Customer Reviews

A Murderous Yarn

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Betsy Devonshire moved away from California after her divorce seeking solace with her sister who owned a needlepoint shop in Excelsior, Minnesota. When her sister was murdered, Betsy discovered the identity of the perpetrator. She stayed on in Excelsior, owning and operating the Crewel World shop established by her deceased sibling. Betsy has made a place for herself in the community while solving several other homicides.

Lars, a local police officer, buys a Stanley Steamer antique automobile, which Betsy agrees to sponsor in the Antique for Run from New London to New Brighton. In an exhibition run that stops at Excelsior, Betsy becomes friendly with Charlotte Harrison. When Charlee's husband Bill is found murdered along the road, she asks Betsy to find the killer. Considering that Betsy never said a word to Bill, she manages to acquit herself quite nicely.

A MURDEROUS YARN is a delightful cozy that entertains as well as educates the audience. The heroine is a believable character whose investigations seem totally in character and very authentic though why the widow chooses an amateur sleuth rather than a pro to investigate always lingers in the back of the reader's mind. Monica Ferris is a talented writer who knows how to keep the attention of her fans throughout her latest novel. There is a secondary character that readers will want starring as a delightful private detective in his own series.

Harriet Klausner

I picked this series up because I'm a needlewoman, but I keep reading it because I think it's unusually good. I love the characters, which is essential if I'm going to continue a series. One of the things that I like best about Ferris' world is that time passes, people change, etc. She doesn't run plotlines into the ground: problems that occur in one book are eventually resolved a book or two later. Betsy Devonshire, for example, starts off struggling with a difficult landlord, and later ends up discovering the dubious joys of being the landlord. She also passes the commonsense test: she knows when to call the police. I get exasperated with amateur detectives who literally and figuratively keep going down into the cellar looking for an axe murderer. Lastly I enjoy the fact that Betsy isn't involved in a romance although she dates from time to time. Now that's different and refreshing!

First book in the series: Crewel World (Needlecraft Mystery).

I have just discovered--and just finished reading--all 5 books in this series and I have to say it is the best mystery series I have read since the Murder She Wrote books! Monica Ferris' style has me drawn right into the story with her. Once I pick up a book, I can't put it down until I've finished reading it... and I can't wait for the next one! She does a wonderful job setting the stories in the Crewel World shop, always leaving me itching to pick up my latest needlework project again! Please, Monica, keep on writing!!!! I'll be eagerly watching to see what you're going to have Betsy, Jill, Godwin, and the rest of the bunch doing next! Keep up the good work!!!

Monica Ferris introduces antique car collectors to her mixture of needlework and murder in Minnesota. Lars, partner of continuing character Jill, acquires a Stanley Steamer and draws the needleworking Monday Bunch into his enthusiasm. The novel is amusing, vivid, and detailed. While the murder is a minor factor, the interesting way in which the solution is reached, and the development of continuing characters in an appealing setting are great fun. Ferris is an excellent writer under any name!

Two of the things I've most loved for almost as long as I can remember are cars (thanks to my Dad) whether new or old or racing-types, and needlecrafts (thanks to my grandmother.) That latter is one of the reasons why I've greatly enjoyed all the novels by Monica Harris. The former is why I really LOVED this one - A MURDEROUS YARN.

There is a great deal of skill involved in combining two very non-traditional and opposite elements such as antique autos and needlecraft, and Ms. Harris has succeeded wonderfully, in my opinion. Of course, first of all, she created the multi-faceted Betsy Devonshire, a transplanted West-coaster who moved back to the Midwest to visit her sister, and re-acquaint herself with the area in which they'd grown up. When her sister is murdered however, Betsy not only inherits the shop and it's employees--her new extended family--but she also discovers resources within herself that she hadn't previously realized were there. In addition, whichever needlecraft is highlighted in the story also contributes to the solution, a very clever bit of business.

Being a woman of a 'certain age' brings all sorts of possibilities to a character, and Betsy is absolutely typical of this. More than that, however, Betsy is clever, intelligent, hard-working, likes to think outside-the-box, and isn't at all reluctant to admit that she doesn't know everything.

Thanks to her previous escapades, Betsy has become best friends with a local policewoman, Jill Cross. In this story, Lars Larsen (Jill's love) has sold his 'hobby farm' to indulge in yet another hobby--the rather expensive one of owning an original Stanley Steamer, which he puts back together again after a small accident with the previous owner, and prepares to become an active member of the Minnesota Antique Car Club.

To her surprise, Betsy discovers she also has a love for these old vehicles, and offers to sponsor Lars and his car, in exchange for being included in the adventures, and adorning the car with a banner proclaiming the name of her shop - 'Crewel World'. She also becomes a volunteer, helping with various aspects of the antique car social world.

During the very first run, however, tragedy strikes when one of the old cars, which had been misbehaving badly, catches fire and very nearly incinerates the owner. Or did it? Was it the car, or was it a person who did the dastardly deed? Whichever, the result is the same--Bill Birmingham is dead, and his widow Charlotte has an iron-clad alibi provided by Betsy.

