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A Quilting Mystery #1
Forget Me Knot
Welcome to San Fernando Valley, California, where Martha Rose and her coterie of quilters are enjoying life on the good side of retirement—until murder pulls a stitch out of their plans…
Martha and her besties Lucy and Birdie are set to expand their Quilty Tuesdays by inviting newcomer Claire Terry into their group. Though at forty Claire’s a tad younger than their average age, her crafty reputation could perk up their patchwork proceedings, especially as they prepare for the fancy quilt show coming to town. But when they arrive at Claire’s home and find her dead inside the front door, and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts soon missing, Martha is not one to leave a mystery unraveled. Especially if she wants to stop a killer from establishing a deadly pattern…
“Mary Marks had me on pins and needles and wanting to wrap myself up in a warm quilt while reading her cozy debut!” —Lee Hollis, author of Death of a Chocoholic
“Mary Marks has stitched together a very clever plot with a cast of engaging characters in this funny, fast-paced debut mystery. I loved Martha Rose and her posse of crime-solving quilters and can’t wait to read what they’re up to next!” —Laura Levine, author of Killing Cupid
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
378 people are currently reading
1772 people want to read
About the author
Mary Marks
16 books305 followersMary Marks became an award-winning quilter after an early retirement from her job in administration on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles. After twelve years of sewing twenty four/seven, she came up for a breath and started writing about some of the nearly one hundred quilts she’d created.
Then the writing bug bit her. She was off to the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program for classes. A love of reading mysteries led her to take a four-day mystery writing workshop where she discovered a new creative passion.
Her first novel, FORGET ME KNOT, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic Competition of 2011. Out of that success came the Martha Rose quilting mystery series.
In addition to her own writing, Mary reviews cozy mysteries for New York Journal of Books online.
Mary was born in Los Angeles and grew up in L.A. and the San Francisco Bay Area. She moved back to Southern California to attend UCLA and earned a BA in Anthropology. The next years were spent raising three children. She enrolled in the American Jewish University in L.A. and earned an MA in Public Administration and Management.
She held administrative positions at UCLA until a physical condition stemming from a bout with childhood polio forced her into early retirement. She moved to Israel for a year and returned to L.A. to start her adventures in quilting and murder.
To read more about Mary, check out this interview with Ember Living
You Tube Oral History Interview
Then the writing bug bit her. She was off to the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program for classes. A love of reading mysteries led her to take a four-day mystery writing workshop where she discovered a new creative passion.
Her first novel, FORGET ME KNOT, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic Competition of 2011. Out of that success came the Martha Rose quilting mystery series.
In addition to her own writing, Mary reviews cozy mysteries for New York Journal of Books online.
Mary was born in Los Angeles and grew up in L.A. and the San Francisco Bay Area. She moved back to Southern California to attend UCLA and earned a BA in Anthropology. The next years were spent raising three children. She enrolled in the American Jewish University in L.A. and earned an MA in Public Administration and Management.
She held administrative positions at UCLA until a physical condition stemming from a bout with childhood polio forced her into early retirement. She moved to Israel for a year and returned to L.A. to start her adventures in quilting and murder.
To read more about Mary, check out this interview with Ember Living
You Tube Oral History Interview
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
December 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this first book in a cozy series. It had so much to offer - great plot and very good mystery. It was a little dark too. The murderer wasn't obvious but there were excellent clues laid all the way through. Martha is a really fun character and loved her two quilting buddies. Know I am going to enjoy Bumper and Arthur in future books and the Detective has his hands full. Loved the humour in this book. Have already requested the next two books from the library.
May 25, 2019
Martha Rose and her friends Lucy and Birdie was considering expanding their Tuesday quilting group, but when they show up to Claire Terry’s house that Tuesday morning, they find Claire’s dead body. Then, one of her quilts is stolen from an expo that weekend, and Martha really begins to wonder what is happening. Is the quilt theft related to Claire’s death?
