Rawlins, a man that she once loved is part of the expedition. But Nina’s concern largely fades into the background when it becomes apparent that equipment is being sabotaged, leaving the team with no way of contacting the outside world. There seems to be someone else on the island who should not be there. Who are they, and why are they there? There are complicated and dangerous answers to these questions.
The story moves between past and present and while the 1882 timeline interested me more, the contemporary timeline gained momentum part way through and had me keen to find out how the story would end.
Ms Dobbie has written a fascinating story in which Laura, Nina and Benevolence Island itself are the main characters. I really enjoyed it.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia HQ for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A remote island lighthouse in Bass Strait provides the setting for this dual timeline story, set in 1882 and 2020.
In 1882, the Benevolence Island Lighthouse was manned by Leo Webster, largely assisted by his daughter Laura because his assistant Rorie was not of much use. A storm one evening leads to a shipwreck. The few survivors are sheltered by the Websters, but two of them have a secret which will have repercussions into the future.
In 2020, Nina Robinson and a group of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to undertake restoration work on the old lighthouse cottages. The lighthouse is no longer manned, and the plan is to prepare the cottages as accommodation for summer tourists. Nina has some burdens of her own and is unhappy that Jude Rawlins, a man that she once loved is part of the expedition. But Nina’s concern largely fades into the background when it becomes apparent that equipment is being sabotaged, leaving the team with no way of contacting the outside world. There seems to be someone else on the island who should not be there. Who are they, and why are they there? There are complicated and dangerous answers to these questions.
The story moves between past and present and while the 1882 timeline interested me more, the contemporary timeline gained momentum part way through and had me keen to find out how the story would end.
Ms Dobbie has written a fascinating story in which Laura, Nina and Benevolence Island itself are the main characters. I really enjoyed it.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia HQ for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 1, 2022
Thank you Harlequin for sending us a copy to read and review.
Lighthouse’s are a beacon of solitude and saviour that illuminate the ocean.
They can’t save every ship though from weather and treacherous conditions.
Like the eyes of the sea, they know all the secrets and keep them for eternity.
In 1882 on an island between Tasmania and Victoria, a ship wrecks just near its shore, the lighthouse keepers, no strangers to rescue, act immediately to help any survivors.
Laura has spent years living a solitary yet fulfilling life helping her father manage the island and keep the passing ships safe.
Assisting the survivors she uncovers deceit and in turn jeopardises her and her families safety.
In 2020 Nina is a volunteer on the same Island.
It is open to tourists, once the pandemic eases.
Her past comes back to haunt her as sabotage unfolds among the few on the island. The steadfast lighthouse privy to all the secrets over the centuries watches as the drama unfurls.
A detailed and well written dual timeline set mainly on Benevolence Island captures the isolation, the tranquility and the treachery of the place.
I was keen to see how the two periods were going to link and was not disappointed. All elements of social drama played out beautifully in both periods.
Each offering a serve of mystery.
Kaye is a Historical Fiction guru and an automatic read for me.
Lighthouse’s are a beacon of solitude and saviour that illuminate the ocean.
They can’t save every ship though from weather and treacherous conditions.
Like the eyes of the sea, they know all the secrets and keep them for eternity.
In 1882 on an island between Tasmania and Victoria, a ship wrecks just near its shore, the lighthouse keepers, no strangers to rescue, act immediately to help any survivors.
Laura has spent years living a solitary yet fulfilling life helping her father manage the island and keep the passing ships safe.
Assisting the survivors she uncovers deceit and in turn jeopardises her and her families safety.
In 2020 Nina is a volunteer on the same Island.
It is open to tourists, once the pandemic eases.
Her past comes back to haunt her as sabotage unfolds among the few on the island. The steadfast lighthouse privy to all the secrets over the centuries watches as the drama unfurls.
A detailed and well written dual timeline set mainly on Benevolence Island captures the isolation, the tranquility and the treachery of the place.
I was keen to see how the two periods were going to link and was not disappointed. All elements of social drama played out beautifully in both periods.
Each offering a serve of mystery.
Kaye is a Historical Fiction guru and an automatic read for me.
