The Lost Lights of St Kilda - Elisabeth Gifford

'Desperately romantic, lyrically written and with a fascinating plot' Katie Fforde1927: When Fred Lawson takes a summer job on St Kilda, little does he realise that he has joined the last community to ever live on that beautiful, isolated island. Only three years later, St Kilda will be evacuated, the islanders near dead from starvation. But for Fred, memories of that summer - and the island woman, Chrissie, with whom he falls in love - will never leave him. 1940: Fred has been captured behind enemy lines in France and finds himself in a prisoner-of-war camp. Beaten and exhausted, his thoughts return to the island of his youth and the woman he loved and lost. When Fred makes his daring escape, prompting a desperate journey across occupied territory, he is sustained by one thought only: finding his way back to Chrissie.
The Lost Lights of St Kilda is a sweeping love story that crosses oceans and decades. It is a moving and deeply vivid portrait of two lovers, a desolate island and the extraordinary power of hope in the face of darkness.'A gorgeous, melancholy love story.' The Times'An undeniably haunting love story.' Sunday Times

Elisabeth Gifford grew up in a vicarage in the industrial Midlands. She studied French literature and world religions at Leeds University. She has a Diploma in Creative Writing from Oxford OUDCE and an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway College. She is married with three children, and lives in Kingston upon Thames.

A gorgeous, melancholy love story
The Times

An undeniably haunting love story.
Sunday Times

Desperately romantic, lyrically written and with a fascinating plot.
Katie Fforde, author of A Rose Petal Summer

I loved this book. Beautifully written and descriptive... The twisted threads weave an engaging plot which takes us on a trail of human courage and measures the cost of betrayal. Set in the last poignant years of life on remote St Kilda and in war-torn Europe, it paints both worlds with a vividness that is wholly convincing.
Sarah Maine, author of The House Between Tides

The characters are exquisitely drawn, and the slowly emerging love story rings entirely true. This is one of the best novels I've read in a long while, a real jewel.
Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife

The wild beauty and intense isolation of the Scottish island of St Kilda is vividly realised... As gorgeously written as it's quietly devastating.
Kate Riordan, author of The Girl in the Photograph

This is not only a love story between two people, but also between an island and its inhabitants. Richly detailed and evocative, the novel shines a light on the fascinating history of St Kilda, and the last community to call it home.
Kat Gordon, author of An Unsuitable Woman

Such an atmospheric read and very moving. Two pieces of forgotten history woven immaculately.
Lorna Cook, author of The Forgotten Village

A compelling love story set against the dramatic backdrops of a remote Scottish island and war-torn France. As beautiful and haunting as St Kilda itself, this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
Gill Thompson, author of The Oceans Between Us

A beautifully written and heart-rending story of love, loss and redemption.
Sophia Tobin, author of The Silversmith's Wife

A glorious novel. You won't be able to put it down for a minute.
Suellen Dainty, author of The Housekeeper

A moving story simply and beautifully told.
Tim Pears, author of The Redeemed

Days after finishing this deeply moving story, written with such a simple yet lyrical prose, I still feel haunted by it.
New Books Magazine

A compelling love story, meticulously researched and beautifully told. The sense of place is vivid, and the descriptions are so powerful that you can almost feel the chilly whistle of the wind. A haunting novel that lingers long in the imagination.
Church Times