Murder's No Votive Confidence

Murder’s No Votive Confidence by Christin Becher is the first A Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery. Stella Wright owns Wick & Flame on Nantucket Island. She has been commissioned by bride-to-be, Jessica Sterling to create candles for her wedding including a one-of-a-kind unity candle. On the day before the wedding, the unity candle is found broken on the floor next to Jessica’s uncle, Simon Sterling. Someone took the candle and bashed in the man’s head (talk about crime of passion). When family friend, Bill Duffy is arrested by a visiting police chief for the murder, Stella sets out to find the real killer. I thought Murder’s No Votive Confidence was nicely written and it had steady pacing. The story is told from Stella’s perspective. I like the lovely setting of Nantucket Island. The author provides beautiful descriptions of the island flora and fauna, the shops, homes and, of course, the ocean. Stella is an affable character who prefers comfort clothes over fancy (much to her friend’s distress), a wee bit clumsy and has a contingent of cousins (I like Kate who forbade the others from cursing—good for her). The secondary characters are introduced with the barest of details. I am sure we will learn more about Stella and the others as the series progresses. I especially want to know more about the Candleers (Stella’s candle class students). I love that Stella is a candlemaker and I hope we get more information on the process of creating candles in future books. Stella provides some helpful candle tips and her creations sound lovely. The mystery was interesting with a unique twist. While I could identify the killer early in the game, I was curious to know more. I had questions and I wanted the answers. Tinker, Simon’s cat, was a great addition to the book. I like how he was involved in the investigation. I enjoyed Christin Becher’s debut cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more of this engaging new series. Murder’s No Votive Confidence is a delightful new cozy mystery that has a scenic setting, a nosy newspaperman, a nervous bride, a meddling mama, a mysterious feline, handcrafted tapers, and one determined amateur sleuth.

It is always exciting to open the first book of a new cozy mystery series, some more than others. This is one that I almost thoroughly enjoyed, from the setting of Nantucket Island during Memorial Day Weekend, to Stella’s custom shop, Wick and Candles, to the variety of characters, and the cat. The mystery is beautifully executed and kept me guessing – and chuckling – throughout. Stella is helping her best friend Ellen, the best event planner on Nantucket, prepare the luxurious Melville Inn and its restaurant for the first candle-themed wedding with Stella’s creations. From candles to match the bride’s colors to the couple’s one-of-a-kind signature scented unity candle and gift votives for guests, this wedding might set a new style for island weddings. Ellen’s first baby is due in less than a month, so Stella oversees some of the preparations in her stead. Friday morning, when Stella arrives at the wedding prep room in the restaurant, the intricately-designed unity candle is missing. Jessica, the bride, said that the groom, Joe, had it in the game room the night before to show the card players. A scream dragged Jessica and Stella to find the bride’s mother, the Inn’s manager, and a cat inside the game room. Jessica’s Uncle Simon was dead on the floor. The huge unity candle is broken, held together only by the wick, looking like the murder weapon. The cat, Tinker, was Simon’s. As often happens, cats go to the who likes them least. Stella doesn’t like cats, which almost made me dislike her! At least until a furry little head poked up from her back seat as she left the inn, scaring her half to death. Andy, the local police officer, puts Tinker in her custody. Just great. For Tinker, at least, who refuses to be left out of the action. Addie proposes a replacement set of unity candles to Jessica and Mrs. Sterling, and spends the night before the wedding preparing them. The international FIGAWI race is underway and the local police are swamped. The police chief from another community who is helping during the regatta is eager to close the case, arresting the bartender, Bill Duffy. Bill and his wife Maude are old friends of Addie and her mom. It is impossible to think of Bill as killing anyone! Yet, he is found with cash in his pocket from the card game, in which Simon had cheated the bridegroom and best man of their money. Addie works with Andy, the local police officer and a friend since middle school, then Peter, the new newspaper reporter, uncover several possible suspects when trying to find the real bad guy and get Bill out of the clink. Simon had a few secrets from the past, especially since being estranged from the Sterling family for years. Gina, the gorgeous movie star visiting the island, has potentially explosive secrets, also, including her signature scent being noticed in the game room that morning. And the bridal party – could one of the young men have been so angry at Simon for cheating at the card game that they finished him off? I found this very challenging to solve, not certain of anyone. The vows culminate in a magnificent tour de farce that brings multiples surprises! My only negative is the profanity, which while minimal, is one of many reasons I read cozies. Otherwise, I highly recommend this first in a new series to those who enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, endearing characters and cats, and learning about candles. I am looking forward to the next one!- From a thankful heart: I won a copy of this novel; a review was not required.

oh look another copy cat cliches book about Nother dumb drama obsessed interfering ijiot .who only solves it by dumb luck and not brains getting in the way of cops...was hoping maybe someone with originality. but NOPE .oh and ps obsession w candles much? most stink nasty like waste if money