July 29, 2022
The Keepers of the Lighthouse is another intriguing mystery from Kaye Dobbie! I love lighthouses and this ‘lonely windswept’ island where it sits ‘hides a dangerous secret of years in the making.’ The quote on the back and the gorgeous scene on the cover were enough to get me interested plus I love Kaye’s stories. Any keen reader will want to pick up this novel and read it for they will be mesmerised by its atmospheric setting oozing with storms, danger and revelations.
The setting is a fictional Benevolence Island but the author tells us it is based on Deal Island in Northern Bass Strait. It is an area notorious for strong winds and wicked seas and many vessels have been beached or shipwrecked over the years. It is a perfect setting, though, for a story where the weather is at odds with humans on an island that harbours secrets so great that it adds phenomenal drama in their lives.
This story is told in two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with the occasional flashbacks to 2010). I found the historical thread initially the most fascinating because I love historical fiction but the modern timeline heats up fairly quickly and crosses over into the past. For dangerous secrets once buried in the island’s history, re-surface and bring long dormant ghosts to the fore. The mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat and flipping madly through the pages to see how the predicaments will all unravel.
On one side, The Keepers of the Lighthouse is a story about love, determination, fortitude and dedication but it is also about the dangers of greed, jealousy, vindictiveness and covetousness. It is also a story about identity: what is real, imagined and masked both in nature and people. The wild beauty of the island can be both idyllic and nightmarish. And in both timelines, there are visitors who may appear good but are driven by evil intent. Then there are those who are truly good but their actions are questioned.
At the start of the novel with the historical thread, we learn from The Hobart Recorder, posted on 15th May, 1882, that the schooner Alvarez, under the command of Captain Roberts and crew, has been chartered by Mr Albert Munro who has departed Hobart and is now on his way to Melbourne to begin a new life with his wife. Other members on board are visiting Englishman Mr Edmund Bailey and also a Mr Richard Jones who is on government business. But their journey does not go as planned when a terrible storm wrecks their schooner and tosses them on to the shores of Benevolence Island. Survivors are rescued by Laura and her father, the keepers of the Benevolence Island Lighthouse, set in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. The story unfolds as we learn about each one and the secrets they carry to the island. There are some great villainous moments that our Lighthouse Keepers Laura and her father must deal with in this strange collection of travellers. The plot has lots of surprises and twists! I personally admired the character of Laura, who is a woman of amazing strength, great capabilities (she is a fine sailor) with a hardy endurance. Resilient would be another word I would use as to live on such a remote island and continually be called upon to rescue and entertain strangers, takes a certain amount of fearlessness and fortitude.
In the modern thread, Nina has arrived on the island as a damaged soul. She carries a wound that has torn her trust and left her with long term fear and panic attacks. Of course, when she lands on Benevolence to do a job she finds that her past love interest, Jude, is there, too, also working. This unexpected encounter causes her to question everything she has built around herself for survival. Her pain reappears and the nightmares resume. If that is not enough, she senses danger lurking on the island: evidence of another presence who should not be there. This possible stranger adds more fuel to the fire of intrigue. The mystery ramps us while expectations run high. And Nina’s own history, Jude’s family history, and the island’s past residents’ history collide in an explosive showdown.
All in all, I loved this fascinating story (in both timelines that intersect), the colourful characters, the enduring romance, atmospheric mystery and matchless mayhem that kept me pinned to the pages. I highly recommend The Keepers of the Lighthouse. Take a sail on the pages of this story to the desolate windswept Tasmanian island of Benevolence and discover its treasures and tales of old! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to HarperCollins Australia (HQ) and Netgalley for a review copy.
The setting is a fictional Benevolence Island but the author tells us it is based on Deal Island in Northern Bass Strait. It is an area notorious for strong winds and wicked seas and many vessels have been beached or shipwrecked over the years. It is a perfect setting, though, for a story where the weather is at odds with humans on an island that harbours secrets so great that it adds phenomenal drama in their lives.
This story is told in two timelines: 1882 and 2020 (with the occasional flashbacks to 2010). I found the historical thread initially the most fascinating because I love historical fiction but the modern timeline heats up fairly quickly and crosses over into the past. For dangerous secrets once buried in the island’s history, re-surface and bring long dormant ghosts to the fore. The mystery keeps you on the edge of your seat and flipping madly through the pages to see how the predicaments will all unravel.
