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A Needlecraft Mystery #18
Darned If You Do
The USA Today bestselling Needlecraft Mysteries have shown that when it comes to murder, Betsy Devonshire, owner of the Crewel World needlework shop, doesn’t mess around. But when a local hoarder is murdered, she’ll need all her wits to dig a new friend out of a heap of trouble…
After a tree falls on Tom Riordan’s house, landing him in the hospital, the police discover a mountain of junk piled high in his home. Locals in Excelsior, Minnesota—including Betsy and her Crewel World Monday Bunch—offer to help with the cleanup while Tom recuperates.
But when Tom is found murdered in his hospital bed, the sole heir to his property—his cousin Valentina—becomes the number one suspect. Betsy believes there’s more to the case than meets the eye, but finding clues to the killer’s identity in the clutter Tom left behind will be like looking for a needle in a haystack …
FREE CROCHET PATTERN INCLUDED
After a tree falls on Tom Riordan’s house, landing him in the hospital, the police discover a mountain of junk piled high in his home. Locals in Excelsior, Minnesota—including Betsy and her Crewel World Monday Bunch—offer to help with the cleanup while Tom recuperates.
But when Tom is found murdered in his hospital bed, the sole heir to his property—his cousin Valentina—becomes the number one suspect. Betsy believes there’s more to the case than meets the eye, but finding clues to the killer’s identity in the clutter Tom left behind will be like looking for a needle in a haystack …
FREE CROCHET PATTERN INCLUDED
Audio CD
First published January 1, 2015
63 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Monica Ferris
27 books492 followersHas published as
Mary Monica Pulver (real name)
Mary Kuhfeld
Margaret Frazer (with Gail Frazer)
[from the author's own website)
Mary Monica Pulver (her maiden name) is an incidental Hoosier — Terre Haute, Indiana, had the hospital closest to her parents’ home in Marshall, Illinois. She spent the later part of her childhood and early adult life in Wisconsin, graduating from high school in Milwaukee.
She was a journalist in the U.S. Navy for six and a half years (two in London), and later attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is married to a museum curator.
Mary Monica sold her first short story, “Pass the Word,” to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, in 1983, and has since sold more than two dozen short stories to anthologies and magazines, including some in Germany, England, Italy and France.
She has appeared in such anthologies as The Mammoth Book of Historical Detectives, The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits, Shakespearean Mysteries, Royal Whodunnits, Unholy Orders, Murder Most Crafty, and Silence of the Loons. Her first mystery novel, Murder at the War, appeared from St. Martin’s Press in 1987 and was nominated for an Anthony as Best First Novel. The Unforgiving Minutes and Ashes to Ashes followed in 1988; but Original Sin was sold to Walker, who also presented the fifth book, Show Stopper, in May of 1992. Berkley Diamond brought these mysteries out in paperback. They feature detective Peter Brichter – a cop one reviewer said was “a hardboiled sleuth who’s somehow landed in a cozy mystery”.
Berkley published six medieval mysteries Mary Monica wrote in collaboration with Gail Frazer under the pseudonym Margaret Frazer: The Novice’s Tale, The Servant’s Tale (nominated for an Edgar as Best Original Paperback of 1993), The Outlaw’s Tale, The Bishop’s Tale, The Boy’s Tale, and The Murderer’s Tale. The detective in the mysteries is a nun, Dame Frevisse, a niece by marriage of Thomas Chaucer, the legendary Geoffrey’s son. The stories take place in England in the 1430s. Gail presently continues the series alone.
In 1998 Mary Monica began writing a new series for Berkley featuring amateur needleworking sleuth Betsy Devonshire. Set in Excelsior, Minnesota, Crewel World came out in March and was followed by Framed in Lace, A Stitch in Time, Unraveled Sleeve, A Murderous Yarn, Hanging by A Thread, Cutwork, Crewel Yule, Embroidered Truths, Sins and Needles, Knitting Bones, Thai Die, Blackwork, and Buttons and Bones. Threadbare will appear in December of 2011, and she is at work on And Then You Dye. The first six were paperback originals. Subsequent books were hardcovers followed by paperback editions. These light and traditional novels are written under the pseudonym Monica Ferris, and all have gone to multiple printings – the first one is in its eighteenth printing!
