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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Characters Pull You into This Mystery, February 29, 2004
This review is from: At Wick's End (Candlemaking Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
Harrison Black is upset to hear about the death of his Great Aunt Belle in an accident at her shop, At Wick's End. He's not too surprised when she leaves everything to him, since they are the only relatives they have left. The will includes the stipulation that he must keep the store open for at least five years and not sell it or River's Edge, the building the shop is in which he now also owns. Since Harrison was at a dead end in his life, he moves the few miles to his new business. He's greeted his first morning there by a break-in at his great aunt's apartment on the premises. Since the place had obviously been searched, he begins to suspect that Belle's death may have been more then an accident and is determined to find out what really happened to her. Thinking it might be one of his new tenants, he becomes paranoid that their offers for help are really offers to search again. Add to that a new business he knows nothing about and an employee at the store who he seems to upset regularly and he has his work cut out for him. I really did enjoy this new series debut. Harrison and his new friends are interesting and believable characters. I especially appreciated Harrison's habit of putting his foot in his mouth on a regular basis, something I tend to do myself. This book puts us in an interesting position. The prologue actually starts with Belle's death, so we know the what and the why, but not the who. As a result, we spend parts of the book waiting for Harrison to figure out what we know and I figured out one major plot point long before Harrison did. Still, the characters were interesting enough to keep me entertained, and the ending was completely believable, both who the killer was and how Harrison figured it out. The characters in this new series debut already feel like friends already. I can't wait to see them again. I haven't read this author in a couple years, but I'm going to have to go back and read his other series as well.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful Mystery!!, January 29, 2005
This review is from: At Wick's End (Candlemaking Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
"At Wick's End" is Tim Myers' first book in his candlemaking series and I had ordered it expecting a light, fluffy read. I was not familiar with his work, but thought that I might learn a little about candles and enjoy a pleasant mystery as well.
I thoroughly and completely enjoyed this book! And while, yes, I did learn a lot about candlemaking (at least enough to want to make me want to try the craft), I was absolutely enchanted with the characters that Tim Myers has brought to life!
This introductory mystery details the life of Harrison Black who has unexpectedly inherited his Great Aunt's estate. Although the bank owns most of it, this estate includes River's Edge - a shopping mall of sorts, that houses eccentric tenants as well as his Great Aunt's candle shop, "At Wick's End" and an apartment to boot.
Retiring quickly from his less than thriving job of selling junk computers, Harrison moves into the apartment. He soon comes to believe that his aunt's death was not an accident. Simultaneously, while immersing himself in learning how to run a candle shop, Harrison attempts to solve his Great Aunt's murder.
What captured me so thoroughly was not only the great plot and the long list of "suspects," but Tim Myers' accurate and very realistic portrayal of the problems that confront someone who has suddenly become the owner of a store.
"At Wick's End" is such a terrific book that I can't wait to read the sequel, "Burning at Both Ends." Great job by a fine writer!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
trade to learn, September 18, 2005
This review is from: At Wick's End (Candlemaking Mysteries, No. 1) (Paperback)
Harrison Black has inherited his Aunt Belle's candle shop - and the small mall in which it is located, River's Edge. He moves into her former apartment on premises and learns her trade, meets her friends, and uncovers her secrets. But someone has some secrets to hide - like Aunt Belle's fatal accident. The writer has created an interesting world with likeable - and not-so-likeable - characters. Snuffed Out is next in the series, followed by Death Waxed Over. Pleasant reads, I think, and a mall I'd like to visit!
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