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254 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2024
Too Much to Candle is a fabulous follow-up to author Sarah E. Burr’s You Can’t Candle the Truth, the debut novel in the Glenmyre Whim Mystery series. Readers are returned to the quaint and cozy town of Crucible, New York, and get to catch up with their favorite residents and meet some interesting new ones.
The core characters, Hazel, Poppy, Holden, Ezra, Constance, and Iggy, are a delightfully fun group of friends, people anyone would like to hang with. Hazel and Polly, once again, make for a very effective investigative team. I liked that the two women have come to an understanding with the cousin, Holden, the real detective, and seem to respect each other’s roles and abilities and collaborate on the case.The book’s action starts early with the confrontation at the Cold Cauldron, and the victim goes missing soon after. Mayhan is a nasty piece of work, and readers will have no qualms about seeing him exit the story early on. Hazel and Poppy’s investigation reveals other possible suspects, all with good motives for wanting Mayhan out of the way, so the story has several plausible red herrings to keep readers guessing.
The concept of the Glenmyre’s whims (supernatural abilities) continues to intrigue me. However, Hazel’s gift of seeing a person’s “lifeclock” truly seems a curse. I can understand her feelings over not wanting to know the exact amount of time her loved ones have left on this plane, as she puts it.With its comfortable and homey setting, engaging characters, unique paranormal elements, and intriguing mystery, I recommend TOO MUCH TO CANDLE to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a touch of the supernatural in their stories and those who would like the cozy and warm small-town New York setting during the Halloween season.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.