Lye in Wait (A Home Crafting Mystery) [Kindle Edition]

Cricket McRae (Author)

Book Description

Cocoa butter soap, check. Lemon lip balm, check. A dead body?

That's just what Sophie Mae Reynolds finds in her workroom: the corpse of Walter Hanover, the neighborhood handyman. He died from drinking lye, something she has in good supply. But the police don't suspect Sophie Mae, a thirty-something widow who makes and sells beauty products. Instead they call it a suicide. But why would a man with lottery cash and a loving fiancée kill himself?

No one can stop the impulsive Sophie Mae from answering this riddle, not her sensible best friend Meghan or Detective Ambrose, who incites annoyance as well as stomach flutters. Sophie Mae's big mouth and sharp nose lead her to a peppermint-scented trail of arson, bigamy, and a shocking family secret that reveals a personal connection to Walter . . . and his killer.

This crafty new series features real recipes and a blundering, yet lovable, amateur sleuth who brings a fresh face to cozy mysteries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lye in Wait is an enjoyable book with a credible, if not complex, plot that's handled well. It's a fine start to this new series." -- Hidden Staircase Mystery Books/Mysterious Reviews

"As impressed as I was when McRae was realistic about crafting supplies, I was even more impressed when Sophie ran into all the sorts of realistic problems a self-appointed busybody ought to run into - people she upsets needlessly, people who refuse to talk, and official people who point out that she's simultaneously making herself a target and a suspect. As fond as I am of cozies, book after book of people deputizing themselves and just tripping over clues gets annoying very quickly. Sophie is given a reason for her inability to stop meddling (and it's not just the obvious one) and she runs into roadblocks. I appreciated that." -- Reviewing the Evidence

"Ms. McRae has a unique talent for turning phrases in her wording, and Lye in Wait is a promising start to a new series." -- Romance Reviews Today

"The author, herself a soap maker, gives readers a new tweak on the cozy, complete with credibly written characters possessing enough appealing eccentricities to keep readers happy." -- Booklist, 9/15/07

"This is a cozy mystery that holds substance, suspense and clever twists for readers." -- The Coloradoan, 12/09/07

About the Author

Cricket McRae’s contemporary Home Crafting Mysteries reflect her interest in traditional colonial skills. Set in the Pacific Northwest, they feature activities like soap making, food preservation, spinning, cheese making, and mead making. For two years Cricket managed her own soap making business, including all product design, manufacturing and marketing. The author resides in Fort Collins, Colorado.  She also writes the Magical Bakery Mysteries under the pen name Bailey Cates. For more information and recipes, visit CricketMcRae.com and HearthCricket.com.

 

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 1669 KB
• Print Length: 336 pages
• Publisher: Midnight Ink (October 8, 2007)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001JEPF60
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,662 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #63 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Soap Making

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Who killed the handyman with lye? April 7, 2008

By Dawn Dowdle VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Sophie Mae Reynolds is quite surprised to find the neighborhood handyman, Walter Hanover, dead in her workroom. He died from drinking lye. She has plenty of it on hand for making soap. But the police call it suicide.

Sophie can't understand why a man who won the lottery and has a loving fiancée kill himself. So, she investigates. Her best friend Meghan tries to stop her to no avail. Detective Ambrose, who sends the butterflies in her stomach a flutter but can also cause her annoyance, can't stop her either.

Her sleuthing leads her to peppermint and a trail of arson, bigamy, and a family secret that's quite shocking and reveals a personal connection to Walter. Can it connect him to his killer? Can Sophie uncover the killer without putting herself and those she loves at risk?

Sophie is a breath of fresh air as a lovable amateur sleuth. She is so much fun as she works her way through her investigation. I look forward to reading many more adventures with Sophie.

Detective Ambrose and Meghan help balance Sophie and try to keep her out of trouble. That isn't an easy job.

The new craft series features recipes as well. I highly recommend this book.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Has Some Good Moments July 15, 2008

By drebbles TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Soap maker Sophie Mae Reynolds is devastated when she finds the body of neighborhood handyman Walter Hanover on her workroom floor. The police think he committed suicide by drinking lye but Sophie Mae isn't convinced and begins looking into Walter's death herself much to the annoyance of Detective Barr Ambrose. The more Sophie Mae digs, the more complicated the case becomes. Sophie Mae doesn't seem to have a clue about Walter's death, but someone thinks she does and soon her life and the lives of those around her are in real danger.

"Lye in Wait" is the first book in Cricket McRae's Home Crafting Mystery series and it has some good moments. The characters are good, starting with Sophie Mae. She is a well-written character - widowed and making a decent living with her soap and other beauty products. I liked the fact that in this book, unlike some other mysteries, Sophie Mae is seen actually working instead of letting the mystery take over the book. Sophie Mae lives with her friend Meghan and Meghan's young daughter Erin and McRae does a good job of describing the relationship between the three which is very believable. The descriptions of the meals that Sophie Mae and Meghan cook made my mouth water. While the characters and soap making elements worked for me, the mystery aspects didn't work as well. Although the book has all the elements of a cozy mystery (including the ubiquitous attractive detective) it is a little too gritty to be called a cozy, especially in the way Walter dies and Meghan's relationship with her jerk of an ex-husband. The mystery seems to rely on too many coincidences and I felt cheated at the end when the murderer was revealed.

"Lye in Wait" is not a perfect mystery, but has some good moments and interesting characters and looks like the start of a good mystery series.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A very intriguing story October 19, 2007

By Woody Bombay

Format:Paperback

McRae definitely knows how to craft a story. This is a great read that keeps your interest from the first page. Sophie Mae Reynolds just can't stop wondering why poor Walter Hanover would commit suicide. She forges ahead for answers, even though she often gets the feeling she should mind her own business. 'Lye in Wait' is full of surprises: I could not put this book down and I can't wait for the sequel. Go Sophie Mae!

More About the Author

A former resident of the Pacific Northwest where my mystery novels are set, I've always dabbled in the kind of practical home crafts that were once necessary to everyday life. The magical chemistry of making soap, the satisfaction of canning garden produce, and the sensuous side of fiber arts like spinning and knitting are just a few of the reasons these activities have fascinated me since childhood. As much an early fan of Nancy Drew as of Laura Ingalls Wilder, it's no surprise that my contemporary cozy series features a soap maker with a nose for investigation.

For two years I managed my own soap making business, including all product design, manufacturing and marketing. I've also worked at a variety of other jobs, ranging from driver's license examiner to software program manager. This fulfills my mother's warning that I'd never have a "regular" job if I insisted on studying philosophy and English in college.

Now I live in Colorado, fitting my interest in all things domestic around writing, hiking, biking and, currently, learning how to play golf.