Mary Monica has taught courses on mystery writing to children at North Hennepin Community College, gifted children in District #287, and adults at one-evening seminars at Hennepin and Ramsey County libraries. She does lectures and signings, and has appeared on panels at mystery and science fiction conventions, including Bouchercon, Minicon, Diversicon, Magna Cum Murder, and Malice Domestic.
She has spoken to stitchery guilds on local, state, and national levels. She has won a place on national and local best-seller lists, including USA Today and the independent mystery bookstore compilation. She is a member of Sisters in Crime (a national organization that promotes women who write mystery fiction), remains a paid speaker on the life of a mystery author, and is a volunteer for Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, and in
Mary Monica Pulver (real name)
Mary Kuhfeld
Margaret Frazer (with Gail Frazer)
[from the author's own website)
Mary Monica Pulver (her maiden name) is an incidental Hoosier — Terre Haute, Indiana, had the hospital closest to her parents’ home in Marshall, Illinois. She spent the later part of her childhood and early adult life in Wisconsin, graduating from high school in Milwaukee.
She was a journalist in the U.S. Navy for six and a half years (two in London), and later attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is married to a museum curator.
Mary Monica sold her first short story, “Pass the Word,” to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, in 1983, and has since sold more than two dozen short stories to anthologies and magazines, including some in Germany, England, Italy and France.
She has appeared in such anthologies as The Mammoth Book of Historical Detectives, The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits, Shakespearean Mysteries, Royal Whodunnits, Unholy Orders, Murder Most Crafty, and Silence of the Loons. Her first mystery novel, Murder at the War, appeared from St. Martin’s Press in 1987 and was nominated for an Anthony as Best First Novel. The Unforgiving Minutes and Ashes to Ashes followed in 1988; but Original Sin was sold to Walker, who also presented the fifth book, Show Stopper, in May of 1992. Berkley Diamond brought these mysteries out in paperback. They feature detective Peter Brichter – a cop one reviewer said was “a hardboiled sleuth who’s somehow landed in a cozy mystery”.
Berkley published six medieval mysteries Mary Monica wrote in collaboration with Gail Frazer under the pseudonym Margaret Frazer: The Novice’s Tale, The Servant’s Tale (nominated for an Edgar as Best Original Paperback of 1993), The Outlaw’s Tale, The Bishop’s Tale, The Boy’s Tale, and The Murderer’s Tale. The detective in the mysteries is a nun, Dame Frevisse, a niece by marriage of Thomas Chaucer, the legendary Geoffrey’s son. The stories take place in England in the 1430s. Gail presently continues the series alone.
In 1998 Mary Monica began writing a new series for Berkley featuring amateur needleworking sleuth Betsy Devonshire. Set in Excelsior, Minnesota, Crewel World came out in March and was followed by Framed in Lace, A Stitch in Time, Unraveled Sleeve, A Murderous Yarn, Hanging by A Thread, Cutwork, Crewel Yule, Embroidered Truths, Sins and Needles, Knitting Bones, Thai Die, Blackwork, and Buttons and Bones. Threadbare will appear in December of 2011, and she is at work on And Then You Dye. The first six were paperback originals. Subsequent books were hardcovers followed by paperback editions. These light and traditional novels are written under the pseudonym Monica Ferris, and all have gone to multiple printings – the first one is in its eighteenth printing!
Mary Monica has taught courses on mystery writing to children at North Hennepin Community College, gifted children in District #287, and adults at one-evening seminars at Hennepin and Ramsey County libraries. She does lectures and signings, and has appeared on panels at mystery and science fiction conventions, including Bouchercon, Minicon, Diversicon, Magna Cum Murder, and Malice Domestic.
