Customer Reviews

A Stitch in Time (Needlecraft Mystery)

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

 

 

A STITCH IN TIME is the 3rd book in this needlecraft series by Monica Ferris. Betsy, the protagonist, is a novice at needlecrafts, but she is aided by a number of knowledgeable and quirky crafters in running her shop, Crewel World. When a tapestry is found hidden in the local church, Betsy donates the materials necessary to repair it. It soon becomes obvious that someone didn't want the tapestry found, and Betsy is nearly killed several times in order to maintain the secret of the tapestry. The killer's identity was obvious to me halfway through the book, but I very much enjoyed the book anyway. I think most cozy lovers will find this series delightful.

Having enjoyed the first in this series, I somehow missed the second. I won't miss any more, that's for sure. This third book is as comfy and cozy to wrap yourself up in, as a much-loved, hand-knitted sweater or afghan. Betsy Devonshire is a marvelous character, one that you can easily believe in, and wish to have as a friend; furthermore, she's a perfect match for Excelsior, Minnesota.

Betsy had returned to the cold midwest from San Diego for a much-needed respite from her immediate past while renewing the relationship with her sister, Margo. Unfortunately, Margo was the victim in book one, but she left her business "Crewel World" to Betsy, who, in spite of knowing little about the world of needlework, endeavored to settle into it.

Learning how to run a business, as well as learning about needlework exposes her to all sort of people and situations, while allowing her to use her not inconsiderable curiosity to help the small-town police department solve persistent puzzles.

In this episode, it's very near to Christmas, and while Trinity Episcopal Church prepares for the holiday season, it is also preparing for a major renovation. To the surprise of all, a mildewed, hand-worked tapestry is discovered hidden away in a closet. When it's discovered to be the work of the previous rector's wife, all concerned decide to restore the piece as a decoration for the new addition.

Immediately, strange things begin to happen to Betsy, who has agreed to furnish any yarn necessary for the renovation of the tapestry. One of the strangest, while totally unconnected, is a visit from her former husband, Hal the Pig, who seems to sincerely want to mend his fences and re-establish the relationship with Betsy. Not surprisingly, she is of the totally opposite opinion.

With the help of Jill, the policewoman, the mysteries--old and new--are all eventually resolved. Hal is sent on his way, and we're left with a warm feeling towards the inhabitants of Crewel World and Excelsior, Minnesota, in spite of all that fluffy white stuff all over the ground. My only niggle is: where are the recipes for all those great sounding hot dishes?

It's the Christmas Season and everything should be cheery. Betsy Devonshire is still recovering from the murder of her sister Margot and is trying to get into the Holiday mood by immersing herself in her work at Crewel World, the needlecraft shop that Margot had left her. She also left Betsy several million dollars, but the estate is still being settled.

Things are really buzzing a Trinity Episcopal Church, where renovations are underway. Hidden away in a room, they come across a huge tapestry that had been completed by Lucy Abrams, wife of the former rector, Keane.

Just before retiring, Keane had collapsed from a major stroke and Lucy had a fatal stroke as she tried to help him up from the floor. The current rector of the church, John Rettger is thinking about naming a room after the Keane, who now resides in a nursing home, unable to move or communicate.

It's decided that along with naming a room after Keane, they will restore the tapestry and hang it on the wall as a tribute to the late Lucy. Betsy volunteers to donate all the supplies necessary to repair the tapestry and while looking it over, (Worrying because she hadn't anticipated there would be so much work, or that it was so big), she notices little icons sewn onto the tapestry. Betsy wonders if they have some meaning and copies several of them down and borrows a book of Icons for John Rettger to try and decipher them.

Deciphering icons doesn't seem as important when Betsy has an accident while driving in a blizzard and having to spend the night in a freezing car, where she learns the important lesson of why people in Minnesota always have a survival kit in their car. When it's discovered that the brake line was cut, Betsy starts to worry, and then when she suffers arsenic poisoning and her building catches on fire, she begins to wonder if someone is trying to kill her.

There's no lack of suspects. Maybe Joe Mickels has decided to get her out of the building once and for all. Then there's Hal "The Pig" Norman, Betsy's ex-husband, whose last coed girlfriend turned him into the college and he's now jobless and homeless and swears undying love for Betsy and really, really wants to get back together with her. Does the fact that she is about to inherit millions have anything to do with it, and what about the will she had written shortly after their marriage where she left everything to him. Was that still valid.

