As Stella Wright’s Nantucket candle store thrives, her knack for solving mysteries burns equally bright—especially when a Halloween haunted house uncovers evidence of a centuries-old murder . . . When Stella’s friend inherits a creaky, abandoned home in Nantucket, she knows it’s the perfect setting for the town’s annual Halloween fundraiser. A deserted, boarded-up building on the property—once … fundraiser. A deserted, boarded-up building on the property—once used as a candle-making shop—adds to the creepy ambiance. But as Stella explores the shack’s dilapidated walls, she discovers a terrible secret: the skeleton of a Quaker woman, wrapped in blood-soaked clothing and hidden deep within a stone hearth . . .
While police investigate, Stella wastes no time asking for help from friends with long ties to Nantucket’s intricate history. The key to the murder may lie within a scorching 18th century love triangle that pit two best friends against one another over a dubious man. But before the case is solved, another life will be claimed—leaving Stella to wonder who in Nantucket is friend, and who is foe . . .
Praise for Murder’s No Votive Confidence
“A charming mystery with believable, likeable characters. Check it out.”
—Suspense Magazine
more
Fun Cozy Mystery series featuring Stella Wright, candle shop owner…and amateur sleuth. When she finds a 100 year old skeleton hidden behind a wall, Stella is determined to figure out what happened…and if it has any ties to the present.
With its intriguing and clever mystery and fascinating characters, this book held my attention and kept me guessing until the end.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
‘15 Minutes of Flame‘ is the third title in the ‘Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery‘ series. I have not yet read the two earlier books (that’s on the schedule to get caught up on) and I didn’t feel the least bit lost. So, although I’ll try my best to read a series in order, sometimes it’s just not possible – I’d call this one standalone material, but I imagine I’d have enjoyed it more with the background from the earlier stories… that’s just the type of reader I am.
Stella is planning on helping out the Girl Scouts’ fundraising this Halloween season with a haunted house tour – and she has the perfect building. Creepy, ancient, crumbly, and spooky it’s the perfect spot. Right up until Stella discovers a skeleton wearing crumbling, ancient bloodstained clothes sealed up where no natural death would have left a body – within a wall. As the experts set out to discover what happened to this woman, Stella will begin her own investigation with surprising results. Soon a modern-day murder will add even more questions to the situation. Are the murders somehow connected?
There are intriguing historical facts woven in alongside a very present-day murder with fascinating results. Red herrings, twists and turns galore, this one kept me guessing right up to the reveal. No, there are no more clues to give for you should try to solve this mystery on your own. I enjoyed the main characters very much and will definitely get caught up on this series before the next release. If you love puzzling out a mystery, a bit of history, secondary characters who bring a story to life, and a hint of ancient candlemaking, then you’ll love ‘15 Minutes of Flame‘.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, Kensington Books via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
15 Minutes of Flame is the third book in the Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series by Christin Brecher. It can be read as a stand alone.
Halloween is almost here and Stella has agreed to help on a fundraiser. What more perfect place to hold it other then an old abandoned building. Stella stumbles upon an old building in the back yard and discovers it had once been a candle shop. While trying to remove a sign in the building, she finds a skeleton of a Quaker woman, She once again is drawn into a mystery. Then when a murder happens while investigating the death of the Quaker, she is now involved in a murder investigation. Will she make it to trick or treat or not.
This easy to read cozy has plot twists galore, likeable characters, humor, a great setting, and romance.
I was given an ARC by Kensington and NetGalley for an honest review.
This is book 3 in this series. I enjoyed it so much, I have now purchased book 1 and I’m sure I’ll be adding book 2 to my kindle also. I loved the story and the characters. I would love to visit the Nantucket area someday. This book has some of my favorite things in it, old houses, girl scouts, quirky folks, candles, Halloween and people looking out for each other. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
“15 Minutes of Flame”, the third in the Nantucket Candle Maker’s series, is a delightful return to Nantucket Island. The series features Stella Wright, the owner of the Wick & Flame, a small candle shop on the island. In this Halloween-themed story, Stella is working with the local Girl Scout troop to put on a haunted house, with the proceeds helping the needy of the island. She discovers a skeleton in an out building on the grounds, triggering an investigation by anthropologists, and a Netflix producer. When a murder of a more contemporary nature happens, Stella plunges head first into the investigation.
Stella is a fun amateur sleuth. One of the things I truly appreciate about her is that she is not a reluctant investigator, but enjoys investigations and is honest about it. The supporting cast of characters from previous stories are present: Andy, the town policeman and Stella’s childhood friend; Peter, her newspaper reporter boyfriend; and Emily, her best friend. There are a couple of new characters introduced here, and I hope that they become regulars in subsequent installments, particularly Clemmie, the owner of The Bean coffee shop.
The history of Nantucket Island at a time when whaling was a primary source of income for the town plays a big role in this mystery, and it was fascinating to read about, particularly the revelation that many of the businesses were run by women. The mystery itself is well crafted; due to the manner in which the contemporary murder occurs, the suspect pool is limited. Despite this, author Brecher manages to keep the reader guessing and delivers an absorbing tale with a multi-layered conclusion. She also leaves Stella at a place where growth and change in her life can happen.
An added bonus is the recipes at the end of the book, and tips on candlemaking both at the end and interwoven into the story. I highly recommend this series for multiple reasons. I always enjoy my visits to Nantucket Island and look forward to many more.