She has spoken to stitchery guilds on local, state, and national levels. She has won a place on national and local best-seller lists, including USA Today and the independent mystery bookstore compilation. She is a member of Sisters in Crime (a national organization that promotes women who write mystery fiction), remains a paid speaker on the life of a mystery author, and is a volunteer for Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation, and in
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
February 16, 2017
This one was a drag. I knew the culprit almost immediately. Also, no one says "spewth" or makes an "urn" of coffee. Glad I got this from the library....two stars is generous.
October 30, 2016
Another 'mystery' from Monica Ferris that seems anything but. Really, I think her well has run dry in the clever mystery department, at least for this setting.
A very long lead in to the murder gives lots of descriptions - of everything and anything - and very little plot. You get a bit of development of the main character's personal life, but not enough to justify this book either. There are some false leads, and bouncing POV, but very little to engage, very few twists or turns, and the whodunit was obvious from very early on.
Disappointing, because I have really enjoyed these in the past.
A very long lead in to the murder gives lots of descriptions - of everything and anything - and very little plot. You get a bit of development of the main character's personal life, but not enough to justify this book either. There are some false leads, and bouncing POV, but very little to engage, very few twists or turns, and the whodunit was obvious from very early on.
Disappointing, because I have really enjoyed these in the past.
June 12, 2016
The books in this series are either a hit or miss. This one was a miss. The first half was nothing but buildup. It took almost a hundred pages for the murder to happen, which for a cozy mystery is way too long. I also noticed Ferris sometimes gives away the murderer. I noticed this first in A Murderous Yarn. Just a paragraph or two in their perspective and bam!, we know it was them. Why would you spoil your own mystery novel like that? It ruins the fun in the reader figuring it out on their own.
February 26, 2015
This was a big improvement over Monica ferris's last couple of books in the series. The whodunit was predictable, but the setting was diverting and she took more time making Betsy, Connor, Jill, and Godwin more three-dimensional, where is the past they had been fading to cardboard cut outs. Her descriptions were still a bit too lavish, but far more restrained than they had been. Perhaps she listened to the critics -- she was not over-describing in a way that was just blatant word count padding.
April 29, 2020
Pretty good. Betsy is becoming more of a nagging shrew with each book though. So I’m losing interest.
She’s always been an unlikeable character. But there have been others that make it worth while. But lately, they are all becoming very unkind and unlikeable or ridiculously simple. I don’t know if the author is getting bored with them herself?? Maybe.
She’s always been an unlikeable character. But there have been others that make it worth while. But lately, they are all becoming very unkind and unlikeable or ridiculously simple. I don’t know if the author is getting bored with them herself?? Maybe.
March 2, 2015
These are getting more yawnful each book. I really dislike books that start out with different POVs, and you don't see the regular characters for awhile. I think the mystery was pretty predictable and the entire hoarding plot tedious.
March 28, 2017
I love Betsy Devonshire and Goddy. She is a smart woman who cannot help but get involved in murder investigations, especially if she feels it isn't being handled correctly. I like how we get to see a glimpse of her human side, her relationships with friends, with her boyfriend, Connor, and her pets. This series is wonderful
January 23, 2024
I like this author. She keeps the story line and plot interesting. Also adds a lot of information about things I am interested in. Short chapters. So I can finish a chapter before I fall asleep.😊
January 22, 2015
This eighteenth installment of the Needlecraft Mystery series starts out with a bang! No, really. It starts with a raging storm, and a tree falling on someone’s home. And that’s just the beginning of the excitement.
Ms. Ferris has managed yet again to add a fresh take on a long running series. I don’t know how she does it, but the author always finds something new to get into for her protagonist, Betsy Devonshire and Betsy’s Crewel World Monday Bunch.
As with her past books, DARNED IF YOU DO is very descriptive, ensuring that you “see” things as they happen while you’re reading. You can’t help but visualize the scenes.
The mystery was filled with plenty of twists and turns, keeping me guessing. And once again, as with the book before this one, book seventeen in this series, THE DROWNING SPOOL, I had no idea who the killer was until Ms. Ferris spelled it out for me.
The needlecraft project in this installment is for a crochet pattern for Classic Lace. You do not have to know any sort of needlework to read this book, but it sure makes you wish you did.
