Knot My Sister's Keeper (A Quilting Mystery)
by Mary Marks
About the Book
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Kensington (July 31, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1496701848
Digital ASIN: B0776GV62J
In tracing her ancestry, quilter Martha Rose discovers a ritzy half-sister, a stash of family secrets, and a decades-old mystery that only she can unravel . . .
Martha Rose is shocked to find she has a half-sister, especially one so different from her. Giselle Cole is wealthy, widowed, and lives a glamorous life in West Los Angeles. At least her grandmother was a quilter! But Giselle can’t answer Martha’s many questions about their father—he disappeared when she was only a child and the few clues left behind indicate he may have been murdered. So Martha and Giselle team up on an investigation that weaves them through the streets of L.A., their father’s hidden love affairs, and into some mysterious unfinished Cole family business . . .
About the Author
Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011. She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com.
Purchase Links
My Thoughts
Knot My Sister’s Keeper by Mary Marks is the sixth novel in A Quilting Mystery series. Martha Rose is bewildered when she receives a DNA kit in the mail from Deep Roots. Her daughter, Quincy sent it as a surprise, so Martha can find out more about the father she never knew. Martha is shocked when she learns she has a half-sister. Giselle Cole, Martha’s half-sister, is a wealthy widow living in Los Angeles and is looking forward to meeting Martha. Giselle is a forthright woman with expensive tastes and an over-the-top personality. Martha learns her grandmother was a quilter and she passed away leaving an unfinished quilt. Martha learns her father was Jacob Quinn Maguire, a painter who disappeared in 1980. Martha and Giselle want to learn what happened to Jacob and set out to get answers. Martha with the aid of her friends stitch together the clues.
Knot My Sister’s Keeper may be the sixth book in the series, but it can be read alone. I thought the story was well-written with a nice steady pace. I thought the story was well thought out and it contains a complex main character with a charming case of secondary characters. Martha is a strong, sassy smart woman with a gift for quilting and knack for solving crimes. I like that Martha Rose is a mature woman who has Fibromyalgia. Many people do not understand the disease or believe it is not real. We get to see what can trigger an episode and the pain Martha experiences. It was interesting to learn more about the Jewish culture and their traditions. It was a nice touch and allowed us to get to know Martha in a different way. Giselle is a dynamic woman, and I was happy to see her outlook changing towards the end of the story. The mystery was multifaceted and there was active investigating (no sitting back and waiting for clues to come to them). I do enjoy a complex mystery (I like the challenge). There are good clues to aid in solving the 32-year-old crime and it was clever how the author incorporated the clues for Martha into the story. I did miss Birdie in this Knot My Sister’s Keeper. There are references to her, but she is not present in the story (she is my favorite secondary character). Quincy is in town, but she is spending her time with Detective Noah Kaplan much to Martha’s dismay. Quincy has a special announcement for the family (oh no). The ending is just beautiful and will leave you smiling. The history of needles is included at the end of the book which I found fascinating. I am eager for the next installment in A Quilting Mystery series. I wonder if Martha will marry Yossi soon?
Before you depart, take the time to enter the giveaway. You can enter below or click here. I also hope you will visit the other stops on the Knot My Sister's Keeper Great Escapes Tour (see schedule below the giveaway). There are author interviews, guest posts, reviews and spotlights. I will return on August 1 with my review of Poppy Harmon Investigates by Lee Hollis (out today). The first book in A Desert Flowers Mystery series. I hope you have a delightful day. Stay cool (it is hot out there) and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
July 31 - The Avid Reader – REVIEW
July 31 - Teresa Trent Author Blog – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 - Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
August 2 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
August 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – Rosepoint Publishing – REVIEW
August 3 – Handcrafted Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 4 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
August 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
August 5 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
August 6 – Sapphyria's Books – REVIEW
August 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy – GUEST POST
August 7 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 7 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 8 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
August 9 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
August 9 – Mysteries with Character – GUEST POST
August 10 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 12 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
August 13 – Maureen's Musings – REVIEW
August 13 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
I love quilts as folk art, and your cover is beautiful.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria@hotmail.com
LOVE this cover! It has the same pattern on the quilt that my Mom made for me before her passing. <3
ReplyDelete"Knot My Sister's Keeper" by Mary Marks sounds amazing and a book that I would very much enjoy reading.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
This sounds like a fun book with a great cover! I love cozy mysteries.
ReplyDelete