I don’t tend to pick up as many crafting cozies as I do other sub-genres, but I’m glad I made an exception for this book. The pacing was a little uneven early on, but the book is setting up a great second half, and that half completely had me hooked as the twists began to come quickly, leading to a great climax. The book does venture into some darker waters for a cozy, but I felt it handled them well. The characters, both series regulars and suspects, are all strong, and I really began to like the main trio by the end. I did find the very occasional political sniping in the first half a little off putting. I suspect it was supposed to be funny, but I didn’t find it that way. Hopefully, this is dropped as the series progresses. Unlike many cozies, this one is set in the suburban sprawl of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. This is just south of where I live, so I enjoyed seeing places I recognize in the book, and I still felt this had the cozy charm despite the larger setting. It is easy to see why this series has done well, and I hope to find time for the sequel at some point soon.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
I don’t tend to pick up as many crafting cozies as I do other sub-genres, but I’m glad I made an exception for this book. The pacing was a little uneven early on, but the book is setting up a great second half, and that half completely had me hooked as the twists began to come quickly, leading to a great climax. The book does venture into some darker waters for a cozy, but I felt it handled them well. The characters, both series regulars and suspects, are all strong, and I really began to like the main trio by the end. I did find the very occasional political sniping in the first half a little off putting. I suspect it was supposed to be funny, but I didn’t find it that way. Hopefully, this is dropped as the series progresses. Unlike many cozies, this one is set in the suburban sprawl of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. This is just south of where I live, so I enjoyed seeing places I recognize in the book, and I still felt this had the cozy charm despite the larger setting. It is easy to see why this series has done well, and I hope to find time for the sequel at some point soon.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
April 7, 2017
As a member of Quilty Tuesday, Martha Rose was so excited to greets a new member for her club. The fact that the upcoming member is also a quilter who have sold a lot of pieces with an expensive price, makes Martha and another member more excited.
But then, some unfortunate things happens before they got to know more about Claire Terry, the infamous quilter. Martha, Birdie, and Lucy finds Claire dead in her house. When things seems couldnt get worse, they also found out that the piece that worths a lot of money is also missing. It is now up to Martha to found the piece and also found the killer.
As a fan of Miss Marple, i always love a mature heroines. People tend to underestimated them, when actually they are the one who sees and hears anything. But i didnt expected to like this book so much. Martha is a fun and lovable character that made me fall in love with her in the first few chapter. I would definitely read the next book from this series.
February 15, 2024
Wasn't bad, just wasn't great either. This is a standard cozy, but I had trouble getting into it. I will give the author credit the clue trail was a new idea to me, and so interesting.
January 9, 2014
I give Forget Me Knot * * * * stars.
Released on the 7th January 2014, I was lucky enough to be offered a review copy through NetGalley. Even though this book is based around a little known hobby in the UK – quilting – it didn’t matter, I still found it a very enjoyable read and the author explains the hobby in a way that non-quilters will still understand.
Even though this is in fact, a murder mystery novel, it’s by no means dark and upsetting. Far from it in fact – I found myself surrounded by beautiful fabric and enjoying the friendships the three female characters had. It was refreshing that these ladies – Martha, Lucy & Birdie – were older too. I felt their aches & pains, their hot flushes and the highs and lows surrounding the murder they found themselves accidently embroiled so deeply into.
It is the first time I have ever read a novel that mentions fibromyalgia, the little known chronic pain condition I too suffer with and it made me feel all the more for Martha, the sufferer and main character of the story.
There is a lot of quilting talk surrounding the entire book, but that really doesn’t stop the enjoyment of the novel as a whole. The ‘whodunit’ mystery is intriguing and you find yourself trying to piece together the facts as you read them and wanting to help Martha come to her assumptions.. it’s very well written and draws you in to the drama right to the very end.
This style of book is a new genre (to the UK) called cozy mysteries (or for us Brits cosy) and Forget Me Knot is author Mary Marks’ first novel in the series. Mary has overall written a clever prose with an engaging cast of likable characters and a convincing murder to be solved.
On these cold winter nights, what better than to get cosy, get in your onesie, get Forget Me Knot and get yourself settled – with your quilt of course – on the sofa!
Released on the 7th January 2014, I was lucky enough to be offered a review copy through NetGalley. Even though this book is based around a little known hobby in the UK – quilting – it didn’t matter, I still found it a very enjoyable read and the author explains the hobby in a way that non-quilters will still understand.
Even though this is in fact, a murder mystery novel, it’s by no means dark and upsetting. Far from it in fact – I found myself surrounded by beautiful fabric and enjoying the friendships the three female characters had. It was refreshing that these ladies – Martha, Lucy & Birdie – were older too. I felt their aches & pains, their hot flushes and the highs and lows surrounding the murder they found themselves accidently embroiled so deeply into.
