Stella Wright loves creating candles at her Nantucket store—and she also has a burning passion for justice. Now, after visiting a perfume conference, she must solve a vial crime . . . Stella and her globe-trotting mom, Millie, have come home from a perfume industry conference in Paris, where their trip was marred by witnessing the stabbing death of a young man. It’s a relief for Stella to be back … Stella to be back on her picturesque island, with the comforting company of her cat, Tinker. But lingering danger may have followed them back across the ocean.
After someone breaks into her candle store, the Wick & Flame, Stella starts feeling spooked. And just as things threaten to ignite, Millie suffers a blow to the head. Stella receives an anonymous note claiming that her mother smuggled a secret formula out of France—and threatening her life if it isn’t returned. Now Stella’s picked up the scent of a cold-hearted criminal and an intriguing puzzle, and things are about to get wicked . . .
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Excellent cozy! It starts off in another country where a murder takes place then moves to the U.S. where plenty of exciting ‘spy type’ action takes place. The story held my attention from beginning to end, and I thought the plot was quite original! I’m looking forward to the third book in the series.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Stella Wright met up with her mom, Millie in Paris for a perfume conference. Right before Millie was supposed to speak a young man was stabbed right in front of them. After waiting to give the authorities the statements they just make their flight back to the states. Stella, happy to be home on Nantucket. Peter meets the ferry and he brought her cat Tinker along. Millie is allergic to cats so while she is staying with Stella, Tinker will be hanging out at her store, The Wick & Flame.
Stella finds herself spending the night at her store too, antsy about the murder she witnessed but also because it is impossible to sleep with Millie’s snoring. When she arrives she thinks that Tinker has been a very naughty kitty and made a huge mess. But then she realizes someone has broken into her store looking for something. Just as she is falling asleep, she hears the bell on her door and realizes she and Tinker hadn’t been alone.
When Millie gets injured in a freaky happenstance she ends up in the hospital and Stella learns someone from France has followed them home, Millie has something extremely important that they want. In an effort to save her mother Stella starts her quest to find the missing item and a killer. She is amazed by where her investigation leads.
Christin Brecher brings some international flair to this compelling mystery. This time Scents play a leading role.
The murder takes place in Paris but the majority of the story takes place on Nantucket. The author’s descriptive detail brings both settings clearly into focus.
The core characters we met in Murder’s No Votive Confidence are back. Police Officer Andy remains Stella’s best friend while Peter has moved into the boyfriend zone. I really enjoy the banter between Stella and her mom. Millie scent talents are just amazing and Stella’s are pretty darn good too. This is important because their noses can save an international incident from happening.
We do meet several new characters and most of them become suspects. Stella really doesn’t trust anyone new to the island, including Millie’s high school friends that have come together for a reunion. She is also concerned when a boarding school teacher they met in Paris unexpectedly shows up on their doorstep. Stella is troubled by another woman she noticed when they arrived on the ferry that was acting suspiciously too. There is even a mystery man lurking around town, Stella definitely has her work cut out for her. I enjoyed the way all the characters, old and new developed over the course of the story.
The mystery this time was not typical for a cozy mystery and a little unbelievable at times but it sure was fun to read and follow Stella through her grand adventure. Intrigue, action, and an elusive killer all come together tempered with a generous amount of humor to make this story so entertaining. It is full of unexpected twists and is very fast-paced.
Murder Makes Scents is well-plotted and written and an excellent follow-up to Murder’s No Votive Confidence. The international espionage theme may be a little over the top, but for me, it was a Perfect Escape!
Murder’ makes Scents” the 2nd Instalment in the Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series by Christin Brecher.
I was really looking forward to reading this and I wasn’t disappointed! The story starts off with Stella and her mum Millie in Paris for the World Perfumery Conference, where a man was stabbed to death. Then flying back to Nantucket where Stella starts to think something or someone has followed them home. I always like a small town setting even better if it is by the sea. This instalment was full of intrigue, suspense and a whole bunch of suspects…
The Protagonist Stella is well developed, likeable and I loved her unorthodox relationship with her mum Millie as you could tell they loved each other very deeply. Another favourite of mine is Tinker the cat (my first cat was named Tinker as well). The addition of Cherry Waddle as shop assistant was great, she will fit in perfectly with the rest of our main side characters.
I found that the story was well paced and I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to know who the killer was. The description of the setting and crime scenes are strong and really drew me in. The ending was anticlimactic in some ways but I rather liked it.
We didn’t see as much candle making in this story but there are instructions for making your own molds at the back along with Gram Scully’s Cranberry pie recipe.
