The Light a Candle Society

'LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FULL OF LOVE' Celia Anderson

'WARM, COMPASSIONATE, WITTY' Mike Gayle

'MAGICAL . . . UPLIFTING' Anton Du Beke



A TOP TEN KINDLE BESTSELLER ABOUT THE POWER OF KINDNESS.





George McGlory is showing off his new shirt to his wife, Audrey. It's got bright-orange parrots on, but he knows she won't say anything. He's talking to the headstone at her grave. Audrey passed away two years ago, and George is still muddling through.





Across the cemetery he sees a lonely coffin with only council pallbearers in attendance. Mrs Kathleen Hooley was eighty-nine and she died safe and warm in her own bed, but had no friends or family to organise a funeral - or even send flowers.





Even through his own grief, George is deeply touched by Kathleen's lonely funeral. No one should be sent out of this world alone, surely?





Not on George's watch. With the help of his friends, he creates The Light a Candle Society, to make sure no one is forgotten. It might just remind him that there's still light in his life, too . . .



An uplifting story of how compassion, kindness and care - even for strangers - can shine a light in the darkest of times, perfect for fans of Mike Gayle, Ruth Jones, Jennie Godfrey or Graham Norton.





Praise for Ruth Hogan:

'Told with wit and heart' BETH MORREY

'Every page is a joy' PIP WILLIAMS

'Delightfully uplifting' WOMAN'S OWN

'Full of hope' PRIMA



Readers love Ruth Hogan's uplifting and heartfelt The Light a Candle Society:



'Wow . . . this book is so emotional, uplifting and powerful' Reader review, 5 stars



'The story just grips you. Read it.' Reader review, 5 stars



'Such a powerful read. It will stay with me forever' Reader review, 5 stars



'A poignant, heartwarming story' Reader review, 5 stars



Ruth Hogan studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College and went on to work in local government. A car accident and a subsequent run-in with cancer convinced her finally to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. The result was her debut novel - The Keeper of Lost Things, which went on to become a global bestseller. She is now a full-time author and lives with her husband and rescue dogs in a rambling Victorian house stuffed with treasure that inspires her novels.



Insta: @ruthmariehoganauthor



Warm, compassionate, witty and thought provoking, The Light a Candle Society is Ruth Hogan at her very best.



Moving, uplifting and thought-provoking in equal parts. George is determined that nobody should leave this life without a fitting celebration. As he builds his team with this end in mind, lives are changed, bonds are forged and something joyful emerges from the sadness. Life-affirming and full of love, this book is one to treasure. I adored it!



Heartwarming



A lovely, lovely novel, full of humanity, humour and kindness. I loved it!



I relished every word of this beautiful, poignant, uplifting story. Ruth Hogan's characters are easy to love and so I took George and his 'Light A Candle Society' friends to my heart immediately. It's not easy to tackle themes of death, grief and loneliness but Ruth does it effortlessly, with warmth, wit and tenderness. This is exactly the book we need right now and for me, Ruth Hogan's best novel yet.



I LOVED the latest novel from Ruth Hogan. It's bursting with her signature warmth and heart but this time tackles taboos and issues that aren't spoken about with compassion and hope. Nobody does it quite like Ruth Hogan. If you're looking to be uplifted and to feel better about the world, this is the book for you!



Written with Ruth Hogan's trademark humour and generosity of spirit, The Light a Candle Society shines warm with life. An uplifting celebration of the joy of small things, and the big - kindness, community and love.



This book is an absolute treasure trove of light, love, grief, hope, all that makes us human. With all the touchstones we carry that make up a life, it's almost unbearably poignant, helpful and enlightening all at once. And reminds us that our humanity is the ultimate thing we share and none of us is ever really alone.



Ruth Hogan ensnares the heart with The Light a Candle Society. This story is beautifully told and it presents an affirmation of the goodness of human nature ... skillfully weaves together humour, sadness, and the harsher realities of life and death ... must-read fiction.



The ballroom is a magical place, and Ruth Hogan's love and warmth for all the things within it shine brightly in the pages of this wonderful story. She has created such an uplifting world, and the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend of mine



A rich and joyful story told with wit and heart. And the most glamorously-named protagonist ever. Look out for this sweeping waltz of a novel.



Full of hope