It is the first time I have ever read a novel that mentions fibromyalgia, the little known chronic pain condition I too suffer with and it made me feel all the more for Martha, the sufferer and main character of the story.
There is a lot of quilting talk surrounding the entire book, but that really doesn’t stop the enjoyment of the novel as a whole. The ‘whodunit’ mystery is intriguing and you find yourself trying to piece together the facts as you read them and wanting to help Martha come to her assumptions.. it’s very well written and draws you in to the drama right to the very end.
This style of book is a new genre (to the UK) called cozy mysteries (or for us Brits cosy) and Forget Me Knot is author Mary Marks’ first novel in the series. Mary has overall written a clever prose with an engaging cast of likable characters and a convincing murder to be solved.
On these cold winter nights, what better than to get cosy, get in your onesie, get Forget Me Knot and get yourself settled – with your quilt of course – on the sofa!
January 16, 2016
Martha and her besties Lucy and Birdie are set to expand their Quilty Tuesdays by inviting newcomer Claire Terry into their group. Though at forty Claire’s a tad younger than their average age, her crafty reputation could perk up their patchwork proceedings, especially as they prepare for the fancy quilt show coming to town. But when they arrive at Claire’s home and find her dead inside the front door, and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts soon missing, Martha is not one to leave a mystery unraveled. Especially if she wants to stop a killer from establishing a deadly pattern…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Before my accident I was a avid quilter and it is one of the things I miss most but reading books like this let me escape back into the world of quilting with the mystery of a dead body thrown in just for fun. I would love to be part of Martha, Lucy and Birdie’s Quilty Tuesday group.
I can’t believe this is the author’s first cozy, she has nailed it perfectly.
Fabulous, real characters. I love Martha. I can relate because I am 50ish, overweight, love food, hate to cook and a horrible failure when it comes to dieting. She also has great friends, loves to quilt and likes to solve mysteries. But she does put herself in danger and does break a few laws which even land her behind bars. Something I have thankfully not experienced :)
Marks also tackles some powerful issues in this story. There is a mystery behind the mystery that just broke my heart. I was impressed how this subplot was presented and revealed. As a quilter I know that many quilts tell a story but after reading Forget Me Knot I will never look at a quilt the same way again.
This is a perfectly plotted and paced story with some very surprising twists that have stuck with me well beyond the final page.
A wonderful way to start to 2014!!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Before my accident I was a avid quilter and it is one of the things I miss most but reading books like this let me escape back into the world of quilting with the mystery of a dead body thrown in just for fun. I would love to be part of Martha, Lucy and Birdie’s Quilty Tuesday group.
I can’t believe this is the author’s first cozy, she has nailed it perfectly.
Fabulous, real characters. I love Martha. I can relate because I am 50ish, overweight, love food, hate to cook and a horrible failure when it comes to dieting. She also has great friends, loves to quilt and likes to solve mysteries. But she does put herself in danger and does break a few laws which even land her behind bars. Something I have thankfully not experienced :)
Marks also tackles some powerful issues in this story. There is a mystery behind the mystery that just broke my heart. I was impressed how this subplot was presented and revealed. As a quilter I know that many quilts tell a story but after reading Forget Me Knot I will never look at a quilt the same way again.
This is a perfectly plotted and paced story with some very surprising twists that have stuck with me well beyond the final page.
A wonderful way to start to 2014!!
August 20, 2015
The first book in a new quilting series. We meet the Quilty Ladies who meet every Tuesday for a number of years and have become BFF. Birdie Watson in her seventies, short, knees bothering, married over fifty years, Lucy Mondello,in her sixties, tall and slim, married over 50 years, Catholic , love affair and the MC , Martha Rose 55 years, divorce, short and heavy, Jewish. Arlo Beavers and last Bumper, an orange cat and Arthur, retired police dog. Mary Marks has skillfully blended these unusual individuals into a strong story. The Quilty Ladies go to meet a quilting friend, Claire and find her dead. Martha is asked to find the message in Claire's quilts. Martha and friends need to find the answer in order to save her life. The series is a must read and I recommend it.
