The Book of Candlelight

By: Ellery Adams

Narrated by: Cris Dukehart

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

As the owner of Miracle Books, Nora Pennington figures all the wet weather this spring is at least good for business. The local inns are packed with stranded travelers, and among them Nora finds both new customers and a new friend, the 60-something Sheldon, who starts helping out at the store.

Since a little rain never hurt anyone, Nora rides her bike over to the flea market one sodden day and buys a bowl from Danny, a Cherokee potter. It’ll make a great present for Nora’s EMT boyfriend, but the next day, a little rain turns into a lot of rain, and the Miracle River overflows its banks. Amid the wreckage of a collapsed footbridge, a body lies within the churning water.

Nora and the sheriff both doubt the ruling of accidental drowning, and Nora decides it’s time for the Secret, Book, and Scone Society to spring into action. When another body turns up, it becomes clearer that Danny’s death can’t be blamed on a natural disaster. A crucial clue may lie within the stone walls of the Inn of Mist and Roses: a diary, over a century old and spattered with candle wax, that leads Nora and her friends through a maze of intrigue - and onto the trail of a murderer....

©2020 Ellery Adams (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Disappointingly aimed at social justice

After much anticipation, I excitedly downloaded this book and started it right away. Almost immediately upon my first listen, it became clear to me the author was focused on lacing as much social justice warrior ideals into this book as she possibly could.... so disappointing. The book is bursting at the seams with feminism, political correctness, and everything from cultural sensitivity to gender identity. Look, I get it. Some people feel there's inequality in the world and that's fine. I'm not here to debate that. But for the love of humanity, I get so annoyed when it's shoved down my throat! I listen to these books as a way to escape reality and look! There it is! More of the BS I'm trying to escape from, being stuffed in my face. Seriously, I thought about returning the book but the tiny bit of suspense is making me hang on. Ugh, I dunno maybe I'll return it. The thought of listening to more of it kind of makes me gag. Also, the narrator seems to not be doing as good a job this time. The story isn't as good, even aside from all the political garbage. What the heck? The magic is gone. I'm sorry to say, but it's time to move on. The series was off to such a good start and now it's fizzled.

3 people found this helpful

ANOTHER GREAT READ FROM ELLERY ADAMS

THIS SERIES/BOOK IS SO GOOD, FILLED WITH INTELLIGENT, FLAWED, BUT WONDERFUL CHARACTERS AND INTERESTING PLOTS. I LONG FOR A GROUP OF FRIENDS LIKE NORA, JUNE, ESTELLA, AND HESTER, SHARING JOYS AND SORROWS, NEW AND OLD; NOT TO MENTION ADVENTURES. I LOVE THE DEVELOPING ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS OF NORA AND JED, ESTELLA AND JACK, HESTER AND JASPER, IN THE BACKGROUND. THIS BOOK ADDRESSED BIASES OF DIFFERENT KINDS, INCLUDING DISABILITY, RACISM, AND POSSIBLY MISOGYNY (OR MAYBE JUST PLAIN OLD NASTINESS) WITHOUT DROWNING IN THEM. IT IS A STORY OF HOW HISTORY IMPACTS THE FUTURE; OF HOW KINDNESS CHANGES LIVES; AND OF HOW IMPORTANT HOPE IS TO EVERYONE. HOPEFULLY, I HAVEN'T OVERANALYZED IT BECAUSE IT IS A COZY, BUT MAYBE WITH A LITTLE MORE DEPTH THAN SOME. READ IT. ENJOY IT. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE.

3 people found this helpful

EXCELLENT READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END .<br />

A wonderful story , keeps you involved. Listenened to it ALL in one day. soon to listen again.

1 person found this helpful

5 Stars

The Book of Candlelight is well written, entertaining and interesting. I'll get the next book.

1 person found this helpful

Such strength!

Such strong women. These four women have truly found their strength... in themselves and each other. I also love how their tiny world of 4 women is starting to grow and include more people. Especially more strong women!

1 person found this helpful

magnuson1971

Loving this series, so much that I have researched the authors previous books & series and ordered 2 other complete sets. can't wait!

1 person found this helpful

loved it

enjoyed it very much. i hope there are more books in the series to read

So enjoyable

I did not want this book to end. The characters are kind and loving.
The story is just that kind people working a mystery together.
I have read the first two books in the series and hope for a fourth.
If you decide to get this book start with the first and follow the story, you won’t be disappointed.

Delightful

Delightful little cozy mystery was a very relatable set of characters. If you want to escape this is a great book to escape with.

Solid average

Setting: Miracle Springs, NC Contemporary
Genre: cozy mystery

It has been a very wet early April in Miracle Springs, which makes for more more customers at Miracle books as people dash in out of the rain. As Nora is running her feet off trying to keep up with book sales and making coffee, a very helpful man named Sheldon walks in, becomes helpful by making coffee and recommending books, and Nora ends up hiring him. And, this being a mystery, there are some questions. Like, who is the man in the white T-shirt stalking the ladies of the Secret, Book, & Scone Society? Who killed Cherokee Danny (yes, that is what the character is called) and why? What is going on over there at the Inn of Mist and Roses, the B & B where Sheldon is staying?
Although the book is well-written, I did not find it compelling enough to really care whodunnit. But it wasn’t boring or irritating enough to put down. One thing that irritated me about this book, as well as others in the series, has to do with the epigram at the beginning of each chapter. For instance, the epigram for the first chapter is a line from Truman Capote, but it does not give a source. That’s how it is for every chapter. Quote and author, no source. I could see maybe not giving a source if the quote came from an interview, or if it was a philosopher or politician, but if from a work of literature, I believe the author should give proper citation. Anyway, as the rating indicates, this is a solid average read. Will I get the next in the series? Perhaps. From the library.
As to the narrator, Cris Dukehart is not the best at differentiating characters from one another, basically using accent rather than pace or depth. However once you get used to her style, you can get past the deficiencies. In other words, it is an average performance.
Overall an average listen. Enjoyable, but not good (or bad) enough to chat about it to people at the gym or in the line ar the grocery.