While telling us a great deal of antique car--and club--history, Betsy also pursues the truth of the matter, because unsolved puzzles bother her. As an amateur sleuth, Betsy isn't constrained by the legal rules that govern official investigations, and with her unique way of looking at things, she can find solutions that sometimes evade the police. Even the handsome and enigmatic Detective Sergeant Morrie Steffans, who is apparently going to become a regular character in this series. Or is he?

A puzzle that only the author can solve. Stick around for the ride -- you'll enjoy it.

Betsy Devonshire, owner of Crewel World a needlecraft shop in Excelsior, Minnesota, had made a mistake.

Once again, she leaped before looking and was now the sponsor of an antique car, owned by Lars - local deputy and boyfriend of Betsy's close friend Deputy Jill Cross.

Lars had sold his hobby farm. (After a long day of work he liked to relax by working on his farm). And was now into antique cars. His first is a beautiful Stanley Steamer, which needed a little work. Betsy hadn't realized that when she agreed to sponsor the car, that the costs to restore would be so expensive. After all, 100 year old parts were hard to find.

But with hard work, Lars got it going, although he did have a few scalds on his hands and was now missing an eyebrow, his car was a piece of art and Betsy was thrilled with her first ride in it.

Volunteering to check in the drivers at a local antique car run, Betsy meets several other owners, including Adam Smith, president of the local club and Charlotte Birmingham, who arrived dressed in an antique dress to go with her and her husband Bill's wonderful Maxwell. But it was very warm and Charlotte took Betsy up on her offer to ride in her air conditioned car to meet the antique cars when they got to their destination.

Charlotte was lucky she accepted the ride, for her husband Bill ends up dead, under his burning car along the way.

Why would anyone want to kill Bill Birmingham? Was it the feud between him and Adam Smith for the Presidency of the club? What about the problems he had been having with his son Bro, who had left a good job to take over his father's company, but Bill just wouldn't let go of the reigns. Or was it someone else in the car club who didn't like Bill. Or maybe Marvin Pierce who was rumored to be in love with the widow.

Charlotte asks Betsy to look into the crime and she hesitates until Bro Birmingham shows up and demands that she not look into the crime.

Then Detective Morrie Steffans shows up and questions Betsy about what she knew and what she saw. Betsy decides that it wouldn't hurt to look into the crime, especially when Charlotte and Bill's three other children, Lisa, David & Tim also want her to find out who killed their father.

Highlights:

I loved the descriptions of all the old antique cars. Wish I could afford to own one.

Godwin, who is the best character after Betsy. His lover John has thrown him out and Godwin's hysteria over, not that he was thrown out, but that John had thrown all his clothes to the curb, where they had gotten wrinkled and dirty.

Not As Much Needlework. In some of the books, the needlework has almost overwhelmed the storyline. I can do simple things, like embroidery & crochet, but counted cross stitch made me cry, the only time I tried it and some of the stuff these ladies do, I don't have a clue and find it hard to follow. This one didn't have as much of the needle crafting, but I don't think the story suffers from it at all. You still get the flavor of the hobby, but it's nice to know that Betsy, Jill and the other ladies, plus Phil & Godwin do have a life other than needle crafts.

Detective Morrie Steffans. Possible romance? Betsy deserves one. Although balding and big-eared is not exactly how I would have pictured a possible boyfriend for her.

The car chase at the end between Lar's Stanley Steamer and an SUV.

Lowlights:

Once again, I figured out the killer. These books are so well written that even though I know who the killer is, it doesn't detract from my enjoying the story. The characters are wonderfully written.

Like the other Betsy Devonshire Needlecraft Mysteries, this story is pretty thin and the characters are fairly two dimensional. But it is light, fun reading for needleworkers who enjoy mysteries.

This time the story is centered around an antique car run and is only tied to Betsy's needlework shop by a thin thread. But once again, Betsy is just a step away from a murder - this time, supplying an alibi for the victim's wife.

In this installment, I found there to be too much about the cars and not enough about the needlework for my taste. I also thought two of the subplots were left dangling. But as a light mystery novelty, this book was still an enjoyable read. Just don't expect Arthur Canon Doyle's style when you pick it up!

I'm certainly glad *my* local needlework shop owner is not this prone to being around murder victims! I'd like to see Betsy solve the mystery to another type of crime.

I always like to learn something while reading for pleasure, which is why cozies appeal to me so much. The addition of antique cars to the neeedlework in this series was a bonus. I find Betsy a thoroughly likeable, believable amateur sleuth. I am still reading through this series and hate to get caught up. Waiting for another to come out is agonizing.

I always enjoy this series and this one is no different.

Realistic characters, interesting settings and a clever plot--All the makings of a good cozy. In this Betsy gets involved in the world of antique autos and of course, someone dies.

It's apparent almost immediatly who did it, but the question is how it was done, since the killer has an impeccable alibi.

If you want a good light read, this is the book for you.

I had heard a lot of good things about this series, and being a fan of cross-stich and needlepoint, was looking forward to reading one of them. I was surprised to see that needlecraft seemed to take a back seat (pardon the pun) to the antique cars featured prominently in the plot of this entry into the series.

Perhaps earlier books in the series were more focused in needlework, and this one did include a pattern at the back. And it did contain some interesting information on antique cars.