Stella Wright first appeared in Murder’s No Votive Confidence and one of the best ways to learn about a person is by asking questions, so let’s get to know Stella.

What is your name?
Stella Wright, though one or two people around town call me the Candle Lady.

How old are you?
I’m about to turn thirty, as you’ll find out in my latest case, Murder Makes Scents.

What is your profession?
Thanks for asking! I’m a candle maker and small business owner of the Wick & Flame in Nantucket, MA. If you’re ever in town, come on by. You will be sure to find a scented candle you’ll love from the many I personally design and handcraft for the store. This week’s special is Cognac and Cedarwood, inspired by my recent trip to Cire Trudon in Paris.

Do you have a significant other?
I’m happy to say that my love life is going strong.

What is his/her name and profession?
I’ve been dating Peter Bailey for few months now. He’s a newbie to the island, having joined our island paper, The Inquirer & Mirror, as a staff reporter.

Any children?
Nope.

Do you have any siblings?
I don’t have any siblings, but the Wright family is everywhere on Nantucket and my cousins are as close to me as siblings. Kate is a nurse at the Cottage Hospital. Liz is a real estate agent. Ted and Docker own a carting business. And I live in an apartment owned by my cousin, Chris, who is one of the island’s contractors.

Do your parents live near you?
They do not.

My mother, Millie Wright, needs adventure and finds it by travelling the world. She moved back to Nantucket when I was born, so that I had roots and know my family. I’ll always be grateful to her for that decision because I know how hard it was for her to stay put for so long. She opened a store and sold perfumes she created, which was the foundation for my own business ambitions. The minute I left for college, however, Millie hit the road once more.

As for my dad? I couldn’t say where he is. I’ve actually never met him, and my mother never talks about him. All I know is that she met my father on one of her trips around the world. And whereas the rest of my family is known for their fair skin and red hair, I have a mane of wild, dark hair and a freckle-free, olive complexion. You guess is as good as mine about him. But I often wonder. . .

Who is your best friend?
Emily Gardner. We’ve been friends since we were tots at Wee Whalers where we discovered we both liked to pretend we were business owners during playtime. Emily is now the island’s leading event planner. It doesn’t surprise me. Her favorite job when we were Wee-ones was Clean-Up Monitor. The job entailed circling the room to remind people to clean up. She was good at getting people moving, even then. These days, she juggles her company and a new baby with grace, style, and great shoes. I’ve always admired how she navigates our town’s cobblestones in her high heels. It’s an art.

Another of my closest friend is Officer Andy Southerland of Nantucket’s Police Department. Our friendship started in seventh grade when he gave me the nickname the Hound, in honor of my keen sense of smell. I returned the favor by sticking gum in his hair. We’ve kept up with our shenanigans since then. Having helped Andy solve a crime or two, however, has opened a new door to our friendship. We’ve found ourselves as partners, and it’s been great. Fortunately, Andy and Peter get along as well.

Cats, dogs or other pets?
Yes! I have a cat, named Tinker, and the story of how we found each other is a great one. Actually, you can read all about it in Murder’s No Votive Confidence. He started as the pet of Simon Sterling, the unfortunate man who was murdered before his niece’s wedding, but that was only the beginning of his story. Like me, he has a nose for solving murder.

What town do you live in?
I am a Nantucket native. Our island is a small one, thirty miles off the coast of Massachusetts. Although my mom feels like she needs to travel the world for adventure, I have never needed to leave town to find action. I am always grateful that I run a business I feel passionate about, surrounded by friends and family I love, in a history-filled town I adore.

As a tourist destination, Nantucket’s population swells and shrinks throughout the year, like the tides of the sea surrounding us. Some days I feel like a big fish in a small pond, since I’ve spent my whole life here. Other times, I’m almost invisible to the visitors we host. Since I’ve begun sleuthing, I’ve found that these two roles can be quite useful. On the one hand, I have my ear to the ground when it comes to the inside scoop of local news. And on the other hand, I am an innocuous stranger our visitors feel safe to talk to. Sometimes they don’t even notice me while they drop clues they might not otherwise want to share.

Type of dwelling and do you own or rent?
You mean Leftovers? There’s a Nantucket tradition of naming houses, and my place is no exception. Leftovers is a small apartment over my cousin’s garage, which I’ve been renting since I came home from college. I’ve furnished it with items I picked up at the Hospital Thrift Shop on India Street, known for great finds – and hence the name of my place. I have dream of owning one of Nantucket’s historic old houses one day, with room for a candle studio and a garden outside, but for now, Leftovers does the trick. I have the good company of Chris, his wife, and their two young sons right across the yard, and the rent is idea for my entrepreneurial ambitions.

What is your favorite spot in your home?
Curling up on the sofa with Tinker.

Favorite meal and dessert?
Peter’s Famous Cheese Spaghetti. Or his Beans and Rice. They are his two signature recipes, and he takes great pride in making them for people. How can you not love that?

Favorite hobby?
Sleuthing! Just ask Officer Andy Southerland. I’m developing quite a knack, in spite of the fact that he likes to remind me to leave investigations to the pros. Of course, he has to say that. Really, we’ve done some good work together.

Favorite color?
I love mixing colors for the myriad of candles I make. The fun for me is in developing a color which matches a scent or mood. What colors do you think of for the sea, a forest, an old library? Solving the puzzle is as exciting as the colors I ultimately choose.

Favorite author?
I teach candle making classes in the back of the Wick & Flame. Recently, my students told me about cozy mysteries. They love them and thought I might, too. They were right! I’ve enjoyed the works of Rhys Bowen, Kate Carlisle and a group of writers called the Wickeds. Mysteries are perfect to read on Nantucket. Our foggy nights and ghostly history are the perfect setting for a spine-tingler.

Favorite vacation spot?
I live in one of the BEST vacation spots! Next. . .

Favorite sports team?
Hands down, the high school’s Nantucket Whalers. GO, Whalers. I was on the school’s JV basketball team back in the day, so I’m a little partial.

Are you a morning or a night person?
Depends upon when inspiration strikes me.

Amateur or professional sleuth and whom do you work with?
I suppose I’m an amateur, but I get the job done. I lean into everyone for help – from my family’s connections, to my students, to Peter’s talent for finding news, and, of course, Officer Andy Southerland.

In a few sentences, what is a typical day in your life like?
A couple of days a week, I begin my day teaching candle classes in my store’s back studio. My students are often made up of the self-named Candleers, who are masters of all sorts of crafts. My best student from the group is Cherry Waddle, who has lately become my sales associate, too.

Most days, I run my store and make candles in my studio. Peter, Liz or Emily often stop in for lunch. And I usually find time to stop at my favorite coffee shop, The Bean, for some caffeine. I’m getting spoiled by nights with Peter – and Tinker! And my cousin, Chris, is known for his amazing burgers at the cook outs he often has in his backyard.

Murder Makes Scents is the second book in the “Nantucket Candle Maker” cozy mystery series, released February 25, 2020.

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 . . .

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About the author
Christin Brecher lives in NYC and Nantucket, two islands which inspire her imagination at every step. After a career in marketing for the publishing industry, followed by years raising her children, the Nantucket Candle Maker Mysteries mark Christin’s debut as an author. To learn more about Christin, visit her website at christinbrecher.com.

All comments are welcomed.