Highly recommended to all my cozy friends! I can’t wait for 15 MINUTES OF FLAME the 3rd instalment to come out in September 2020.
I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
Stella Wright is taking a break from the Wick & Flame, her candle shop on Nantucket, to attend a perfume conference in Paris with her mother, Millie, who is one of the speakers. The conference ends abruptly, however, when Stella and Millie are part of a crowd that witnesses a man being stabbed right in front of them. After being questioned by the police, they return home to the island, assuming their only connection to the crime is behind them. Stella quickly begins to think that trouble has followed them home. Is she correct? What might their connection to the murder be?
When I first heard this book was going to start in Paris and move the action to Nantucket, I was worried the author wouldn’t be able to pull it off. From the pacing standpoint, I didn’t have any issues with this book since the story picked up quickly. The book uses a MacGuffin to ignite the plot, and that’s where my issue was. I just couldn’t buy into it. Having said that, I still found the story compelling since the stakes were personal for Stella. I flew through the book in a couple of days because I had to know what was going on. The climax is a bit over the top, but it fits the plot well. Due to the nature of the story, we don’t see as much of the supporting cast from the original, but the new characters more than make up for it. They are perfect at being suspicious without being obviously the villain. Unfortunately, there are also a few timelines issues in the story, but nothing that affects the plot, just stuff that annoys me. We get some tips for making candle molds and a delicious sounding cranberry pie recipe at the end of the book. Even with my issues, I was glad I read this book.
Murder Makes Scents by Christin Brecher has Stella Wright with her mother, Millie in Paris for The World Perfumery Conference. Before Millie gives her talk, they stop so she can check her materials one more time. A commotion breaks out and Stella sees a man with a knife in his back. Stella later learns that the killer was after sensitive information, but he eluded the gendarme. Millie and Stella return to Nantucket Island where Stella notices a woman on a yacht watching them through binoculars as they depart the ferry. Unable to sleep that night (Millie snores and hogs the bed), Stella heads to her shop to catch a cat nap with Tinker. Before she drifts off, she can hear the bell on the door. Someone had been in her shop, but Stella has no clue what they were after. While trying to escape the affectionate Tinker, Millie gets injured which requires an overnight stay at the local hospital. The next morning, Stella finds a threatening note on her door. The person wants a formula hidden in Millie’s special bag or they will harm Stella’s mother. Stella intends to unravel this malodourous puzzle and catch the guilty party. Murder Makes Scents is the second book in A Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series. It can be read as a standalone if you have not picked up Murder’s No Votive Confidence. I like the characters and the setting of Nantucket Island. The story moved along steadily, and I liked the action that kept things lively. The mystery was unique for a cozy mystery which I just loved. There was intrigue, mysterious individuals, a special formula, international espionage and action. Your ability to solve this whodunit depends upon your sleuthing level. I like the humor sprinkled throughout (I love a book that makes me laugh). Tinker was a hoot. The author captured how a cat behaves perfectly especially when they know someone does not wish to be their friend. There is a side story involving Stella’s thirtieth birthday and the possibility that her beau might ask a certain question. There is an excerpt from 15 Minutes of Flame, the 3rd A Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery, at the end along with a recipe and discussion on making your own candle molds. Murder Makes Scents is an engaging cozy mystery with a funny formula, mold making masterclass, curious clues, a perplexing prowler, and a comical cat.
A very fast paced mystery that will take your breath away!
I found this to be an exciting new series. I did not read the previous book but I will for sure after meeting these fantastic characters. There is much going on and the story kept my heart racing. I did not know what to expect next and I found myself being surprised often with the turns the story took.
There is a bit of romance which did not over power the mystery aspects, many suspects, and a bit of international intrigue. Something for everyone!
Stella Wright and her mother, Millie, are attending a perfume conference in Paris. Unfortunately, their fun trip turns into a nightmare when Stella witnesses the stabbing death of a young man. When they arrive home hours later, Stella is relieved and wants to put the murder behind her. But when her candle store, Wick and Flame, is broken into, she starts feeling paranoid. Then she receives an anonymous note claiming that her mother smuggled a mysterious vial out of Paris. The vial contains an international secret, and according to the note, Stella’s mom will be killed if it isn’t returned immediately. A determined Stella sets out to find the vial and protect her mother.
Murder Makes Scents by Christin Brecher is an entertaining and delightful read, with a lovely setting and a unique mystery. The story keeps a steady pace and contains enough action, suspects, and clues to keep you guessing until the reveal. Stella is a likable main character, and I enjoyed the candle making theme of the story. I’m not sure how I feel about her love interest, Peter. Andy and Stella have way more chemistry together and I think he’s the better choice.