Ms. Ferris has managed yet again to add a fresh take on a long running series. I don’t know how she does it, but the author always finds something new to get into for her protagonist, Betsy Devonshire and Betsy’s Crewel World Monday Bunch.
As with her past books, DARNED IF YOU DO is very descriptive, ensuring that you “see” things as they happen while you’re reading. You can’t help but visualize the scenes.
The mystery was filled with plenty of twists and turns, keeping me guessing. And once again, as with the book before this one, book seventeen in this series, THE DROWNING SPOOL, I had no idea who the killer was until Ms. Ferris spelled it out for me.
The needlecraft project in this installment is for a crochet pattern for Classic Lace. You do not have to know any sort of needlework to read this book, but it sure makes you wish you did.
April 7, 2020
I love how this author can take a subject and teach you about it without you even being aware of it. This story was about Tom "Take" Riordan who is the town thief and a hoarder. When Tom has a tree fall on his house; he is pinned to his bed. In the hospital, his last living relative is summoned and told to clean out his house and make it livable before he can come home. As they start to clean out the piles and piles of stuff, a few valuables are found...some Morgan dollars, a cinnabar box, an old gun, etc. Tom is healing well but upset about them throwing out his stuff. When Tom is found dead, the police know right away he was murdered. When all fingers point to his last living relative, Betsy sets out to prove them wrong and she almost gets killed herself. A case of twins and identity make for another good read from this author!
May 11, 2016
I read this series for the needlework theme, and frequently find myself using Google's image search to find pictures of the needlepoint and cross stitch kits she describes. I also like all the little odds and ends of info the author throws in about things other than needlework. However, the culprit is usually easy to figure out way before Betsy does, the dialog is stilted and unnatural, and the physical descriptions of every single character to stroll onto the scene are unnecessary and tedious. I've read 17 of these now, though (I accidentally skipped the one just before this), so there you go.
February 15, 2015
If you are looking for a mystery at the needlework shop, pass on this one. This book is about a hoarder's house and its clean up. Once is a while, we enter Crewel World, but its mostly to her Valentina whine. This series has gone from fantastic to pathetic. And again the author describes every person introduced with their height, weight and the color of their skin. "Susan was a tall, slim woman with pale skin from working the night shift" - really? How about " Susan the nurse on duty answered the police's questions". I am done with this series, too bad the author quit on it several books ago.
July 17, 2016
I was a bit disappointed in the ending of this book. I felt as though some possible plot twists were missed and I found the resolution to be too pat and neat - just not enough suspense and build up for me. I do enjoy this series overall, but this one was more enjoyable during the middle of the book when it was examining the life of a hoarder.
June 9, 2020
I enjoy how intelligent Betsy is.
However, I found her to be petty and meanspirited, towards Connor, in this book.
I may be wrong in my thoughts. I like how she stands up for herself but she was harsh and pretty hateful. I like that she feels more real to me but it bothered be a lot.
The mystery or mysteries were excellent and as well crafted as always.
However, I found her to be petty and meanspirited, towards Connor, in this book.
I may be wrong in my thoughts. I like how she stands up for herself but she was harsh and pretty hateful. I like that she feels more real to me but it bothered be a lot.
The mystery or mysteries were excellent and as well crafted as always.
March 21, 2015
This was the first book I have read by Monica Ferris. I enjoyed it. Cute and funny with mystery!
April 7, 2019
This book uses a very sad and debilitating mental disorder as a base for the story and for generating book sales.
Read
May 8, 2022I have just finished reading Monica Ferris’s Darned if You Do. I don’t think I have read any other books in the Needlcraft Mystery series. This is #17, but there was enough context and backstory that I was comfortable with the characters and small town and didn’t feel lost. This mystery had an interesting premise—a hoarder who was murdered before his sister could finish inventorying all of the junk and valuables he’d been forced to leave in his house when he was taken to the hospital after a tree came crashing through his roof.