June 26, 2018
Martha Rose, Lucy and Birdie meet each Tuesday morning to quilt and chat (they take it in turns to go to each others houses), they are thinking about a fourth member to join them, Claire Terry is well known in the local quilting circles as an exceptional quilter and she has invited them to come over for a quilting session on this particular Tuesday. However when they arrive there is no answer to the doorbell and when they peer through the window of the house they see a pair of feet. Having been let in by a neighbour they find Claire dead, and from then on in the momentum keeps building with theft, arrest, and intimidation being only the start of it!
This is a great start to what I think will be another wonderful crafting cozy series, there is a little bit of repetition (re calories for instance - but as a larger lady myself I suspect I noticed that a little more than most!), I would like a few more patchwork/quilting tips (maybe at the end of the book) but the lack of them certainly doesn't detract from a fun addition to the cozy "stable".
This is a great start to what I think will be another wonderful crafting cozy series, there is a little bit of repetition (re calories for instance - but as a larger lady myself I suspect I noticed that a little more than most!), I would like a few more patchwork/quilting tips (maybe at the end of the book) but the lack of them certainly doesn't detract from a fun addition to the cozy "stable".
January 20, 2018
3.5 Stars- Some of the plot was too unbelievable for my taste but the main character was very likable. The ending was a little far fetched but the book on the whole was a good read. It’ll be worth checking out the next book in this cozy mystery series someday.
December 26, 2013
I received an advance copy from the Goodreads giveaway. I hadn't read a cozy in a while, so this was nice. This is the author's first book, though, and it does read a bit like that. There are some places I feel the story could have been edited, as I'm not sure the author found her pace quite yet. There were times when the story moved right along, and other times when it seemed to slow down for unnecessarily long descriptions. There were several paragraphs about making a grilled cheese at one point, for example, and when Martha ended up in jail it dragged on and on. I just felt there were some things that ended up being too much. As it was a quilting mystery, I had been expecting descriptions when it came to quilting-related things, and that would have been fine, but some of the other details were too much.
As far as the mystery went, it was fun. I have a hard time rating these kinds of things, but I think everything added up all right enough, and I liked the part the quilts played in the mystery. I did have a difficult time believing . I think the only other thing that most annoyed me was .
All in all, though, it seemed about average for a cozy, so it gets an average score. It was a nice, light read, and did a few times make me want to get up and return to a few sewing projects I haven't yet finished.
As far as the mystery went, it was fun. I have a hard time rating these kinds of things, but I think everything added up all right enough, and I liked the part the quilts played in the mystery. I did have a difficult time believing . I think the only other thing that most annoyed me was .
All in all, though, it seemed about average for a cozy, so it gets an average score. It was a nice, light read, and did a few times make me want to get up and return to a few sewing projects I haven't yet finished.
January 19, 2014
I have had such marvelous success lately with cozy mysteries, and this new series is no exception. I have never read any of those "quilting mystery" books that are so popular on the internet these days, but this one is certainly not to be missed. Just to give you an idea of how rapidly I read it, I began on a Friday, and by the end of work that day, I was more than halfway through the book. It was then a swift finish on Saturday afternoon, and I genuinely never wanted to set the book down. I will also say that I did not figure out "who done it." I determined it was not who everyone believed it was, but the cleverness of the story line was quite refreshing.
Again, no graphic sex (implied, but not detailed), and essentially no profanity. If there was any, it was so minimal that I have forgotten it. I could exonerate Martha's (the main character shares my daughter's name) Democratic affiliation because she was so amiable. And it is as though she just happens to be in the right place at the right time, and she never gives up. Since this is the first in the series, there should be plenty more in the future. The romance should keep things pretty hot for many more books to come.
I appreciated the humor in this book, and I am quite astounded that this is Mary Marks's first mystery. I can highly recommend this one, and don't let the length of the book keep you from checking it out. Because her writing style is so down-to-earth, you will find it a quick read. Concerned that the age of the sleuth will not keep things riveting? (Martha is in her 50's.) It is clear that this woman is sharp, quick-witted, and downright lovable!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
Again, no graphic sex (implied, but not detailed), and essentially no profanity. If there was any, it was so minimal that I have forgotten it. I could exonerate Martha's (the main character shares my daughter's name) Democratic affiliation because she was so amiable. And it is as though she just happens to be in the right place at the right time, and she never gives up. Since this is the first in the series, there should be plenty more in the future. The romance should keep things pretty hot for many more books to come.