The synopsis of the third book,15 Minutes of Flame, sounds very intriguing and I look forward to reading it.
I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Oh man, I am enjoying the daylights out of this series! Not that you’d know it from my slower-than-typical pace reading “Murder Makes Scents”, but Christmas prep is eating into my reading time a little bit, so I couldn’t tear through it, even though I wanted to! Let’s get right to the important stuff, shall we?
What I liked about “Murder Makes Scents”:
The tone – Having read a sufficient amount of cozy mysteries at this point, I have a decided taste in the tone of the series with which I wish to engage going forward. This book possesses it. It doesn’t feel stilted or immature. It’s conversational and reads like I speak; that appeals to me and I find it is a quality that exists in all my favorite cozy mystery series.
Unique content – I won’t claim it’s never been done before or even that I haven’t possibly encountered some variation of it in previous series I have read, but this case was constructed in such a way that felt natural and organic to the personality of the series and its characters. I was hooked by Chapter 6 and sold on the base explanation in Chapter 8. (Yes, it’s farfetched if you’re expecting reality, but this is a cozy mystery and we know we have to suspend some disbelief, right? Right.)
I feel like I’ve known these characters a lot longer than I have – I mean, I am a mere two books into the series. These characters sprang to life for me right out of the gate, and I like them. A lot.
Edge. of. my. seat. – It drove me nuts that I had other things to get done (Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming! AAAGHHHHH!) and I just couldn’t read at my typical pace because I found myself always wanting to know what was going to happen next.
What I didn’t care for:
Some of the chapter endings – This is super nitpicky because it didn’t take away from the book as a whole, not even a little bit. I have this personal issue with not closing the book at the end of a chapter, if I can at all help it, so I just noticed that sometimes the chapters broke in a slightly awkward manner. It was as if they were attempting to be mini cliffhangers, but on a few occasions, the pause felt unnatural to me. I am not even sure where they should have stopped instead. I just know that sometimes when I would finish a chapter and not proceed to the next, it seemed a little odd of a place to take a pause. See? I’m nitpicking. I noticed it, but it didn’t change my overall opinion of the book even a smidgen.
Said – This is another minor pet peeve of mine. There are many synonyms available to prevent overuse of the word ‘said’. Replied. Responded. Whispered. Muttered. Stated. Questioned. Asked. Retorted. Mused aloud. Just to name a few off the top of my head. It’s just when I get line after line in the same conversation where “he said, she said, I said”…it mildly irritates me. Again, it’s not going to change my rating or keep me from enjoying the series. I just notice it, the end.
With that, I am on to book three, which I typically don’t do but the library had both available and I wanted to end 2020 current on all (but one) of my in-progress cozy mystery series and, well, being December, I am limited on time for that to be possible. However, I did briefly converse with the author on her Facebook page and I was delighted to learn that book four is in the works, so hooray for that! I am officially in love with this series and can’t wait for more.
I’m officially hooked on this series! Such a fun book with great characters, a wonderfully cozy setting, and an intriguing mystery.
A fun cozy mystery with a hint of intrigue! Stella and her mom, Millie, are in Paris for a perfume convention when the see a man murdered. The man turns out to have been a government agent who was protecting a secret formula. When Stella and Millie return to Nantucket, it seems the murder follows them. Someone seems to think that Millie has the formula and Millie ends up in the hospital with a bit of memory loss after a fall. Stella runs into the murdered man’s agent partner, who informs her they had stowed the formula in Millie’s bag and she stole it to keep it safe. Since no one knows what the killer looks like, Stella is imagining it to be any of the new people who have come into play. When the plan to hide a decoy formula in a candle in her shop goes awry and Stella can’t reach her mother, she sets out to find the killer and get her mother back. Intrigue and the coziness of Nantucket all in one. I love Stella and her candle shop as well as her friends and family. I can’t wait to read more of this fun series and see what happens with Stella’s relationship with Peter!
Kept me guessing until last page
An easy read and I was eager to get back to it when I had to put it down. A small part of the ending was a bit far-fetched for my taste. Overall, a good vacation read.
This series has quickly become one of my new favorites. I love the location of Nantucket. Especially during this unexpected, questionable time. I feel like I can truly escape.
