The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World
31 July 2025Synopsis
From the author of The First Bright Thing, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson is a powerful contemporary queer fantasy. Perfect for fans of Hadestown and Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune.
‘Gorgeous . . . haunting and healing’ – Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
Love doesn’t die, people do . . .
At the edge of Chicago, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, there is a waystation for the dead. Every night, the newly departed travel through the city to the Station, guided by its lighthouse. There, they reckon with their lives before stepping aboard a boat to go beyond.
Nera has spent decades watching her father – the ferryman of the dead – sail across the lake, each night just like the last.
But tonight something is wrong.
The Station's lighthouse has started to flicker out. The terrifying, ghostly Haunts have multiplied in the city. And now a person – a living person has found her way onto the boat.
Her name is Charlie. She followed a song. And she is searching for someone she lost.
A devastating story of magic, family and those who leave us – but who might not remain lost.
‘An earnest, heartfelt read’ – Veronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows
Details
31 July 2025
9781035018246Reviews
Gorgeous, lyrical, heartfelt and true in all the ways that matter! This is an achingly beautiful book that is as much about life as it is about death. Haunting and healing and highly recommended!Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop
An earnest, heartfelt read set in a moody, otherworldly Chicago steeped in loss and historyVeronica Roth, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of When Among Crows
In turns heartbreaking, haunting and hopeful, The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a powerful novel about the memories that can break a spirit and the love that can heal it again. It’s a moving reminder that after great loss, it’s still possible to find love, joy, and light when lost in grief’s darknessHeather Webber, USA Today bestselling author of Midnight at the Blackbird Café
In the deft hands of J.R. Dawson, death is merely a transition point. The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World is a poignant story of love and grief, memory and myth, and what it truly means to be aliveRita Woods, award-winning author of The Edge of Yesterday
