In the wick of time

Energy-shifting twins have to hone in on a killer to avoid suspicion, all without the support of their aunt. Fraternal twins Tabby and Sage Winslow are very close even though they can be very different. Sage is a bit of a hothead with a tendency to blow up at others; Tabby's more of a caretaker, sharing her energy whenever Sage inevitably gets depleted and supporting Sage through their telepathic twin-speak connection. While the two aren't always balanced, their complementary relationship works for them, and they're good at splitting the tasks at their aptly named handmade candle store, The Book and Candle Shop. Creative Tabby puts her positive energy into custom creations like her latest soul-warmer, Savannah Sunshine; Sage keeps the books, as she was taught by their Auntie O. Sage also works at Savannah's All Good Things Nursery and Landscaping, where she may be the only one not put off by boss Loren Lee's brusque manner with his staff. In fact, she's worried because Loren's health seems to be fading. She's not wrong, and the twins soon learn that Loren has unexpectedly passed away. But they're surprised to hear that Loren's death wasn't the result of illness but a deliberate murder. As Sage frets about the future of the gardening business, the police wonder whether the twins' knowledge of herbal concoctions marks them as Loren's poisoners. And that's just the beginning of a story that has Auntie O and her partner, Frankie, going into hiding and leaving the twins and Tabby's boyfriend, medical examiner Quig, to fend for themselves during a murder investigation. All these doings may be too much in a cozy mystery more in touch with the dark side of magic than most. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.