On one side, The Keepers of the Lighthouse is a story about love, determination, fortitude and dedication but it is also about the dangers of greed, jealousy, vindictiveness and covetousness. It is also a story about identity: what is real, imagined and masked both in nature and people. The wild beauty of the island can be both idyllic and nightmarish. And in both timelines, there are visitors who may appear good but are driven by evil intent. Then there are those who are truly good but their actions are questioned.
At the start of the novel with the historical thread, we learn from The Hobart Recorder, posted on 15th May, 1882, that the schooner Alvarez, under the command of Captain Roberts and crew, has been chartered by Mr Albert Munro who has departed Hobart and is now on his way to Melbourne to begin a new life with his wife. Other members on board are visiting Englishman Mr Edmund Bailey and also a Mr Richard Jones who is on government business. But their journey does not go as planned when a terrible storm wrecks their schooner and tosses them on to the shores of Benevolence Island. Survivors are rescued by Laura and her father, the keepers of the Benevolence Island Lighthouse, set in Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. The story unfolds as we learn about each one and the secrets they carry to the island. There are some great villainous moments that our Lighthouse Keepers Laura and her father must deal with in this strange collection of travellers. The plot has lots of surprises and twists! I personally admired the character of Laura, who is a woman of amazing strength, great capabilities (she is a fine sailor) with a hardy endurance. Resilient would be another word I would use as to live on such a remote island and continually be called upon to rescue and entertain strangers, takes a certain amount of fearlessness and fortitude.
In the modern thread, Nina has arrived on the island as a damaged soul. She carries a wound that has torn her trust and left her with long term fear and panic attacks. Of course, when she lands on Benevolence to do a job she finds that her past love interest, Jude, is there, too, also working. This unexpected encounter causes her to question everything she has built around herself for survival. Her pain reappears and the nightmares resume. If that is not enough, she senses danger lurking on the island: evidence of another presence who should not be there. This possible stranger adds more fuel to the fire of intrigue. The mystery ramps us while expectations run high. And Nina’s own history, Jude’s family history, and the island’s past residents’ history collide in an explosive showdown.
All in all, I loved this fascinating story (in both timelines that intersect), the colourful characters, the enduring romance, atmospheric mystery and matchless mayhem that kept me pinned to the pages. I highly recommend The Keepers of the Lighthouse. Take a sail on the pages of this story to the desolate windswept Tasmanian island of Benevolence and discover its treasures and tales of old! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Many thanks to HarperCollins Australia (HQ) and Netgalley for a review copy.
September 10, 2022
A lighthouse, like a vineyard, will always attract me to a book. Add to the lighthouse, Author Kaye Dobbie whose books I have always loved, and it is a winner for me.
Benevolence Island Lighthouse in 1882, the treasured peaceful home of the Webster family. Known for shipwrecks in the past, then there is the Alvarez, whose passengers and crew bring danger and mystery and will totally disrupt the peace and serenity of the family currently the caretakers of the lighthouse. Their life will never be the same and this time will resound into the future.
Forward to 2020. In the time of a global pandemic, protectors of the same lighthouse are once again on Benevolence Island to work on repairs to the land and buildings. Though their time on the Island is planned to be short, there is danger and a mystery to be solved by an already traumatised Nina and the man she hadn't expected to see again, Jude.
I loved this story and highly recommend it to other readers. If you haven't already read previous stories by Kaye Dobbie, I can highly recommend them too.
Benevolence Island Lighthouse in 1882, the treasured peaceful home of the Webster family. Known for shipwrecks in the past, then there is the Alvarez, whose passengers and crew bring danger and mystery and will totally disrupt the peace and serenity of the family currently the caretakers of the lighthouse. Their life will never be the same and this time will resound into the future.
Forward to 2020. In the time of a global pandemic, protectors of the same lighthouse are once again on Benevolence Island to work on repairs to the land and buildings. Though their time on the Island is planned to be short, there is danger and a mystery to be solved by an already traumatised Nina and the man she hadn't expected to see again, Jude.
I loved this story and highly recommend it to other readers. If you haven't already read previous stories by Kaye Dobbie, I can highly recommend them too.
June 13, 2022
What a great weekend read! Who doesn’t love a book about life on a desolate island with a family manning a lighthouse and rescuing people involved in shipwrecks. I could not put this book down as I had to find out what happened to the main characters.
This book is a dual time line with the Benevolence Island Lighthouse in Bass Strait as the central figure in the story.
