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A Weaving Mystery #4
Loom and Doom
From the national bestselling author of Weave of Absence comes a mystery set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where weaving studio owner Della Wright finds herself tangled up in murder….
Della and her friend Jenny are remodeling Dream Weaver, turning their shared business space into two separate shops. But after the work is completed, building inspector Howard Swanson refuses to grant Jenny the permit to reopen her coffee shop. Determined to get to the bottom of the hold-up, Della heads to Howard’s office to defend Jenny’s livelihood, only to find the inspector dead—and the police spinning a yarn about Della being responsible.
Although Della’s boyfriend, Matthew, an ex-FBI criminologist, claims there’s no need to worry, Della is convinced that the cops have it in for her. Now she must nab the real killer before she’s shuttled off to jail….
FEATURES WEAVING TIPS!
Della and her friend Jenny are remodeling Dream Weaver, turning their shared business space into two separate shops. But after the work is completed, building inspector Howard Swanson refuses to grant Jenny the permit to reopen her coffee shop. Determined to get to the bottom of the hold-up, Della heads to Howard’s office to defend Jenny’s livelihood, only to find the inspector dead—and the police spinning a yarn about Della being responsible.
Although Della’s boyfriend, Matthew, an ex-FBI criminologist, claims there’s no need to worry, Della is convinced that the cops have it in for her. Now she must nab the real killer before she’s shuttled off to jail….
FEATURES WEAVING TIPS!
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 4, 2015
21 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Carol Ann Martin
4 books51 followersMonique Domovitch (aka Carol Ann Martin) was born in the small town of Hearst Ontario. She is the oldest of ten children. “You can’t imagine the pressure,” she says,laughing. “Anything I did wrong—and I did plenty—was sure to lead my siblings into a life of sin. I therefore accept the blame for any wrongdoings by all member of my family.”
When she was twenty years old she moved to Montreal, where she became a successful model, winning the prestigious Modeling Association of American Contest and continuing on to an international career. During this time, she worked with many top photographers and graced many designer runways. “Modeling was a wonderful career,” she says. “I met so many interesting and talented people. I travelled all over the world. After ten years of facing cameras and audiences, I became very comfortable with the public. I had no idea at the time, just how much this ability would serve me later in life.”
At the age of thirty, Monique retired from modeling and founded Beauties Modeling Agency in Montreal. Through her tutelage, many Canadian models gained international renown. “I wanted to accept my age rather than try desperately to look young for an unforgiving camera. That was the main reason I retired from modeling on my thirtieth birthday.”
Following a difficult divorce and some health issues some years later, Monique sold her agency and turned her focus on the investment business. “The divorce had left me financially and emotionally bereft—by my own doing, I might add—because I just walked away from the financial fighting. It was just easier to sign on the dotted line and walk away than to prolong a painful fight. Even though it made the next few years difficult financially, I never regretted my decision, which propelled me to the next phase of my professional life.
At the age of forty two, Monique, by then a financial advisor with one of Canada’s largest investment firms, was picked to host her own television show, Her Money, a weekly financial-advice show aimed to a female audience. “Her Money, aired nationally for four years on The Women’s Network , and to this day, I still hear from women who tell me that my message, ‘you, and only you, are responsible for your financial security’, helped change their lives.”
During all these careers, Monique’s real passion was always writing. “I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning and write until I went to work. If I’d been alone, I would probably have put my energies into writing. But as a single mother, I had to provide for my children.”
Nowadays, Monique lives with her physician husband and their three dogs. They divide their time between their homes in Canada and La Jolla. “I got lucky. I met the love of my life at the age of fifty. The best advice I can give other women is, don’t settle for second best. I was alone for twenty years until Ed came along. If I’d decided that a mediocre marriage was better than no marriage, Ed and I would most likely have never met. I can’t imagine my life without him.”
Monique also writes under the pen name of Carol Ann Martin, for Obsidian, an imprint of Penguin. “I borrowed the name from my children, combining my daughter’s—Carole Ann—and my son’s—Martin. Her first book in her new series, Looming Murder , will be published in 2013.
When she was twenty years old she moved to Montreal, where she became a successful model, winning the prestigious Modeling Association of American Contest and continuing on to an international career. During this time, she worked with many top photographers and graced many designer runways. “Modeling was a wonderful career,” she says. “I met so many interesting and talented people. I travelled all over the world. After ten years of facing cameras and audiences, I became very comfortable with the public. I had no idea at the time, just how much this ability would serve me later in life.”
