It's Friday! Congrats on making it through the last week of March. Please be very aware that tomorrow is April Fool's Day! You need to watch out for the pranksters in your life (my father always loved playing jokes on me).
Tightening the Threads by Lea Wait is the fifth book in A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series. Angie Curtis is surprised when her friend and
antiques dealer, Sarah Byrne tells her why she has been spending so much time
with gallery owner, Ted Lawrence. It
turns out that Ted is her uncle. Sarah
has finally found family and this weekend Ted is going to tell his children
about Sarah. They are all coming to town
for Ted’s seventy-fifth birthday. Sarah
asks Angie to come along for the weekend at Ted’s home The Point. Jeremy, Ted’s longtime gallery employee and
Patrick West will also be in attendance.
After Ted’s children arrive, they enjoy a special dinner and then
birthday cake along with champagne. Ted
then announces that the kids (they are all adults) have a new cousin and
introduces Sarah. But, Ted is not finished
with his pronouncements. He tells them
that he has stage four lung cancer, and he will be altering his will to include
Sarah. He wishes for her to receive the
Robert Lawrence (Sarah’s grandfather) paintings. The children are outraged and Jeremy is less
than pleased. The next day they prepare
for a lobster and clam bake on the beach.
Everyone is enjoying the delicious seafood dinner when Ted suddenly stands
up. He cannot speak and points at his
throat. Ted is quickly rushed to the
hospital where, unfortunately, he passes away an hour later. Someone in the family objected to Ted changing
his will, and they were making sure he would not be able to accomplish his
goal. Luke Lawrence hires Angie to
investigate Ted’s death. He wants the
case wrapped up as quickly as possible (so everyone can return home). The next day Angie receives word that there
has been another death. Is foul play involved?
Angie needs to work quickly before Haven Harbor gets a bad reputation
(or someone does away with the rest of Ted’s ungrateful children).
Tightening the Threads is easy to
read, has good characters, and a beautiful setting. The author provides some
lovely descriptions of the town and surrounding area. I thought the book had a good pace. I did not find any slow spots. The mystery did not start until I was forty
percent of the way through the book. The
first part of the book sets up the story and the last part is in solving
it. I give Tightening the Threads 4 out
of 5 stars. The mystery was intriguing. I like how the author crafted it and the
unique method of murder. I thought that
part of it was easy to solve, but the other element was a little more
challenging (I am trying not to give anything away). I do wish that there had been a good outcome
for Sarah. I am a little disappointed
with Angie and her jealousy concerning Patrick West. Patrick and Angie’s relationship is in the
early stages and her jealousy seems unwarranted. Patrick does not seem the type of person to
kiss and cheat. The author included a
secondary mystery regarding bones in a wall dividing Angie’s property from her
neighbors. It really seemed like a
senseless inclusion (it was a letdown).
Then there was the issue of Ted’s wife, Lily. The way it was written in the book, I thought
Lily’s death would turn out to be a long unsolved murder (I expected it to go somewhere). Her death was mentioned a couple of times,
and I kept thinking the author would tie it in somehow (a lover did her in, a
jealous friend, someone spiked her drink).
Overall, though, I enjoyed Tightening the Threads. It captured and held my interest. I will be reading Thread the Halls when it
comes out in October.
Lea Wait also writes An Antique Print Mystery series. You should get a sample of Shadows at the Fair which is the first book in the series. I will see you tomorrow when I review Dying on the Vine by Marla Cooper. May each of you have a fantastic Friday. I hope the day passes quickly for you. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
sounds interesting. Haven't started this SERIES.
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