Death by Candlelight: A totally gripping cozy murder mystery

· Bookouture
316 reviews
Ebook
382
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

Caterer extraordinaire Francesca Eve is prepared for anything. Missing canapés? No problem. Burnt brownies? A piece of cake… But a dead body? Now that’s a recipe for disaster.

 

In the manor house of her pretty little Shropshire village, Francesca is nervous about catering her first ever murder mystery party. But it’s clear from the clink of champagne flutes that the evening is a roaring success. Until the murder suddenly stops being a game, when beautiful young teacher Becky drops dead in the dining room, and the coroner rules poisoning. Which of the guests has a deadly way with mushrooms? And why?

 

The local police are fixated on Francesca’s canapés, but her cooking never killed a soul, and she realises she must do some sleuthing of her own to save her reputation. From the woman having an affair, to the guest hiding her true identity, everyone in the party has a secret – and it turns out that Becky knew them all. But which secret was dangerous enough to kill for?

 

When Francesca’s prime suspect, the light-fingered heiress, is found murdered with another case of death by overdose, it becomes clear that a deranged killer is going off-script. And anyone who was involved in the game is in their sights, even Francesca. Can she unmask the murderer before it’s too late, or has she cooked her last supper?

 

A page-turning cozy mystery packed with twists. If you love Clare Chase, M.C. Beaton and The Thursday Murder Club you’ll absolutely adore this unputdownable whodunnit.

 

Readers love Death by Candlelight:

 

‘BUY THE BOOK… some of the best amateur detective work I've seen in a cozy mystery for a long time -- with one of the most delightful and relatable pairings yet… I couldn't bring myself to put it down… It's that good and then some… BUY THE BOOK. BUY THE BOOK. BUY THE BOOK.’ The Well-Read Pirate Queen, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. The plot twist and turns kept me on the edge of my seat… a must read for every cozy mystery fan, I loved it… I highly recommend it.’ PageTurners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘What a great, new cozy mystery series! Fast paced, with great characters and a unique plot… Loved this and cannot wait for the second book.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Incredibly engaging and interesting. … This book had many twists and turns and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the other shoe drops and nothing is as it seems. I just love a mystery that is going to keep me guessing until the very end… a delightful read in what I hope is to become a wonderful cozy mystery series.’ Girl Lost In a Book

 

‘Fantastic… the pages just turned themselves…. a very enjoyable and entertaining read and I look forward to the next instalment.’ Once Upon a Time Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘I hugely enjoyed this cosy mystery… loved it! @KatyWatsonauthor

 

‘This story grabbed me and was hard to put down. I only stopped when my Kindle battery died, great story!’ Goodreads reviewer

 

‘I thoroughly enjoyed this expertly plotted cosy mystery… I was hooked from start to finish!’ Clare Chase, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

‘Wow what a book… I was hooked from the first page. The writing is superb and enthralling and overall, I just loved this book.’ NetGalley reviewer

Caterer extraordinaire Francesca Eve is prepared for anything. Missing canapés? No problem. Burnt brownies? A piece of cake… But a dead body? Now that’s a recipe for disaster. In the manor house of her pretty little Shropshire village, Francesca is nervous about catering her first ever murder m...

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Ratings and reviews

316 reviews
Ansai Calugan
February 4, 2026
Title: Death by Candlelight Author: Emma Davies Year Published: 2022 Personally, the story seemed like it was inspired by another story. What I like about the story is that the author was very specific in describing what was happening in her own world and imagination. Like I was a part of the character of the book. If you are looking for a book that is different then this is your next best shot because it pulls reader into the setting. I just personally believe that the author could use a different technique. How about showing us what was really happening instead of plainly narrating it? Wishing the best for this story!
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Juju
February 9, 2026
fun read, but twist villain wasnt very good. not much time spent on some characters, and characters that were described well were dropped from the face if the planet. without the cat and mouse chasing, story couldve ended 20 chapters ago
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Lisa Druett
November 16, 2025
Really enjoyed this book. First time I have read her books now I'm a new fan. Can't beat a good old British trillers, unlike the American rubbish.
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