Murder by Sunlight: The Charity Quilt

Theo and Tony Abernathy Mystery #5

by Barbara Graham

Tennessee Sheriff Tony Abernathy and his small staff are hoping the upcoming celebration of the nation?s birthday will be a quiet one. The quilters are hanging a show and antique cars promise to liven up the parade. Life is good. And then it?s not. A man?s body is found in a tree and suddenly the county?s whole population seems embroiled in mischief, mayhem or murder. Sweet little ladies are fighting at funerals. An intruder attacks with a hammer and wrench. A woman is murdered, left in a greenhouse and plants are stolen. Blackmail, midnight memorials and a spy game complicate Tony?s job. Theo, his wife, is designing a mystery quilt (pattern included) and gathering clues at her shop, "gossip central."

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

411 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2013

About the author

I grew up in the Texas Panhandle, except for a time while my dad was in the Navy and we lived in San Diego and Pearl Harbor. After college, in Denver, having been convinced by a professor that writing was not something I ought to pursue, I decided on a whim to move to New Orleans. Later I moved to East Tennessee to see what that was like. During those years I worked in the travel industry. After marrying, I returned to the Denver area and eventually my husband and I moved to Wyoming. I love it here and intend to stay until I am put away.

During all those years, I knew I had to write and managed to create the requisite number of unpublishable/unreadable novels before finally selling Murder by Serpents: The Mystery Quilt to Five Star/Gale.

Reviews

[Becky McElvene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an easy read. I found it at a thrift store and it sounded interesting so I grabbed it with no knowledge of the series. So, to be far, I have no idea if the previous books tie into this one at all. I enjoyed it, but found the plot to be a bit disconnected. The ending felt abrupt. It was like towards the end, the author decided to book needed to be over and wrapped up the cases the sheriff was working on with little connection to the rest of the storyline. Nothing tantalizing, but it was an easy fun read for inbetween my heavier reads.

[Shauna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable, cozy-type read in the Quilted Mystery Series. However, in this book there was little tie-in to the quilt shop and Theo; she was really a subordinate character this time. Also, the story does not wrap up cleanly. We do not find out who Alvin’s father is? what happens with Blossom?

I hope they are cleared up in the next book.

[Martha Reddinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Read!

The book is interesting. There are stories inside stories which builds your interest and keeps you reading. I think anyone who enjoys a mystery, but is not into the Gore of many, will find this an enjoyable read.

[Skjam! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway on the premise that I would review it.

It’s coming up on the Fourth of July in tiny Park County in Tennessee, and Sheriff Tony Abernathy must deal with not just the heat and increased traffic, but a sudden wave of crime. Someone is going around assaulting people in an attempt to find “Bob”, a man is found impaled on a tree, and a woman is murdered–by sunlight! Good thing the sheriff’s wife Theo runs the local quilting shop, where she can catch the gossip while a charity quilt is being made.

This is part of the “Quilted Mystery” series, none of which I have read before. Amusingly, the fact that several high-profile murders have occurred around one small town is acknowledged, and may be causing political problems for the sheriff.

The story reflects the business of a sheriff’s department, with many issues popping up, some connected to the main plotline, others mostly irrelevant. I found most of the characters likable, or at least believable–as often happens in murder mysteries, the central victim has a personality that leads you to question why she wasn’t murdered before this.

I really liked that volunteerism leads to at least one character having as happy an ending to their part in the story as is possible under the circumstances. And crafty people may enjoy putting together a quilt pattern that’s slowly revealed through the book.

It’s a good fast read and a fun mystery. Thrifty readers may want to check to see if there’s paperback editions of the earlier books, or consult the library, as the hardback is $25.95 new.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband read this book and thought I might like it. (Yes, I know, what's my husband doing reading a book about a quilting shop? I don't know the answer to that one.)

Although one of the main characters did own a quilting shop, most of the story centered around her husband, a sheriff who tries to unravel various problems and mysteries in a small town.

The characters often made strange decisions, but the story seemed to be more realistic to me than a more usual cop story in that he had so many unrelated cases and disturbances at once rather than being able to focus all his time and energy on just one case. Life is more like that - a lot of bizarre, unrelated things.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and although the sheriff tended to go for the antacid tablets to prevent stomach ulcers, I thought it gave a peaceful hometown sort of feeling.