I enjoyed that this book focused on a positive relationship with her mom. So many books focus on the negativity between adult children and their parents that I found it refreshing that Stella and her mom enjoyed a trip together. Although I am not sure the mystery and solving of the mystery were entirely believable and that was ok. Sometimes we need the unbelievable to pass the time. Stella sure found an exciting way to bring in her 30th birthday. I believe I would prefer something a little more boring to bring in my birthday.
I am excited to learn that a 3rd book is already in production. This series provides candle information at the end of each novel. Very interesting.
Stella Wright goes international in “Murder Makes Scents”, the second of the Nantucket Candle Maker mysteries. The story begins with Stella and her mother, Millie, at a perfume conference in Paris. Millie, a globe-trotting perfumer, is preparing to give her talk when a man crawls into the middle of the assembled crowd – with a knife in his back. After Stella and Millie arrive home in Nantucket, Stella becomes aware that danger followed them.
I really enjoyed the first Nantucket candlemaker mystery, and this one was even better. The plot involves an international threat that has landed in Nantucket, a more sweeping storyline than is usual in a cozy. The international element works, though, mostly due to an intriguing cast of characters. Christin Brecher skillfully balances the global intrigue with the small town atmosphere.
The relationship between Stella and her mother Millie is a fun one. Even though Millie is often gone for months or years at a time, she and Stella are still close. Scents (mostly from perfume) play a large role in this story, and I found myself fascinated with the details of Millie’s travels to the Amazon in search of unique scents sourced from nature.
The mystery has plenty of suspects, most of whom are new characters in this installment, and all of whom seem to have some mysterious agenda for being on Nantucket Island. The familiar characters from the first story – Emily, Stella’s best friend; Andy, the affable town policeman; the Candleers, Stella’s students; and of course, Tinker, the lovable cat. A delicious recipe for cranberry pie just adds to the fun!
It was a pleasure to visit Nantucket Island again. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming third book in the series, 15 Minutes of Flame.
Stella seems to have a “nose” for murder. Even going to Paris with her mom to attend a conference doesn’t keep her out of trouble when she witnesses a man being stabbed right in front of her.
Stella thinks they’ll be fine once they return home…until she realizes the trouble has followed them. Can she stay safe while getting to the bottom of the mystery?
Excellent second book in the Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery series. I enjoyed it very much… And look forward to more books in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
MURDER MAKES SCENTS by Christin Brecher
The Second Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery
Stella Wright accepted the olive branch that was a trip to Paris from her mother, Millie. After all, how can one say no to Paris? The two have a wonderful time, making a new friend from England, Olive Tidings, and taking in the sights and smells that define the city. In a shocking surprise Millie’s lecture at the World Perfumery Conference is cancelled when a man is stabbed in the back and killed. Moods dampened, the pair return to Nantucket, Stella still contemplating the murdered man. Things become more festive when new people arrive in town, including some of Millie’s old classmates and even their new friend, Olive. But soon Stella starts noticing little things that aren’t quite right. Was her candle store broken into, or did she just forget to lock the door? Was Tinker responsible for the mess? Certainly no one was watching her? Is Stella just being paranoid or did danger follow them from Paris?
The premise of the second Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery is a bit unbelievable, but it’s also thrilling and well written. I advise suspending your disbelief and enjoying the wild ride. The mystery involves a lot of new characters, all seemingly innocent, but all behaving suspiciously. There are red herrings aplenty and lots of intriguing avenues to explore adding to the complexity of the mystery.
Love is what drives MURDER MAKES SCENTS, especially the love between a daughter and her mother. Millie and Stella may not have a traditional mother/daughter relationship, but there is no doubt they share a deep abiding love and will do whatever they can for each other. We also see the love growing between Stella and Peter and possibly a new love between Millie and an old friend.
A murder in Paris brings mayhem to Nantucket in MURDER MAKES SCENTS. This scent fueled mystery had me suspecting everyone adding to my enjoyment and leaving me wondering what adventures Stella will find herself involved in next!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Murder Makes Scents earns 5/5 Fragrant Spies…Entertaining Fun!
