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Craft Corner #3
Paper-Thin Alibi
With her craft shop business going well, owner Jo McAllister takes off for the weekend, having snagged a spot at the prestigious Michicomi Craft Festival to show her wares. Jo’s excitement dims, however, when she learns her booth is directly across from an old nemesis, the conniving Linda Weeks.
Linda aggravates Jo continually during the festival, eventually goading her into a public argument, which puts Jo in a very bad light after Linda drops dead – from candy unwittingly delivered by Jo.
With her reputation in doubt, Jo sees sales at the Craft Corner slump badly enough to put her business in serious jeopardy. But her good friends rally around her, working out motives and means during Jo’s paper-craft classes. As paper flowers are folded and collages layered, Jo works to track the twisted trail of a killer, before another life is ripped to shreds.
Includes directions for a decorated gift box and a tasty recipe!
Originally published by Berkley Prime Crime
Linda aggravates Jo continually during the festival, eventually goading her into a public argument, which puts Jo in a very bad light after Linda drops dead – from candy unwittingly delivered by Jo.
With her reputation in doubt, Jo sees sales at the Craft Corner slump badly enough to put her business in serious jeopardy. But her good friends rally around her, working out motives and means during Jo’s paper-craft classes. As paper flowers are folded and collages layered, Jo works to track the twisted trail of a killer, before another life is ripped to shreds.
Includes directions for a decorated gift box and a tasty recipe!
Originally published by Berkley Prime Crime
242 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2008
3 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 16, 2019
It's been a long time since I've read the previous books in this series so I didn't remember the characters but it was easy to slip back in. Jo and the other crafters are very likeable. I enjoyed the story and it kept me guessing, although the character I was most suspicious of was guilty. I enjoyed the craft show aspect of the story as well, it was nice to get out of the store.
March 11, 2009
I'm not a craftsy person but this cozy mystery series doesn't need you to be. I love the cast of characters and the mysteries are well-done!
July 8, 2021
Just a cute fun way to pass a couple of hours. Story moved along nicely and the characters were nice enough. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing.
January 19, 2026
Rating as if it’s Paper Thin the byler fic. Read because it was written by the same author as We All Have A Hunger. I think they wrote it/planned the plot for it at age 17 or so; so yeah I think the intricacies of the story aren’t as impressive as their other one. But still good!! Enjoyed the mental health themes without it being tooo heavy on them !
January 13, 2010
These cozy mysteries make a nice escape from reality for me, and they are light reading. After being an English major and having so many classic novels and things that I had to read, it's nice to just shake it up and read silly things.
This book was really well written, with nice characters, and a decent plotline. I enjoyed it a great deal and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and light read.
This book was really well written, with nice characters, and a decent plotline. I enjoyed it a great deal and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and light read.
February 13, 2009
Can't wait for her next book.
August 3, 2009
One star because I couldn't even be arsed to finish it.
September 19, 2019
I liked the first two books in the series, but this one was too confusing. I know it's typical for the main character in the first book of a series to be suspected of murder and then become involved in proving her own innocense. That main character in subsequent books then goes on to prove her friends and family innocent of all the murders she encounters. But this is the third time this main character has been suspected of murder—the fourth if you count the before the series started death of her husband. Enough already. Meanwhile the failure or success of her business is a constant up and down depending on when she is a suspect and when the real killer is revealed.
There are also some whopping continuity problems. In one chapter, she is in the middle of being grilled by the police in one paragraph. In the next she is walking through the venue on her phone with no explanation of what she answered to the police question and no indication of how or when the interview ended.
There are also some whopping continuity problems. In one chapter, she is in the middle of being grilled by the police in one paragraph. In the next she is walking through the venue on her phone with no explanation of what she answered to the police question and no indication of how or when the interview ended.
October 9, 2022
After the death of her husband, Jo McAllister moved to Abbotsville, Maryland, a small town where she opened a craft store. At a crafts faire she ran into her old nemesis, Linda, where they both had competing booths. Linda is poisoned, and Jo becomes a prime suspect. Her new boyfriend, Russ, a detective on the local police force is shot, and things seem to be going down-hill for Jo. Her business falls off, people look at her suspiciously. Can she find the real killer before things get any worse??
March 27, 2018
#3 in the crafter Jo McAllister cozy mystery series. Former New York City jewler, 30ty something Jo has moved to smalltown Abbotsville, Maryland and opened her own craft business, Craft Corner. She manages to obtain a spot at the nearby prestigious Michicomi Craft Festival to show her wares where she encounters an old nemesis, the conniving Linda Weeks and things go downhill from there when Linda drops dead – from candy unwittingly delivered by Jo making her the primary suspect.
March 10, 2020
3rd book in the series.
Another nice exploration into the world of crafts with Jo who runs a craft shop catering to all needs. This one focuses on paper crafts and jewelry although there’s not as much discussion of the crafts as I would have liked!
The mystery involves a fellow crafter from Jo’s past and a suspicious box of chocolates!
I “got” the murderer early but the book was a real page turner and a nice easy read.
Another nice exploration into the world of crafts with Jo who runs a craft shop catering to all needs. This one focuses on paper crafts and jewelry although there’s not as much discussion of the crafts as I would have liked!
The mystery involves a fellow crafter from Jo’s past and a suspicious box of chocolates!
I “got” the murderer early but the book was a real page turner and a nice easy read.
May 19, 2018
Great book . Third one in the story. I read all three books with in 4 days, Loved them all. Cant wait to find more from Mary Ellen. Interesting story , never thought I would like a story about Jewelry but i loved these. Sharing with Debbie so she can enjoy them.