The clues are given away a bit early. It was pretty obvious to me by 3/4 of the way through who the culprit was. But it was still fun to see how Betsy investigated the various mysteries to come to a conclusion, the characters and storyline were engaging enough that I didn’t feel cheated knowing who the murderer was.
The clues are given away a bit early. It was pretty obvious to me by 3/4 of the way through who the culprit was. But it was still fun to see how Betsy investigated the various mysteries to come to a conclusion, the characters and storyline were engaging enough that I didn’t feel cheated knowing who the murderer was.
March 4, 2016
http://openbooksociety.com/article/da...
Darned if You Do
A Needlecraft Mystery #18
By Monica Ferris
ISBN 9780425270110
www.monica-ferris.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis: Darned If You Do
After a tree falls on Tom Riordan’s house, landing him in the hospital, the police discover a mountain of junk piled high in his home. Locals in Excelsior, Minnesota—including Betsy and her Crewel World Monday Bunch—offer to help with the cleanup while Tom recuperates.
But when Tom is found murdered in his hospital bed, the sole heir to his property—his cousin Valentina—becomes the number one suspect. Betsy believes there’s more to the case than meets the eye, but finding clues to the killer’s identity in the clutter Tom left behind will be like looking for a needle in a haystack …
Review:
I very much enjoyed ‘Darned if You Do,’ Monica Ferris’ amazing 18th novel in A Needlecraft Mystery series. One doesn’t need to read others in the series before reading this as Ms. Ferris is excellent at defining the long-term characters when needed.
Betsy is the owner of Crewel World; it is in one of the storefronts in the building she owns, where she lives in an upstairs apartment. After the previous night’s storm that took out power in Excelsior, Minnesota, it is the only building in town that has power. Betsy’s live in boyfriend, Connor, had a huge generator in the basement, and turned it on when the town went dark. Crewel World has been ‘home’ to many groups and classes for needle crafters, who descended on them quickly after finding that they – and the sandwich shop in the building – had power. They discussed various events from the storm, including Tom Riordan’s house.
Nobody ever had been in the Riordan home. The night of the storm, all that changed after the neighbor’s tree fell on his house, through the roof, pinning him to his bed. That neighbor heard his weak cry for help. Sergeant Larson responded to the call; he broke down the door. The EMT’s could barely get up or down the stairs to bring him out after he was freed from the tree limb as the house was filled with three generations of ‘collecting’ or ‘junking’. It was piled to the ceilings on both floors and the stairs narrowed from books on them.
Tom’s cousin and only living relative came to help him; she was almost as strange as Tom. Valentina Shipp drove in from out of state, getting a room at a cut-rate motel. She learned that the doctor and Tom’s social worker, who had never seen the inside of the home, refused to allow him to return until it was safe to live there with his broken leg. ‘Safe’ meant cleaning out decades of Tom’s ‘things’ with the help of volunteers; when Tom found that out, he ordered her to leave his hospital room and not return. ‘Safe’ also meant that the plumbing and possibly wiring would all need replaced and brought up to code, and mold remediation.
Valentina asked for help from various sources while awaiting conservatorship through Tom’s attorney; Betsy’s Crewel World group members would pitch in to assist. Stunned might describe their first reaction to seeing the inside. One of the volunteers, Georgine, had some knowledge of what might have value, since she and her sister Gracie travelled around the country, supporting themselves by buying goods and re-selling on eBay or craigslist for a tidy profit. Sadly, at least two of the fascinating finds that might have value disappeared. Very sadly, Tom was murdered in the hospital and Valentina, his only family member and heir, was the main suspect. Betsy, an experienced amateur sleuth, finally agreed to help find who the thief and the real murderer was. One of her part timers, Godwin, and boyfriend Connor would help.
Betsy and many of the folks in Excelsior are enchanting! They have a down-home charm and work ethic. Betsy is a calm voice of reason and well-respected, very likable. Even this new reader got to know her quickly as the author wove past and present together to show this three-dimensional worman. We get to know Valentina, Jill, Connor, and Godwin better probably than most of the others; all are defined through descriptions, conversations, and actions as their roles require. If Crewel World was in my neighborhood, I might pick up one of my crochet projects and join one of their groups!