Or did it have something to do with the tapestry? Especially when all Betsy's notes and then the tapestry itself disappears. Would she be able to solve this mystery before she finally ends up dead?

Highlights:

The supporting characters are wonderful Jill Cross & Mike Malloy, who are police officers. The Monday Bunch - a group of needle crafters, who get together on Monday's in Crewel World to do needlework. Even Joe Mickel is likeable.

Goodwin - her full time employee who knows everyone and everything and has an obnoxious boyfriend John.


Hal "The Pig" arriving at Betsy apartment with a Christmas Tree. (I was reading this part at break and couldn't quit laughing. My office mates thought I was nuts).

Lowlights:

The mystery. No murder. The reason behind the attempts on Betsy's life are lame. There was no reason for anyone to know the mystery that was trying to be hidden and a few words to Betsy would have stopped everything. It just seemed ridiculous.

But I enjoyed the book right up to the ridiculous ending, so it's not a waste of time.

Have already started Unraveled Sleeve.

There's never a dull moment in Betsy Devonshire's life, and her experience in this volume, A Stitch in Time, is no exception. Her car stalls in a blizzard and she nearly freezes to death, then....well, that's for the rest of the story. And with all the rest of it, she's dealing with the unexpected and unwelcome return of her ex-husband, trying to keep her store in business, and unraveling the symbolic significance of a tapestry. The characters are wonderful, the story is absorbing, and the novel is just plain fun. Highly recommended.

Betsy Devonshire is certainly busy stitching and sleuthing. With each book in the series she is getting better at both, as is Ms. Ferris's writing. This was the best so far. The characters feel real and are getting to be my friends. I miss them when the book is over. Though from the South, I understood and enjoyed the hot dish and Lutheran references. Stitching, humor, and a good mystery--who could ask for anything more! I can hardly wait for the next book. One problem: reading makes me want to cross stitch and stitching makes me want to read. What's a girl to do?

The Betsy Devonshire series is a fun read for any fan of cozy mysteries and is particularly fun if: 1)you know what "LYS" stands for (local yarn store), and/or 2)Minnesota figures in your life. I'm lucky enough to fall into both categories. So, one minute I enjoy the chatter about worsted weight versus sport weight yarn and in another moment, I laugh out loud at the discussion of "hot dishes" (called casseroles by the rest of us in the USA).

Ferris is improving with each episode. In this book, Betsy keeps having scary "accidents" and can't figure out why someone would be out to get her. We, the readers, know of course. It's fun to follow the twists and turns as Betsy figures out what's up. Catching the culprit is almost an anti-climax.

A fun read with lots of snow and Christmas for atmosphere. Now, if they'd only produce the series on audio-tape so I could knit and "read" at the same time!

This is so far the best book in the whole series! I really enjoyed the mystery, the nice balance of needlework and relationships. The voice is a lot more mature and a lot more enjoyable. It's a good cozy mystery. I saw a lot of growth in Betsy, and I'm really looking forward to the next novel. It gets better with each one! Bravo Monica!

This is my second book in the series, and I think I liked it better than the first that I read (Cutwork). This is definitely a women's mystery (or men who do needle crafts). Set around Christmas time in frozen Minnesota, the plot involves an incomplete and mildewed tapestry found in a church. The tapestry was clearly the work of the previous rector's wife -- she died of a heart attack and didn't finish it -- and he suffered a severe stroke and is in a nursing home. Betsy, who has inherited a needlecraft store in this cozy little Minnesota town (you can really picture it from the descriptions), is asked to contribute some wool to complete it. When she goes to inspect it, she notices some unusual details that intrigue her.

Shortly afterwords, Betsy ends up stuck in a ditch -- is it an accident? If not, what's going on?

I look forward to reading more in this series. This was a book that whenever I had to put it down and go to work, I looked forward to getting back to.

I've read all three of the "Crewel World" books and found this to be the best yet. I gave up my usual ritual of stitching nightly, so I could get to the end.

This book is appealing to stitchers, but not so much for real mystery fans. It's a passable book, not totally predictable, but in some areas seems a bit forced. Still, as big fan of needlework, it's always exciting for me to read about it, particularly to see it combined with a cozy mystery.