Review of Ghostlight by Dodie Bishop
Book One of the Ghostlight Mysteries
Dodie Bishop’s Ghostlight is an atmospheric historical mystery that combines murder, medicine, art, and a touch of the supernatural in a fascinating portrait of London in the late seventeenth century.
The story opens in 1687 at Westminster, where a young schoolboy witnesses something disturbing in the chapel—two men behaving suspiciously around the altar and a painting of the Crucifixion. What follows gradually develops into a much larger mystery involving unexplained deaths, missing boys, powerful families, secrets, and a series of clues that conventional investigation alone cannot easily explain.
At the center of the story is Dr. Michael Bartholomew, Westminster's Assistant Coroner. His scientific approach to death and disease provides one of the book's strongest elements. He is joined by the energetic Irish siblings Finn O'Dell and Aoife "Elf" O'Dell, whose personalities add considerable humor and warmth to what is otherwise a dark story.
Another central character is Francesca Rossi, an artist who becomes involved in Michael's investigations by creating detailed drawings of postmortems and crime scenes. Francesca is particularly interesting because she is ambitious and independent at a time when women are routinely excluded from the professions and opportunities available to men. Her artistic abilities eventually become connected to something far more mysterious.
One of the book's most intriguing ideas is the relationship between Francesca's paintings and the mysterious "ghostlight" candles. Francesca begins producing paintings that seem to reveal events she could not ordinarily know about—including images connected to missing and murdered people. She struggles to determine whether the phenomenon has a rational explanation or something genuinely supernatural is occurring.
The historical setting is another major strength. Bishop creates a convincing sense of seventeenth-century London, from the streets and houses to medical practices, social conventions, clothing, food, and the rigid limitations placed upon women. The descriptions are detailed without overwhelming the story.
I also enjoyed the relationship between Michael and Francesca. Their professional partnership gradually develops into something more complicated, while both characters maintain their own personalities and ambitions. The supporting cast is equally memorable, particularly Finn and Elf, whose lively exchanges provide welcome moments of humor amid the darker events.
The mystery becomes increasingly complicated as the investigation moves toward the Jaggers family and the deaths of young boys associated with Westminster Abbey School. The supernatural element is handled carefully: the book never simply abandons its historical mystery framework in favor of fantasy. Instead, Bishop allows the reader—and Michael—to remain uncertain about what can be explained rationally and what cannot.
The final portion of the novel brings the danger much closer to Francesca, leading to a tense rescue sequence at the Jaggers residence.
What makes Ghostlight particularly appealing is the combination of genres. It is simultaneously a historical mystery, a character-driven story, a medical investigation, an exploration of art and creativity, and a supernatural thriller. Bishop manages to weave these elements together without making any one of them feel completely separate from the others.
The novel is also clearly the beginning of a larger series. The ending leaves room for further adventures involving Michael, Francesca, Finn, Elf, and the mysterious forces surrounding the ghostlight paintings.
Bottom line: Ghostlight is an atmospheric and richly detailed historical mystery with memorable characters and an unusual supernatural premise. Readers who enjoy historical crime fiction, period mysteries, medical mysteries, and stories where the boundary between the rational and supernatural becomes increasingly blurred should find plenty to enjoy here.
Goodreads Review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/9001710805