Flying Off the Candle (Glenmyre Whim Mystery 3), by Sarah E. Burr

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It's springtime in Crucible and the Big Melt festival is around the corner to celebrate warmer weather. Unfortunately, plans for the big event are marred when a dead body is found near Hazel's cottage. When Hazel's and Poppy's friend is accused of murder, the two of them embark on a mission to uncover the truth.

Flying Off the Candle is another strong installment in the Glenmyre Whim Mystery series, by Sarah E. Burr. I once again loved visiting the warm and welcoming community of Crucible. It has a slight paranormal element, but is largely based on reality. It felt like I was visiting with good friends. Although I would have loved to have spent more time on the festival aspect of the story, I really enjoyed reading about everything else that was happening around it.

In this third installment, there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Some were returning characters, while others were new. I sometimes went back and re-read certain scenes to refresh my memory. This helped me keep up with everything that was happening and who the characters were. Once I did that I was was able to enjoy the story more.

One of the standout characters for me was Holly. She is a minor character, but she made a big impression on me. Holly happens to be a wheelchair user and she is a productive member of society. I love seeing strong, independent, disabled characters. All too often they are portrayed as helpless. This is not the case with Holly. I am eager to see her in future installments in this series.

The mystery in this one is strong. It kept me guessing all the way up until the whodunnit was revealed. Just when I would think I had it figured out, another twist changed my mind. It was a fun ride!

In addition to great characters, a cozy and welcoming setting, and a fun mystery, Flying Off the Candle also includes a subplot involving Hazel's aunt, Poppy. I was so invested in her story and I did not see the end of the book coming. Rarely does a book make me feel as emotional as this one did. The end left me eager for a book 4, which I will definitely read whenever it's released.

In the meantime, I highly recommend starting this series if you haven't already. Each book is a self-contained mystery, but to fully enjoy the subplots, you will want to start with book 1, You Can't Candle the Truth. If you have read the previous two books, you won't want to miss this third installment, Flying Off the Candle. You'll be glad you visited Crucible again.

Thank you to Sarah E. Burr for providing me with a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.