Spanning the late 1880s we learn about the family of the Lighthouse keeper Leo Webster, his wife Miriam and his more than cable daughter Laura. Their life on the island is one of solitude and hard work but they wouldn’t have it any other way until the shipwreck of ‘The Alvarez’ changes the course of their lives.
Fast forward to 2020 and a group of volunteers and a film maker land on Benevolence Island to restore and undertake maintenance of the lighthouse cottages for ‘Island Heritage’. Nina is the project manager and she is trying hard to live with a trauma of a past event and do her job. There is foul play at hand from the time the group set foot on the Island.
How past secrets can weave themselves into the present day.
There is so much to like about this book. There is history, a touch of romance and lots of intrigue. A truly great read.
This book is a dual time line with the Benevolence Island Lighthouse in Bass Strait as the central figure in the story.
Spanning the late 1880s we learn about the family of the Lighthouse keeper Leo Webster, his wife Miriam and his more than cable daughter Laura. Their life on the island is one of solitude and hard work but they wouldn’t have it any other way until the shipwreck of ‘The Alvarez’ changes the course of their lives.
Fast forward to 2020 and a group of volunteers and a film maker land on Benevolence Island to restore and undertake maintenance of the lighthouse cottages for ‘Island Heritage’. Nina is the project manager and she is trying hard to live with a trauma of a past event and do her job. There is foul play at hand from the time the group set foot on the Island.
How past secrets can weave themselves into the present day.
There is so much to like about this book. There is history, a touch of romance and lots of intrigue. A truly great read.
January 13, 2023
I quite enjoyed this book as I love a good mystery. The then and now storyline was well done and brought the island to life.
I loved the 1880's storyline and the characters and the stories that were told, but the 2020 storyline was not as believable nor as captivating to me. There was such a difference in the two timelines - the characters were more defined in the earlier storyline than the latter.
I just love a lighthouse setting - mystery, romance (not the kissing kind 😉) and swashbuckling come to mind.
The colonial and historical nature of the author's books is certainly very appealing and I may just need to check them out.
I loved the 1880's storyline and the characters and the stories that were told, but the 2020 storyline was not as believable nor as captivating to me. There was such a difference in the two timelines - the characters were more defined in the earlier storyline than the latter.
I just love a lighthouse setting - mystery, romance (not the kissing kind 😉) and swashbuckling come to mind.
The colonial and historical nature of the author's books is certainly very appealing and I may just need to check them out.
January 2, 2023
The difficulty with dual timeline books is that one story is always preferable over the other. While the book was well written, I found myself trawling through the 2020 story in order to get back to the more interesting 1882 tale.
September 28, 2024
This just fizzled to lack luster finish. Everything came together pretty much as expected. No real surprises and therefore dull in the end. Disappointing.
June 20, 2025
3rd audiobook
January 31, 2023
I love lighthouse stories. This one was ok.
A reasonably good then and now storyline. I enjoyed the 1800’s story and characters more than the 2020 part.
Op shop find.
A reasonably good then and now storyline. I enjoyed the 1800’s story and characters more than the 2020 part.
Op shop find.
January 7, 2024
Some good moments, particularly in the past realm. More “histrionic” moments in the present. There were some unexpected twists that worked in an interesting way. Mixed.
September 23, 2022
This is a bit of a hybrid, including both an absorbing historical story, and a compelling contemporary thriller storyline.
In 1882 Laura Webster is living a rather unconventional life for a young woman. She lives with her family – her father, stepmother, and half brother – on Benevolence Island, where they tend the lighthouse. Laura is used to being her father’s assistant, and when a wild storm wrecks a boat near the Island, she helps him rescue the survivors.
However, as they wait for a way off the Island, it becomes clear that the survivors are not a straight forward group, and may present some very unexpected challenges.
In 2020 the lighthouse is now deserted, and the island treated largely as a wildlife reserve. Nina is leading a small group of volunteers to restore some of the other buildings on the island, to make it possible for it to function effectively as a place for tourism and wildlife conservation. There’s a lot riding on this for Nina; she’s recently made some professional mistakes, and it’s critical that this job goes smoothly.
However, that’s not going to be easy. Also on the island is Jude Rawlins, an extremely attractive man with whom Nina has some very complicated – and bad – history. This does no favors for Nina’s emotional balance. To make it worse, it soon becomes clear that someone on the island has an agenda which is very different from that of Nina’s group.