I appreciated the humor in this book, and I am quite astounded that this is Mary Marks's first mystery. I can highly recommend this one, and don't let the length of the book keep you from checking it out. Because her writing style is so down-to-earth, you will find it a quick read. Concerned that the age of the sleuth will not keep things riveting? (Martha is in her 50's.) It is clear that this woman is sharp, quick-witted, and downright lovable!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
February 3, 2014
Being a Quilter myself, I looked forward to the start of a new quilting series. The book description sounds great, so I purchased it, and grabbed some coffee, and really looked forward to reading about a QUILTING MYSTERY. In the first chapter, 3 % into the first chapter, the author somehow felt it necessary to call someone a psycho because she "voted for Bush and stole your antique scissors." So, I guess if anyone voted for Bush, in this author's opinion, it makes you psycho and a thief. Really??? In a quilt mystery??? Is that really necessary? I'm all for freedom of speech, and believe we are all entitled to our own opinions, but when a book author puts filth like this in a quilting fiction book, I think it's disgusting. Write a book about politics if you feel that strongly, but I wanted to read a cozy quilting mystery. I'm going to see if I can get my money back, I'm not even interested in finishing the book. I probably would have loved it had that been left out. Maybe the author can take note, should she wish to continue, that when you insult your readers in the first chapters, they don't want to pay their hard earned money to be called names.
June 22, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Martha is a very likable character as well as her best friends and quilting buddies Lucy and Birdie. I loved the multiple mystery of murder and theft. I got a little irritated when Martha doesn't share well with police but it was easily overlooked because clues just kept popping up and what interesting clues they were. I found the whole idea fascinating and the whole wow factor of the background mystery. It definitely had my jaw dropping quite a few times. I will definitely continue on with this series.
June 5, 2019
Forget Me Knot is the first book A Quilting Mystery series. Although I normally do not like the crafting cozies, the quilting information was actually interesting in this one. The book was actually better than I expected. I would have rated it higher if not for the political comments throughout the book. Whether I agree or disagree is hardly the point. I do not feel that this is the right forum for political comments. Due to this, I will not read more by this author. 3 stars
August 24, 2019
San Fernando Valley, California is where
Martha Rose resides. Martha is a quilter.
She belongs to the Quilty Tuesday’s Club
with her best friends, Lucy and Birdie.
They all are members of the Fernando
Valley Quilt Guild where they enter their
quilts in their contests.
The Tuesday group invites Claire Terry, a
prize winning quilter to join their group.
They arrive at her house to find her dead.
Who would have murdered Claire? What
was Claire hiding?
Then at the quilting exhibit of the prize
winning quilts....Claire winning quilt along
with Birdie’s and Claire’s entries are stolen.
Why would anyone want to steal them?
Was the robbery connected to the murder?
A living, relatable cast of characters involved
in a well plotted, original mystery. The secret
is in the quilts!!!
A very informative mystery about the process
of quilting, the types of blocks and supplies
needed.
Martha Rose resides. Martha is a quilter.
She belongs to the Quilty Tuesday’s Club
with her best friends, Lucy and Birdie.
They all are members of the Fernando
Valley Quilt Guild where they enter their
quilts in their contests.
The Tuesday group invites Claire Terry, a
prize winning quilter to join their group.
They arrive at her house to find her dead.
Who would have murdered Claire? What
was Claire hiding?
Then at the quilting exhibit of the prize
winning quilts....Claire winning quilt along
with Birdie’s and Claire’s entries are stolen.
Why would anyone want to steal them?
Was the robbery connected to the murder?
A living, relatable cast of characters involved
in a well plotted, original mystery. The secret
is in the quilts!!!
A very informative mystery about the process
of quilting, the types of blocks and supplies
needed.
December 25, 2022
This is the start of a mystery series a friend has been reading. The mystery isn’t bad, since I didn’t guess whodunnit but the detective is awful. She repeatedly tells everyone, especially the suspects, all sorts of sensitive info such as whether she though the person Dunn it or some other crime. She did do some solid detecting and the quilting part did add to the story. The romance was fun, if far too instalove for my taste. Recommended for quilters!
January 3, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book which is first in the serie. It was interesting to read about quilting and I like main character Martha and her friends Lucy and Birdie. However the mystery is darker than in other cozy mysteries. I have already ready the second book which I will read soon.
