Customer Reviews

Framed in Lace

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Framed In Lace," second in a series called "A Needlecraft Mystery," by the publisher,looks like another winner for Minnesota author, Monica Ferris. Framed In Lace continues Betsy Devonshire's story from shortly after the end of the first novel, "Crewl World." Betsy is now in charge of her sister's Excelsior needlecraft shop. She's debating whether to keep the shop or close it and move to a warmer location. The range of employees in the shop and other small-town characters employed to try to persuade Betsy to stay continues to be fascinating and well-realized. The author inserts enough depth among her secondary characters to spin off more than one book.

The story opens in November with the town of Excelsior abuzz over the raising of the Hopkins, an old ferry and excursion boat that used to sail Lake Minnetonka in the Twenties and Thirties. With the coming of better roads and more automobiles, The Hopkins fell into disuse and was ultimately scuttled in the lake, late in the Seventies. That much is fact.

The excitement and anticipation turn macabre when the boat is raised and a skeleton is found. Gossip and finger-pointing ripple through Excelsior and Betsy Devonshire finds herself once more emeshed, however unwillingly, in helping the police determine what happened over thirty years ago, and how the body came to be in the sunken hull.

One of the difficulties with series featuring amateur sleuths, particularly in this country where suspension of disbelief seems harder to achieve in readers, is making a reasonable connection between the sleuth and yet another crime. In that regard it will be interesting to see how this author fares in future books. Thus far, Ferris has skillfully employed the many secondary characters, their friendships and antagonisms, to involve Betsy. Ferris'strong writing skills, her sense of the community and an active imagination suggests this series may be long-running.

Second in a series, this book is quite an improvement over the first. I was unable to figure out the murderer until the last 5 pages. The author has a wonderful sense of humor. I will forever refer to ripping out stitches as "frogging". The author has managed to weave a tale that will keep you in suspense until the very end. You won't want to put it down.

I found the first book a bit too predictable, but this one was much improved. I definately did not figure out who did it until pretty close to when it was reveiled. This is the way I like my mysteries. The needlework aspect of the novel was as enjoyable as ever. Waiting for book number 3!

Betsy Devonshire is starting to feel comfortable in her new hometown of Excelsior, MN. But when the skeleton of a murdered woman is found on an old excursion boat sunk in 1949, her new friends look to her to solve the mystery. After all, she solved her sister's murder, didn't she?

A friend gave me a copy of "Crewel World" and I enjoyed it so much I have purchased the rest of the series. I enjoy the author's description of Minnesota and the people who live there. The write seems more comfortable with this boos as the character, Betsey, is more comfortable with her new home. Again, these are great books for people who like a short escape; like needlework, because the descriptions are very accurate. I love the term "frogging" for ripping out stitches.

It's been several months since the murder of her sister Margot, and Betsy Devonshire is still trying to settle down in Excelsior, Minnesota. Margot's estate hasn't been settled and Betsy has decided to keep open Crewel World, the needlecraft shop she has inherited from Margot.

She had been planning on a shopping trip, when her friend Jill Cross, local deputy asked if she wanted to come out and watch the raising of "The Hopkins" a boat that had been sunk in the late 40's. Jill & her boyfriend, fellow police officer Lars were going to be on a boat, keeping sightseers away.

What started out as a fun excursion stops suddenly, when upon raising the boat, a skeleton is discovered buried in the rubble.

The skeleton, which turned out to be female becomes the subject of speculation. Is it possible that the body is that of long missing local waitress Trudie Koch, who it was thought had run off with Martha Winters husband Carl in 1948?

Things get even more confusing, when Carl, suddenly appears at a local motel, after a 50 year disappearance and calls his wife telling her he has something very important to tell her. Whatever it is, he doesn't get a chance to reveal it, as he is found murdered.

When Police Officer, Mike Malloy arrests Martha Winters for the murder of her long lost husband, Betsy is encouraged to start her own investigation. Martha, who is a regular at the Monday needlework group that meets at Crewel World every week, just doesn't seem the type who would have killed anyone. And if Martha had killed Trudie, why did Carl disappear?

With all these questions, Betsy hopes she can solve the crime before poor Martha ends up permanently behind bars.

Highlights:

Goodwin, who is a part-time employee at Crewel World and knows absolutely everything about needle work. He is a great character, very funny.

The detail of different sewing projects is unbelievable. How to make lace or do counted cross stitch, after reading these books, you feel like you could actually do it yourself.

Good mystery. I love how Betsy and Mike Malloy are able to track down information on things that happened 50 years years ago in order to solve the crime.

Wonderful characters. All the characters are very well written and are people you would like to meet.

Lowlights:

Only slight problem with the mystery is I figured out why the murder happened, but never who did it, or why Carl was murdered.

Can't wait to start the next book.

I prefer thrillers to cozies in the mystery arena, but I'm a Minnesotan so I decided to read one of Monica Ferris's books. It was a fun short read so I got another book in the series.

I live not far from Excelsior so I enjoyed the local references and I thought the setting in a needlework shop was fun. I also liked the characters and look forward to the rest of the books in the series.

A nice edition to the Needlecraft Mystery. The type of book I like to read while waiting in line or traveling via plane. The story is not very complicated, so it's a book that you can put down and come back to easily. However, after you start this book, you may not want to put it down.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is a great series, especially for crafters like me, who enjoy combining their two favorite hobbies, mysteries and crafts. I especially love the free embroidery pattern at the end. Really unique touch, for an original series. I highly recommend this one.

Betsy Devonshire must solve the decades-old murder of a mystery woman that appears to be entangled with the present-day murder of one of her friend's ex-husband. Twists abound, and while Betsy is keeping track of suspects, she also must juggle dealing with her new business and closing on her sister's estate. Lots of needle-y fun that even the uninitiated will enjoy. While it wasn't the most enthralling book I've ever read, it was a decent enough mystery -- and I'm picky about my mysteries!