Candlemas: The Crackling House

1588: A Calendar of Crime #1

by Shirley Mckay

Candlemas is the first of five new, self-contained mysteries released as eBooks throughout the year in step with the sixteenth century calendar. A complete collection will be available after the publication of the fifth story.

On Candlemas eve an apprentice candle maker finds his master, John Blair dead in his workshop, and the evidence points to the surgeon Sam Sturrock. Enlisted by Sturrock's desperate apprentice, Hew Cullen, together with his friend and physician Giles Locke, finds himself drawn into the investigation to uncover the truth of the matter. At first it seems like Blair's death is the result of reckless surgical practice, but as Hew delves deeper into the life of the candle maker he discovers a web of extortion and deceit.

John Blair was a man with many enemies...

Look out for the other stories in the series: Whitsunday, Lammas, Martinmas and Yule.

Genres: Historical Fiction

77 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Shirley McKay was born in Tynemouth but now lives with her family in Fife. At the age of fifteen she won the Young Observer playwriting competition, her play being performed at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs. She went on to study English and Linguistics at the University of St Andrews before attending Durham University for postgraduate study in Romantic and seventeenth century prose. She was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger. Shirley works as a freelance proofreader.

Reviews

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Peace to you, sir, do not be alarmed.’ Never had such words impressed on him more violently, the opposite effect.

A short, pleasant excursion into sixteenth century Scotland. McKay delivers an straight-forward, engaging historical fiction with the ensemble cast of her Hew Cullan mysteries. Times were very different; human nature, unfortunately, no better.

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable little book. When John Blair, candle maker is found dead in his workshop, it seems at first sight that he died due to a medical blunder. Hew Cullen is the apprentice to the surgeon Sam Sturrock and he asks his friend Giles Locke to help him to prove the innocence of his master. When the pair start to look more deeply they find a lot more to John Blair's business than making candles and a lot more people who would like to see him dead.
There are five books in this series each one is named after a feast in the 6th century calendar.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short murder mystery in set in St Andrews, Scotland in 1588. The story opens by introducing us to a belligerent candle-maker, the only one not carried away by the plague, who bullies his apprentice and torments a mysterious night-time visitor. The next morning, the candle-maker is found dead, and Hew, a scholar at the university, is asked by a former student to investigate, a task he takes on along with his friend, Giles Locke, a physician.

I really enjoyed the book. It took about an hour to read, so it sits comfortably between a short story and a novella. However, due to the story's brevity I didn't get a strong sense of the medieval period or St Andrews; the mystery element story was correspondingly simple and solved by a chance comment near the end. The writing was very simple and easy to read but I occasionally got annoyed by badly-constructed sentences which gave the story a somewhat amateur feel.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and will buy the others in the series.

[Lorraine Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story from a series of five, this is another Huw Cullan book and, I think, benefits from being a short story rather than a novel. It actually revolves around the solving of a crime, and follows a distinct single plot. I read it in one sitting - it was the equivalent of 60 pages long - and could not put it down. I love the characters developed through the main series and was pleased to share time with them again. I look forward to the next short story, especially with this one ending on a cliff hanger. I may have to read it straight away!

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short but involved mystery set in 16th century Scotland with lots of historical setting.

[J. Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and interesting.

Recommend for all Anglophiles. I read in one sitting. Enjoyed the Scottish written words and a mystery using the church calendar to mark time.

[Sheila Lofthouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written historical crime short story.