January 16, 2024
This was really good! I enjoyed Martha as a main character and it was fun solving the case with her. It was interesting seeing how the quilts played a part in the resolution. I also enjoyed all the other characters and look forward to reading more.
January 10, 2014
Forget Me Knot by Mary Marks is a January 2014 Kensington publication. I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fifty-five year old Martha Rose and fellow quilting club members are meeting a new member, Claire, at her home. Upon arrival however, they find Claire is dead. Something doesn't add up and before long it is determined that Claire was murdered. But, who would want Claire dead?
When Claire's mother contacts Martha and ask her see if she can determine a message in the beautiful quilts Claire had made, Martha becomes a target herself.
A quilting themed cozy mystery and the first in a new series was a solid start to what could be a long running series. The mystery surrounding Claire and her messages woven into her prize winning quilts, hits home for Martha in a very personal way as she decides that it is time to find out more about the father she never knew. There is also a little bit of an edge to this cozy by addressing certain hard to discuss issues. There was of course some really funny moments as well, and just little bit of romance.
I really like the protagonist being a "mature" person and still having a nice and active life. Martha is still experiencing the pain of a lonely childhood where her mother was distant and her grandmother has to raise her. Martha also has a great crew of friends and they all rally around each other when a crisis arises, and they cheer each other on when they have a good thing going in their lives as well.
Once this series gets going, I think the characters will come to life a little more and we will see the personalities become more solid and before long will be like old friends to us.
I would recommend this one to all lovers of cozy mysteries, even if you are not a quilter or know anything about quilting. I don't quilt, but I found all the information about it very interesting.
Overall this one is an A-
Fifty-five year old Martha Rose and fellow quilting club members are meeting a new member, Claire, at her home. Upon arrival however, they find Claire is dead. Something doesn't add up and before long it is determined that Claire was murdered. But, who would want Claire dead?
When Claire's mother contacts Martha and ask her see if she can determine a message in the beautiful quilts Claire had made, Martha becomes a target herself.
A quilting themed cozy mystery and the first in a new series was a solid start to what could be a long running series. The mystery surrounding Claire and her messages woven into her prize winning quilts, hits home for Martha in a very personal way as she decides that it is time to find out more about the father she never knew. There is also a little bit of an edge to this cozy by addressing certain hard to discuss issues. There was of course some really funny moments as well, and just little bit of romance.
I really like the protagonist being a "mature" person and still having a nice and active life. Martha is still experiencing the pain of a lonely childhood where her mother was distant and her grandmother has to raise her. Martha also has a great crew of friends and they all rally around each other when a crisis arises, and they cheer each other on when they have a good thing going in their lives as well.
Once this series gets going, I think the characters will come to life a little more and we will see the personalities become more solid and before long will be like old friends to us.
I would recommend this one to all lovers of cozy mysteries, even if you are not a quilter or know anything about quilting. I don't quilt, but I found all the information about it very interesting.
Overall this one is an A-
August 29, 2016
I can't believe how much I enjoyed this book even though I am not a quilter. I am sure quilters will enjoy it even more. I was looking for something light to read after starting to heavier books and needing to put them aside for another break.
I love the characters, especially of course Martha. She's an amateur sleuth in her fifties and seems to keep showing up at the crime scene. Martha and her friends meet every Tuesday morning for the quilting get together. The book opens with them on their way to the home of Claire, who is going to join the group. They arrive to find Claire's body in her living room. The police become involved as they investigate and quilts are stolen, houses ransacked as the women learn more about Claire's family and life. There's a bit of romance which only adds to the investigation. There are clues and suspects and I couldn't figure out who did what until the very end.
I love the characters, especially of course Martha. She's an amateur sleuth in her fifties and seems to keep showing up at the crime scene. Martha and her friends meet every Tuesday morning for the quilting get together. The book opens with them on their way to the home of Claire, who is going to join the group. They arrive to find Claire's body in her living room. The police become involved as they investigate and quilts are stolen, houses ransacked as the women learn more about Claire's family and life. There's a bit of romance which only adds to the investigation. There are clues and suspects and I couldn't figure out who did what until the very end.
June 21, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! I usually treat myself to one or two cozy mysteries a month and this book was a great price and a great read!
I love crafts of any kind and the quilting information in this book was fabulous.
