Tallowed Ground: A Magic Candle Shop Mystery

Magic Candle Shop Mystery #3

by Valona Jones, Maggie Toussaint (editor), Martha Whidden (illustrator)

When a killer props his third and latest victim against the double tombstone of Tabby and Sage Winslow’s grandparents’ grave in Bonaventure Cemetery, in Savannah, Georgia, the psychic twins are stunned. Even worse, the victim is the very man they filed a restraining order against a few months ago for trashing their book and candle shop. Coincidence...or a connection? Then a clue about the murders points to Tabby’s career as a candlemaker. Now, she is a person of interest in the killing spree.

The twins investigate all three victims, finding little that might tie the cases together besides where the bodies were found—in or near Bonaventure Cemetery, a beautiful 100-acre historic graveyard with a storied past. Then Tabby’s Medical Examiner boyfriend is mysteriously pulled from the case, with his dream job in jeopardy.

The situation reaches a flashpoint when new evidence also points to Tabby. With her freedom and the family business in jeopardy, Tabby matches her wits and psychic abilities against the wily killer. As the stakes continue to rise, Tabby realize she is the city’s last hope because law enforcement will never catch this villain. She believes he’s from her world and can run circles around people who have no psychic abilities.

Then Tabby’s spirited sleuthing lands her in the worst kind of trouble. Can Tabby clear her name before the fiend snuffs her flame…for good?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Magic

278 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candle shop owner Tabby Winslow and her twin sister Sage get involved when a series of murders occur related to a local Savannah cemetery. Their family has ties there, and Tabby has helped the police solve crimes before. However, when evidence of tallow is found on the bodies, the detectives focus their suspicions on her. Her boyfriend, Quig, is also in their sights as the town’s medical examiner. But what the police don’t know is that Tabby’s family possesses special powers that help them defend themselves. But in this case, even Tabby’s psychic abilities may not be enough to ward off a wily killer. High stakes and a creepy setting fuel the tension in this compelling story. A page-turner that will keep you reading into the night! I felt Tallowed Ground was the best yet in the Magic Candle Shop Mysteries. Family revelations and a promising romance enhance the story. Disclaimer: I received an advance copy from the author. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery

This is an interesting cozy mystery that had some really great parts, but there were times it fell a bit flat as well.
The twins have unique abilities and this story really showed their talent.
Three mysterious deaths put Tabby at the top of the suspect list, and it takes all her power, literally, to survive this investigation.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Tallowed Ground by Valona Jones will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Will Tabby figure out who the killer is before he finds her?

Tabby & Sage
Tabby and Sage are moving on with their lives. Yet, Tabby really wants to know more about her family tree, and her aunt is still stonewalling them. Aunt Oralee doesn't want to talk about the past and tells Tabby and Sage that if their mother wanted them to know, she would have told them herself. Even though so many things are changing in their lives, Tabby finds comfort with Quig. Their connection proves to be strong.

Sage and Brindle's relationship is also advancing nicely. It looks like Sage can trust him after what happened in the last book. Sage is still a bit selfish and very needy. I like how Tabby stood up for herself when Sage took advantage of her.

I enjoy spending time with both couples, but my favorite is Tabby and Quig. The two of them truly compliment each other.

The Mystery
The mystery kept me guessing. From the beginning, Tabby was being set up, and it was obvious that she wasn't responsible for the killings. It made it clear that more people know about Tabby and Sage than they even realize. I didn't suspect the culprit or his history. Although I believe he did everything they said he did, I also think he may have done more than they just suspected.

Five Stars
My rating for Tallowed Ground by Valona Jones is five stars. I love the setting, the sisters, and their friends. I would definitely shop at their store. Ms. Jones writes a compelling story.

I am looking forward to the next installment. If you are looking for a fabulous paranormal cozy mystery, I recommend this one.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Tallowed Ground by Valona Jones.

Until the next time,


This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Denise Zendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Candlemaker Taby Winslow becomes a person of interest when a man she and her fraternal trin sister filed a restraining order against winds up dead in a cemetery with tallow (a key ingredient in some candles) in his hair. He’s propped against the double tombstone of their grandparents’ grave in Bonaventure Cemetery, in Savannah, Georgia. Then two more victims are found in or near that same cemetery. Of course Tabby and sister Sage investigate, especially when new evidence points to Tabby, putting the family business, and her life, in more danger. To add insult to injury, Tabby’s medical examiner boyfriend is pulled off the case due to office politics and corruption.

This series is an excellent blend of mystery, plausible paranormal, and a light touch of romance. Normally not something I’d gravitate to, but due to the settings (Savannah, GA), character development, crisp dialogue, and believable paranormal elements (Tabby and Sage have special talents that let them help people and keep themselves and their loved ones safe while solving crimes), I was hooked from book one. The descriptions of Savannah make me feel like I’m right there with Tabby. I can almost smell the scents of the various candles she makes, and I like going along for the ride as she and Sage solve the crimes. The stories have a lovely balance of work life, home life, magic, and mystery, and the romance parts are delicately handled.

I do find them better read in order, because I enjoy keeping up with the characters and watching them grow, but you could read them out of order as the author does a good job of filling in the necessary backstory.

These are always a five-star read for me; I highly recommend this series and hope there will be more to come. The author also writes under the name of Maggie Toussaint (culinary cozies, dreamwalker paranormal mysteries, standard mysteries, and romantic suspense); and Rigel Carson (futuristic mysteries). I haven’t read the science fiction ones, but am a huge fan of the Toussaint works as well.

