Crewel Yule (Needlecraft Mysteries (Berkley Paperback)) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Godwin, a slender, handsome young man in jeans and white cotton sweater, sipped his tea and looked around the atrium with happy interest..." (more)
Key Phrases: Belle Hammermill, Bewitching Stitches, Cherry Pye (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Murder is in the air everywhere--even at a needlework show. Betsy Devonshire, owner of the shop Crewel World, finds herself snowed in at the convention hotel in Nashville along with her policewoman friend, Jill, and employee, Godwin. When another shop owner, Belle Hammermill, falls over the railing, plummeting down nine stories into the middle of the atrium, even the most avid sewers look up from their tatting. Everyone, of course, assumes the fall to be an accident. However, as Betsy, Jill, and Godwin start talking to the show's attendees, they begin to learn that a selfish and devious Belle had plenty of enemies--and they are all in the hotel. Ferris' characterizations are top-notch, and the action moves along at a crisp pace. The ending, unfortunately, is something of a letdown, with hardly a twist, much less a turn. Still, with so many crafters out there, this has a built-in audience of those who like to mix their needlepoint with question marks. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Delightful."
-- Midwest Book Review (Midwest Book Review ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425198278
• ISBN-13: 978-0425198278
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #922,629 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crewel Yule, October 5, 2004

By	K. A. Ree (Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a page-turner! Monica Ferris really knows how to write a mystery! I finished the book in one day.

It was fun seeing the names of real-life people in this story. The usual gang is involved--Betsy, Goddard, and Jill--but this time they are visiting a real-time needlework show in Nashville. It was really clever how Monica Ferris found a way to keep all of the suspects from leaving the scene of the crime,and how she involved Jill, a policewoman way out of her jurisdiction, in helping to solve this whodunit.

I would have given this story five stars, were it not for the little "hiccups" in continuity and spelling. There were times when whole sentences were left out, names were misspelled, and even a time when the name of a suspect changed to the name of the dead woman! I should hope that, before they make a second printing, they go through and re-edit the story. Books cost too much these days to have to deal with that sort of thing.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars another ripping yarn, October 9, 2004

By	E Rice (western ny state) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

i've enjoyed at least one other of the author's series, and, although i was initially leery of the obvious marketing ploy involved, i have been enjoying this series from the first book. this book is as good as the best of the previous mysteries.

you don't have to be an avid needlework to enjoy this mystery. ferris has always been phenomenally good at plotting, and at misdirecting the reader, and _crewel yule_ ranks with her best. however, if you haven't read at least one other in the series, this isn't the place to start, as some familiarity with the characters is assumed.

the characters, even the minor ones, seem real, the dialogue is wonderful, the atmosphere--well, i'd commit at least gross bodily injury to get into that market, wouldn't you? if ferris isn't a stitcher herself, she has a thorough knowledge and understanding of needleworkers. and of motivations.

and, finally and least importantly, although i won't be stitching it, the free pattern in this book is at least not contemptible, even it if isn't a crewel design.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure pleasure - One of my favorite series, July 24, 2005

By	Elizabeth A. Root (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Ferris' latest is as enjoyable as always. I do recommend that the reader try to read the books in order, as the characters develop, although it isn't absolutely necessary. The needlework lore is, as usual, fascinating, and I think that story is interesting even for someone who doesn't do needlework.

Ferris made a lot of good decisions in setting up this series that add to both the storytelling and the plausibility. Betsy is not an expert craftswoman (she inherited the store) and so it is reasonable to have people explaining things to her. Her best friend is a capable policewoman. She knows when to call the police: no going down alone into dark cellars to look for axe murderers.


Ferris strands Betsy, Godwin and Jill in a snowbound hotel in Nashville for a needlework trade show. Jill and Betsy attempt to solve the death (murder, suicide, accident?) of a store-owner who had abused a lot of people. Godwin spends most of his time being his usual charming self. The characters are as likeable as always, the dialogue is well done. I was amused by the setting of a hotel besieged by snow - eventually, that sort of thing of thing is funny. My chief regret is the Mavreen Harrison, the overworked night manager/acting day manager in this crisis, will presumably be staying in Nashville. What a delightful character!

The reader does need to check the dates that head some of the paragraphs. The book begins with a series of flashbacks explaining the background of the character and the suspects intermingled with the beginning of the mystery. Considerable setup is required for the story, so it keeps the action going while telling the reader the important facts.

I also enjoyed Ferris' theme relating to the character of the deceased. Ferris dwells on the contradictions and frustration created by a person who swings between kindness and cruelty and supposes, as one of the characters notes, that cuteness is a license to behave however one likes, and an apology means that it never happened and the victim has to forgive and forget. Too often, there is an epiphany at the end of the book (movie, TV episode) in which one good deed wipes out years of pain. While Ferris isn't recommending murder, she does deal meaningfully with anger. If this interests the reader, I'd recommend Agatha Christie's The Mirror Crack'd, which turns on the difference between being kind or well-meaning and thoughtful.

I have one very serious complaint: this is probably the worst copy editting that I have ever seen. Whole phrases are left out of sentences, character names are confused. There are electronic grammer check programs that would have caught a lot of these mistakes. Inexcusable!

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