Here Burns My Candle

A Novel

By: Liz Curtis Higgs

Narrated by: Liz Curtis Higgs

A mother who cannot face her future.

A daughter who cannot escape her past.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her. Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips. His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.

One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown.

A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of 18th-century Scotland, Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

Includes a bonus PDF with a listener's guide, glossary, and map

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2010 Liz Curtis Higgs (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"Higgs is a stickler for period authenticity and has done her homework on history and dialect. Fans have been waiting five years for this novel and will not be disappointed." (Publishers Weekly)

Pulls you in!

Liz Curtis Higgs never disappoints! This story, rooted in the Bible and added to by history, was delightful and thought provoking. All of Higgs' books set in Scotland are amazing!!

Wonderful storyline

It took me a while to get into this audio book. While Liz Curtis Higgs wrote a wonderful storyline, her narration took me a bit to get used to. She has true talent as an author, but I do not feel like she is able to change her voice enough to represent the different characters as a narrator. I liked the storyline enough that I will purchase the sequel to listen to.

You are a Blessing

I enjoyed the story taking place in Scotland so much. It was so wonderful to listen to Liz reading and doing some of the characters in the Scottish accent. I love reading about the characters leading to the scriptures and the parallels one of my favorite Biblical stories.

Liz Rocks

I have read most of Mrs Higgs books and all are well written. While I never think an author should narrate their own books I had high hopes for Higgs but I will stick with my original Idea. Sorry Liz! The story was great and easy to listen to but would have been better with someone who could give the dialect more authenticity. I became so attached to the characters that I began to know what they were going to do by the end. A little like the story of Naomi and Ruth sometimes but with more info of their lives. Thank you Liz for another great book and thank you for all of your other books of teaching us to look at ourselves and our motivations more thoroughly.

Awesome!

The characters came to life in this story. I can't wait to enjoy the continuation of Marjory and Elizabeth.

Another Winner by Higgs!

What made the experience of listening to Here Burns My Candle the most enjoyable?

I absolutely loved the accent that Liz Curtis Higgs conveyed in the reading of her story. Quality work!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved Elizabeth because I feel like she changed the most. She had do deal with some pretty bad things, yet she learned to depend on God.

What does Liz Curtis Higgs bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'm so glad I got the audio version of this book instead of the ebook version. The way Liz brings this story to life with authentic accents and great voice characterization made this the best audiobook I've listened to this year. I would have never heard the full flavor of the characters in my head like this audio book delivers.

The story of a story

I love listening to Liz Curtis Higgs. The book seemed too long to me. It took me quite a while to get into it. It became more interesting as it went on. I wished I had an ebook to read along with this Audible. Several times I had to backtrack to be sure I wasn't lost. I do intend on reading the sequel. The book of Ruth in the Bible is short. I know the ending well but I do want to see what the author comes up with that takes so long to tell.

The research that went into this book is highly impressive. If you are a Scottish history buff you will love this book.

excellant narrator

Ms Higgs has one of the best narrators voices I have heard yet and I listen to many audio books. She has done a fine job in both the writing and the narration. Thank you Liz

Highlander girl to city lady

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A story of Romance, power, war and destitution this one has it all. A family of some standing is put to the test of war and losing family members and becoming financially stretched - this one is interesting if you like period dramas.

The story of Ruth set in another time.

If you could sum up Here Burns My Candle in three words, what would they be?

God's love & forgiveness.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bess is my favorite. She held her head high even though her husband cheated on her. She was kind to those who had not shown kindness to her. She had a gentle grace and a beautiful heart.

Any additional comments?

This was a great story of Ruth and Naomi (Bess and Marge) set in Scotland and 1745/6. Marge and Bess represent the two ladies. The book showed all the suffering they went though. But they were able to see all of God's blessings. The performance was excellent. I recommend reading this book first and then follow up with "Mine is the Night" for the ending of the story.