At the age of thirty, Monique retired from modeling and founded Beauties Modeling Agency in Montreal. Through her tutelage, many Canadian models gained international renown. “I wanted to accept my age rather than try desperately to look young for an unforgiving camera. That was the main reason I retired from modeling on my thirtieth birthday.”
Following a difficult divorce and some health issues some years later, Monique sold her agency and turned her focus on the investment business. “The divorce had left me financially and emotionally bereft—by my own doing, I might add—because I just walked away from the financial fighting. It was just easier to sign on the dotted line and walk away than to prolong a painful fight. Even though it made the next few years difficult financially, I never regretted my decision, which propelled me to the next phase of my professional life.
At the age of forty two, Monique, by then a financial advisor with one of Canada’s largest investment firms, was picked to host her own television show, Her Money, a weekly financial-advice show aimed to a female audience. “Her Money, aired nationally for four years on The Women’s Network , and to this day, I still hear from women who tell me that my message, ‘you, and only you, are responsible for your financial security’, helped change their lives.”
During all these careers, Monique’s real passion was always writing. “I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning and write until I went to work. If I’d been alone, I would probably have put my energies into writing. But as a single mother, I had to provide for my children.”
Nowadays, Monique lives with her physician husband and their three dogs. They divide their time between their homes in Canada and La Jolla. “I got lucky. I met the love of my life at the age of fifty. The best advice I can give other women is, don’t settle for second best. I was alone for twenty years until Ed came along. If I’d decided that a mediocre marriage was better than no marriage, Ed and I would most likely have never met. I can’t imagine my life without him.”
Monique also writes under the pen name of Carol Ann Martin, for Obsidian, an imprint of Penguin. “I borrowed the name from my children, combining my daughter’s—Carole Ann—and my son’s—Martin. Her first book in her new series, Looming Murder , will be published in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 19, 2025
Cute quick read. Highly recommend if you're looking for something gentle.
September 8, 2015
Murder, extortion, infidelity, illegal business practices, deceit and lies are all presented in Book#4 of this series. Della and her friend Jenny are trying to get their remodeled shared shops reopened for business but their contractor is stalling around and the building inspector is putting up obstacles. When Della walks in on the body of the building inspector, in his office she becomes a suspect. Trying to clear herself leads to finding another body and then finding a third person who lives but is in a coma. Della has a weaving shop and Jenny has a coffee shop and their friends work hard to get them reopened and cleared of the murder and assault charges. This has been a great series with some wicked and twisted murder plots and this entry adds to it. I recommend it for any cozy mystery fan who likes delightful characters, interesting backgrounds and devious murder plots.
November 18, 2015
A cute cozy series centered around Della and her group of weaving friends... this one was a little easy to solve but was saved by the fun way the main character went about finding answers...
July 2, 2016
Fourth book in the series. Not as good as previous books.
December 7, 2020
I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed by the 4th and final book in the Weaving Mystery series by Carol Ann Martin, 'Loom and Doom'. We're re-introduced to weaving shop owner Della Wright and her sidekicks Jenny and Marnie. In this book Della stumble upon not just 1 but 3 victims! Is there a serial killer on the loose or are these 3 murders even connected? Gossip and entangled relationships take us on a complicated journey filled with plenty of red herrings, suspects, and crime scenes.
And did I mention the romance continues between Della and Matthew? Well it does! I like a little romance in my cozies and I was not disappointed. If you're nervous, don't be, there's nothing very scandalous actually spelled out, but there is some innuendo - just enough to get your butterflies fluttering.
I knew this would be the final book in the series and it did wrap things up nicely. It didn't leave any crazy cliff hangers but it would have been nice if it continued. Still, I can't be mad and this was probably the best mystery in the series. I definitely recommend this series.
More Facts for Readers about our Sleuth:
Main Sleuth: Della Wright (age 35)
Business: Weaving Shop owner (Dream Weaver)
Pet: Winston, a French bulldog
Best-Friend(s): Jenny (age 35?), and Matthew (age 37)
Love Interest: Matthew, a criminology author
Family: Mother, long distance
Location: small town called Briar Hollow, North Carolina
Time of year: Spring (May?)
Any Cussing? No.
