Magic Candle Shop Mystery Series: Book 2
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Tabby Winslow will help her twin sister Sage with anything and everything—and that includes putting out the flames of suspicion when Sage’s boss is found murdered in this magical mystery, perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Sofie Kelly.
December in Savannah, Georgia, is a sight to behold. With all the festivities—including the traditional riverfront luminary display during the boat parade—twin sisters Tabby and Sage Winslow are busier than ever setting up for the big celebration. But that isn’t the only thing on the sisters’ minds. Both Sage and her fellow employee Mary Nicole are vying for the sought-after assistant manager job at the plant nursery. But when Loren Lee, their boss, is found dead, and Sage becomes the police’s favorite suspect, both Winslow girls know that they’ll need more than a flicker of magic and their sisterhood to solve the murder and clear Sage’s name.
Soon, Tabby realizes that this is just one of the many problems they have. If being a suspect for murder wasn’t enough, there are more magical problems that they have to fix: Sage’s boyfriend is having a paranormal experience of his own he can’t control, there’s an energy vampire searching for his supposedly lost cousin, her cat suddenly dislikes her, and oh—every time Tabby hiccups, she turns completely invisible. The suspect list grows with each day and it seems everyone has a reason or a connection to Loren Lee.
Tabby and Sage are burning the candle at both ends—but will it be enough to keep their friends safe and find this killer? Or will they be burned by their efforts?
In The Wick of Time is the second book in A Magic Candle Shop Mystery series by Valona Jones, and I look forward to reading more. Even though I haven’t read the first book, it was easy to catch up with their previous police encounters due to a murder and sort through the characters with all the details provided.
There’s magic in the air, and it’s not all good. Tabby and her twin, Sage, are an interesting pair as well as amateur detectives. I loved their twin connection and how they could have whole conversations in their minds without a word being said out loud. They complement each other and also keep each other reined in when needed. There are a lot of nods to magic and other paranormal activity, and more people in their small town have the ability to be otherworldly than you would expect. There are family, friends, and some unpleasant people from their pasts.
There are a lot of stories being told, and they are woven together, with the murder of Sage’s boss always front and center. The police don’t seem competent enough to solve the crime without the twins’ help, and the police don’t like them much. There appears to be an unpleasant history between them. Many holiday happenings and town events are sprinkled throughout, along with suspects, red herrings, work-related events, and even some romance. The story is fast-paced but sometimes repetitive. There is closure in solving the crime.
In The Wick of Time is a holiday paranormal cozy mystery with magical happenings, which left me yearning to pull out candles with holiday scents to get in the mood for the holidays!
Valona Jones, also known as Maggie Toussaint, writes paranormal cozy mysteries set in coastal Georgia. A former scientist, she’s drawn to the study of personal energy. She sharpened her people-watching skills as a lifelong introvert and had a bank vault of personal observations when she began to write fiction. Her newest release is In The Wick of Time, book 2 in the A Magic Candle Shop Mystery, preceded by Snuffed Out, which released Jan. 2023. She’s a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime with more than twenty-five published works of fiction. She lives in coastal Georgia, where she’s seen time and tide wait for no one.
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Dear Novels Alive and JoAnne,
Thanks for featuring In the Wick of Time here on the book’s Great Escape Book Tour. Also thanks for the review of the book. I am glad that you enjoyed the holiday elements and the layered plot.
Maggie Toussaint aka Valona Jones
Thanks for your kind words. I’ve added some of your books to my TBR pile.
JoAnne