The Haunted Counter

Candle Maker #1

by W.L. Knightly

After an ugly breakup, Kinsey Ellerman moves to Adenridge to make a new start, but it's not the quaint little town she was promised. Women have been going missing—women who look like Kinsey—and now the police are finding bodies. When a mysterious girl appears in her bedroom, Kinsey has no choice but to investigate. Now that Officer Nolan Ricks has qualified to be a detective, he's desperate to work on the case of a lifetime. Adenridge has its very own serial killer, and they're just getting started. As bodies old and new are uncovered, Ricks will do whatever it takes to stop another woman from getting hurt.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2023

About the author

WL Knightly is a thriller/murder mystery co-writing pen name for two USA Today Best Selling Authors. "W" when not writing can be found dealing in Antique Jewelry and hanging out with her awesome hubby and three kids. And "L" is a full-time writer that lives near Nashville, TN and spends her time cooking, hanging out with her hubs and 3 kiddos, or wrangling new ideas as they float by!
Their love of a good mystery novel caused them to combine forces and go after their dream of telling stories that sent a shiver down your spine. I'm thinking they figured it out!
These two friends met years ago when they both started writing and publishing in various young adult genres and needed a critique partner.
The rest is history...They'd love for you to join the fun!
Website-http://thezodiackillerseries.com/
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/wlknightlyau...
Insiders Group- https://dl.bookfunnel.com/j1rryhvu53

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before writing my review, I want to extend a huge thank you W.L. Knightly for gifting me the ARC of this book! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read THE HAUNTED COUNTER before publication.

This is the first in a new series by W.L. Knightly, and having read this author before, I was so incredibly excited to receive this ARC. And it did not disappoint. The cover is fabulous and draws you in immediately! I loved it with its spookily eerie undertones, especially with Halloween right around the corner!

We are introduced to our protagonist, Kinsey, who has recently moved into a house with a mysterious past. Additionally, we meet her best friend, Cora, her neighbor, Chandler, and police officer Nolan. Taking center stage in this thriller is a serial killer being called The Candle Maker, whose victims are women bearing a remarkable resemblance to Kinsey.

The book provides a gradual build-up of tension as we learn a little bit about our main characters and what is happening in the town of Adenridge. It’s a slow-burning mystery, but information about Kinsey’s possibly haunted house, as well as a decades-old murder, make you turn the pages more and more quickly as you reach the end of Book One. How is Kinsey’s new home related to the Candle Maker? Is her home truly haunted or is there a more sinister reason behind strange occurrences there?

The alternating POVs from chapter to chapter are great at giving the reader a peak into the thoughts and minds of our characters. And the author does a fantastic job of giving the reader just enough information surrounding the book’s mysteries, hauntings, and murders—almost like breadcrumbs—to a make it so you cannot wait to read Book Two! Great start to this new series!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay the scene is set.
Kinsley is recently divorced. She has moved to Adenridge to start anew. Her BFF Cora lives there. She is renting a house that may be haunted. She has a neighbor Chandler who lives in the other house and uses the garage for his business.
Nolan is the newest detective. He is focusing on the serial murderer, because he feels the older detective is not giving it his attention.
Kinsey and Nolan meet when she calls 911. They have some attraction but the murderer is taking focus.
Cora's friend is worried because Kinsley looks like the victims of the serial killer - the Candle Maker.
We are getting a look at the players in the murder mystery and the background story.

[Antigone Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

No Resolution

This is part of a series. No resolution unless you spring for the other books. Writing is basic,characters kind of dull. When the murders don't liven things up. Disappointed.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of setting the stage for the mystery that’s taking place. I’m not sure if I truly know anything about what’s going on in Adenridge, but I know I NEED to find out more. Like Kinsey, I have so many questions and next to no answers… Yet. I can’t wait to find out what the author will reveal to us next.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author.

[Reba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Catchy premise

This book was a bit of a disappointment for me after reading The Hangman series and some other Knighty works. The author has so much talent but I found this book to be stiff, it doesn't flow well, and there were several errors.
However, because I now need to know how this ends, I'll keep reading the installments and hope the writing get as good as Knighty can be.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed "THE HAUNTING COUNTER"
I was throughly engrossed in this story from the start so full secrets, lies, hauntings, brutal serial killer, intrigue, suspense, danger, attraction, angst, mystery, cheating ex, breakups, twists that make this one addicting page turner.
Kinsey Ellerman moves to Adenridge to get away from her cheating ex to start a new life her BF Cora lives there also, she's crazy into anything that could be supernatural, hauntings, ghosts, driving Kinsey crazy cause she doesn't believe.
Chandler also lives on the property & uses the garage for his work Kinsey finds he's nice enough & glad to have someone around so she's not alone, he's a little on the mysterious side.
Kinsey wakes to someone in her house late at night freaking her out she calls 911 meeting Officer Nolan Rick's who checks out the house but he thinks she might have imagined it drinking wine & reading a murder mystery book before bed, they seem attracted to one another he offers to do drive bys to check on her, but his main focus is serial killer on the loose.
I definitely recommend to get this interesting, captivating story that you can't put down, Kinsey & Cora goes to see who lived in the house before her, she sees something that shocks her, then something happens by her house & Nolan is there with the cops
I'm so looking forward to the next book in this series "SHADOW ELEMENT" especially after that shocking cliffhanger need ASAP to see what happens next.
AWESOME START TO THIS EXTREMELY MYSTERIOUS HAUNTING READ🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[k mandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan of books with the ending included in another book. This would benefit some some revising, proofreading and editing. The dialogue is a big issue in this one. It sometimes reads as though English is a second language for the author. I spent far too much time in the first half going back to reread or clarity. Finally, I gave up and just plowed through in order to be done with it, I really started to believe that the story was actually a drinking game built around how many times the word "haunted" could be used/overused. Frankly, this should still be in the revision stage. And then there is the HUGE issue with the story NOT having an ending. It is a ploy to get readers to buy the next book. The ploy didn't work for this reader; the book is so bad I really don't care what happens so there will not be further books purchased OR read. So annoying when an author thinks it is OK to leave out the last 10% of a novel due to the misguided belief that readers will enjoy the book so much that they just HAVE to buy the next one and find out what happens. Don't waste your time. So disappointing.