Diversity? Not really. All of the characters are White Caucasian. In this particular book in the series there may be some cultural appropriation that makes readers uncomfortable. Our main sleuth is a white female and she has decided to try her hand at Native American tapestry weaving. She admires the art form and really seems to love it... but is it appropriate? I'll leave that determination up to you.
And did I mention the romance continues between Della and Matthew? Well it does! I like a little romance in my cozies and I was not disappointed. If you're nervous, don't be, there's nothing very scandalous actually spelled out, but there is some innuendo - just enough to get your butterflies fluttering.
I knew this would be the final book in the series and it did wrap things up nicely. It didn't leave any crazy cliff hangers but it would have been nice if it continued. Still, I can't be mad and this was probably the best mystery in the series. I definitely recommend this series.
More Facts for Readers about our Sleuth:
Main Sleuth: Della Wright (age 35)
Business: Weaving Shop owner (Dream Weaver)
Pet: Winston, a French bulldog
Best-Friend(s): Jenny (age 35?), and Matthew (age 37)
Love Interest: Matthew, a criminology author
Family: Mother, long distance
Location: small town called Briar Hollow, North Carolina
Time of year: Spring (May?)
Any Cussing? No.
Diversity? Not really. All of the characters are White Caucasian. In this particular book in the series there may be some cultural appropriation that makes readers uncomfortable. Our main sleuth is a white female and she has decided to try her hand at Native American tapestry weaving. She admires the art form and really seems to love it... but is it appropriate? I'll leave that determination up to you.
January 6, 2024
Somebody muffed Chekhov's gun.
For those who might not be familiar, Chekhov's gun is a narrative principle that says that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements removed.
In "Loom and Doom," Carol Ann Martin adds a tidbit (several times) to the story that just screams significance. Nope. Dropped like a hot potato. Mentioned at least a trio of times and then, poof!, disappears from the story.
My son says it's a red herring. I say it's a tangled mess in her weave.
Della and Jenny are rushing to finish a building renovation when a building inspector who seems to be holding up their progress turns up dead. Della has plenty of suspects. She keeps changing her mind about who committed the crime. Finally, the murderer runs into Della's arms and resolves that dilemma.
A more interesting, albeit sad, resolution would have been to have followed Chekhov's gun . . . the red herring . . . or the tangled mess in her weave.
For those who might not be familiar, Chekhov's gun is a narrative principle that says that every element in a story must be necessary, and irrelevant elements removed.
In "Loom and Doom," Carol Ann Martin adds a tidbit (several times) to the story that just screams significance. Nope. Dropped like a hot potato. Mentioned at least a trio of times and then, poof!, disappears from the story.
My son says it's a red herring. I say it's a tangled mess in her weave.
Della and Jenny are rushing to finish a building renovation when a building inspector who seems to be holding up their progress turns up dead. Della has plenty of suspects. She keeps changing her mind about who committed the crime. Finally, the murderer runs into Della's arms and resolves that dilemma.
A more interesting, albeit sad, resolution would have been to have followed Chekhov's gun . . . the red herring . . . or the tangled mess in her weave.
April 9, 2023
This is another good story about Maggie and her friends getting involved in a murder mystery. Maggie is helping to run a fundraiser for the town with antiques. A murder happens and the items Maggie bought are part of the mystery.
November 21, 2017
Really enjoyed this series and this was a great one. Easy to read out of order, but read them all. They are worth it.
August 21, 2018
Wonderful series!
September 6, 2020
Light mystery
Read
March 17, 2024series completed.
August 7, 2024
these mysteries are good reads
January 22, 2025
Not the best written book but readable
August 12, 2015
http://openbooksociety.com/article/lo...
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Loom and Doom is the fourth novel in A Weaving Mystery series, and it is as delightful as iced coffee (or ice cream!) on a hot day. It can be read as a stand-alone or in sequence; the author effortlessly brings one up to date with this fun series without being repetitive. She also gives her characters a refreshing sense of humor to lighten the days.
Della had traded the power suits and work hours of a business analyst – not to mention the nightmare of finally being found innocent of charges that belonged squarely on the head of her boss – in Charlotte, North Carolina for her own business in small town Briar Hollow, North Carolina. She and her friend Jenny have endured the dust and debris of a remodel to Dream Weaver, her shop about all things weaving, to provide a separate entry for Jenny’s coffee shop, a thriving morning hot spot where coffee, baked goods, and psychic readings were served with equal enthusiasm. In the short time they were closed for renovations, another coffee shop opened just blocks away where it seemed the whole town was getting their morning java fix. Jenny’s Coffee, Tea and Destiny would be re-opening for business any day, if the contractor and building inspector cooperated.