Enter the Wick and Flame, a Nantucket candle maker shop, and enjoy the artistry, the fragrance, and…murder? I am new to Christin Brecher’s series, but starting with the second book didn’t put me at a disadvantage; there were enough references in background and character connections to keep me engaged. Stella Wright is in Paris attending a perfume conference with her mother, Millie, a well-known perfumer, who regales the attendees with stories of her trip to the Amazon to find the most delicious scents. However, Stella witnesses a stabbing, and on their return home, they discover the candle shop has been burgled, a mysterious note accuses her mother of smuggling, and bodily harm is threatened. International intrigue. Codes. Mysterious woman. Tourists. And a thirtieth birthday! Wow! Although a few characters acted a bit unrealistically, too accepting, but would I question authority when their credentials look legitimate? No, I, too, would accept their story. I enjoyed this romp including several perilous moments keeping me frantically turning the pages. Christin used a first-person narrative from Stella’s perspective vicariously giving readers, like me, a role in the drama, and with descriptive language one might feel, hear, or…smell, and the dialogue doing well to depict tone and the various personalities, I am a fan. I enjoyed the dynamic between Stella and her mother having their passion for “scents” in common, and “Fur” friends will enjoy Tinker, Stella’s cat. All together I was challenged to see the whole picture on my own…it was great! Bonus, yeah! Gram Scully’s Cranberry Pie!
As one of my new favorite series, I was excited to return to Nantucket Island and Stella’s candle shop, the Wick & Flame. As the story opens, Stella, and her mother Millie, are in Paris attending a perfume industry conference where her mother is a guest speaker. While Stella has a talent for creating unique candle scents, Millie creates unique perfume scents.
They are enjoying Paris, eating, shopping, and making a new friend from the conference. All is going well until Stella witnesses a stabbing of a man also attending the conference. Stella and Millie return home to Nantucket with welcomed relief, until several events happen leaving Stella anxious that the violent death of the young man has followed them home. When her candle store is broken into, her mother attacked from behind, and anonymous note claiming her mother has a vial smuggled out of Paris, that threatens her mother’s life, Stella knows it’s time to get involved. Stella is determined to uncover the secrets of the perfume vial while keeping her mother safe.
This is the second book in the Nantucket Candle Maker series and an excellent addition. Ms. Brecher takes you to Nantucket Island as she artfully gives descriptions of the area. Stella, is a capable protagonist that can rely on her friends to give help when needed. The plot was intriguing, as it took several turns with a variety of suspects. The ending, was one that caught me off guard. This delightful series has all the characteristics of charming cozy and is a delightful read. I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher Kensington through Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
Murder Makes Scents by Christin Brecher is the second in the Nantucket Candlemaker Mystery series. This was the first one I have read but was able to get up to date quickly, It is an easy to read cozy.
It’s the last day of an industry conference in Paris for Stella and her mom, Millie. when a stabbing occurs. They return home that night and thinks it is over, but is it….
Millie has a collection of vials with unique scents and locks them in the safe of the candle shop. Almost immediately, things start happening involving Stella, break ins, her mother ending up in the hospital, a new man in Millie’s life, and a stranger wanting to meet Stella at her shop. Then when she gets a note saying her mother has a vial with a secret formula she knows this means trouble for the island,
You are kept guessing until the end. There is a great collection of characters and a lovely setting. You also have humor and romance.
I was given an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.
The combination of a Nantucket setting and the craft of candle making initially drew me to this series by Christin Brecher and I enjoyed book two, Murder Makes Scents. Brecher’s knowledge and love for the island convey the vividness of setting with such places as Brant Point, jetties beach, the village’s cobblestone streets, and the historical Jared Coffin House. Stella, owner of the Wick & Flame store, is easy to connect with.
The story opens with Stella and her mother, Millie, attending the World Perfumery Conference in Paris, where Millie is making a presentation. Stella and her mother share a love for scents – Millie traveling around the world in search of unique and exotic scents, and Stella perfecting fragrances into her making of candles. It’s great to see them together in this story and I enjoyed not only their relationship, but the knowledge I gained about the development of scents for candles and their extraction from the Amazon jungles.
Murder Makes Scents is somewhat different from other stories in this genre because it contains elements of international espionage. The murder that takes place in the opening pages at the Paris conference, related to an upcoming international Peace Jubilee, follows Stella and Millie back to Nantucket. While the plot is intriguing, I did think it was a little over the top and far fetched for a cozy mystery. That being said, however, the writing is very good and I greatly enjoyed setting and characters. We are presented with five or six characters who are new to the island, any one of which could be the murderer, and the author does a great job at creating varying levels of suspicion for each.
Stella’s cat, Tinker, is precious as he radiates the endearing behavior of cats, as well as a few actions that are entirely his. I can’t wait to see if he is eventually successful in cultivating the friendship with Millie. A secondary theme is Stella’s romance with Peter, which I’m not quite sure about, because I didn’t sense much chemistry between them and I actually like her strong friendship with the police officer, Andy.
Murder Makes Scents is an enjoyable cozy mystery with very little profanity, and I look forward to more stories in the Nantucket Candle Making series.
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Great Escapes Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.