A village haunted by stories. Two women bound by a secret.
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.
Review
'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
'This haunting story brims with atmosphere' PRIMA
'Bridget Collins’ writing haunts my dreams’ ERIN KELLY
'Sublime and terrifying at the same time, sad, sometimes shocking, always utterly gripping' ROSIE ANDREWS, author of THE LEVIATHAN
'What a treat this was! Bridget Collins' 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
'A spine-chillingly scary romance and a heartwarmingly romantic horror novel, with serious things to say about how the trauma of war spreads beyond those who fight it to those who try to help them, those who miss their help and companionship, and those who deal with the violence they bring back with them from the front. It has genuinely frightening monsters (not the least of which is war itself) and heroines whose love story is profoundly affecting because it's so real. 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
'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
About the Author
Bridget Collins trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art after reading English at King's College, Cambridge. She is the author of seven acclaimed books for young adults and has had two plays produced, one at the Edinburgh Fringe. She is the No. 1 bestselling author of THE BINDING and THE BETRAYALS. THE SILENCE FACTORY is her third adult novel.