One of the challenges with novels that follow two timelines is ensuring both are equally interesting for the reader. Dobbie manages this extremely well. Characters in both periods are empathetic, their dilemmas engrossing, and the action absorbing. I found both stories hard to move away from.
It takes quite some time before the link between the two stories becomes obvious. This is in no way a problem; both stories were so strong that it didn’t matter that the connection wasn’t immediately clear. I expected it would be revealed at some point – and it was – but I was so interested in what would happen with each story that I didn’t really care so much about the connection. They were enough by themselves. The connection, when revealed, was highly relevant and interesting, but the late reveal wasn’t a frustration.
These strengths are similar to the strengths of Dobbie’s earlier novel, “The Road to Ironbark”. Readers who have enjoyed that are sure to enjoy this one too.
This is a very entertaining novel. The two story lines are exceptionally well balanced and absorbing. Both are very different, but equally credible and well written. I recommend this not just to readers of historical fiction, but also to readers of contemporary novels who are looking for something a little different.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
You may be interested in my review of “The Road to Ironbark” by Kaye Dobbie:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
In 1882 Laura Webster is living a rather unconventional life for a young woman. She lives with her family – her father, stepmother, and half brother – on Benevolence Island, where they tend the lighthouse. Laura is used to being her father’s assistant, and when a wild storm wrecks a boat near the Island, she helps him rescue the survivors.
However, as they wait for a way off the Island, it becomes clear that the survivors are not a straight forward group, and may present some very unexpected challenges.
In 2020 the lighthouse is now deserted, and the island treated largely as a wildlife reserve. Nina is leading a small group of volunteers to restore some of the other buildings on the island, to make it possible for it to function effectively as a place for tourism and wildlife conservation. There’s a lot riding on this for Nina; she’s recently made some professional mistakes, and it’s critical that this job goes smoothly.
However, that’s not going to be easy. Also on the island is Jude Rawlins, an extremely attractive man with whom Nina has some very complicated – and bad – history. This does no favors for Nina’s emotional balance. To make it worse, it soon becomes clear that someone on the island has an agenda which is very different from that of Nina’s group.
One of the challenges with novels that follow two timelines is ensuring both are equally interesting for the reader. Dobbie manages this extremely well. Characters in both periods are empathetic, their dilemmas engrossing, and the action absorbing. I found both stories hard to move away from.
It takes quite some time before the link between the two stories becomes obvious. This is in no way a problem; both stories were so strong that it didn’t matter that the connection wasn’t immediately clear. I expected it would be revealed at some point – and it was – but I was so interested in what would happen with each story that I didn’t really care so much about the connection. They were enough by themselves. The connection, when revealed, was highly relevant and interesting, but the late reveal wasn’t a frustration.
These strengths are similar to the strengths of Dobbie’s earlier novel, “The Road to Ironbark”. Readers who have enjoyed that are sure to enjoy this one too.
This is a very entertaining novel. The two story lines are exceptionally well balanced and absorbing. Both are very different, but equally credible and well written. I recommend this not just to readers of historical fiction, but also to readers of contemporary novels who are looking for something a little different.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
You may be interested in my review of “The Road to Ironbark” by Kaye Dobbie:
https://otherdreamsotherlives.home.bl...
August 19, 2022
A series of newspaper articles centred on the engagement and subsequent marriage of heiress Rochelle Fernley and apparently wealthy Victorian property owner Albert Munro is the central focus of this fabulous dual timeline story. The Keepers of the Lighthouse is set mainly on tiny Benevolence Island in Bass Strait. I loved the remote island setting and the way that remoteness impacted on the characters and the way they related to each other.
The story opens in 1882 with focal character Laura Webster, daughter of lighthouse keeper Leo, working through the night to help him rescue survivors from the clipper Alvarez, which has sunk after being swept onto the rocks. While Laura is as strong and capable as they come, she also has a vulnerable side, though that only makes her more admirable. loved, respected and admired Laura from the first. She’s hardworking, resourceful, admirable and likeable, but you also get a glimpse of her vulnerable side. Rescued survivor Edmund Bailey, who spends much of his time on the page telling Laura how worthless he is, really comes into his own when circumstances throw one challenge after another at him.. He is Laura’s perfect hero!
