Blackwork (A Needlecraft Mystery)

I dolike Monica Ferris' mysteries.Yet sometimes she tries to put all of her characters into her stories & they don't need to be. This mystery was very easy to figure out. I'll continue to read her books but hope the next book is more interesting.

Monica Ferris does it again. I love her needlework/murder mystery series. In the latest installment we find Excelsor getting ready for a Halloween parade. There is a local wiccan that creates her own microbrews and her newest brew is called Not afraid of the Dark Brew. There is also a superstitious alcholic that winds up dead after taunting the wiccan at her restraunt. Now the mystery is who done it? The wiccan asks Betsy, who owns Crewel World Needlework shop and also is a part time sleuth, to help solve the murder because all of the talk about her possibly putting a curse on the dead man is hurting her business. The author throws in several subtle clues as to who the murderer is.I had it figured out long before the author reveals it in the book. I find this series a great read and look forward to reading the next installment.

BLACKWORK: A NEEDLECRAFT MYSTERY is a powerful survey continuing Monica Ferris' best-selling Needlecraft Mystery series. Here it's Halloween and Betsy Devonshire, owner of a needlework shop and a part-time sleuth, finds murder mixes too easily with black magic. When a Wiccan practitioner ends up dead without a mark on his body, Betsy is on the case in a pick perfect for year-round enjoyment.

It is Halloween and the owner of the Crewel World needlework shop and part-time sleuth Betsy Devonshire has so far unraveled a number of mysteries. This time of year, when the goblins and witches are out in full force, people are easily spooked. Leona Cunningham is the owner of a popular microbrewery called The Barleywine, and a practitioner of Wicca. Leona is troubled by the accusations of alcoholic Ryan McMurphy as he tells everyone around town that she is a real witch. He is starting to have an affect on her business. As the Monday Bunch meet for their weekly get-together at Crewel World to work on their respective projects, the news and views of the small town are thoroughly discussed, including a recent destructive attack on Leona's property. When Ryan is found dead in a locked room without any marks on his body, Leona becomes the main suspect. Although reluctant to become involved, Betsy is soon on the case and the killer is in trouble as a growing number of clues lead Betsy through a series of suspects to the unexpected culprit. Monica Ferris has constructed another interesting mystery that will keep most readers guessing to the end. Those who are not comfortable with reading about the practice of Wicca may not enjoy this book as much as the other books in the series. As is usual with any theme cozy mystery, there is much talk about the main topic - in this case, crewelwork and its themes, patterns, and stitches. At the end of the book, a crewel pattern of a witch's hat is included. Directions are provided as well as a website address for further information. The novel's theme fits into the Halloween season and could become a popular yearly fall read. Blackwork (Needlecraft Mystery)

Monica Ferris is at it again with her lively sleuth and shop-owner, Betsy Devonshire. This time, the prime suspect is a member of the Wicca religion - many people blame her because the murder is not easily explained and her religion not understood. So what they don't understand, they condemn. But the careful reader can see what's going on. There are no real twists and turns and sudden surprising revelations. (I guessed the murderer - but it's not easy). If you pay attention to the details, everything makes a lot of sense - extremely satisfying. The new characters are both believable and likable. Personally, I'd like to see more of the shop and less of the surrounding village politics. But the mystery is straight forward and an ideal entertainment for the Halloween season.