Beatrice Sawyer is all of us in the year of our burnt-out Lord, 2026: laid off, vaguely spiraling, back in her parents’ basement, and clinging to a half-baked dream like it’s a life raft made of beeswax and vibes. “Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out” is a cozy murder mystery wrapped in the warm scent of seasonal candles and the slow, creeping dread of being 30 and directionless. It’s Finlay Donovan vibes with a touch of “I can fix my life by opening a niche shop and ignoring my feelings.”

We open on Beatrice, who has hit the reset button so many times it’s jammed. She’s back at her family’s summer home, trying to volunteer her way out of a quarter-life crisis while the local town throws a cursed sounding “Smallmouth Bass Festival.” (Which, honestly, sounds like a public health emergency or a regional cryptid, and either would have made sense here.) Just when Beatrice is starting to romanticize her life again... new purpose, old candle shop, maybe an identity outside “currently unemployed”... she finds her aunt dragging a literal corpse across the marina. And listen, I’ve been to some uncomfortable family reunions, but this one wins.

From there, it’s full steam ahead into cozy chaos. She teams up with her brother Theseus (yes, like the Greek myth, no, he does not slay a minotaur but he does show up in the way supportive siblings do), and her childhood best friend slash unresolved romantic tension nightmare. The trio takes on small town murder like they’ve got nothing to lose and no therapist in sight. And the town? Wildly chill about a dead guy showing up at their tourist trap of a festival. No one trusts anyone, yet everyone has homemade jam. That’s the energy.

Now, the vibes? Truly chef’s kiss. We’ve got lakeside nostalgia, moody candle metaphors, suspicious relatives, and that beautiful small town feeling where everyone is hiding something and probably related. The pacing, though, flickers. It’s not cozy slow, it’s introspective slow. Sometimes you get sucked into Beatrice’s grief spiral so deep you forget there’s a murder to solve. Then suddenly there’s a burst of action like someone kicked the plot in the shin. It’s not broken, but it is unbalanced. Like... I didn’t need a murder every chapter, but I did occasionally want to scream "girl get out of your own head and check the shed."

That said, Beatrice is exactly the kind of mess I root for. She’s burnt out, drifting, clinging to scents and memories because life doesn’t feel like it’s offering her anything new. Her emotional fatigue is loud, even when she’s trying to play it cool. Watching her reconnect with her brother, confront some family landmines, and try to rebuild purpose from literal wax scraps hit me right in the millennial soul. She is so relatable in that “I don’t know what I’m doing but I bought this artisan planner and that counts” kind of way.

The mystery itself unfolds like a soft panic attack. There are clues. There are red herrings. There is one moment where I was like “Wait... was the corpse planted?” and had to reread because I got distracted by an internal monologue about grief and matcha. But by the end, it sticks the landing. The conclusion was satisfying, not shocking, and emotionally grounded in a way that made sense for the characters. It’s not a twisty thriller, it’s a slow-burn whodunnit with emotional range and a strong scent profile.

This book is for anyone who’s ever said “I’ll figure it out” while lighting a candle and hoping for divine intervention. It’s for the girlies (gender neutral) who use aromatherapy as therapy therapy. It’s not fast or flashy, but it’s emotionally rich, sometimes funny as hell, and peppered with just enough danger to keep you awake through the cozy.

Solid 3.5 stars from me. Not a perfect ride, but I’d get in the van again. Especially if it smelled like cinnamon and generational trauma.

Whodunity Award: For Most Suspicious Use of a Candle Shop Since Yankee Tried “Summer Fire Pit Romance”

Big shoutout to Lamplighter Literary Creations and NetGalley for the ARC. Thank you for letting me spiral into seasonal depression, question a suspicious number of townsfolk, and reconsider my career path in artisanal wax without leaving my couch. Absolute dream scenario. I’ll definitely be picking up the second “Lake Erie Mysteries” book the minute it drops. Beatrice might be flickering out, but I am fully lit for whatever comes next.

Five stars and I’m still thinking about this book. I came for a cozy small town story and accidentally got a murder, messy family drama, and a heroine whose life is fully on fire. The mystery kept me turning pages while the humor made me snort laugh more than once. It somehow balances chaos, heart, and clever twists without trying too hard. I’d absolutely recommend this to anyone who likes their cozy reads a little unhinged and very entertaining.

