The Light a Candle Society

Paperback Published on: 12/03/2026
Price: £9.99
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Bookseller Reviews

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The Light a Candle Society
Beautiful.
This was such a bittersweet read, the author has a gift for creating warmth and hope in the dark, quiet corners. George is a wonderful, kind and caring p... READ MORE
Chrys - Plymouth
The Light a Candle Society
Tender, sad and comforting
The Light a Candle Society by Ruth Hogan is pure, glowing comfort wrapped in quiet magic. Tender, hopeful, and brimming with Hogan’s signature warmth, it c... READ MORE
Mikayla

Synopsis

'LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FULL OF LOVE' Celia Anderson
'WARM, COMPASSIONATE, WITTY' Mike Gayle
'MAGICAL . . . UPLIFTING' Anton Du Beke
'WARMTH, WIT, AND PLENTY OF EMPATHY' Shelby Van Pelt

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

Publisher information

  • Publisher: Atlantic Books
  • ISBN: 9781805460770
  • Number of pages: 368
  • Dimensions: 198 x 129 mm
  • Languages: English

Customer Reviews

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The Light a Candle Society
One of my books of 2025
What a fantastic story. I read in one sitting. Gosh how lives can change so quickly. I loved the characters . Too many to name but Captain and Smile. I kne... READ MORE
Ros Carling
The Light a Candle Society
Heartwarming
Comfy, cosy and heartwarming - just what Ruth Hogan is brilliant at. This is the story of George, an elderly widower who takes it upon himself to bright... READ MORE
Lucy Williams
The Light a Candle Society
A heartwarming tale
loved this book - an emotional heartwarming book. George McGlory - recently widowed, part-time librarian and pub quiz enthusiast - witnesses a public he... READ MORE
Heather Howarth
The Light a Candle Society
This book is simply a delight!
What a lovely, heartwarming book this is! It is about the goodness and compassion of ordinary people and is full of characters readers will love, with thei... READ MORE
Kaye Fraser
The Light a Candle Society
Life after death
This is an emotive and thought provoking read about what happens to those with nobody after they have died. Widower George is concerned when he observes a ... READ MORE
Sarah Goldthorpe
The Light a Candle Society
Perhaps the best book I’ve read all year!!!
I am a firm fan of Ruth Hogan’s books anyway however, I absolutely adored this book and all the characters. The difference George and The Light a candle so... READ MORE
Sarah -Bookworm Extraordinaire
The Light a Candle Society
The Light a Candle Society by Ruth Hogan
The Light A Candle by Faith Hogan is the story of George, a widower. Who when he is visiting his wife’s grave, as he does most weeks, he witnesses a public... READ MORE
Christine Rennie
The Light a Candle Society
Fabulous feel good story
A lovely book about the kindness and caring of a group of strangers who decide to make public health funerals more palatable. This book based on a real gro... READ MORE
Psychoticpat
The Light a Candle Society
Beautiful and bittersweet
Visiting his wife's grave one afternoon, librarian George stumble on a sparsely attended funeral. He finds out it is a 'public health funeral', conducted ... READ MORE
Jo-anne Atkinson
The Light a Candle Society
TLC
Thank you to the The Reading Agency & Atlantic Books for this excellent book. I did not know anything about public health funerals where there are no mour... READ MORE
M Lyan
The Light a Candle Society
Heartwarming and thoughtful
I enjoy Ruth Hogan’s books. I think this one is my favourite. Such warmth in the characters! George McGlory sees a Public Health funeral, where there were ... READ MORE
Zandra Sloan
The Light a Candle Society
A Heartwarming Read
Book provided by The Reading Agency & Atlantic Books Ruth Hogan’s latest novel is an absolute joy to read - it made me laugh and it made me cry. I thorou... READ MORE
Janet  Parker
The Light a Candle Society
Poignant and heartwarming
A poignant, heartwarming story written with sensitivity and compassion. Ruth Hogan does it again and delivers a powerful and touching read with a set of d... READ MORE
Isabella T.
The Light a Candle Society
Just wonderful
Ruth Hogan always writes wonderful books, but I think that this may be her best yet. The Light a Candle Society is a powerful novel about people, the kindn... READ MORE
VickiB
The Light a Candle Society
One of my favourite books this year.
I had already read The Keeper of Lost Things and Queenie Malone’s Paradise Hotel so I was really looking forward to reading The Light a Candle Society. For... READ MORE
Liz T
The Light a Candle Society
Wonderful uplifting story
What an uplifting read. I really enjoyed this. Widower George McGlory works part time in a library, takes part in pub quizzes and visits the grave of his ... READ MORE
Lynda’s Book Reviews
The Light a Candle Society
Uplifting
Thank you NetGalley and Corvus Books for this eCopy to review From the moment I stepped into the world of The Light a Candle Society, I was deeply moved... READ MORE
Bzz Kolla
The Light a Candle Society
RUth Hogan does it again !
The Light A Candle Society is the latest in her list of uplifting, empathetic novels that get to the essence of the human condition. Quite an astonishing ... READ MORE
Brian
The Light a Candle Society
The Light a Candle Society
Ruth Hogan has taken as her theme a subject which, on the face of it, is the essence of sadness but she weaves around it a heartwarming and moving tale dep... READ MORE
Valerie Rayner
The Light a Candle Society
A Stand Out Book
This has been one of the most enjoyable and moving books that I have read in a very long time. I belong to an active reading group in Melksham, Wiltshi... READ MORE
Barbara Lane
The Light a Candle Society
Lovely story
George is visiting his wife's grave when he notices a funeral taking place with only a woman with a clipboard and the funeral directors taking part. Chatt... READ MORE
Mikimoo
The Light a Candle Society
A beautiful read
What a beautiful read. I was so emotional reading this book dying is not a subject most people like to talk about but it was so beautifully written that I ... READ MORE
Barbara Boyles
The Light a Candle Society
Restores your faith in humanity
Ruth Hogan does it again, another brilliant book packed to the brim with honest humanity. This time she turns her thoughts to Public Health funerals in "Th... READ MORE
Mel Pretorius
The Light a Candle Society
The light a Candle Society
as a widow aged 70 I don’t find this book uplifting I find it depressing. I’m halfway through and as with every book I buy determined to finish reading. P... READ MORE
Lynne Mansell
The Light a Candle Society
Get the tissues ready!
There is a readership who want gentle books that don’t challenge their perceptions of the world, but still give hope that the world can be better than it i... READ MORE
Huttson Lo
The Light a Candle Society
A Cozy and Emotional Read with Characters to Fall in Love With
The Light a Candle Society by Ruth Hogan Ruth Hogan is one of my cozy authors. These are books I read when I need comfort and boy did I need it last wee... READ MORE
Hayley Baxter
The Light a Candle Society
Light easy contemporary fiction
Recently widowed George discovers the reality of a public health funeral while visiting his wife’s grave. George has a group of friends both old and new,... READ MORE
Lesley Lloyd
The Light a Candle Society
Heartwarming!
I loved Ruth Hogans last book The Phoenix Ballroom so I was very happy to be given a chance to read this book for an honest review. The Light a Candle Soc... READ MORE
Susan  Frances
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Light a Candle Society
Loved reading this book
Every so often I come across a book, that I have loved reading, and I will remember the book long after finishing, and this book is one of them. A book th... READ MORE
AHR
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
The Light a Candle Society
The Light a Candle Society
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️ The Light a Candle Society is another cracker from Ruth Hogan, who sits firmly on my auto-buy author list. I love Ruth’s beautiful, fluid writi... READ MORE
Dee