Running parallel to Laura’s story and set in 2020, we see Island Heritage team leader Nina thrust into conflict immediately on arriving on Benevolence Island. Clashes with team members and strange happenings quickly ramp up the tension, forcing Nina to revisit her broken relationship with former lover Jude Rawlins, who is also on the island. Nina is emotionally fragile but determined. I admit to finding Nina frustrating at times, but I liked and respected her more and more as I got to know what was motivating her behaviour.
This story is complex but skilfully woven. While it is character-driven, there is plenty in the plot to keep you guessing to the end.
The story opens in 1882 with focal character Laura Webster, daughter of lighthouse keeper Leo, working through the night to help him rescue survivors from the clipper Alvarez, which has sunk after being swept onto the rocks. While Laura is as strong and capable as they come, she also has a vulnerable side, though that only makes her more admirable. loved, respected and admired Laura from the first. She’s hardworking, resourceful, admirable and likeable, but you also get a glimpse of her vulnerable side. Rescued survivor Edmund Bailey, who spends much of his time on the page telling Laura how worthless he is, really comes into his own when circumstances throw one challenge after another at him.. He is Laura’s perfect hero!
Running parallel to Laura’s story and set in 2020, we see Island Heritage team leader Nina thrust into conflict immediately on arriving on Benevolence Island. Clashes with team members and strange happenings quickly ramp up the tension, forcing Nina to revisit her broken relationship with former lover Jude Rawlins, who is also on the island. Nina is emotionally fragile but determined. I admit to finding Nina frustrating at times, but I liked and respected her more and more as I got to know what was motivating her behaviour.
This story is complex but skilfully woven. While it is character-driven, there is plenty in the plot to keep you guessing to the end.
August 2, 2022
Laura’s father, Leo Webster is the lighthouse keeper on Benevolence Island Lighthouse, in 1882. A lonely and isolated life on an island in the Bass Strait, Laura helps her father as best she can. When a raging storm hits the island, they find themselves rescuing several people aboard a schooner, two of whom a hiding a terrible secret which will have serious consequences.
In a dual timeline, set in 2020, Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to begin work on repairing the old lighthouse and its buildings. Whilst trying to deal with her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlins’ arrival on the island, which nearly destroyed her, she is also confronted with strange events surrounding the buildings. These random acts of sabotage soon lead to far greater issues, when they loss the means of communicating with the outside world. Soon Nina must begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the events of 1882.
I really enjoyed the dual timeline with both Nina and Laura’s story both fascinating. Both women and strong and dynamic, coping with their own challenges, staying strong despite events around them, spinning out of control. The harsh reality of life on Benevolence Island is well described and I found myself submerged in the surroundings as well as the intricate lives of all those involved.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In a dual timeline, set in 2020, Nina Robinson and her team of volunteers arrive on Benevolence Island to begin work on repairing the old lighthouse and its buildings. Whilst trying to deal with her ex-boyfriend Jude Rawlins’ arrival on the island, which nearly destroyed her, she is also confronted with strange events surrounding the buildings. These random acts of sabotage soon lead to far greater issues, when they loss the means of communicating with the outside world. Soon Nina must begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the events of 1882.
I really enjoyed the dual timeline with both Nina and Laura’s story both fascinating. Both women and strong and dynamic, coping with their own challenges, staying strong despite events around them, spinning out of control. The harsh reality of life on Benevolence Island is well described and I found myself submerged in the surroundings as well as the intricate lives of all those involved.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and Harlequin Australia. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 1, 2022
A really enjoyable dual timeline novel.
Set in 1882 on the windswept island of Benevolence in the Bass Strait, lighthouse keeper Leo Webster and his daughter Laura save a few survivors from a sinking schooner. But little did they know that some were hiding some dangerous secrets.
In 2020 a group of volunteers arrive on the island to work on repairs but soon it’s obvious that someone with menacing intentions are putting the group at risk. Group leader Nina is struggling with her mental health and it doesn’t help that her old lover has been included on the trip to make a documentary of the work being done.
I love the idea of dual timelines but I often find myself liking one timeline more than the other and it’s often the contemporary story but with this one I throughly enjoyed both…unheard of for a long time for me!