The plot was multi-tiered yet easy to grasp, with twists and turns heightening the experience. This reader actually vicariously felt part of the action while reviewing each clue and chasing one or two red herrings while trying to solve the mysteries. I had a feeling who might be among the bad guys or gals, even though there was no evidence to substantiate it until those working in the house further discussed what they had seen and when. Emily has a gift of an eidetic memory for what she had seen in the house, which turned the tide of their search. Were it not for the very clever Betsy, Emily and the gang at the shop, the police might not have found the ‘perp(s)’ on time. The end was very satisfying with every loose thread (or yarn) perfectly in its place. It is easy to see how this series is so highly successful, as it is the down-home small town life many of us crave with people we’d love as neighbors. It is intriguing, exciting, and impossible to put down. Betsy, particularly, is encouraging to Emily and perhaps to the reader who might have some of the feelings Emily had. The grand finale is a ‘Classic Lace’ crochet pattern that was discussed in the story. I highly recommend this to those of every age of needle crafters, antique collectors, and those who love cozy mysteries. What a beautiful place to visit, no matter the time of year!
Darned if You Do
A Needlecraft Mystery #18
By Monica Ferris
ISBN 9780425270110
www.monica-ferris.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis: Darned If You Do
After a tree falls on Tom Riordan’s house, landing him in the hospital, the police discover a mountain of junk piled high in his home. Locals in Excelsior, Minnesota—including Betsy and her Crewel World Monday Bunch—offer to help with the cleanup while Tom recuperates.
But when Tom is found murdered in his hospital bed, the sole heir to his property—his cousin Valentina—becomes the number one suspect. Betsy believes there’s more to the case than meets the eye, but finding clues to the killer’s identity in the clutter Tom left behind will be like looking for a needle in a haystack …
Review:
I very much enjoyed ‘Darned if You Do,’ Monica Ferris’ amazing 18th novel in A Needlecraft Mystery series. One doesn’t need to read others in the series before reading this as Ms. Ferris is excellent at defining the long-term characters when needed.
Betsy is the owner of Crewel World; it is in one of the storefronts in the building she owns, where she lives in an upstairs apartment. After the previous night’s storm that took out power in Excelsior, Minnesota, it is the only building in town that has power. Betsy’s live in boyfriend, Connor, had a huge generator in the basement, and turned it on when the town went dark. Crewel World has been ‘home’ to many groups and classes for needle crafters, who descended on them quickly after finding that they – and the sandwich shop in the building – had power. They discussed various events from the storm, including Tom Riordan’s house.
Nobody ever had been in the Riordan home. The night of the storm, all that changed after the neighbor’s tree fell on his house, through the roof, pinning him to his bed. That neighbor heard his weak cry for help. Sergeant Larson responded to the call; he broke down the door. The EMT’s could barely get up or down the stairs to bring him out after he was freed from the tree limb as the house was filled with three generations of ‘collecting’ or ‘junking’. It was piled to the ceilings on both floors and the stairs narrowed from books on them.
Tom’s cousin and only living relative came to help him; she was almost as strange as Tom. Valentina Shipp drove in from out of state, getting a room at a cut-rate motel. She learned that the doctor and Tom’s social worker, who had never seen the inside of the home, refused to allow him to return until it was safe to live there with his broken leg. ‘Safe’ meant cleaning out decades of Tom’s ‘things’ with the help of volunteers; when Tom found that out, he ordered her to leave his hospital room and not return. ‘Safe’ also meant that the plumbing and possibly wiring would all need replaced and brought up to code, and mold remediation.
Valentina asked for help from various sources while awaiting conservatorship through Tom’s attorney; Betsy’s Crewel World group members would pitch in to assist. Stunned might describe their first reaction to seeing the inside. One of the volunteers, Georgine, had some knowledge of what might have value, since she and her sister Gracie travelled around the country, supporting themselves by buying goods and re-selling on eBay or craigslist for a tidy profit. Sadly, at least two of the fascinating finds that might have value disappeared. Very sadly, Tom was murdered in the hospital and Valentina, his only family member and heir, was the main suspect. Betsy, an experienced amateur sleuth, finally agreed to help find who the thief and the real murderer was. One of her part timers, Godwin, and boyfriend Connor would help.
