Framed in Lace (Needlecraft Mystery) (Paperback)

by Monica Ferris (Author) "It wasn't even Halloween, but autumn was over..." (more)
Key Phrases: skeleton business, bobbin lace, lace edging, Crewel World, Trudie Koch, Martha Winters (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425171493
• ISBN-13: 978-0425171493
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #203,705 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful American Cozy, January 31, 2001

By	Carl Brookins (St. Paul, Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

"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.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully witty and clever, March 13, 2000

By A Customer

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better than the first book!, March 10, 2000

By A Customer

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!