[Julianne Macneil · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the first book in a new series. In this book, there is a serial killer on the loose and is targeting young women. Policer officer Nolan Ricks was recently promoted to detective and wants to work the case before any more women are taken, he feels like the lead detective is not doing his job and that is causing more people to be in danger. Kinsey just moved to town and is living in an old house that has a bad history and is said to be haunted. Kinsey also fits the type of the killer and when strange things start happening at the house, she meets Nolan and he wants to protect her and keep her safe. I like this series so far. The book has many characters that have many secrets and i can't wait to learn more about them. A great start to a new series.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinsey Ellerman's fresh start has been marred by her new house, which has its own quirks. Add to that the fact that the town is beset by a gruesome serial killer - it's enough to make her think that life with her cheating ex-boyfriend was as bad as she thought.

This story suffers from the usual "I like the concept but its execution could have been better".
First problem: The narration switches between three different characters.
Second problem: The dialogue is stiff. It's not formal, just stilted.
Third problem: Nothing was wrapped up at the end of the book. All of the story arcs are left open. I don't mind when the overarching plot continues to the next book, but nothing was concluded in this story which ends abruptly.

I'm ambivalent as to whether or not to continue reading this series.

[Donita Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE HAUNTED COUNTER Candle Maker Series Book 1 by WL Knightly
This new series by WL Knightly has started out so strongly! I always love her stories, and she never disappoints! It is very addictive, and I couldn't put it down. It comes with all the necessary things to make this a good read, suspense, drama, intrigue, and a generous helping of twists & turns.
There is a serial killer on the loose called The Candle Maker, and he has a certain type he is fixated on and all the girls look very similar. After leaving a broken relationship, Kinsey moves to a new town and rents a house that soon happens to seem to be haunted. The new detective Nolan has noticed that Kinsey looks exactly like the type of woman the Candle Maker is after. This is a definite 5 star read.

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this looked to be a good mystery - women being killed who all looked similar, a town on edge waiting for the next abduction/killing to occur and Kinsey, a woman determined to start a new life in a small town. But, as luck would have it, her rental home has a bad past and she is experiencing noises and 'ghosts' in her home. Just as I became invested in the storyline, it ended! So disappointing! Yes, this is the first in a series, but generally things wind up with some closure but with a hint of more to come. Not this one - no closure, just a huge cliff hanger. I would have been tempted to buy the next book, but I know now it will end the same way. Have to buy six books before you reach a conclusion. No thanks.

[Munira Vahed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new series written by a fabulous author whose books I am currently hooked on.
This book centres on Kinsey who moves into a suspected haunted house after a very recent bitter breakup.
Nolan is a detective who has been given his first serial murderer case whose victims look very much like Kinsey.
Kinsey best friend is worried about her safety due to her likeness to the murder victims.
What is Adenridge hiding? What secrets are waiting to be uncovered?
I'm really intrigued with where this book will take us. Can't wait to explore this new journey.
I received an ARC from the author. I voluntarily read and review this item. This is my honest review.

[Vicki Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything that this author puts out...amazing job of creating characters we can relate to, and developing story lines that keep the reader on the edge of their seat and wanting more. This book is no different!! It's a chilling tale about Kinsey, who just wants to start over...and a new detective that is itching to make his mark in his new role. The author has done a great job of filling in all the backstory, and giving us a peek into some of the crazy things that are happening in this town. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!!
I received this book as an ARC for my voluntary review.

[John Hansford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Haunted Counter

In this thrilling and mysterious pager turner we see that Adenridge has a serial killer, and they are targeting you females with brunette hair. Kinsey, a young brunette has just moved to Adenridge after a bad breakup to be close to her best friend Cora. Kinsey moves into a house that Cora is sure is haunted because of the strange noises odd things that Kinsey is seeing. When the body a missing woman is found close to her house Kinsey and Cora go seeking answers to the mysteries of her haunted house. A surprising ending leaves the reader anxious for the next installment of The Candle Maker.

