Book Review (and a Giveaway!): Murder Makes Scents by Christin Brecher

MURDER MAKES SCENTS
SERIES: Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery #2
GENRE: Cozy Mystery
PUBLISHER: Kensington
RELEASE DATE: February 25, 2020
PAGES: 272

Stella Wright loves creating candles at her Nantucket store–and she also has a burning passion for justice. Now, after visiting a perfume conference, she must solve a vial crime . . .

Stella and her globe-trotting mom, Millie, have come home from a perfume industry conference in Paris, where their trip was marred by witnessing the stabbing death of a young man. It’s a relief for Stella to be back on her picturesque island, with the comforting company of her cat, Tinker. But lingering danger may have followed them back across the ocean.

After someone breaks into her candle store, the Wick & Flame, Stella starts feeling spooked. And just as things threaten to ignite, Millie suffers a blow to the head. Stella receives an anonymous note claiming that her mother smuggled a secret formula out of France–and threatening her life if it isn’t returned. Now Stella’s picked up the scent of a cold-hearted criminal and an intriguing puzzle, and things are about to get wicked . . .

Other Books In This Series

I thoroughly enjoyed book 1 in this series – Murder’s No Votive Confidence – but I think Murder Makes Scents is even better! I loved everything about this cozy mystery. The way the Nantucket setting was almost another character. The myriad of likely suspects. The elements of intrigue. The comedic moments. The plot itself.

Let’s start with Stella who I really love as a character. She and her mom have an interesting dynamic between them, due mainly to her mom’s somewhat outlandish and impetuous personality. Yet it’s clear they love each other with great affection and Millie’s eccentric ways factor in heavily to this particular plot so it’s easy to embrace her as part of the ambiance, so to speak lol. (And also, since we’re speaking of Stella, I am still pulling for her longtime best friend Andy to ultimately win her heart over her current beau Peter … who is a lovely man but I just think Andy loves her more deeply.)

The mystery is swirling with intrigue – with the actual murder taking place in Paris and following Stella and her mom back to Nantucket. Unwittingly drawn into a world of espionage and matters of global security, Stella has no shortage of people who make very viable suspects. The author does an excellent job of weaving credible red herrings and surprising twists throughout the plot and of course Stella is right in the middle of it. The element of the scents and candles in this series add extra layers to the plot – especially in this latest installment.

Bottom Line: Murder Makes Scents is entertaining and well-plotted, with colorful characters and a vibrant setting. The murder mystery is more multi-dimensional than it first appears – and I really enjoyed following Stella on the quest to save the day. Some of the layers may seem farfetched… but then again this is a cozy mystery and ‘farfetched’ is sorta part of the tried-and-true formula. I thought it definitely made sense in the broader picture and loved the unique aspects it added to the story. Looking forward to book 3!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4 stars / Loved it!

amazon affiliate link used

Christin Brecher was born and raised in NYC, where her family and many childhood friends still reside. As such, she feels she is as much of a small-town girl as any. The idea to write the Nantucket Candle Maker series sprang from her life-long connection to the small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Spending summers there as a child, Christin read from her family’s library of mystery novels, after which she began to imagine stories inspired by the island’s whaling heyday, its notoriously foggy nights, and during long bike rides to the beach. After many years in marketing for the publishing industry, followed by years raising her children, Murder’s No Votive Confidence is Christin’s debut novel. Visit her at www.christinbrecher.com.

website | Facebook | Instagram

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is hosted by Great Escapes, not RimSP
Follow along with the tour by clicking the banner below

What about you? What interests you most about Murder Makes Scents? What’s your favorite type of candle scent?