The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery featuring Nell Fitzgerald [Paperback]

Clare O'Donohue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

A knotty new Nell Fitzgerald mystery in the series that's beguiling cozy fans and quilters alike.

Nell Fitzgerald and the Someday Quilts ladies are asked to lead a quilting workshop at a new bed and breakfast in upstate New York. However, the retreat quickly takes an unexpected dark turn. When a body is found in the woods, and one of their own is the chief suspect, the ladies must rely on their craftiest thinking as they embark on their most personal case yet.

With smart, sassy Nell leading the charge to clear her friend's name and find the real murderer, The Double Cross is sure to confirm Clare O'Donohue as a master of the mystery genre.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The Someday Quilts group in Archer’s Rest, New York, is asked to lead a quilting workshop at the new Patchwork Bed-and-Breakfast. The retreat, however, seems to be jinxed from the start. The bed-and-breakfast clearly is not ready for the public, and those signed up for the workshops have little to no quilting experience. When a body is found in the woods and one of the Someday Quilters is the chief suspect, it’s clear that the excursion was not one of the group’s better ideas. Nell Fitzgerald leads the way in finding out who was really responsible for the murder, with the help of the other crafty ladies and her very own policeman friend Jesse Dewalt. This charming cozy series continues to entertain, thanks to its endearing cast of characters and, of course, to the numerous quilting hints liberally interspersed throughout the text. --Judy Coon

Review

"A riveting read. Sure to be a bestseller" -Woman's World Magazine

"The Double Cross makes the point that cozy, craft mysteries don't lack for high tension and an exciting conclusion." - Gumshoe Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 289 pages
• Publisher: Plume; Original edition (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452296420
• ISBN-13: 978-0452296428
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

MISSING PERSONS is the first book in a new series, The Kate Conway Mysteries, about a Chicago-based TV producer named the chief suspect in her husband's death. While Kate deals with the investigation, she has an investigation of her own - she's producing a cable TV true crime show about a missing woman, and finding more than a few suspects. All Kate wants is 22 minutes of bad television, but when she finds herself the target of some creepy threats - and the reluctant new friend of her dead husband's girlfriend - Kate enters the oddest, and most dangerous, chapter of her life.

I've also got three mysteries in the Someday Quilts series, with a 4th, THE DEVIL'S PUZZLE, out Sept 27th. Check out my website at www.clareodonohue.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars engaging amateur sleuth, October 3, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery featuring Nell Fitzgerald (Paperback)

George Olnhausen hires quilt instructor Susanne Hendrick to instruct at a workshop at the Patchwork Bed-and-Breakfast in the picturesque Adirondack Mountains town of Winston. Accompanying Susanne on her journey from Archers Rest are Nell Fitzgerald; her quilt-shop owner grandmother Eleanor Cassidy; Barney the dog; and George's high school girlfriend Bernadette "Bernie" Avallone.

Bernie still loathes her former BFF Rita for taking George from her. So when someone kills George, Bernie is a prime suspect; even more so because her "double cross" quilt covering the body. Nell's boyfriend, Archers Rest's police chief Jesse Dewalt assists Winston police chief Jim McIntyre with the investigation while Barney finds another corpse in the woods.

The latest Someday Quilt amateur sleuth (see A Drunkard's Path and A Lover's Knot) is an engaging whodunit as the ladies work the case one stitch at a time. The story line is fast-paced when it focuses on who killed George; a sidebar involving workshop students is fascinating in its own right; but detracts from the prime whodunit. Still fans will enjoy the Someday Quilt ladies take over the New York Adirondacks.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best in the Series, November 18, 2010

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery featuring Nell Fitzgerald (Paperback)

This was probably my favorite book of the entire series. This story takes the characters away from Archers Rest and to a quilting retreat workshop. I personally like it when characters are pulled away from their norm and set in a brand new environment. It gives the reader the chance to see if they will act the same or if a brand new personality will appear. I loved seeing the women interact with the new characters introduced. From old high school flames to trickster twins, the new folks add a lot of color to the story.

I had no idea who the killer was. I had several guesses while reading but I ended up being wrong! This was because there are so many red herrings that pop up that you think, Oh this is so easy to guess, and then you find out that you picked incorrectly. Unlike the last book, where I stopped caring about who the killer was, this time I was fully invested in the story. Another side plot that is crucial to the story is Jesse and Nell's relationship. I can't say I'm too happy with how things ended here. I'm hoping that things will change in future books but according to interviews with the author they probably will not.

I really loved this book and I can't wait to read more in the series. My interest in actually learning to quilt has not been piqued because of this series but I will say that learning about quilting has been very educational. I admire those who are masters of this craft and I greatly appreciate the beautiful work that that they do. This series has skillfully blended quilting and mystery together with a touch of chick lit. Looking forward to the next adventure!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars charming mystery, October 17, 2010

By 

D. Love "I love to read!" (NYC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery featuring Nell Fitzgerald (Paperback)

They say the third time is a charm and that is what The Double Cross brings to the table. Nell and friends head up to an upstate B&B for a quilter's retreat to help one of their own lead a class. When the owner is found dead, Nell is worried that her friend Bernie will be the primary suspect, so she begins an investigation. The mystery kept me turning the pages as I tried to guess the killer's identity along with Nell. While paying attention to the clues along with Nell, another mystery popped up that I didn't see coming. The author's tone is nicely paced where you are wrapped in the warmth of the characters and the feel of the setting. This was an enjoyable read that was pieced together nicely.