The fight at the funeral had me laughing.

The author described the murderer as "the most blatantly stupid criminal in the world." I have to agree.

Favorite quotes:
"I quit thinking people would do anything sensible years ago. There is absolutely nothing rational about humans. We get straighter answers from caterpillars."

"I love it when we can find a bit of justice in the world."

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure at first if this would be my type of mystery. As soon as Sheriff Tony picked up the phone and the voice on the other end of the line said, "Sheriff, you're not going to like this." I was hooked. Especially when I noticed every time he picked up the phone it was a new part of the puzzle he wasn't going to like. The quilt got me to pick it up from the new book shelf at the library, but the mysteries kept me going. It was very Midsomer Murders with multiple mysteries all being tied neatly together. This made the story fast paced and enjoyable with all the characters. The characters Southern charm helped this book along. I think I'm really a Southern... it must've been reading Gone with the Wind at an impressionable age that did it, but something about Southern living and Southern characters always make a book more enjoyable for me.

[Jacqueline Seewald · Rating 5 out of 5]

County Sheriff Tony Abernathy of Silersville, Tennessee, is kept very busy with an explosive fireworks of crime before July 4th. He and his small group of deputies are called upon to investigate a number of serious crimes. Yet there is humor and charm in this novel, the fifth in Barbara Graham’s mystery quilt series. A quilt pattern is even included.
Tony’s wife Theo is busy raising their children and running a quilting shop in their small town but find time to help her husband in crime-solving. The use of humorous names, reminiscent of Lilian Jackson Braun, is just one of the entertaining devices the author uses. Each murder is unique and interesting. A most interesting, absorbing and entertaining novel, part cozy mystery part police procedural. I highly recommend it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's almost the Fourth of July, and sheriff Tony Abernathy thinks the people in his little county have gone nuts. There are several odd things happening, some of them tragic and even fatal. As his small staff tries to keep things together, one of them discovers the body of a woman who has been asking to be murdered for a long time. This case jumps to the top of Tony's list, as the crowds and the heat make life more difficult in general. I didn't love, love, love this the way I do some of Graham's earlier books--for one thing, the ending came out of left field--but I do enjoy her characters. For those who quilt, she always includes a pattern for a mystery quilt.

[Ginny · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are looking for a mystery in which quilting has a major role, this is definitely not the book for you. The references to quilting are few and far between -- the sheriff's wife owns a quilt shop where local women gather to sew and gossip, but very few scenes are set in the shop. There are directions given for making a mystery quilt, but this quilt was not tied into the story in any way. I found the book awkwardly written and disjointed. I persisted in reading it through to the end only because I kept hoping it would incorporate more about quilts. If you are interested in a good quilting-related novel, stick with the works of Earlene Fowler, Jennifer Chiaverini, or Marie Bostwick.

[ChrisGA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is crammed full with quirky characters and intriguing small town interrelationships. It is funny and entertaining as well as presenting several separate crimes to try to investigate. Tony and Theo and Grace and Wade are interesting and likeable and serve as pillars of sanity in contrast to many eccentrics in the community. The incident with the bear at the museum and the
Flowers at the hospital and later the funeral home are humorous counterpoints to the nastiness of the crime scenes.

[Shirley Cochran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series with Sheriff Tony and his wife, quilter Theo. This one starts after the birth of their twins and involves multiple murders in Tony's county. Although not a quilter myself, I enjoy reading about those who can and do create these masterpieces. Never having lived in a small town, the relationships set forth in the books are marvelous. Quick read but very good in my book.

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tony is a sheriff of a small town and his wife Theo owns the local quilt shop. A number of odd occurrences are happening in town as the Fourth of July approaches.

The story is very good. The book is told in Tony's viewpoint and then Theo's.

[Hayley Shaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sometimes funny, sometimes touching and truly delightful book to read. It isn't very chilling, but if you like good surprises at the end in murder mysteries, this is the book for you. This is a book I got free from the goodreads first reads contests.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent series. Ms Graham has a lyrical way of portraying a small town and its characters, making you believe they are real. It almost makes me want to try quilting again.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very GOOD book that was almost impossible to put down! I love the kooky characters and while the crimes are serious they are corny. Great series and a great author.