🕯️ Book Review: The Lamp: A Short Story by Agatha Christie (Kindle Edition)
A haunting and atmospheric ghost story that departs from Christie’s usual detective fare—The Lamp is a chilling tale of sorrow, innocence, and the lingering presence of the past.
🧠 Overview
Originally published in 1933 as part of The Hound of Death and Other Stories, The Lamp is one of Agatha Christie’s lesser-known supernatural short stories. It was later included in The Golden Ball and Other Stories and made available as a standalone Kindle edition. Unlike her famous whodunits, this story leans into Gothic horror, exploring themes of grief, haunting, and the tragic consequences of abandonment.
The plot centers on Mrs. Lancaster, who moves into a suspiciously cheap house in an old cathedral town with her elderly father and young son, Geoffrey. The house has a dark history: decades earlier, a boy was left alone when his father was arrested and tragically died of starvation. Soon, strange sounds, ghostly sightings, and eerie dreams begin to plague the household—especially Geoffrey, who claims to see and play with “the little boy in the attic.”
✨ Key Themes & Highlights
- 👻 Ghostly innocence: The haunting is not malevolent but deeply sorrowful, centered on a child’s longing for companionship
- 🏚️ Atmospheric dread: Christie masterfully builds tension through subtle sounds, dreams, and whispered gossip
- 💔 Tragedy and empathy: The emotional climax is both heartbreaking and strangely comforting, as the ghost finally finds peace
- 🧠 Psychological undertones: The story explores how grief and denial can blind characters to the supernatural signs around them
“The little boy has a playmate at last.” — the story’s final line, a chilling yet tender resolution
💬 Reader Reception
- ⭐ Goodreads rating: 3.39/5 from over 480 ratings
- 📖 Readers appreciate the story’s emotional depth, eerie tone, and departure from Christie’s usual genre
- 🧾 Some found it too brief or predictable, but many praised its haunting simplicity and evocative imagery
- 💬 “A poignant ghost story that lingers. Christie proves she can do more than murder mysteries.” — Goodreads reviewer
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Short format: At around 10–15 pages, it’s a quick read—best enjoyed in a quiet moment with the lights low
- 📚 Not a detective story: Fans expecting Poirot or Marple may be surprised by the supernatural focus
- 🧾 Subtle horror: No jump scares—this is psychological and emotional horror rooted in loss
🏁 Final Verdict
The Lamp is a quietly powerful ghost story that showcases Agatha Christie’s versatility beyond the detective genre. With its melancholic tone, emotional resonance, and haunting finale, it’s a must-read for fans of classic supernatural fiction and those curious to see a different side of the Queen of Crime.