Betsy and many of the folks in Excelsior are enchanting! They have a down-home charm and work ethic. Betsy is a calm voice of reason and well-respected, very likable. Even this new reader got to know her quickly as the author wove past and present together to show this three-dimensional worman. We get to know Valentina, Jill, Connor, and Godwin better probably than most of the others; all are defined through descriptions, conversations, and actions as their roles require. If Crewel World was in my neighborhood, I might pick up one of my crochet projects and join one of their groups!
The plot was multi-tiered yet easy to grasp, with twists and turns heightening the experience. This reader actually vicariously felt part of the action while reviewing each clue and chasing one or two red herrings while trying to solve the mysteries. I had a feeling who might be among the bad guys or gals, even though there was no evidence to substantiate it until those working in the house further discussed what they had seen and when. Emily has a gift of an eidetic memory for what she had seen in the house, which turned the tide of their search. Were it not for the very clever Betsy, Emily and the gang at the shop, the police might not have found the ‘perp(s)’ on time. The end was very satisfying with every loose thread (or yarn) perfectly in its place. It is easy to see how this series is so highly successful, as it is the down-home small town life many of us crave with people we’d love as neighbors. It is intriguing, exciting, and impossible to put down. Betsy, particularly, is encouraging to Emily and perhaps to the reader who might have some of the feelings Emily had. The grand finale is a ‘Classic Lace’ crochet pattern that was discussed in the story. I highly recommend this to those of every age of needle crafters, antique collectors, and those who love cozy mysteries. What a beautiful place to visit, no matter the time of year!
December 2, 2016
A nasty storm passed through the Midwest causing widespread damage to Excelsior and the surrounding areas. Tom Riordan is trapped in his bed after a tree falls on his house. His injuries are serious enough to prevent him from returning to his home - which turns out to be packed with stuff. He is a hoarder who never allowed anyone inside his door. Now his only living relative, cousin Valentina Shipp is called upon to help out and take over matters for Tom until he recovers. Tom never makes it out of the hospital because someone smothers him with his pillow. Betsy has another mystery to solve. This book was interesting because of the topic of "junkers", auction sales and discovering the value of things that appear to be trash.
August 5, 2017
A tree falls on Tom Riordan's home and he is trapped. When emergency personnel come they find his house filled from floor to ceiling with "junk". Or is it treasure? Tom's only relative, Valentina comes to take care of Tom and his house but when he is found murdered, she is the only one who really stands to benefit. She asks needlecraft shop owner and amateur sleuth Betsy to help find out who really killed her cousin. I love the "Needlecraft Mystery" series! Betsy makes for a great middle-aged heroine, the mysteries are always fun and there are great characters. I also enjoy her romance with Connor!
July 24, 2019
Hoarder Tom Riordan has a tree fall on his house and his injured -- it means he has to be taken to the hospital and someone has to come and take over his care as well as his very loaded home. A relative comes to help with the clean up. He gets angry because he's afraid she's going to throw things away. She meets Betsy and Godwin and the Monday Group and they volunteer to help organize and clean the house. Then he is killed and she is a suspect because it appears she would have a motive to kill him since there were some treasures in his hoard. Betsy decides to investigate and try to figure out who murdered Tom.
February 25, 2024
I was really surprised by this entry into the Crewel World Series. I was pretty disappointed with her last couple of entries but this book really hit one out of the park.
It had all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery- crime takes place off stage, author introduces a vibrant community of characters, detective uses non-detection skills in solving crime, and (most importantly) the crime seems reasonable. No one is deemed “crazy” for being a little off kilter and the heroine does not have the dreaded “love brain” - giving up all to escape from or to a loved one.
A little dated in use of technology (written in 2014/15?) but no more than a Christie is when read today.
It had all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery- crime takes place off stage, author introduces a vibrant community of characters, detective uses non-detection skills in solving crime, and (most importantly) the crime seems reasonable. No one is deemed “crazy” for being a little off kilter and the heroine does not have the dreaded “love brain” - giving up all to escape from or to a loved one.
A little dated in use of technology (written in 2014/15?) but no more than a Christie is when read today.
September 21, 2024
Darned if You Do by Monica Ferris is the 18th book in A needlecraft Mystery series. When a local hoarder is injured and hospitalised after a storm, Betsy Devonshire is recruited to assist to clean up his house, but when he is murdered, she finds herself in the middle of another murder investigation. I loved this book and enjoyed learning about various unusual valuable items. I love that Betsy shares all her information with the police and is cautious about talking to potential suspects. I enjoyed catching up with everyone again while learning more about needlecrafts in the process. A delightful and interesting cozy mystery.
March 13, 2020
Tom Riordan suffers a blow not only bodily, but to his house when a tree falls on it during a storm. One of Excelsior's characters, police find his house full of everything. While Tom is in the hospital, his relative Valentina from Indiana is called, and with help from Betsy and the Monday Bunch, start cleaning out the house. However, things turn for the worse, when Tom is found murdered in the hospital. With all the people in and out of Tom's house, and no good idea what is valuable or not, there are a lot of people to consider as suspects, including Valentina.
April 23, 2022
Even though the mystery takes a while to develop, the story is very interesting. Working in the archives industry, I enjoy antiques and artifacts and enjoyed the buildup to the murder. I have been in a hoarder's home, and some of the items were valuable and interesting, so I could relate easily, though the bittersweet incident with the mail really made me think and upset me knowing it could easily happen. I love this series and think Ferris writes creative plots, as well as articulately weaving the needlearts within. I don't know if I'm sold on Connor.
April 11, 2019
I should probably give all of these cozy mysteries three stars instead of two, but compared to other books I’ve rated three stars I just can’t. They’re quick reads and the characters are, for the most part, enjoyable. I’ll likely read more of the series when one becomes available through the library, but they’re overly simplistic and tidy. But again, two stars is probably a bit harsh, since they’re just quick, enjoyable cozies.
September 20, 2023
Thomas Riordan’s suffers severe injuries when a tree falls on his roof during a violent storm. But the emergency services has trouble rescuing him because his home is piled with stuff. During his time in hospital, a group of residents including Betsy Devonshire offer to clear out the home and make it more livable so he can return home. Unfortunately, Tom is later found dead in his hospital bed, he was murdered. His closest relative, a cousin Valentina is suspected in Tom’s murder.
Betsy Devonshire strongly believes the police are looking at the wrong person and decides to investigate. Not a bad mystery.
Betsy Devonshire strongly believes the police are looking at the wrong person and decides to investigate. Not a bad mystery.
May 13, 2017
Still a fun series to read, especially in a stressful week like this one, but where are the editors these days?? One scene, Betsy & Connor are cleaning up from dinner, decide to go to auction, & say they'll stop & get Jimmy John's to eat on the way ... spotted few other discrepancies, too. (Library)
May 9, 2018
I started this series with #18, and I'm not a fan of jumping into character development; I can't help but wonder what I have missed in the prior 17. But I enjoyed the story-line mystery. I learned about Cinnabar, an ore of mercury, and that was enough to make this a worthwhile read. So the question, will I start the series with #1? The jury is still out.
September 15, 2020
once again 'cozy' translates to 'homophobia'.
Honestly, the way Betsy MASSIVELY overreacts to the smallest of things...Connor, flee, FLEE
So much needless padding of word count to stretch this one out - Readers don't need to know every road the protagonist is going down on their drive to a workout class. We don't need the name of every person in the workout class.
Honestly, the way Betsy MASSIVELY overreacts to the smallest of things...Connor, flee, FLEE
So much needless padding of word count to stretch this one out - Readers don't need to know every road the protagonist is going down on their drive to a workout class. We don't need the name of every person in the workout class.
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