December 5, 2023
It's an okay read.
One of those books you read to pass time and enjoy your Sunday afternoon.
One of those books you read to pass time and enjoy your Sunday afternoon.
December 21, 2014
Good cozy. Very likable character with a solid head on her shoulders. Very little flitting about, maybe even a little too much worrying go on in her inner narrative for me at this time of year when my own worries are so present. She is still fairly new in her town and getting her life in order so her friendships are not so deep that conversations and back and forth are second nature to her - that tentative feeling in the book felt nice. It had a fresh feeling to it.
I did find the trail of the murder suspects fun to follow. In this book her investigator boyfriend was stuck in the hospital following a gunshot wound from an unrelated case so she had to do all of the digging herself (without him nagging her to 'stay out of it') so that gave the book a different tone which I enjoyed. I had a fairly good idea of who she should be tracking but there was enough doubt in my mind to keep me interested in the storyline.
The final chapters were very satisfying and there was enough tension to keep me awake long past what I thought was good for a 'school night' so I'm happy to have finished off the rest of this series @ our biblio. I'll keep this on my list of series that I'd like to delve into again, if possible, but I didn't love it so much that I'm pining for more time at this craft shop. Good but not great.
I did find the trail of the murder suspects fun to follow. In this book her investigator boyfriend was stuck in the hospital following a gunshot wound from an unrelated case so she had to do all of the digging herself (without him nagging her to 'stay out of it') so that gave the book a different tone which I enjoyed. I had a fairly good idea of who she should be tracking but there was enough doubt in my mind to keep me interested in the storyline.
The final chapters were very satisfying and there was enough tension to keep me awake long past what I thought was good for a 'school night' so I'm happy to have finished off the rest of this series @ our biblio. I'll keep this on my list of series that I'd like to delve into again, if possible, but I didn't love it so much that I'm pining for more time at this craft shop. Good but not great.
July 30, 2011
A nice edition to the series that I'm sorry is also the last. Jo and her friends are fun to hang out with and I will miss the gang.
What I enjoyed:
* The characters seem like real people and they have real problems.
* Jo and Russ got closer.
* I want an Ina Mae of my own.
What could have been better:
* Some things were a bit obvious.
* I was surprised how helpful Gabe was to Jo when he just met her and was willing to give her the dirt on people he'd known for years.
What I enjoyed:
* The characters seem like real people and they have real problems.
* Jo and Russ got closer.
* I want an Ina Mae of my own.
What could have been better:
* Some things were a bit obvious.
* I was surprised how helpful Gabe was to Jo when he just met her and was willing to give her the dirt on people he'd known for years.
April 2, 2013
I've been a fan of this series and am sorry to see it end. Paper-thin Alibi leaves the characters in a good place, though, and while I'd like to read further adventures with them I also don't feel left hanging.
The author, Mary Ellen Hughes, has created three-dimensional characters who have very interesting lives. The mystery in Paper-thin Alibi was intriguing, but the side stories were just as absorbing. I finished this book feeling very satisfied. I look forward to future books by Hughes.
The author, Mary Ellen Hughes, has created three-dimensional characters who have very interesting lives. The mystery in Paper-thin Alibi was intriguing, but the side stories were just as absorbing. I finished this book feeling very satisfied. I look forward to future books by Hughes.
August 19, 2009
Craft store owner Jo meets Linda, an old foe at a prestigious show. When Linda dies, Jo becomes a suspect, which is bad for business, to say the least. Jo plans to ask her significant other Russ, a policeman, for help, but he is injured in an unrelated event, so it's Jo and her crafters to the fore.
March 22, 2015
I love cozy mysteries, and have read a lot of them. They usually aren't high intrigue but you usually also can't guess who the killer is right away. This one I figured it out right when I met the character. Quarter of the way in . Plus I like my mysteries to have a bit more humour. Not sure if I would read in this series again.
March 19, 2016
I think I'm liking the series better as I read more. I still don't LOVE it, but I'll totally read more when I find them. I did call who the killer was in this one. *VAGUE SPOILER* Though, maybe only because I'd just read the last one and that person seemed to be a similar type of person....in the way other people responded to them.
January 9, 2011
I think I prefer the cozies that stick to one type of craft. They make you want to look more into that specialization. I figured out whodunit ling before they revealed the culprit but it was more of a gut feeling than anything specific.
December 5, 2011
A wonderful little cozy series, and this volume did not disappoint. Jo's Craft Corner and her patrons are involved in yet another mysterious murder and Jo is trying to prove that she's not the killer. Will the people of Abbotsville ever believe Jo?
July 22, 2008
A cute read.
March 11, 2009
I did a quick read, I just couldn't get into this story.
April 18, 2009
Fun new series (although I started with the most recent one first). Really enjoyable~great for cozy mystery readers!!
August 24, 2010
love this author. :)
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October 15, 2011Well rounded characters in a female sleuth hobbyist themed book.
July 24, 2013
Enjoyed the mystery nd the love story too.
November 5, 2015
I liked this 3rd novel in the Mystery craft store series. I liked her characters, and the suspense was great.
January 19, 2016
A nice light easy read with twists and turns. The characters were entertaining for the most part. The book included a craft instruction which was very simplistic.
May 12, 2016
Always a delight to read Mary Ellen Hughes. Her craft corner mysteries keep the reader guessing til the end, Jo has to clear her own name in this one and it is no easy task finding the real killer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews