What's in a Flame? A Jewish Regency Mystery Story

There's trouble afoot in Regency London's Jewish community, and no one to stop the crimes—until wealthy-widower-turned-sleuth Mr. Ezra Melamed teams up with an unlikely pair: General Well'ngone and the Earl of Gravel Lane, the leaders of a gang of young Jewish pickpockets. 

In this short mystery story set during the Sukkos holiday of 1812, a sukkah (booth) is vandalized on the first night of the Jewish holiday - but nothing is stolen except a dozen candles. Why would anyone steal candles and leave behind the much more valuable silver candlesticks? The solution to this seemingly trivial puzzle is more surprising than even Mr. Melamed imagined.