[fanboyriot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t get into this. The plot was half decent and the atmosphere was spooky but the characters really annoyed me. Plus there was no resolution by the end of this book, it felt like a preview for the series.

Read For
✓ Mystery
✓ Candles
✓ Horror Setting
✓ Unresolved Ending
✓ Thriller Atmosphere

⚠️ Content Warnings
Moderate: Death

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Spice Level: n/a
Sad Level: n/a

Plot: 7/10
Pace: 3/10
Ending: 2/10
Characters: 2/10
Enjoyability: 5/10
Writing Style: 4/10
Would I Recommend? No
Favorite Character: n/a

Favorite Quote: ❝ “Did you say there’s a man living above the garage?” ❞

POV: Third Person
Pages: 193
Format: ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 15, October 2023

[Sheri Corriero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new series by WL Knightly. I love serial killer books. Kinsey has moved to Adenridge to start fresh. Women start to go missing. Even worse, the girls look like Kinsey. Officer Nolan Ricks takes this to be his first case as a detective. Bodies show up and some it seems are old murders. What secrets are in Adenridge? This is a great start to a new series. It has serial killers, bodies being found and possibly a house that is haunted. The writer makes it all come to life as you play it out in your head as you read. I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to a new series.

WL Knightly has done it again—fabulous start to a new series. Appropriately spooky with Halloween coming up. Think haunted houses, mysterious going-ons, serial killers, danger all wrapped up in a fast paced story that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. In this opener we meet our characters and are introduced to a town with a lot of undertones that are downright spooky. Love the intensity and the suspense. Great read, don’t plan to start if there isn’t time to finish in one pass. There aren’t any lulls.

[Colin Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book as haunting and ghosts are not my usual genre BUT as a regular reader of this authors books I should not have been concerned. The back story is about ghosts and haunting or is it just Kinsey's neighbour wanting to get the house? I look forward to seeing how the relationship between the new and old detectives develops and if Kinsey has a relationship with the new detective investigating the murders. An enjoyable book one in this series.

[JanÃÂ Klos · Rating 3 out of 5]

unfinished

This murder mystery-paranormal story was going great but dropped the ball at the because there wasn’t any closure. The female characters showed solidarity and friendship but the male/hero/detective just seemed as if he had a chip on his shoulder. Yes the older detective was unpleasant, but sometimes it seemed as if Nolan was argumentative. It seems you’ll need to read the next “installment” for closure.

[Robert McDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you enjoy a good suspense, combined with the supernatural? This is one of the few that make that combination work. The character introductions, their intermingling in the story is very well played out. The haunts keep your pages turning , the police investigation helps push that along... This book is a cannot put down. I anxiously await book 2

[betty copley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book with no ending

It was very slow to get through the pages, the pages were very stilted. Yes, murder and conflict are present, but no conclusions to any part of the story. Then boom, it's the end of the pages but not the end of ANY part of the story. So no I wouldn't recommend reading.

[Cynthia A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunted house or not

Kinsey moves into a large home after divorcing her cheating husband. The house has all kinds of strange sounds. It doesn’t help that her best friend Cora believes the house is haunted. Kinsey learns there is a serial killer that prefers brunette women which is what Kinsey’s hair is in the area.
The story revolves around these two main ideas.

[Micky Parise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Second book I've read by WL Knightly (Dead on Time) and characters and plot were nicely done, but as my rule, I'm leaving a one star due to the fact it's not a stand alone book. And nowhere in the description does it not mention that. If it did I wouldn't have wasted my time reading it. I buy and read books that have a beginning, middle and end and to enjoy a single story.

[Kenneth Lingenfelter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinsey moves to a new location and rents a house that is rumored to be haunted. She hears a scream and sees a young girl in a hoodie that turns and runs away. A serial killer on the loose. A great start to this series. It kept me interested from the beginning and wanting more.

[Michael Nethery · Rating 5 out of 5]

WL Knightly always writes a good story. And that continues here with “ The Haunted Counter”
This has been an excellent read except for one small thing! It ended before I wanted it to end,😜.
However, I shall be glad to be patient and wait for the next great story,

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow! I couldn't stop reading once I started. Kinsey moves to town and finds out that there's a serial killer in town. The killer's victims resemble her and her best friend Cora is convinced her house is haunted. What a unique twist! I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We jump right in with a serial killer in a small town and all the pieces are being placed on the board. This book sets off a series that is promising to be jam packed with twist, turns and non-stop go. I look forward to seeing how this murder mystery unfolds. Great beginning, I'm all in.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beginning to a great series. Kinsey moved to Adenridge , thinking it would be different. What a surprise. There seems to be a serial killer and the case needs to be solved as quickly as possible Can’t wait for the next.

[Alison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found some of the characters to be needlessly abrasive and repetitive. The story is interesting but it’s not a whole book as I expected. It literally just ends, so I guess you need to read all of them to get one whole book.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cliff Hanger

I really liked this book but feel side-swiped because I didn't realize the story continues in Book 2. I must have missed that comment in other people's reviews. I like it enough to buy Book 2.