Died in the Wool (A Torie O'Shea Mystery)

Died in the Wool by Rett MacPherson is further proof than an author can indeed start a series, create a number of works following the adventures and exploits of one individual, and still maintain the quality of the first book in said series. I have read eight Torie O'Shea Mysteries now, and to be honest, they just get better and better. As with most of her other works, the setting is in a small river town, south of St. Louis. In this story, our heroine gets involved in a triple suicide that occurred shortly after the First World War. Three siblings, two brothers and a sister commit suicide within a very short time. Years later, as Torie plans to buy the wonderful old house and turn it into a quilting and fabric museum, she, as is her nature, comes across some very strange happenings, or coincidences as she accomplishes her genealogical research. Was it suicide, or was it murder? If you are a follower of this series, you will know that Torie just cannot leave a question, any question, unanswered. She may drive half a dozen people nuts, but she will find the answers she is looking for. The Tories O'Shea Mysteries are cozy mysteries through and though. The author has certainly mastered this particular genre. In this work she has woven quilting, roses, genealogy, family, and the regular characters in her village into a nicely done little mystery that actually takes some thinking on the reader's part. The author has stayed true to her characters as with the other books in this series. Her writing style, rather than getting sloppy, as we often see in "series books" has improved...she is getting better and better with each novel. This is impressive, as I thought her first effort was quite out of the ordinary for a new author. Obviously a lot of research and time has gone into creating this delightful story. I do wish that more of our first line authors stuck with quality writing, and well thought out stories as MacPherson has with all of her novels. We would all be much better off for it. For a nice, interesting, humorous, informative, and well...cozy read, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. Do be warned though, this is one of those that once you read the first couple of pages, you will be hooked and will find the book difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed this book, just as I have enjoyed all the Torie books. Rhett MacPherson really has a talent for bringing her characters to life, warts and all, and keeping me waiting for the next book. I highly reocmmend this series to mystery fans, and even non-mystery fans who like interesting characters. The only problem I had with my copy is that something went wrong, apparently in the binding process. Near the end, right when the murderer was being disclosed, every other page or two was not the page it was supposed to be. Instead there were pages from an entirely different book in an entirely different style--it seemed like some kind of victorian romance--sprinkled in where the real pages should have been. I could still figure out who did it, but I wish all the pages had been there. I wonder if that other book had Rhett MacPherson's pages?? It was very weird. Has anybody else encountered this?

Torie O'Shea, the resident historian of New Kassel, Missouri, learns that the old Kendall house is up for sale. According to local myth, three Kendall siblings committed suicide on that property in the 1920s. Torie would like to buy the house and preserve it for historical purposes; and at the same time, she wants to find out what REALLY happened to Rupert, Whalen, and Glory Anne Kendall. Readers are eager to go along for the ride, now that Torie's obnoxious stepfather is no longer the sheriff and therefore no longer a stumbling block to her investigations. By checking church records and newspaper obituaries, Torie begins to piece the information together. But does Glory still haunt the house? Whose blood is splattered on one of the bedroom walls? Can what Torie unearths and adds to the old police files really provide the full story on the Kendalls? Is it better to know or NOT to know? Kudos to Rett MacPherson for giving us such a compelling mystery to follow! This episode is one of the best in the series, and any genealogist or historian will be fascinated with analyzing the details first-hand as they are uncovered. Surely further installments will follow Torie as she restores the Kendall house and makes it into the textile museum she dreams of. Can we even hope that Glory's ghost will make a personal appearance from time to time?

As in the past, I am always appreciative with the Torie O'Shea mysteries. Can't put the book down and usually read the whole book in a couple of days. Rett is one of my favorite authors because of the wit that is introduced into the story and making it so entertaining.

Genealogist Tori O'Shea loves her hometown of New Kassel, Missouri as she feels part of the community. She serves as president of the local historical society, enjoys working on the events committee and owns the historically registered Gaheimer House. Tori becomes euphoric when she learn that the Kendall House is on the market as she plans to buy the place and turn it into a textile museum with an emphasis on quilting. Glory, one of the daughters of the original Kendall occupants, was a highly gifted quilter, but there is also a mystery that engulfs the entire family as in a nine month period she and her two brothers allegedly committed suicide. One of the siblings, who fought in the trenches of WWI and suffered from battle fatigue, drew a mural of his combat horrors on the wall in his room. Tori can believe he perhaps killed himself, but not Glory although she did break up with the man she apparently loved for no known reason just before she died; yet began another quilt months after her brother's death so Tori wonders why she failed to finish it before she committed suicide. Tori begins to dig deep into the Kendall past as she thinks the quilter and perhaps one of her brothers were murdered. The latest Tori O'Shea thriller is a fascinating depiction of a genealogist decoding the clues to a cold case mystery. The upbeat heroine is a wonderful role model who believes a person needs to get involved as it takes people to make a village or remain on the sidelines as apart of the problem. The investigation is fun as she knows even if she proves her premise nothing but satisfaction for her (and perhaps the descendents) will occur. DIED IN THE WOOL is a terrific cozy. Harriet Klausner