A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum

Hello!  The Girl from the Corner Shop by Arlene Hughes (I will feature on July 18) and Child's Play by Angela Marsons are out today.  I am a fan of Angela Marsons' DI Kim Stone series.  Mrs. Morris and the Ghost by Traci Wilton releases on July 30.  It is the premiere of A Salem B&B Mystery series.  The Healing Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter releases digital version on July 15 and paperback on August 1.  The Women of Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke will be out on August 1 and I will feature on August 7.  I wanted to tell you about a cute new cozy mystery--Left Fur Dead by J.M. Griffin.  It is about a woman that can talk to her pet bunny, Bun.  I am part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Left Fur Dead, so I will be sharing my review on July 14.  What books are you looking forward to reading this summer?

A Patchwork of Clues by Sally Goldenbaum is the first A Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery.  Portia “Po” Paltrow is out for her morning job in Crestwood, Kansas.  She is in the alley behind the Elderberry shops when she notices the back door of Selma Parker’s quilt shop is open slightly.  Po sees that a foot is holding open the door and it belongs to a dead Owen Hill, professor at Canterbury College plus co-owner of Windsor House Antique Shop.  Selma’s quilt shop is where the Crestwood Quilters meet every Saturday of which Po is a member.  A rumor begins to circulate that Owen interrupted a burglar, but Po finds it unlikely that someone would want to rob a quilt shop (unless they were desperate for fabric).  While the murder remains unsolved, business drastically drops at the quilt shop.  The group gathers together to work on a special quilt for the 50^th anniversary of Parker Dry Goods Shop.  While they assemble the quilt, the group also stitches together the clues.  When another man associated with the Elderberry shops is harmed, Po is determined to get a bead on the wily killer. 

A Patchwork of Clues is a cute, lighthearted cozy mystery.  Po Paltrow is a strong female character and I like that she is an older protagonist (60s).  It provides a different perspective.  The quilters are various ages and have diverse personalities (a character for every reader).  They are friendly group of women who support each other.  It is cute how Po, with help from the other ladies, is working to set up her goddaughter, Kate Simpson with Officer PJ Flanigan.  The author took the time to establish the characters and describe the Elderberry Shops which is good since this is a character driven cozy mystery.  The mystery was clear-cut and not the main focus of the book.  The body is found at the beginning (in the first chapter), but the investigating does not begin until the second half of the book.  While I knew who committed the crime, the why took longer to uncover.  The quilters were eager to dig into the mystery which is obvious when they say, “Let’s sleuth!”.   A Patchwork of Clues needed more action which would have helped the pacing.  There are plenty of cozy moments with quilting, chatting, eating, and drinking wine.  I enjoyed the fabric descriptions and the information on quilting. There is mild foul language in the story.  I was happy to see an epilogue that tidily wrapped up everything tidily like a beautifully bound quilt.  A Patchwork of Clues has eager quilters, charming shops, serious suspects, fabulous fabrics, and a sexagenarian sleuth.

The next book in A Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery series is A Thread of Darkness.  Thank you for reading my latest book review.  Peach Clobbered by Anna Gerard is on the schedule for tomorrow.  I hope you will take the time to stop in.  I hope that you have a fulfilling day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader