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Someday Quilts Mysteries #3
The Double Cross
Find out why cozy fans and quilters alike are in stiches over the Someday Quilts Mystery series. Nell Fitzgerald and the Someday Quilts ladies are asked to lead a quilting workshop at a new bed and breakfast in upstate New York. However, the retreat quickly takes an unexpected dark turn. When a body is found in the woods, and one of their own is the chief suspect, the ladies must rely on their craftiest thinking as they embark on their most personal case yet with smart, sassy Nell leading the charge to clear her friend's name.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2010
38 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Clare O'Donohue
16 books131 followersClare O'Donohue was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of four children. Her parents, John and Sabina O'Donohue, were both born in Ireland. They met in London and moved to the US and settled on Chicago's South Side where she was raised.
She always knew she wanted to be a writer and in fact wrote her first novel when she was 15. It was a mystery. After college she worked as a newspaper reporter and writing teacher before moving to LA and getting her first job in television. That was on the HGTV show, Simply Quilts. she had already been quilting for about five years, which was why the producer hired her, but she really got an education in quilting from that show.
http://clareodonohue.com/feed/
She always knew she wanted to be a writer and in fact wrote her first novel when she was 15. It was a mystery. After college she worked as a newspaper reporter and writing teacher before moving to LA and getting her first job in television. That was on the HGTV show, Simply Quilts. she had already been quilting for about five years, which was why the producer hired her, but she really got an education in quilting from that show.
http://clareodonohue.com/feed/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 6, 2014
Not quite as good as the first two, but I still enjoyed it quite a lot. Eleanor wasn't present enough, and I found that I missed her.
December 18, 2010
OKay, I'm done. I hereby state I will no longer read this series. The last one - Drunkard's Path - was bad enough, but this one was even worse. The thing is, O'Donohue is a good writer, it's just that her characters are classic TSTL (Too stupid to live). The protagonist is an artist who believes she can investigate crime better than any policemen, even her boyfriend. In this one, he lets her "take the lead" and she responds by treating him like an idiot who has to be told how to breathe. Nope, that's it, can't take it anymore. I'm done.
August 9, 2021
Nell and her grandmother volunteer to help a quilter lead a quilting retreat at a new bed and breakfast. They find the bed and breakfast not ready for guests and the owners in turmoil. Then a body is found in the woods and one of the guests has to have done it so Nell is on the case.
November 17, 2024
A quick read and predictable.
September 27, 2010
In the third Someday Quilts mystery, Nell and her grandmother Eleanor join their friend Susanne as she treks to a remote bed and breakfast in upstate New York to lead a week-long quilting retreat. They discover, belatedly, that the owners are old acquaintances of group member Bernie, who does not remember them fondly. Nevertheless, she decides to go along.
They are all surprised when they arrive at a ramshackle Victorian house where renovations don't even seem to have begun. The owners, Rita and George Olnhausen, insist that the state of the house will have no effect on the class, which will take place in an outbuilding, and will be attended by locals not staying at the inn.
Reluctantly, the quilters decide to stay, even though the relationship between their hosts is tense, and none of the members of the class appear to want to be there.
Then Eleanor's dog Barney discovers a body buried in the woods, and the atmosphere becomes even more strained.
This is not just a light, fluffy crafting cozy, but a totally absorbing mystery studded with quilting lore and laced with romance.
They are all surprised when they arrive at a ramshackle Victorian house where renovations don't even seem to have begun. The owners, Rita and George Olnhausen, insist that the state of the house will have no effect on the class, which will take place in an outbuilding, and will be attended by locals not staying at the inn.
Reluctantly, the quilters decide to stay, even though the relationship between their hosts is tense, and none of the members of the class appear to want to be there.
Then Eleanor's dog Barney discovers a body buried in the woods, and the atmosphere becomes even more strained.
This is not just a light, fluffy crafting cozy, but a totally absorbing mystery studded with quilting lore and laced with romance.
May 2, 2013
Not having read the previous books in the series, I was at a disadvantage jumping in on this one. The story moved quickly, almost a bit too fast. I wanted more time to learn the cast of characters. Here is where having read the previous books would have helped. Too much was assumed.
Nell, the female protagonist, is a strong personality, but I had a tough time warming up to her. She and the other "regulars" of the series are entrenched in snooping and gossip, and make no bones about it. Admittedly, I have met quilters like that. Nell is headstrong and reckless. She rushes into everything, sometimes to the point of rudeness, which makes me wonder why a character like Jesse would find her so endearing. Obviously, Nell has a good heart and good intentions, but has the tact and self-control of a tween.
Not sayin' it wasn't worth reading, because it was, and I did enjoy the story and the struggle to determine who really killed the hapless George. The writing was solid, but I wanted something more from the characters -- more depth, I guess.
Nell, the female protagonist, is a strong personality, but I had a tough time warming up to her. She and the other "regulars" of the series are entrenched in snooping and gossip, and make no bones about it. Admittedly, I have met quilters like that. Nell is headstrong and reckless. She rushes into everything, sometimes to the point of rudeness, which makes me wonder why a character like Jesse would find her so endearing. Obviously, Nell has a good heart and good intentions, but has the tact and self-control of a tween.
Not sayin' it wasn't worth reading, because it was, and I did enjoy the story and the struggle to determine who really killed the hapless George. The writing was solid, but I wanted something more from the characters -- more depth, I guess.
June 28, 2013
I haven't read the first two in the series, so perhaps I've missed out on the characters development; I didn't connect with them in this book. It was painfully obvious "who dune it," and too many other side trails that didn't add to the story but just made me think: "get ON with it."
I'd much prefer the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini.
I'd much prefer the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini.
December 30, 2020
The third novel of the Someday Quilts series returns to see Nell and the other members of the quilting group head to a small inn in the woods to hold a quilting class. They arrive to find a half-finished inn and a bunch of students who seem unlike any other quilters they've known before.
To make matters worse, the new owners of the inn are old friends (well, ex-friends) of one of our regular cast members, Bernie. There are a lot of bad feelings between a lot of the characters in this novel, and soon a dead body is discovered.
It's up to Nell and her friends to solve the case. Here is where this series differs from other cosy-mysteries that I've read. Nell basically tells the police that are too stupid to solve the case. I've never seen a cosy-mystery protagonist do that before. It makes me dislike Nell a bit. I think if it weren't for the other characters (including the dog, Barney), I may give the series up at this point. There are some parts of Nell's personality I don't like, and I don't think sits well with what cosy-mystery lovers expect.
Having said that, the story is good and the mystery keeps you guessing. I think this time there may have been too much gossip and general chit-chat for my liking, but you get that sometimes with this genre of books.
All in all, a good book and an enjoyable read. I hope Nell's character softens a bit on the talking down to the police side of things, but I expect it won't.
To make matters worse, the new owners of the inn are old friends (well, ex-friends) of one of our regular cast members, Bernie. There are a lot of bad feelings between a lot of the characters in this novel, and soon a dead body is discovered.
It's up to Nell and her friends to solve the case. Here is where this series differs from other cosy-mysteries that I've read. Nell basically tells the police that are too stupid to solve the case. I've never seen a cosy-mystery protagonist do that before. It makes me dislike Nell a bit. I think if it weren't for the other characters (including the dog, Barney), I may give the series up at this point. There are some parts of Nell's personality I don't like, and I don't think sits well with what cosy-mystery lovers expect.
Having said that, the story is good and the mystery keeps you guessing. I think this time there may have been too much gossip and general chit-chat for my liking, but you get that sometimes with this genre of books.
All in all, a good book and an enjoyable read. I hope Nell's character softens a bit on the talking down to the police side of things, but I expect it won't.
May 29, 2021
Twenty-six-year-old Nell Fitzgerald’s romance with Archers Rest police chief Jesse Dewalt, a widower with a six-year-old daughter, doesn’t seem to be going well, thanks to her tendency to interfere in murder investigations. But her grandmother Eleanor’s romance with celebrated artist Oliver White, is going very well. Nell and her grandmother plan to spend a week at an upstate New York bed and breakfast taking a quilting retreat that will be taught by one of the quilt group’s members, Suzanne. The owners of the inn are club member Bernie’s former high school boyfriend George and her former best friend Rita and she doesn’t want to go, but is convinced at the last minute to attend. When they arrive, they find a dirty former hunting lodge near a dark woods and a group of classmates who have been pushed into taking the class. After some odd things happen, George is found murdered and Bernie is a prime suspect. Nell’s instinct for trouble kicks into high gear, so much so that Jesse arrives at the inn to help local chief Jim McIntyre with the investigation and keep Nell out of trouble. But can he?
This third book of a series of four murder mysteries based around quilting shop is set in a different place, and for good reason. A new cast of characters and an old run-down Victorian house near the woods make for a spooky read.
This third book of a series of four murder mysteries based around quilting shop is set in a different place, and for good reason. A new cast of characters and an old run-down Victorian house near the woods make for a spooky read.
April 21, 2025
This is the 3rd book in the series. They should be read in order so you know the back story or it might not make sense. In this book, Susanne is asked to teach a quilt class at a bed and breakfast out of town which happens to be owned by Bernie’s HS boyfriend and best friend (that she has been mad at her whole life) because they got married. Nell and her grandmother plan to attend to help out. Then Bernie decides she’s tagging along - we find out why later in the story.
Barney plays a huge role in this story as he keeps wandering off in the woods and digging things up. Someone has killed George the owner of the inn. Nell is back at her investigating. For some reason, Jesse shows up and stays the whole time. He and Nell are starting to connect more while he helps out the local chief of police. In the end, there is a twist. You have a hard time figuring out who the killer is, because it seems like it could be anyone. There is a happy ending. I’m giving this book a 4 because there were quite a few sentences with grammar errors. It didn’t mess with the story, but still you had to reread it the right way. I’m not a huge fan of Nell and Jesse as I was in the first book. They don’t really seem to have much of a connection. I’m on to book 4. I can’t fathom what will happen in this one. Nell hasn’t even been around Jesse’s daughter Allie. Let the journey begin.
Barney plays a huge role in this story as he keeps wandering off in the woods and digging things up. Someone has killed George the owner of the inn. Nell is back at her investigating. For some reason, Jesse shows up and stays the whole time. He and Nell are starting to connect more while he helps out the local chief of police. In the end, there is a twist. You have a hard time figuring out who the killer is, because it seems like it could be anyone. There is a happy ending. I’m giving this book a 4 because there were quite a few sentences with grammar errors. It didn’t mess with the story, but still you had to reread it the right way. I’m not a huge fan of Nell and Jesse as I was in the first book. They don’t really seem to have much of a connection. I’m on to book 4. I can’t fathom what will happen in this one. Nell hasn’t even been around Jesse’s daughter Allie. Let the journey begin.
February 27, 2020
Really glad I did a serial series read here. I rarely do back-to-back reads of books in a series, but I felt the need to in this case. I had it on the Nook ready to go and I really felt a need to see what would happen next. Too much death and mayhem in one small town can be overwhelming and a bit ridiculous. They went out of town this book and it was a superb roadtrip. All kinds of mysteries at the end location, not just a murder. It kept me reading almost nonstop.
This one is mostly about relationships in all forms. Marriage, family, friendships...what was, what might have been and the dwelling on that. Does one move on? Can one? Should one? Does it format our life path? Lots to think about as well as figuring out whodunit. Plenty of excellent suspects. Lots of clues followed. Paths astray.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
This one is mostly about relationships in all forms. Marriage, family, friendships...what was, what might have been and the dwelling on that. Does one move on? Can one? Should one? Does it format our life path? Lots to think about as well as figuring out whodunit. Plenty of excellent suspects. Lots of clues followed. Paths astray.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author.
September 1, 2024
There are two previous books in this series which put me at somewhat of a disadvantage as to how the recurring characters fit in, but even the characters that were specific to this book were poorly developed and so unlikely to be real people. I know that with cozy mysteries suspending both your disbelief and your beliefs are necessary to truly enjoy the story, but this one just never got comfortable. The protagonist, Nell, came off as being rude and naïve about how she affects those around her. From about halfway through it started feeling like a bad haircut with pieces sticking out everywhere. In the end, the author does mostly tie things all together but not particularly well. I have ordered the first two from the library, (no plan to spend money here), but we'll see...
February 13, 2019
Going to a bed and breakfast to help a fellow quilter teach a quilting class sounds like a nice relaxing break, but the bed and breakfast is very run down and strange things are happening. Then then inn's owner is found dead with a quilt over him. Nell Fitzgerald is upset that one of the quilting group is suspected of being the killer.
did-not-finish
August 2, 2025I gave up at about 100 pages. When Jesse, the chief of police in Nell's town and her love interest, showed up at the quilt retreat in the Adirondacks because nothing was happening in Nell's town after she left, I was done. There weren't enough details about quilting to help me overcome the meandering plot.
November 28, 2019
Another fun visit with Nell and her quilt friends as they stir up old romance and murder at a quilt retreat in the Adirondacks. Nell is an engaging heroine with a good head on her shoulders and a little snark to keep her interesting.
February 4, 2020
Good series, great characters
December 3, 2020
A great read about quilting with a whole lot of mystery.
January 19, 2022
Not very mysterious.
October 12, 2022
I don't know a thing about quilting but I do know this is a great mystery series
November 13, 2012
The Double Cross is the third book of the Someday Quilts mystery series by Clare O'Donohue, set in present-day upstate New York.
Nell Fitzgerald fled a broken marriage and high-powered life in New York City, to live with her aunt Eleanor in the small town of Archers Rest. Eleanor owns the town's quilt shop, Someday Quilts. Eleanor's friends and fellow quilters warmly welcomed Nell into their quilting group. Her inquisitive nature has led Nell to unofficially investigate recent murders in town, and she has been able to provide police chief Jesse with information that was useful to solving the crimes. He is a widower with a young daughter, and Nell is strongly attracted to him, although his law enforcement responsibilties often interfere with scheduling dates.
In Double Cross, Nell's quilter friend Susanne has been hired to teach a Journal Quilting class at a week-long quilt retreat in Winston, a sleepy town in the Adirondacks. Nell and Eleanor decide to attend the retreat, as well as their quilter friend Bernie. She was high-school sweethearts with George Olnhausen, the owner of Patchwork B & B where the retreat is to be held.
The Someday Quilters arrive in Winston and are shocked at the shabby rundown condition of the inn. Next they learn that George and Rita Olnhausen don't know anything at all about quilting. Nor do they seem to care about quilting, or about each other. First day of class, it turns out the students from Winston aren't quilters either, but were pressured by George and Rita to sign up. Nell starts investigating the Olnhausens' background, since the setup is so odd.
Jesse comes to Winston (it's never explained why) and together he and Nell find a murder victim. From this point the story pace drags. The quilt class members daily roam the woods for artistic inspiration, Nell gets lost several times in the woods with Eleanor's golden retriever Barney, items go missing from the inn then reappear days later.
The Winston characters have unconvincing, one-dimensional personalities. The murder victim is not a likable, sympathetic character for the reader to care about. The victim's spouse does not grieve, and repeatedly accuses Nell of being odd when she helps out with friendly gestures.
Nell employs good investigative skills, following up on the clues. She and Eleanor make an unfounded assumption that the local police chief is just trying to pin the murder on one of their friends, rather than truly solve it. This assumption is completely unwarranted, since they have just met the chief, and he has not given any indication he is just looking for a quick arrest. In fact, he appreciates the information Nell has acquired, and welcomes her assistance. Another oddity in this installment is that Jesse is fully supportive and encouraging for Nell to solve the crime, unlike the opposition he has presented in previous books (perhaps because it's not his own turf? - that's not very believable; he's still an officer of the law and she's not).
The problem with the story is that Nell's discoveries are mostly buried under the daily tedium. It's hard to care about this mystery. At one point the Someday Quilters are all longing to go home and leave Winston and its crime behind them; at that point the reader is likely to wish the book would end. No need to finish; it doesn't get much better.
The book includes a single suspenseful scene, already revealed in the prologue, where Nell faces the murderer. After that, several characters do personality flip-flops, and long-standing grudges are resolved - not at all convincing. All in all, The Double Cross is disappointing after the first two books of the series. I plan to read the next book, The Devil's Puzzle, in which I hope the author regained her style.
Nell Fitzgerald fled a broken marriage and high-powered life in New York City, to live with her aunt Eleanor in the small town of Archers Rest. Eleanor owns the town's quilt shop, Someday Quilts. Eleanor's friends and fellow quilters warmly welcomed Nell into their quilting group. Her inquisitive nature has led Nell to unofficially investigate recent murders in town, and she has been able to provide police chief Jesse with information that was useful to solving the crimes. He is a widower with a young daughter, and Nell is strongly attracted to him, although his law enforcement responsibilties often interfere with scheduling dates.
In Double Cross, Nell's quilter friend Susanne has been hired to teach a Journal Quilting class at a week-long quilt retreat in Winston, a sleepy town in the Adirondacks. Nell and Eleanor decide to attend the retreat, as well as their quilter friend Bernie. She was high-school sweethearts with George Olnhausen, the owner of Patchwork B & B where the retreat is to be held.
The Someday Quilters arrive in Winston and are shocked at the shabby rundown condition of the inn. Next they learn that George and Rita Olnhausen don't know anything at all about quilting. Nor do they seem to care about quilting, or about each other. First day of class, it turns out the students from Winston aren't quilters either, but were pressured by George and Rita to sign up. Nell starts investigating the Olnhausens' background, since the setup is so odd.
Jesse comes to Winston (it's never explained why) and together he and Nell find a murder victim. From this point the story pace drags. The quilt class members daily roam the woods for artistic inspiration, Nell gets lost several times in the woods with Eleanor's golden retriever Barney, items go missing from the inn then reappear days later.
The Winston characters have unconvincing, one-dimensional personalities. The murder victim is not a likable, sympathetic character for the reader to care about. The victim's spouse does not grieve, and repeatedly accuses Nell of being odd when she helps out with friendly gestures.
Nell employs good investigative skills, following up on the clues. She and Eleanor make an unfounded assumption that the local police chief is just trying to pin the murder on one of their friends, rather than truly solve it. This assumption is completely unwarranted, since they have just met the chief, and he has not given any indication he is just looking for a quick arrest. In fact, he appreciates the information Nell has acquired, and welcomes her assistance. Another oddity in this installment is that Jesse is fully supportive and encouraging for Nell to solve the crime, unlike the opposition he has presented in previous books (perhaps because it's not his own turf? - that's not very believable; he's still an officer of the law and she's not).
The problem with the story is that Nell's discoveries are mostly buried under the daily tedium. It's hard to care about this mystery. At one point the Someday Quilters are all longing to go home and leave Winston and its crime behind them; at that point the reader is likely to wish the book would end. No need to finish; it doesn't get much better.
The book includes a single suspenseful scene, already revealed in the prologue, where Nell faces the murderer. After that, several characters do personality flip-flops, and long-standing grudges are resolved - not at all convincing. All in all, The Double Cross is disappointing after the first two books of the series. I plan to read the next book, The Devil's Puzzle, in which I hope the author regained her style.
November 9, 2010
Clare O Donohue knows how to write a fantastic read that's for sure. Susanne one of the quilting lady's in the Someday Quilt Mysteries was asked to go upstate to teach a quilting at a B&B, so Susanne and a few of her Quilting Friends packed up and went with her. Come to find out no one there wanted to learn to quilt at first, and was pressured into it by a man named George Olnhausen. One of the members of the Someday Quilts group had a past with George and Rita his wife and while at the B&B Nell and Jesse( my favorite characters) find trouble just like they do in the first two books lol. First a dead dog... then 2 dead bodies. Who killed the dog and two people?? I LOVE Clare's books I find it hard to write a review when I LOVE a book because I could ramble and give the book away lol... I like reviews that give JUST enough info to draw you in and not give you answers.... Please read this book to find out who the murderer is.... do Nell and Jesse stay friends or do they finally realize they love each other??? Do all the people who took the Quilting class start to enjoy quilting or do they decided to stop? This book is AWESOME if I could rate it 10 it would be a 10..... but since we go up to 5 it is a FULL 5 stars for sure.~!
If you have never read the 1st and second book Book #1 The Lovers Knot Starts the Series off with a bang Nell and her fiance brake up and she moves from the big city to the Quiet town where her grandma owns a Quilt shop the Someday Quilt .... and of course there is a MURDER in this book and some fun twist and turns.
Book 2 A drunkards Path Eleanor and Nell have a murder in their backyard ... whoever it is has been in the house and Jesse who likes Nell begs her to stay out of the investigation ( and she does not lol) need to read to find out who the murder is ..... if Nell was apart of it ...... if Jesse and Nell are an Item or friends..... this book is a great read as well.
I am a slow reader( or I seam to think so lol) each book can be read in one day if your a fast reader it takes me 2 to read them.... I love Clare's books NOW I am trying to patiently wait on book 4 lol.
Thank You Clare for giving me the chance to read your books and review I love your books and can't get enough of them :)
I got my book free of charge for an honest review :)
If you have never read the 1st and second book Book #1 The Lovers Knot Starts the Series off with a bang Nell and her fiance brake up and she moves from the big city to the Quiet town where her grandma owns a Quilt shop the Someday Quilt .... and of course there is a MURDER in this book and some fun twist and turns.
Book 2 A drunkards Path Eleanor and Nell have a murder in their backyard ... whoever it is has been in the house and Jesse who likes Nell begs her to stay out of the investigation ( and she does not lol) need to read to find out who the murder is ..... if Nell was apart of it ...... if Jesse and Nell are an Item or friends..... this book is a great read as well.
I am a slow reader( or I seam to think so lol) each book can be read in one day if your a fast reader it takes me 2 to read them.... I love Clare's books NOW I am trying to patiently wait on book 4 lol.
Thank You Clare for giving me the chance to read your books and review I love your books and can't get enough of them :)
I got my book free of charge for an honest review :)
December 25, 2013
The third book in the Someday Quilts series takes the group away from home. Susanne has been asked to teach a quilting workshop at a new bed and breakfast, but there is some controversy as the inn is owned by a former beau of their friend Bernie, George, and his wife, Rita, once a good friend. Despite her initial anger, she decides to join Eleanor, Nell, and Susanne at the retreat. When they arrive, they find it is rather rundown and find that the quilting students are locals that have been roped into attending the class. Odd things keep disappearing from the house, which is rumored to have held a treasure of a former owner. When George is murdered and Bernie is implicated, the quilters band together to find the guilty party. There are a few things that don't quite add up, including Jesse unexpectedly showing up and staying for the entire time, aiding in the police investigation, along with some of the backstory behind Rita and George and their estranged daughter. Barney, the elderly golden retriever plays an important role in advancing the plot forward. Not the strongest book in the series, but it was okay.
July 26, 2011
This was an okay, but not great, book. I liked the first two books in the series better. I don't know if they actually were better, or maybe I'm just less willing to overlook things with each subsequent book. They're basically light summer reading--enjoyable enough for that purpose but nothing that warrants more stars than I'm giving it. Also, I try not to be nitpicky about this type of thing but the Kindle version had a lot of typos in it. I mean capital A capital L a lot. Enough to be distracting. I don't know if they were in the original book version as well--not sure how the transition from print to Kindle works in a publishing house. In any case, very sloppy proofreading. It just gives you the sense that the publishers don't respect the readers enough to try harder. That all being said, I will continue to read further books in the series--I'm in the mood for light reading, and they fit that bill.
October 10, 2012
Clare O'Donohue's new Nell Fitzgerald mystery takes the group on an excursion to a bed and breakfast that is being opened, designed to cater to quilting retreats. But when they arrive, the B&B is very shabby, the renovations are incomplete, and the owners don't seem to know or care much about quilting.
Soon, there is a murder and one of their own is a suspect. What has happened?
This is an entertaining, light read, but much about the plot does not make sense. Every time I read one of these, I come away convinced that O'Donoghue must not quilt herself. It is as if she reads an occasional quilting magazine and then throws some buzzwords into her next book. In this book, Nell supposedly assembles and tries out a long arm machine for the first time and uses it for stitch-in-the-ditch quilting. Ummm . . . stitching in the ditch is the easiest method for a home sewing machine, but is a difficult thing to do on a long arm.
Must remember not to read any more of these.
Soon, there is a murder and one of their own is a suspect. What has happened?
This is an entertaining, light read, but much about the plot does not make sense. Every time I read one of these, I come away convinced that O'Donoghue must not quilt herself. It is as if she reads an occasional quilting magazine and then throws some buzzwords into her next book. In this book, Nell supposedly assembles and tries out a long arm machine for the first time and uses it for stitch-in-the-ditch quilting. Ummm . . . stitching in the ditch is the easiest method for a home sewing machine, but is a difficult thing to do on a long arm.
Must remember not to read any more of these.
March 7, 2011
"From Booklist -
The Someday Quilts group in Archer’s Rest, New York, is asked to lead a quilting workshop at the new Patchwork Bed-and-Breakfast. The retreat, however, seems to be jinxed from the start. The bed-and-breakfast clearly is not ready for the public, and those signed up for the workshops have little to no quilting experience. When a body is found in the woods and one of the Someday Quilters is the chief suspect, it’s clear that the excursion was not one of the group’s better ideas. Nell Fitzgerald leads the way in finding out who was really responsible for the murder, with the help of the other crafty ladies and her very own policeman friend Jesse Dewalt. This charming cozy series continues to entertain, thanks to its endearing cast of characters and, of course, to the numerous quilting hints liberally interspersed throughout the text. --Judy Coon"
The Someday Quilts group in Archer’s Rest, New York, is asked to lead a quilting workshop at the new Patchwork Bed-and-Breakfast. The retreat, however, seems to be jinxed from the start. The bed-and-breakfast clearly is not ready for the public, and those signed up for the workshops have little to no quilting experience. When a body is found in the woods and one of the Someday Quilters is the chief suspect, it’s clear that the excursion was not one of the group’s better ideas. Nell Fitzgerald leads the way in finding out who was really responsible for the murder, with the help of the other crafty ladies and her very own policeman friend Jesse Dewalt. This charming cozy series continues to entertain, thanks to its endearing cast of characters and, of course, to the numerous quilting hints liberally interspersed throughout the text. --Judy Coon"
March 8, 2012
Our favorite quilting team follows Suzanne to a quilt teaching job, for a week, at a Bed and Breakfast owned by Bernie's former high school love and his wife. As the friends find out, there is far more going on than just an uncomfortable reunion.
Nell Fitzgerald, sleuth and young quilter, finds herself having to absolve Bernie from murder charges when George, the owner of the B& B, and Bernie's former love, is found murdered.
This story was good but I found it rather rambling to me. Unlike the previous books, there was little quilting and more wandering around. I had a bit of trouble liking any of the new characters or becoming invested in the search for justice.
I did like Chief Jesse's coming to the rescue of Nell though. I thought his part could have been more important.
Overall, I do like the series. Just not this particular book this time.
Nell Fitzgerald, sleuth and young quilter, finds herself having to absolve Bernie from murder charges when George, the owner of the B& B, and Bernie's former love, is found murdered.
This story was good but I found it rather rambling to me. Unlike the previous books, there was little quilting and more wandering around. I had a bit of trouble liking any of the new characters or becoming invested in the search for justice.
I did like Chief Jesse's coming to the rescue of Nell though. I thought his part could have been more important.
Overall, I do like the series. Just not this particular book this time.
October 10, 2010
Third in a series, Nell and some of her group go for a quilting weekend. Unfortunately, when they arrive at the B&B, it's not what they expected. It's rundown and the people in charge don't seem to have a clue about quilting. So, why are they really there?
Also, Bernie, one of the members, is well acquainted with the man and woman in charge. Then there's a body and things get sinister.
My biggest problem with the novel is Nell's attitude of entitlement to just snoop and then snoop some more. It's a little over the top even for a cozy and I have to say she was a bit full of herself.
On the positive side, her on again, off again boyfriend Jesse finally decides that he is okay with her snooping, which was their main bone of contention in the last two novels.
Also, Bernie, one of the members, is well acquainted with the man and woman in charge. Then there's a body and things get sinister.
My biggest problem with the novel is Nell's attitude of entitlement to just snoop and then snoop some more. It's a little over the top even for a cozy and I have to say she was a bit full of herself.
On the positive side, her on again, off again boyfriend Jesse finally decides that he is okay with her snooping, which was their main bone of contention in the last two novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2011
Like a good mystery? Like Quilts? Well, this book has it all. Mystery, suspense and of course Quilts. I'm a quilter myself so this book grabbed me when I read the synopsis. I also like murder mysteries. So this book was a great combination. As the ladies pack up to go to the retreat there is a mystery revolving around one of them. It seems that the person holding the retreat is an old boyfriend and his wife is the woman who took him away from her. And then a body shows up and one of the ladies is the prime suspect. Can Nell and the rest of the quilt club clear their friend? What happens to the old boyfriend? Who will have to read the book to find out.
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