Customer Reviews

Sew Deadly (Southern Sewing Circle Series)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

On my recent buying trip looking for cozy mysteries, I saw this one laying on a table and the cover caught my eye. I picked it up along with several others. When I got home, I read the back covers of the books but didn't get further than this one and was intrigued enough to read the first page. By the time I looked up again, I had read two chapters and wasn't ready to put it down! Elizabeth did a great job in drawing you right in to the town and lives of the women of Sweet Briar. Her characters have real feeling and those feelings aren't all good ones. I was pulled right into the drama and felt that I was there as part of the cast. I read Sew Deadly in one afternoon and evening and now can't wait for the next one! GREAT WRITING Elizabeth!

Victoria "Tori" Sinclair is thrilled to begin her new job as head librarian of Sweet Briar, South Carolina's library. Not only is it a new challenge for her, its also chance to start her life over again after a devastating end to a romance.

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.

Determined to find the true culprit, Tori finds understanding and help from 3rd grade teacher Milo, bossy grandmother Margaret Louise, a few of her sewing friends and a darling little girl named Lulu. Will she be able to stitch together enough clues to clear her name?

"Sew Deadly" was a pure delight from start to finish. Elizabeth Lynn Casey captures the true essence of "Southern-ness" from the sweet tea right down to the "bless your hearts." This is such a comfortable novel that readers will feel right at home on Tori's front porch, if she can ever find a bulb for the light. And the gorgeous artwork on the cover is taken right from the description of Tori's living room - just perfect.

I look forward to the next installment of this dandy series.

This book introduces great characters in a small southern town. The banter between the older women and the hint of romance in the younger crowd is fun and leaves a lot of room for future books. As far as the mystery, it keeps you guessing--I changed my suspect a number of times as I read on. Give it a read, it will leave you wanting the next one!

As a reader of cozy mysteries, I am constantly searching for new series and authors. I'd read a review of SEW DEADLY on Amazon and decided to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did. This is the first book in the series, and I can't wait until the second one is published in March! Without bogging the reader down with too many details, Ms. Casey gives a full and delightful picture of life in Sweet Briar, South Carolina. There is a touch of a budding romance as a subplot, and the action is well paced. When I got to the last 50 pages of the book, I couldn't put it down. Write on, Ms. Casey!

This is one of those books that's so perfectly engaging you don't want it to end--I can't remember when I last spent such an enjoyable afternoon as I did reading SEW DEADLY. The voice is pitch perfect, the writing tight, and the plot flawlessly paced. The characters are charming. I adore the sewing circle and can't recommend the series enough. I'm already pacing waiting for the next...

I loved the characters, old, young and younger, the mystery kept me changing my mind, the Southern-isms had me chuckling, the library/librarian completed my personal happiness, the sewing group was a perfectly-suited setting and most of all, putting all that together, kept me reading it through to the finish on a cold, wet rainy day!

Am so-o-o looking forward to the next in this series and thank the author for the many hours of utter delight!

Sew Deadly
By: Elizabeth Lynn Casey
Berkley Prime Crime

Victoria "Tori" Sinclair, is hired as the new librarian in the small southern town of Sweet Briar, SC. She can't wait to get started on all her new ideas for the library. After talking to some of the townspeople she finds the only librarian the town has had is Dixie Dunn, who was retired by the Board but doesn't take kindly to her retirement.

The ladies in Sweet Briar have a sewing circle and Tori is asked to join after Georgina, one of the ladies in the circle, came to visit her and saw the beautiful work she was doing on a pillow. When Tori arrives at the meeting of the circle she finds the rules are hard and fast. As the new person on the block she is going to have to learn the language of the southern town in a hurry or always be the outsider.

Starting her work at the library she finds a storage room that is perfect for a children's reading room and proceeds to ask the Board for permission to use it. Tori's plans are quickly implemented and kids have their reading room.

Things weren't nearly as tranquil for Tori at home. Light bulbs were disappearing from her front porch, boxes were missing from where she had put them, and things seemed to be moved around in her house. But she was beginning to fit in better in the town--or so she thought.

When Tori finds the body of town sweetheart Tiffany Ann Gilbert in the dumpster behind the library, her life starts falling apart. The police investigator thinks Tori committed the murder and is going all out to prove it. If Tori makes it out of this mess, she is going to have to rely on her new sewing sisters and herself to clear her name, and that's when things turn deadly.

"Sew Deadly" is a fun read and it depicts the southern women beautifully. I can imagine joining them, 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 southern neighbors. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

Elizabeth Lynn Casey knew exactly when she wanted to become a writer. With her path in life chosen she began reading every book she could find and her career was launched. Ms. Casey loves to hear from her readers. [...]

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A friend that knows I love to read gave me this book. I read it in one afternoon and had to rush to the bookstore before it closed to get the next one. Each character in the "sewing circle" is loveable in their own way. In fact, I can barely sew on a button and after reading this, I want to rush right out and join a "sewing circle" myself just for the camaraderie. Being born and raised in Mississippi, I can even relate to the southern sayings and can almost hear their southern drawl. I can even admit that even though I thought I had figured out the "whodunit", I was fooled. I love all of the bantering and have laughed out loud on more than one occasion. Elizabeth Lynn Casey now rates as one of my favorite authors.

The combination of a new Yankee librarian (Victoria) in a small southern town was too tempting to pass up.

It lived up to my expectations with the bonus of a lovable little girl, Lulu and the various characters of the local sewing circle. Victoria may or may not make it into the sewing group as half of them suspect her of a recent murder. After all, who else could it have been - she's new in town and a Yankee to boot!

The mystery was very secondary to the developement of these characters and Victoria's adjustment to some strange (to her) southern customs.

A very enjoyable light new series.

As another writer said this is not a true picture of the south. I am born and raised Southern to the core. Being 61 yrs old I think I know a little about real Southern women and perhaps these ladies don't really represent us. BUT, it was fun, funny and kind of out there so to speak. The ladies are quirky even the rude ones. I enjoy all cozy mystery series that include needlearts of any sort as a theme. This was no exception. My mother in law (87 yrs young) reads every book with me. She too found this delightful if not reflective of any memories she has of life in the south. I don't take offense at the colorful depiction of Southern Women, I find them light and funny. It is a easy and good read. The references to sewing are light, not serious. Just read this for relaxation. I will read the next one to see how the characters develop.