Death Of The Lantern Maker
(2026)(The second book in the Olivia Shanklin Cozy Mystery series)
A novel by Ira Croft
In Hanalei Bay, lanterns should carry prayers into the ocean. Not a dead body and a promise for more.
Seven days before the annual lantern festival, the town's lantern maker is found dead on the beach—his body staged among the very lanterns he crafted. Pinned to the scene: a cryptic message.
Next morning, a handwritten prophecy lands at the Sheriff's door. The festival is in danger.
Book shop co-owner Olivia swore she'd stay out of it this time. But her sharp-nosed Cavalier, Winston, had other plans.
Their investigation tears through the town's postcard-perfect charm, exposing blackmail, buried confessions, and secrets protected for decades. In Hanalei, everyone has a story, and someone is willing to kill to keep theirs from being told. A troubled grandson. A seemingly harmless postal worker. Even a regular from Olivia's bookshop.
Then they discover the lanterns didn't just hold prayers. They held secrets only the lantern maker knew. The problem is—he's dead.
As Olivia's insight and Winston's instincts pull at every thread, the festival looms.
Unless she unmasks whodunnit, the lantern festival won't send prayers into the ocean. It will send another body.
Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Janet Evanovich, Jana DeLeon and Ellery Adams — with a fresh voice.
Genre: Mystery
Seven days before the annual lantern festival, the town's lantern maker is found dead on the beach—his body staged among the very lanterns he crafted. Pinned to the scene: a cryptic message.
Next morning, a handwritten prophecy lands at the Sheriff's door. The festival is in danger.
Book shop co-owner Olivia swore she'd stay out of it this time. But her sharp-nosed Cavalier, Winston, had other plans.
Their investigation tears through the town's postcard-perfect charm, exposing blackmail, buried confessions, and secrets protected for decades. In Hanalei, everyone has a story, and someone is willing to kill to keep theirs from being told. A troubled grandson. A seemingly harmless postal worker. Even a regular from Olivia's bookshop.
Then they discover the lanterns didn't just hold prayers. They held secrets only the lantern maker knew. The problem is—he's dead.
As Olivia's insight and Winston's instincts pull at every thread, the festival looms.
Unless she unmasks whodunnit, the lantern festival won't send prayers into the ocean. It will send another body.
Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Janet Evanovich, Jana DeLeon and Ellery Adams — with a fresh voice.
Genre: Mystery
Used availability for Ira Croft's Death Of The Lantern Maker