Murder on the Lantern Walk: A Winter Blackout Mystery of Missing Proof

About Murder on the Lantern Walk: A Winter Blackout Mystery of Missing Proof

PENNY WREN CAN HANDLE WINTER ON THE CANAL. SHE CAN’T HANDLE A MURDER IN THE DARK. Marlowmere is freezing, trade is slow, and the Lantern Walk fundraiser is meant to keep the towpath alive until spring.

There are glowing lanterns, hot drinks, carols, and the carefully staged feeling that the village is one big happy family. Then the lights go out. In the sudden blackout, panic ripples through the crowd—and when the lanterns flare back to life, a body is found in a place no one should have been able to reach unseen.

With her tearoom still under “safety” scrutiny and her name already on the wrong tongues, Penny can’t afford another scandal. DS Ravi Singh calls it a delicate scene with too many witnesses. The Canal Trust calls it an unfortunate incident.

Penny sees something else: choreography. Missing minutes. Controlled movement.

A darkness that wasn’t an accident. As the village closes ranks and the committee smiles turn sharp, Penny follows the only trail she trusts: who had access, who controlled the route, and who used the blackout as cover. Because this time the killer didn’t just want someone dead.

They wanted something taken. And the proof they’re hunting is tied to Penny’s late aunt—meaning Penny isn’t just investigating a murder. She’s next in line.