[Sapphyria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tallowed Ground is the third book in the cozy mystery series, The Magic Candle Shop Mysteries. Sage and Tabby Winslow are twins who co-own The Book and Candle Shop. They are exact opposites, which tends to happen with siblings, twins or not.

Bodies keep appearing in the cemetery where Sage and Tabby’s grandparents are buried. When the third and latest body is propped up against their tombstone, and the body identified, Savannah’s finest make themselves at home in The Book and Candle Shop. Clues continue to point to Tabby, and the police are relentless in their pursuit of her as the serial killer. Tabby is running out of time to protect herself, her family, and prove she’s not the murderer.

I love the characters in this series. I enjoyed both Tabby and Sage, along with the rest of the characters. The story was enjoyable, and the cover and the blurb got me onboard. The story, fun characters, and mystery kept me engaged. The murder mystery was twisted, well-thought out, and complex.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really grew to love these two sister characters in the first two books, so I was happy the author was able to get this third book published as well as a fourth coming out soon. Some crazed killer was setting Tabby up to take the fall for their recent killings especially of the guy Tabby had issues with once. But she wasn't having that nonsense and did her sleuthing thing with Sage, her twin. It's too cool they can send mind texts to each other especially in a case where Tabby's lawyer warned not to commit anything to print or digital form.

In a heart-pounding showdown with the killer, Tabby thought she was a goner until reinforcements arrived. More mayhem erupted but that was taken care of leading to a super sweet ending. Can't wait to read the next book!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an engaging mystery set in a creepy cemetery in Savannah! This was my first book to read in the series, and I do wish I would have read books one and two first–I think I would have settled into this story a little quicker if I had the background. HOWEVER, once I did settle in, and it didn’t take long, I was one hundred percent in the story.

(Side note for my fellow public library users, my library’s Hoopla account has books one and two as audiobooks, and yes, I do have them checked out already!)

I do love paranormal cozy mysteries for the same reason I love magical realism. It’s usually just a taste of the paranormal amidst the ordinary, and that is exactly what we have here. Unbeknownst to the local police, Tabby Winslow and her twin sister Sage have special abilities that help them to solve crimes and keep them safe while doing so. I love reading a mystery with twin sisters and this one also has a little romance thrown in as well.

A fun read that will keep you turning the pages quickly until the very end!

[Gail DiVico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. I definitely will get the author's first two books. This is a mystery story that surrounds the Winslow family in Savannah, Georgia. This family has a history of being psychic. The twins, Tabby and Sage, are the leaders in solving the mystery of three people being murdered at the local cemetery. Tabby is also the owner of a candle shop in town. When the police suspect Tabby as the murderer, both sisters take it upon themselves to look into the situation. As the book moves on a bit, it does get pretty exciting, especially when Auntie O enters the scene. If you enjoy reading mystery stories, this is definitely one to get.

[Voracious Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to contain an original magical element; at least I don't recall having read the source in a book before. It made the book more interesting to me. I started the series a bit late but had no problem getting into the story and no feeling of being lost. The mystery was good and I did not foresee the outcome which made it all the better. I will be checking out more books in the series. I received an ARC of this book. My opinion is given voluntarily.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this entry in this series, so much so that when I saw a new one had just been released, I immediately got it! This time around, the police are once again targeting Tabby as a suspect for murder, but this time it's a serial killer. As Tabby, Sage and their guys work to prove she had nothing to do with this, more family secrets are revealed. So glad the next one is out and ready to be read!!

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an exciting book! I love the twin link and the prevalence it had on previous generations. Tabby was so desperate to prove she was innocent but the detectives would not believe her. I can’t imagine the frustration she was going through and then the added stress because of the issues with Quig’s job. Such a crazy series of events! I loved the book and look forward to more!

[Paula B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy paranormal?

This is a really good, cozy mystery series with a paranormal twist. I enjoy reading about the twins, their powers, and their adventures. I am looking forward to the next book.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to find this book. I really enjoyed the first two in the series. This book was really good and hooked me right away. I love the characters and the idea of energy "witches".

[Julie Ditton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year, Valona Jones began published two books in the great new Magic Candle Shop Mystery series. This year's third entry, Tallowed Ground is just as good. And no wonder the series is so well written, Valona Jones is actually the established mystery and romance writer Maggie Toussaint who has penned 27 books and won multiple awards. Tabby and Sage are fraternal twins who now run the family business, the Magic Candle Shop. The women in the family have "a few extra gears". They are Energetics, they can manipulate energy with their minds. This allows them to do a few interesting things that end up helping when they become suspects in a murder. In this novel, when two mysterious murders have one thing in common, and it is connected to candle making, the local detectives once again become suspicious of them. The need to investigate because the main character or her friend or family member is the main suspect is a staple when it comes to cozy mysteries. This author may follow formula, but she does it with finesse. This book weaves together, main mystery, the ongoing romance plot and the need for Tabby to keep her paranormal talents secret, and the secondary mystery involving her boyfriend's endangered career. I received an electronic advanced copy of the book, but I can honestly recommend this covel to any paranormal cozy mystery fan.

[Karla Brandenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is touted as the third in a five book series, and the clues that are dropped for what comes next are very inviting. As to what happened in this book...

The character development continues to grow as the twins find themselves in another predicament that casts suspicion on them as murderers, prompting Tabby and Sage to find the necessary evidence to clear Tabby. Meanwhile, family secrets come into play and the revelations are BIG. When the murderer reveals himself, the reader discovers that the police are not equal to the task of containing him, and only Tabby, her family and her cohorts have the tools to stop him. The plot is well done, and the hints that come into play make me eager to read the next in this series.