Their contractor’s news did not bring joy into the hearts of the ladies. The inspector would only give a permit to operate to Dream Weaver, but Coffee, Tea and Destiny would need to have an electrical panel relocated before they could re-open. Don’t you just love those ‘new’ building code changes? Not! And the painters wouldn’t be available to do their job for either shop.
Marnie Potter, a friend who provided baked goods to Jenny’s shop as well as time and woven goods for Della suggested that they do the painting themselves, and Della went to the City offices to pick up the permit for her portion of the building. While building inspectors are rarely anyone’s favorite municipal employee, Howard Swanson could have won the least popular inspector award. Yet, did he deserve to be…murdered? As Della found him on the floor in his paper-laden office, and he had been clobbered and left for dead.
Della had been on the ‘radar’ of Briar Hollow’s Officer Roxanne Lombard since she arrived in town and was thought guilty of murder the first time, and found her first murderer. And of course, Lombard was quickly on the scene of this murder, and Della was … back on her radar. Was it time for Della to ask a few questions, do a bit of investigating herself?
I like Della. She is level-headed, stable, and talented. While her shop was closed for remodeling, she learned the art of weaving in the Navajo style using a special loom. The pattern she designed became an immediate best seller, and gave her a new technique to teach Marnie. I enjoyed reading about the traditional Navajo loom. Jenny, the first person she met when moving to Briar Hollow, is very different from Della. Their differences compliment their friendship and in spite of Della not believing in the woo woo stuff of psychic readings, Jenny made good predictions regarding the current affairs. Marnie, also, is a good fit with these ladies, and they helped her through some challenging times in recent months. Seeing them encourage each other and work together, one can see that they are women who appreciate good friends and know how to be good friends. Matthew, Della’s gentleman friend, is an author and former FBI criminologist. He is a kind man and a bit overprotective due to his former profession. The peripheral characters are quality, and are as developed as necessary for their role.
The author invites the reader into the story from the beginning and the pages seem to fly past too quickly to the end. There were so many potentially wonderful suspects! The ex-wife, the sweet young wife, and those who had to pay additional moneys to the inspector to get their permits to occupy approved were just a few of those in the suspect pool. The plot has a good supply of twists and turns, and I was completely surprised when the murderer was revealed. There was a good balance of friendship, suspense, and romance, and even fun and relaxing time with Matthew’s French bulldog, Winnie. Matthew and Della’s relationship had volatile moments over Della’s involvement with investigating the murder, but it adds a bit of realism to see that they are each unique people with their own opinions and needs. Della is overall wise and stable, yet she does become a bit impulsive when it comes to seeking the bad guy/gal! I highly recommend Loom and Doom to those who enjoy learning about or doing various yarn or fiber craft projects as well as well-written cozy mysteries. It is in part a relaxing read and in part a mystery that is full of suspense and surprises that shouldn’t be missed.
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Loom and Doom is the fourth novel in A Weaving Mystery series, and it is as delightful as iced coffee (or ice cream!) on a hot day. It can be read as a stand-alone or in sequence; the author effortlessly brings one up to date with this fun series without being repetitive. She also gives her characters a refreshing sense of humor to lighten the days.
Della had traded the power suits and work hours of a business analyst – not to mention the nightmare of finally being found innocent of charges that belonged squarely on the head of her boss – in Charlotte, North Carolina for her own business in small town Briar Hollow, North Carolina. She and her friend Jenny have endured the dust and debris of a remodel to Dream Weaver, her shop about all things weaving, to provide a separate entry for Jenny’s coffee shop, a thriving morning hot spot where coffee, baked goods, and psychic readings were served with equal enthusiasm. In the short time they were closed for renovations, another coffee shop opened just blocks away where it seemed the whole town was getting their morning java fix. Jenny’s Coffee, Tea and Destiny would be re-opening for business any day, if the contractor and building inspector cooperated.
Their contractor’s news did not bring joy into the hearts of the ladies. The inspector would only give a permit to operate to Dream Weaver, but Coffee, Tea and Destiny would need to have an electrical panel relocated before they could re-open. Don’t you just love those ‘new’ building code changes? Not! And the painters wouldn’t be available to do their job for either shop.
