The Naked Light
- Author Bridget Collins
- Narrator Bridget Collins
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 25 September 2025
- Run Time 12 hours and 20 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Dark fantasy, Fiction: general and literary, First World War fiction, Historical fiction, Historical romance, Horror and supernatural fiction, Magical realism, Myths and Legends, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Narrative theme: Sense of place.
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What to expect
A village haunted by stories. Two women bound by a secret.
A haunting gothic tale of ancient darkness and a love that defies convention, from Sunday Times #1 bestseller Bridget Collins.
'At once a moving study of women's lives after the First World War, an exquisite love story and a terrifying folk horror. So beautifully written that I could hardly bear to stop reading, this is Bridget Collins at her beguiling best' EMILIA HART
'Bridget Collins’ writing haunts my dreams’ ERIN KELLY
'A spine-chillingly scary romance and a heartwarmingly romantic horror novel… I raced through it at breakneck speed even as I wished it would go on forever. Beautifully written, thrillingly imagined, and a joy on every page' SANDRA NEWMAN
'I honestly never thought another author could rival Sarah Waters… but I was wrong. I haven't read a historical novel quite as good as this in years!' LOUISE MORRISH
Watching over the village of Haltington is an ancient carving in the ground, known to locals simply as the Face. It was first etched into the chalk when lives were ruled by superstition and stories; by fear of the unknown, of the shadows.
For centuries, the inhabitants of Bone Cottage have tended to it. But now that the Great War has decimated the population of even this most isolated of places, the Face stands neglected and overgrown.
When enigmatic outsider Kit moves into the cottage, the villagers are suspicious of her androgynous appearance and bohemian ways. In defiance of their disapproval, the vicar’s unmarried sister-in-law Florence finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kit, and the friendship that grows between them becomes a light in the dark for her.
But the Face calls things to it, and now Florence and Kit are in its path…
A haunting gothic tale of ancient darkness and a love that defies convention, from Sunday Times #1 bestseller Bridget Collins.
READERS ARE LOVING
'Oh my, this is just lovely reading… atmospheric and beautifully composed' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I love books by this author and think this could be her best thus far. Wow, what a read. It truly has a gothic horror feel about it, a slow creeping dread fills the book, and I loved it!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Critics Review
'Atmospheric, psychologically astute and beautifully realised, this is a brilliantly original literary take on folk horror'GUARDIAN
n'At once a moving study of women's lives after the First World War, an exquisite love story and a terrifying folk horror. So beautifully written that I could hardly bear to stop reading, this is Bridget Collins at her beguiling best' EMILIA HART, author of WEYWARD
n'This haunting story brims with atmosphere' PRIMA
n'This aching slow-burn tale of forbidden love and emancipation has added gothic bite' HEAT
n'Bridget Collins’ writing haunts my dreams’ ERIN KELLY
n'Sublime and terrifying at the same time, sad, sometimes shocking, always utterly gripping' ROSIE ANDREWS, author of THE LEVIATHAN
n'A haunting and mesmerising tale' WOMAN'S OWN
n'What a treat this was! The Naked Light really does have everything – fantasy, folk horror, romance, history – as well as singing prose and fully-realised characters whose stories are interwoven with the landscape and the unfolding nightmare of the first World War. A book that feels at once wonderfully original and yet searingly timely, this is Collins at her very best' C.J. COOKE
n'A spine-chillingly scary romance and a heartwarmingly romantic horror novel… I raced through it at breakneck speed even as I wished it would go on forever. Beautifully written, thrillingly imagined, and a joy on every page' SANDRA NEWMAN, author of JULIA
n'I honestly never thought another author could rival Sarah Waters in terms of plot and quality and characterisation, but I was wrong. Bridget Collins' new book is every bit as good as Waters' best. The Naked Light was utterly beguiling, heart-shatteringly emotional, and will stay with me for a very, very long time. Hand on heart, I haven't read a historical novel quite as good as this for years!' LOUISE MORRISH, author of WOMEN OF WAR
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