Knot What You Think: A Quilting Mystery

Thank you for visiting today.  Isn't the cover of Knot What You Think beautiful? The quilt is just lovely. Mary Marks is the author of A Quilting Mystery series which includes Forget Me Knot, Knot in My Backyard, Gone But Knot Forgotten, and Something's Knot Kosher.  Readers can find out more about Mary Marks on her website.  

Knot What You Think by Mary Marks is the fifth installment in A Quilting Mystery series.  Martha Rose and her friends are settling in to spend the day quilting when Jazz Fletcher arrives.  He was trying to deliver some completed doggie outfits and accessories to Dolleen Doyle.  They had arranged to meet the previous evening, but Dolleen was a no show.  Jazz, though, could hear her dog, Patti barking inside.  Dollen was never without her beloved pooch.  Jazz stopped by again this morning, and, again, there was no answer (just barking).  Martha has a bad feeling, so the group heads to Dolleen’s house in nearby Tarzana.  They peek in Dolleen’s windows and discover her laying in a pool of blood on her kitchen floor.  The quickly enter the house through the unlocked back door, but they are too late to save Dolleen.  Martha calls Detective Arlo Beavers (her ex-boyfriend), a LAPD homicide detective, who rushes over.  After the evidence is processed, Jazz ends up the prime suspect.  Martha puts on her investigator cap and delves into Dolleen’s life.  It turns out that Dolleen was keeping secrets, and they are the key to finding her killer.  Follow Martha Rose and her friends on their quest to capture a murderer in Knot What You Think.

Knot What You Think is nicely written and it has a good pace.  I appreciate that Mary Marks included a character (Martha Rose that has fibromyalgia.  Many people do not understand what sufferers of fibromyalgia experience (it is a misunderstood disease).  The character of Martha Rose is well-developed.   I am, though, tired of her indecision regarding her romantic life.  There is a love triangle (insert groan here) between Martha Rose, Yossi “Crusher” Levy and Arlo Beavers (I am Team Arlo).  I believe the situation will be resolved in the next book in the series (keep your fingers crossed).  The romance takes up too much of the story.  I prefer romantic entanglements to be in the background and not dominate a novel.  I did, though, enjoy Birdie’s wedding at the end of the story.  Birdie deserves her happy ending.  My rating for Knot What You Think 3 out of 5 stars.  The mystery is slightly complex and gets more interesting in the second half of the book.  The suspect pool is small, and I thought one individual (the killer) stood out.  I did like the quilt descriptions provided in the story especially the one on charm quilts.  I found the information about the Jewish faith and their traditions (Passover was celebrated in the story) to be very informative.  I wish there had been less repetition of certain details (the “do rag” Yossi wears on his head and why, Yossi’s job, why Martha Rose has trust issues, details about Jazz Fletcher’s relationship with Russell Watson, the type of car Jazz drives are a few examples).  Knot What You Think can be a read without having enjoyed the previous four novels in the series (all that you need to know is included).  At the end of Knot What You Think, readers are left with a cliffhanger.  Who is behind Martha Rose at Birdie’s wedding?

If you enjoy my reviews, please consider joining my blog (see right hand side of page).  I sincerely hope you have a nice, relaxing day.  I am reading Cat about Town by Cate Conte.  If you like to read Christian novel or the works of Lauraine Snelling, check out The Promise of Dawn which releases on August 1. I will return soon with another book review.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader