Twisted Threads – Book Review

Lea Wait, Kensington, paperback $7.99

Lovers of needlepoint and mysteries rejoice! Lea Wait has a new series of mysteries that just debuted with Twisted Threads.

I loved it!

Here’s mt review (reposted from Net Galley):

Mysteries that rely on interesting locations, quirky hobbies, or unusual businesses are very popular these days. All too often the quirkiness gets in the way of a really good mystery.

There are two murders in Twisted Threads. First, a body is discovered in a freezer 19 years after it was put there. It belongs to Angie Curtis’ mother, who disappeared when Angie was 10, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother.

Now Angie has returned to her hometown in Maine full of questions about her mother’s murder. Questions the police don’t seem in a hurry to answer.

While Angie has been gone her grandmother has started a needlepoint business in town where a group of women and men stitch needlepoint pieces for customers found through their agent. There’s just a tiny problem, the agent has disappeared owing them lots of money.

Angie is asked to find him. When she does, she brings him back to meet with the needlepointers. During the meeting he becomes ill and dies from poisoning.

This sets up a delightfully twisted plot. Are the murders connected by anything more than chance? Could a needlepointer be responsible for the second murder? How will they discover who killed Angie’s mom?

All these questions are neatly resolved in the satisfying ending to this book.

I loved that Wait (a Down Easter herself) integrated Maine into her story so well. You got a real feel for the place, the small coastal town, and what life is like there. I also like that she put needlepoint into the plot in a believable way.

It’s a fun read and a good mystery and you don’t need to love either Maine or needlepoint to enjoy it.