The Quick and the Thread: An Embroidery Mystery

"I was feeling good as Angus and I unlocked the door and entered the shop the next morning. I had my lists in hand and was eager to start calling people about the first embroidery classes. About seven people had signed up for the cross-stitch tote bag project. Twice as many had signed up for beginner's crewel and candlewick classes. Besides that, many of the women at the party had indicated an interest in stopping by for 'Sit and Stitch' sessions between eleven a.m. and one p.m. every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Suddenly, Angus run to the storeroom and began pawing the door." -- From The Quick and the Thread Having been a fan of the author's cake decorating series (written under her real name, Gayle Trent), I eagerly anticipated her newest series--this time, centered on the embroidery world. Not having a crafty bone in my body, I wondered if I would like The Quick and the Thread. Let's just say that I devoured it as soon as I got it! Much to my surprise, The Quick and the Thread is even BETTER than Murder Takes The Cake and Dead Pan (and believe me, I really like those books...and so does my Mom!) With a likable, spunky heroine named Marcy Singer and her lovable Irish Wolfhound Angus (not to mention the mannequin she frequently talks to!)--as well as interesting "friends next door" (who happen to own a coffee shop!), The Quick and the Thread features great plotting, believable characters and interesting twists. In short, I loved it! I think embroiderers would LOVE this book, but even if you've never attempted a scrap of handicrafts, The Quick and the Thread delivers a satisfying read. In short, it belongs on the shelf of every cozy mystery lover! Highly recommended. Can't wait until book 2 in the series, Stitch Me Deadly: An Embroidery Mystery. -- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot

Marcy was looking forward to a great grand-opening of her embroidery shop. She had customers, food, beverage and good chatter but the one thing she didn't count on, was a dead body who left a cryptic message scrawled on the wall. Sparking Marcy's curiosity and the fact that she is a suspect, Marcy with help from her friends start asking questions and someone in this small town does not like where the answers may lead. I love the town, the friendly characters (except the killer) as well as the dialogue which felt very comfortable. The prospect of a romantic triangle and knotting the thread on the killer will keep your eyes glued to the pages until the final the end. This was a delightful and crafty tale.

This book is the first in a series about female-sleuth Marcy Singer. Marcella (aka Marcy) is an accountant living in San Francisco who yearns for yarn: she really wants to own an embroidery shop. One day she gets a call from her former college roommate Sadie who lives in Oregon: the hardware store next to Sadie's coffee shop has gone out of business, and Sadie thinks it would be the perfect opportunity for Marcy to open her dream store. Marcy decides to go for it, moves herself and her dog to Oregon, and names her shop `The Seven Year Stitch' since she is a fan of classic movies. Soon opening day arrives and Marcy's shop is full of customers purchasing supplies and signing up for classes. That same evening she has a grand opening party, and many of the townspeople are there including former proprietor Timothy Enright of the hardware store that used to occupy Marcy's store. He says he must speak to Marcy. But he is slurring his words so she thinks he is drunk and avoids him all evening. The next morning she finds the words "Four Square Fifth W" scratched onto a storeroom wall by a tapestry needle. The person who did that, Timothy Enright, is lying dead in her storeroom. I found this book to be entertaining. Marcy is persistent in trying to find out both who killed Timothy Enright and what the mysterious message means. She goes by the old saying: "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer".

I really enjoyed this first of a new series. I am anxious to read book two.

After her fiancé dumped her just prior to their wedding and bored with her accounting job in San Francisco, Marcy Singer accompanied by Angus the Irish Wolfhound move to Tallulah, Falls, Oregon. Her college roommate Sadie Mackenzie and her husband Blake own the store Mackenzie Mocha. Marcy plans to open up an embroidery store The Seven-Year Stitch. At the open house, the person who previously rented the space Tim Enright tries to talk to Marcy, but he creeps her out as she believes he is intoxicated. When Sadie, Blake and Marcy close the store for the evening, they hear a thump in the storage room, but they are so tired they ignore it. The next morning, Marcy finds Tim inside her store dead with writing on the wall for square fifth which she learns refers to a real estate fraud that wrecked the small town. She talks to her landlord Mr. Trelawney about what Tim wrote and he is visibly upset. Soon afterward he is shot. After visiting one of the people in prison over the fraud, Marcy finds out the leader of the scam is still free. She sleuths, which puts Marcy in the crosshairs of a killer with no mercy. This intriguing amateur sleuth has evil hiding in a small town which seems serene on the surface. The heroine gets drawn into the investigation because the police chief refuses to believe the two murders are linked to each other and the fraud. So the two friends for life determinedly search for the killer to take back their town. The cast is solid especially the dynamic detectives, but what makes The Quick and the Thread riveting is their inquiry comes across as reasonable and plausible. Harriet Klausner