The mystery and the plot were well thought out.
There were twists and turns and every time I thought I figured it out, I was wrong!
I love a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat.
This is a definite must read for any cozy mystery fan!
I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I love crafts of any kind and the quilting information in this book was fabulous.
The mystery and the plot were well thought out.
There were twists and turns and every time I thought I figured it out, I was wrong!
I love a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat.
This is a definite must read for any cozy mystery fan!
I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
September 30, 2014
Honestly I stopping after a few pages. the author felt compelled to bash President Bush. honestly does she think we read books to hear the author's political views.
I just want a fun read, no politics, gun control comments or religion,
I would not ever buy another book by Mary Marks! Conservative women do not waste your hard earned money.
I just want a fun read, no politics, gun control comments or religion,
I would not ever buy another book by Mary Marks! Conservative women do not waste your hard earned money.
November 24, 2021
How could she have been 55 and been at an anti Vietnam war protest. The book was written in 2014-so the math
September 29, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
This is another series that's been on my list for quite some time, so I took advantage of my complimentary Kindle Unlimited subscription to read the first book. It was nice to see a group of older women portrayed as competent, strong and intelligent, which doesn't happen often in cozies. As a wannabe quilter, I enjoyed the discussions about quilt techniques and patterns, but would love to have seen photos of some of the patterns discussed.
It appeared that the victim was well-liked, so there weren't many suspects to consider, although as the story progressed, the reader learns that a few of the characters had what could be considered motives. I suspected the identity of the killer before it was revealed in the book, although that person's motive was somewhat surprising. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
This is another series that's been on my list for quite some time, so I took advantage of my complimentary Kindle Unlimited subscription to read the first book. It was nice to see a group of older women portrayed as competent, strong and intelligent, which doesn't happen often in cozies. As a wannabe quilter, I enjoyed the discussions about quilt techniques and patterns, but would love to have seen photos of some of the patterns discussed.
It appeared that the victim was well-liked, so there weren't many suspects to consider, although as the story progressed, the reader learns that a few of the characters had what could be considered motives. I suspected the identity of the killer before it was revealed in the book, although that person's motive was somewhat surprising. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
September 27, 2018
If I could have given this book more than 5 stars I would have. I highly recommend this book. Martha and her quilting buddies are going to visit Claire a professional quilter who they hope will join their Tuesday morning quilting group. Instead of finding a new member they find a dead body. Someone has killed Claire. Martha offers to help Claire's mother gather all of Claire's quilts. This is where the story really gets good and I don't want to give anything away but it is the way that Martha discovers Claire's story and her killer that is so interesting. The concept makes for a fantastic story that will keep you turning pages. There are so many great characters in this book from Martha's quilting buddies to her quirky neighbors. There is also just enough romance that it didn't take away from the cozy. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
March 7, 2019
In general I liked the book and the tie in with quilting. I figured out the main clue set pretty early in the book, but enjoyed the characters so kept on to see if I was right. I found the emphasis on the main characters preoccupation with her weight a bit annoying and I thought some of her actions and the excuses a bit disingenuous. But I liked it well enough I plan to read another in this series.
February 15, 2022
An enjoyable read
This was an easy read, one that moved quickly. Being a quilter myself, it was fun to read about the main character’s sewing room, it could have been mine, and the quilt show which reminded me of the ones I had been to. Surprisingly, the plot was a lot more convoluted then I thought it was going to be so I found myself unable to put the book down. I wanted to see what the next twist would be. If you are looking for a quick, fun book, I highly recommend this.
This was an easy read, one that moved quickly. Being a quilter myself, it was fun to read about the main character’s sewing room, it could have been mine, and the quilt show which reminded me of the ones I had been to. Surprisingly, the plot was a lot more convoluted then I thought it was going to be so I found myself unable to put the book down. I wanted to see what the next twist would be. If you are looking for a quick, fun book, I highly recommend this.
June 5, 2024
Just a cozy mystery
January 16, 2024
This was more of a struggle than I expected.
June 2, 2024
Martha, Lucy, and Birdie are ready to expand their Quilty Tuesdays by inviting newcomer Claire into their group, although her skill level is above theirs. But when they arrive at Claire's home, they find her dead and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts missing. Martha, not one to leave a mystery unraveled, investigates. Lots of interesting quilt facts, red herrings, and romance.
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