First line: She wasn’t entirely sure whether it was the pull of the mahogany sewing box in the window or a much-needed respite from the endless barrage of curious glances, but either way, Elkin Antiques and Collectibles seemed as good a place as any for a momentary escape.
From the back cover: A sewing circle newcomer is on pins and needles…
Ever since she moved to Sweet Briar, South Carolina, Tori’s been the talk of the tiny town. But she’s been so busy adding a children’s corner to the library, winning over the women of the sewing circle, and trying to forget her cheating ex that she hasn’t had time to even baste together a pillow, never mind pay attention to the local gossip. Then she finds the town sweetheart dead at her back door, and everything else falls by the wayside…
Everyone believes the police investigator, who’s just fixin’ to link Tori to the murder in a love triangle gone bad through a handsome third-grade teacher. To clear her name, Tori will have to rely on her new sewing sisters and stitch together the truth – or else she’ll be darned…
My thoughts: This is the first in Elizabeth Lynn Casey’s Southern Sewing Circles Mystery series and it was a cute, quick, cozy mystery – a mystery that I was actually able to figure out before the end!
As a newcomer to town, as well as being a “Northerner,” Tori is having a difficult time settling into her new home and making friends. An avid sewer, she is thrilled to be invited to join the local sewing circle, but is dismayed to discover the former librarian, the woman whose job Tori has just assumed, is also a member of the group. But the discomfort of trying to make new friends will soon be a minor inconvenience compared to what is about to turn Tori’s life upside down. After finding the town’s sweetheart dead behind the library, Tori is the number one suspect in the murder.
Sew Deadly is a fun read and it captures the true essence of being “Southern.” I could imagine myself joining these ladies, as they sit on their front porches drinking sweet tea and eating homemade goodies. I can hear them discussing “newcomers” to their small town. The book has a wonderful sense of place and the characters of the town seem like your neighbors. I loved all of the bantering and found myself laughing out loud on more than one occasion. From sewing circles to the heritage day festival and a little bit of romance thrown in, I ended up reading this book in one day and I look forward to reading more of this series.
(I borrowed this book from the library.)
Books in this series:
- Sew Deadly
- Death Threads
- Pinned for Murder
- Deadly Notions
- Dangerous Alterations
- Reap What You Sew – due out April 2012
This sounds like a good cozy mystery, I think I will give it a try.
I really have come to enjoy cozy mysteries – especially ones that focus on an interesting craft!