The pace was really well done and the characters likeable, I had no idea how they would meld together but it did to a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Set in 1882 on the windswept island of Benevolence in the Bass Strait, lighthouse keeper Leo Webster and his daughter Laura save a few survivors from a sinking schooner. But little did they know that some were hiding some dangerous secrets.
In 2020 a group of volunteers arrive on the island to work on repairs but soon it’s obvious that someone with menacing intentions are putting the group at risk. Group leader Nina is struggling with her mental health and it doesn’t help that her old lover has been included on the trip to make a documentary of the work being done.
I love the idea of dual timelines but I often find myself liking one timeline more than the other and it’s often the contemporary story but with this one I throughly enjoyed both…unheard of for a long time for me!
The pace was really well done and the characters likeable, I had no idea how they would meld together but it did to a very satisfying conclusion.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
November 8, 2022
There’s something mysterious and intriguing about a lighthouse, even more so when it’s on a remote island. A fictional island in Bass Strait is the setting for Dobbie’s latest historical novel which skips back and forward between 2020 and 1882.
The 1882 story follows the life of Laura Webster, who lives on Benevolence Island, helping her father look after the lighthouse. When a schooner wrecks on the rocks during a storm, Laura and her father rescue a handful of survivors. Over the following days secrets are revealed proving everyone is not as they seem and Laura and her father find themselves in danger from the very people they’ve rescued.
The 2020 storyline follows Nina, damaged by a past event and suffering PTSD, who leads a team of volunteers tasked with carrying out repair work on the long-abandoned Benevolence Island. But it soon appears someone is trying to sabotage their efforts putting them in danger.
Like so many dual timelines, there is usually one you like more and for me that was the 1882 story. I loved the character of Laura Webster, I found her well-conceived, layered, intriguing and so likeable. It wasn’t until close to the end though that I realised what the link was between the two timelines and found it intriguing, if a little unbelievable.
I’m a fan of Dobbie’s past historical books and have to say I prefer her historical stories over her modern ones. Still, this is a great, unique Australian tale.
The 1882 story follows the life of Laura Webster, who lives on Benevolence Island, helping her father look after the lighthouse. When a schooner wrecks on the rocks during a storm, Laura and her father rescue a handful of survivors. Over the following days secrets are revealed proving everyone is not as they seem and Laura and her father find themselves in danger from the very people they’ve rescued.
The 2020 storyline follows Nina, damaged by a past event and suffering PTSD, who leads a team of volunteers tasked with carrying out repair work on the long-abandoned Benevolence Island. But it soon appears someone is trying to sabotage their efforts putting them in danger.
Like so many dual timelines, there is usually one you like more and for me that was the 1882 story. I loved the character of Laura Webster, I found her well-conceived, layered, intriguing and so likeable. It wasn’t until close to the end though that I realised what the link was between the two timelines and found it intriguing, if a little unbelievable.
I’m a fan of Dobbie’s past historical books and have to say I prefer her historical stories over her modern ones. Still, this is a great, unique Australian tale.
June 18, 2025
An excellent read. Do yourself a favour and read this one.
There are two stories running concurrently about Laura Webster and her dad, Leo, in 1882 when they are lighthouse keepers at Benevolence Island in the rough seas of Bass Strait. They house stranded passengers from a shipwreck while they await a boat that will take them to the mainland of Australia. Some of the stranded have terrible secrets which will have ramifications into the future.
The second story is in 2020 is about Nina and her team are working on Benevolence Island for Island Heritage doing repairs. When Nina arrives she finds out her ex- is also working on the island on a documentary, much to her angst. The island soon turns into a nightmare when they realise that they are being sabotaged by a mystery person on the island.
The secrets of the past are at play and they need to find out who is on the island and why?
There are two stories running concurrently about Laura Webster and her dad, Leo, in 1882 when they are lighthouse keepers at Benevolence Island in the rough seas of Bass Strait. They house stranded passengers from a shipwreck while they await a boat that will take them to the mainland of Australia. Some of the stranded have terrible secrets which will have ramifications into the future.
The second story is in 2020 is about Nina and her team are working on Benevolence Island for Island Heritage doing repairs. When Nina arrives she finds out her ex- is also working on the island on a documentary, much to her angst. The island soon turns into a nightmare when they realise that they are being sabotaged by a mystery person on the island.
The secrets of the past are at play and they need to find out who is on the island and why?
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