Marnie Potter, a friend who provided baked goods to Jenny’s shop as well as time and woven goods for Della suggested that they do the painting themselves, and Della went to the City offices to pick up the permit for her portion of the building. While building inspectors are rarely anyone’s favorite municipal employee, Howard Swanson could have won the least popular inspector award. Yet, did he deserve to be…murdered? As Della found him on the floor in his paper-laden office, and he had been clobbered and left for dead.
Della had been on the ‘radar’ of Briar Hollow’s Officer Roxanne Lombard since she arrived in town and was thought guilty of murder the first time, and found her first murderer. And of course, Lombard was quickly on the scene of this murder, and Della was … back on her radar. Was it time for Della to ask a few questions, do a bit of investigating herself?
I like Della. She is level-headed, stable, and talented. While her shop was closed for remodeling, she learned the art of weaving in the Navajo style using a special loom. The pattern she designed became an immediate best seller, and gave her a new technique to teach Marnie. I enjoyed reading about the traditional Navajo loom. Jenny, the first person she met when moving to Briar Hollow, is very different from Della. Their differences compliment their friendship and in spite of Della not believing in the woo woo stuff of psychic readings, Jenny made good predictions regarding the current affairs. Marnie, also, is a good fit with these ladies, and they helped her through some challenging times in recent months. Seeing them encourage each other and work together, one can see that they are women who appreciate good friends and know how to be good friends. Matthew, Della’s gentleman friend, is an author and former FBI criminologist. He is a kind man and a bit overprotective due to his former profession. The peripheral characters are quality, and are as developed as necessary for their role.
The author invites the reader into the story from the beginning and the pages seem to fly past too quickly to the end. There were so many potentially wonderful suspects! The ex-wife, the sweet young wife, and those who had to pay additional moneys to the inspector to get their permits to occupy approved were just a few of those in the suspect pool. The plot has a good supply of twists and turns, and I was completely surprised when the murderer was revealed. There was a good balance of friendship, suspense, and romance, and even fun and relaxing time with Matthew’s French bulldog, Winnie. Matthew and Della’s relationship had volatile moments over Della’s involvement with investigating the murder, but it adds a bit of realism to see that they are each unique people with their own opinions and needs. Della is overall wise and stable, yet she does become a bit impulsive when it comes to seeking the bad guy/gal! I highly recommend Loom and Doom to those who enjoy learning about or doing various yarn or fiber craft projects as well as well-written cozy mysteries. It is in part a relaxing read and in part a mystery that is full of suspense and surprises that shouldn’t be missed.
November 9, 2015
La protagonista scopre un cadavere e viene sospettata dalla polizia (anche perché è solita fare di simili scoperte...), quindi inizia ad indagare, approfittando anche di tutto il gossip che viene fatto nel suo negozio e in quello della sua migliore amica. Ovviamente, dopo qualche errore, scoprirà il colpevole...
Sembra il solito cliché relativo ad ogni cozy crime: prima o poi (di solito nel primo libro della serie, qui siamo al quarto) la protagonista finisce sempre per essere indagata... Però, nonostante tutto, il libro funziona e si fa leggere.
Sembra il solito cliché relativo ad ogni cozy crime: prima o poi (di solito nel primo libro della serie, qui siamo al quarto) la protagonista finisce sempre per essere indagata... Però, nonostante tutto, il libro funziona e si fa leggere.
September 6, 2015
When a building inspector is killed and Della finds the body, she becomes the prime suspect for the murder. Naturally she has to find the real killer instead.
This one was better than the previous book in that there were fewer characters to juggle.
This one was better than the previous book in that there were fewer characters to juggle.
November 5, 2015
I enjoy the cozy mysteries in this series, but Ms Martin should get her facts straight abt weaving. Some of the weaving statements just don't happen in the way she describes.
October 23, 2015
Nice cozy mystery. One of series set in NC near Charlotte.
December 5, 2015
I loved this book. I could not put it down once I got started.
Read
April 17, 2016More info about weaving would have been nice.
October 29, 2018
I had an idea whodunit, but didn't get proof until the end; such an enjoyable series.
Read
November 12, 2016Good book. Sorry to see it's the last of the series.
December 29, 2016
More please... Great mystery series set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Love the characters.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews