The Naked Light

Bridget Collins

$49.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

The Borough Press
28 January 2026

Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945); Horror & ghost stories; Fantasy; Myth & legend told as fiction; Historical fiction

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!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

By: Bridget Collins
Imprint: The Borough Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 159mm, Spine: 27mm
Weight: 600g
ISBN: 9780008424084
ISBN 10: 000842408X
Pages: 384
Publication Date: 28 January 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

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 Festival. The Binding is her first adult novel.

Reviews for The Naked Light

PRAISE FOR BRIDGET COLLINS: 'Collins’ prose is spellbinding' Laura Purcell 'Truly extraordinary writing' Anna Mazzola 'Incomparable' Erin Kelly 'A storyteller of rare imagination' Mail on Sunday 'What I love about Bridget's books is her ability to write the most magical worlds of escapism and yet anchor those worlds very much in today’ Joanna Cannon