The Lighthouse Mystery
Based on H. G. Wells’ “The House of Secret Love”, a lighthouse mystery is a charming tale which revolves around the search for a lighthouse and the lifelong friendship between a lighthouse keeper and his patient, Watson. Set in the year 1876, the story follows Watson as he rescues an injured man from the sea. Aided by his friend, Watson becomes involved in the search for the lighthouse, eventually becoming its lighthouse keeper. This story takes place on England’s South Coast near the town of Bournemouth and involves many other characters, including a ghost and a giant, who continue to visit the lighthouse on a regular basis.
Since its publication, the lighthouse mystery has become a favorite children’s story, as well as a favorite science fiction classic. Many of its characters have become beloved characters in their own right, including Watson, the lighthouse keeper, and Watson’s granddaughter, Miss Watson. The tale itself revolves around seven stories that span the entire year, rather than being self-contained like some mysteries are. For this reason, many people feel that the true value of the story comes not from Watson’s efforts to solve the mystery, but rather in the way that the characters react to events.
The popularity of the lighthouse mystery has also led to the creation of many popular sequel series. The Lighthouse Mystery, written by David Lebovitz, is a series of eight books that follow the original story, while adding new characters and locations, in order to keep the fans interested. Following the success of the first book, The lighthouse Mystery, came Anablocher, followed by The Mystery at Roaring Harbour, followed by Last Entry, Before the Stone, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which cover the last four months of Watson’s final weeks at the lighthouse. The last book in the series, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is arguably the best-selling of the entire series.