There are so many delightful things about this book: the cover, the setting, the characters, and the beautiful inclusion of candles. And Thisbe Harbor?! I walked away from this book wishing it existed! As a senior in college, I resonated with Beatrice in the fact that I, too, don't yet know what I am doing with my life. Her development throughout the book was well-written and I loved the cozy feel of this mystery. Some parts of the story were a bit slower paced, but the subtle hints and plot twists throughout it were enjoyable. At some points, the overabundance of detailed descriptions was a bit distracting. However, the overall ambiance of this mystery is delightful, and I would definitely read more from this series.

I liked Beatrice and Theo right away. They seem to have a very healthy and realistic sibling relationship. Actually, I liked all of Bea’s family pretty much right away. Well, except for Aunt Penny, of course.
I thought there would be more candle making in this book. But it’s only the first of the series, so I look forward to exploring that more in future installments. And there WAS a lot of scent descriptions. Yum. 😋
The festival setting was an enjoyable surprise. As a vendor myself, I appreciated the accurate representation.
The mystery was well done. Nothing too edge of your seat scary. I have a tenuous relationship with mysteries. Why is it always murder? 😭 I didn’t figure out whodunit until right before the reveal, though I DID have them on my personal suspect list. 😏
I rate this book for ages 19 and up for romance and some violence.
Warning: This book makes you hungry. Now I want homemade powdered donuts, a giant soft salty pretzel, crispy french fries, buttery funnel cake, a hamburger, caramel coffee, and a tea or two. Or three. Oh, and don’t forget the cinnamon roll!

This was such an interesting and emotional read. It felt unique and really pulled me into the main character’s story. It was easy to get invested and I found myself thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. Overall, a really good and memorable book!

Beatrice and her brother stole my heart! I love strong sibling relationships in stories, and these two were very well-written. I enjoyed the small-town family drama and the way the family sticks together against all odds. I definitely did not guess the culprit (which is the mark of a good mystery in my book).

It did take me a while to get Beatrice, her muddled thinking is a little confusing at first (although I can definitely relate) but once I got used to it, I could really root for the character. I look forward to the rest of her adventures!

Beatrice Ophelia Is Flickering Out turned out to be a fun, cozy murder mystery with a gentle layer of humor woven through it. It’s not the kind of high-octane, edge-of-the-seat thriller that spikes your adrenaline, but more of a calm, comforting investigation that unfolds at its own pace. I did enjoy the reading experience, even though humor isn’t usually my favourite element in fiction, which is why this wasn’t a five-star read for me personally.
The story is filled with characters who drift in and out — Beatrice, her brother Theo, their friend Julian, Aunt Penny, the police officer, and the rest of the family — giving the book a warm, lived-in, small-town feel. But because it leans more toward atmosphere and harbour life than constant clue-chasing, the actual mystery sometimes takes a back seat and only truly sharpens near the final pages. That made it feel a little slow to me.
Still, if you enjoy murder and investigation wrapped in a cozy, seaside setting — with candle shops, family drama, and light humour — this one is definitely worth picking up. It’s comforting, charming, and quietly engaging rather than dark and intense.

3.5 stars

“Beatrice Ophelia is Flickering Out” by Megan Gerig the first instalment in the Lake Erie Mysteries. What a great start to a new series, I enjoyed this book and look forward to book 2. Beatrice Sawyer is flickering out, for what might be the last time.

I did struggle a bit with the pace of the book but it still didn’t stop me reading it in one day. I totally understood how Beatrice felt not knowing what she wanted to do in life, I still struggle to this day at age 60. So with that respect I could really relate to her character, there was family drama and emotions to unpack and overall I found it to be a good story.

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I did guess whodunnit but that did not distract from the story. I’m sure in the next book character development and plot will improve and I won’t be able to guess.

I recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!

I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Lamplighter Literary Creations and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

A family drama turns into a murder mystery investigation. Adorable fun time with Beatrice and Theo in a small town. A delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries.

Nothing's going right for Beatrice. She's lost her job, and she's living in her parents' basement.

She decides a trip to her childhood home, during a newly formed festival (for Small mouth Bass no less!)

As Beatrice helps in the community, she starts to learn about her grandma's candle shop.

Things, once again, go wrong though when it seems like a family member might be involved with the death of a townsperson.

After being laid off yet again, Beatrice returns with her family to her childhood summer home to unwind. And maybe figure out how to move out of her parents' basement. The town is hosting their inaugural Smallmouth Bass Festival as a last-wick effort to attract tourists, and Beatrice hopes volunteering might shed some light on her future.

At first, things seem to be brightening. Beatrice rediscovers the candle shop her grandmother once owned, and a new dream sparks to life.

Thank you to Lamplighter Literary Creations and NetGalley for an honest review of a digital ARC.

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