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A Needlecraft Mystery #8
Crewel Yule
Part-time sleuth and full-time owner of the needlework shop Crewel World, Betsy Devonshire likes to have a hand in anything crafty-from knitting to solving crime. In this latest yarn in the bestselling series, Betsy prepares for a chilling holiday season filled with mistletoe-and murder.
This year's needlework convention is tragically interrupted when one shop owner tumbles nine stories to her untimely death. Now Betsy, Godwin, and other knitting hands must unravel the clues that will put the killer to rest...for a long winter's night.
This year's needlework convention is tragically interrupted when one shop owner tumbles nine stories to her untimely death. Now Betsy, Godwin, and other knitting hands must unravel the clues that will put the killer to rest...for a long winter's night.
246 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 5, 2004
36 people are currently reading
719 people want to read
About the author
Monica Ferris
27 books491 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 193 reviews
December 10, 2018
Not a bad way to spend my Sunday. This was a pretty fast listen and I liked watching Jill investigate everything even when everyone told her oh it wasn't murder! They were very wrong :) Betsey and Jill have great team work skills and really complemented each other when they would interviews suspects.
I thought I knew who the murderer was and then I convinced myself I was wrong, but I actually wasn't! So that was fun. I liked seeing the different needlework crafts, definitely gave this a festive air.
I thought I knew who the murderer was and then I convinced myself I was wrong, but I actually wasn't! So that was fun. I liked seeing the different needlework crafts, definitely gave this a festive air.
January 6, 2009
The 8th book in the Needlecraft Mystery Series.
This book has Betsy and Goddy heading to Nashville for a needlecraft convention. In a 'this only happens in fiction' coincidence - Jill is also there for a police officer convention. When they get to Nashville there is a freak snowstorm and Jill ends up having to stay at the hotel with Betsy and Goddy. This (surprise) ends up being a good thing since since an attendee of the convention is pushed over a railing and falls to her death. (I suspected she tried to grab a ball of Malabrigo yarn out of the hands of another attendee - but apparently I was wrong.)
Another fun read!
This book has Betsy and Goddy heading to Nashville for a needlecraft convention. In a 'this only happens in fiction' coincidence - Jill is also there for a police officer convention. When they get to Nashville there is a freak snowstorm and Jill ends up having to stay at the hotel with Betsy and Goddy. This (surprise) ends up being a good thing since since an attendee of the convention is pushed over a railing and falls to her death. (I suspected she tried to grab a ball of Malabrigo yarn out of the hands of another attendee - but apparently I was wrong.)
Another fun read!
November 17, 2024
3.5 stars, rounded up
I'm usually in the minority when it comes to this series, as I generally like the books. This one, however, was disappointing, maybe because Betsy, Godwin and Jill were in Nashville rather than their home base of Excelsior MN, maybe because their investigation really felt out of place, or maybe both?
It took a while to establish that the death was indeed a murder and not an accident. Granted, all aspects of emergency services were crazy busy with the freak blizzard that Nashville wasn't prepared to deal with, but leaving the investigation up to a group of visitors - even if one of them is in law enforcement - doesn't seem quite right.
We didn't meet the victim while she was still alive, so everything we learned about her was colored by other people's impressions and opinions. She wasn't very well-liked, and there was a long list of possible suspects until Jill and the rest started eliminating possibilities. I didn't figure out the culprit until just before it was revealed in the book, and the motive was a surprise as well.
The next book from this series is in my audio library, and I plan to listen to it next year in the hopes that it will be as good as the previous books I've enjoyed.
I'm usually in the minority when it comes to this series, as I generally like the books. This one, however, was disappointing, maybe because Betsy, Godwin and Jill were in Nashville rather than their home base of Excelsior MN, maybe because their investigation really felt out of place, or maybe both?
It took a while to establish that the death was indeed a murder and not an accident. Granted, all aspects of emergency services were crazy busy with the freak blizzard that Nashville wasn't prepared to deal with, but leaving the investigation up to a group of visitors - even if one of them is in law enforcement - doesn't seem quite right.
We didn't meet the victim while she was still alive, so everything we learned about her was colored by other people's impressions and opinions. She wasn't very well-liked, and there was a long list of possible suspects until Jill and the rest started eliminating possibilities. I didn't figure out the culprit until just before it was revealed in the book, and the motive was a surprise as well.
The next book from this series is in my audio library, and I plan to listen to it next year in the hopes that it will be as good as the previous books I've enjoyed.
December 20, 2018
3.5 stars. I do like this series more the further I get into it. This was fun since it took place at a hotel in Nashville during a buyers Market for the shop so it was fun being in a different setting. Betsy seemed to have to work harder at her sleuthing as well.
December 22, 2019
Audio version
April 18, 2023
2.5 stars
January 12, 2023
I've come to terms with the fact that I will be just binging this series until I'm done. Audible seems to have them all free for members, so it's easy to just grab one after the other.
I didn't like how each chapter/section had a date and time. It wasn't really necessary, all said and done, and was distracting until I realized that I could ignore it. This was another where I heard the lies I guess at the same time that Betsy did, though I realized it was a lie sooner than she did. I enjoyed it well enough anyway. I'm going to keep going...
I didn't like how each chapter/section had a date and time. It wasn't really necessary, all said and done, and was distracting until I realized that I could ignore it. This was another where I heard the lies I guess at the same time that Betsy did, though I realized it was a lie sooner than she did. I enjoyed it well enough anyway. I'm going to keep going...
October 16, 2012
I didn't enjoy this latest needlecraft mystery as much as I have the others. I'm not sure why, except that I wonder if moving out of the familiar setting of Excelsior was the problem. Here, instead of familiar characters (beyond Betsy, Godwin and Jill) we have a set of new strangers along with a bunch of people many cross stitchers will know by name because they are real people in the needlework industry. Ferris has given real, living people words to say that they have never said and an adventure they have never had. I think this may be my problem as this sort of thing very rarely works for me outside historical novels - and there I still expect the author to have done their research. Not only that, but she took an institution of the industry and moved it around by two months and made it do what she wanted. I feel that if Ferris wanted to write about the Nashville Market, she should have left it in February where it belonged instead of changing everything around. It was like she was trying to be clever, but couldn't make the story fit into the normal set of events so started changing them to suit herself. To me, that's lazy, fannish writing. If it didn't work, she should have changed the story, not the real events.
The murder is relatively simple really, with a limited number of suspects, none of whom really engaged me. I guess, all up, I didn't really care for the murdered woman, the suspects or anyone very much. It wasn't a really bad read, despite this, but certainly the lowest of the series.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 17 October 2012]
The murder is relatively simple really, with a limited number of suspects, none of whom really engaged me. I guess, all up, I didn't really care for the murdered woman, the suspects or anyone very much. It wasn't a really bad read, despite this, but certainly the lowest of the series.
[Copied across from Library Thing; 17 October 2012]
August 25, 2016
I really love how this author takes the essentials of cozy mystery, but always comes up with fresh ways to present them. Not too many of the murders Betsy solves are actually in her home town, and in this one she has gone away to a Market being held in a hotel close to Christmas. Together with Godwin, it's meant to be a simple shopping trip to stock up on new designs for Crewel World, but when Jill is forced to spend the night with them due to weather, and a woman falls mysteriously from one of the higher floors and dies, you know there's some investigating to be done!
Another delightful episode, can't wait to begin reading the next! Five stars.
Another delightful episode, can't wait to begin reading the next! Five stars.
January 15, 2023
Crewel Yule by Monica Ferris is book 8 in the Needlecraft Mystery series. Ownwer of Crewel World, Betsy Devonshire is attending a needlecraft convention when another shop owner is pushed to her death from the ninth storey. A noce snowed in murder mystery, and I especially enjoyed all the needlecraft descriptions and the market setting. Betsy and Jill made a great team and worked well together. An interesting and entertaining mystery.
June 12, 2007
We find our intrepid heroes in Nashville in December during a freaky snow storm at a retailer Market. A nice little "huis-clos" where the murderer can't escape. The cameos by real life designers, artists and retailers are fun and made part of the plot. I especially like the Frank Bielec cameo (from Trading Spaces fame). These little needle mysteries are just fun to read.
September 22, 2016
Love the set up of this one.
At the beginning of the story you already know the suspects' motives (before Betsy or Jill) and still you are left guessing till the end. It's also a closed room murder as well so if you like those, this one is for you!
At the beginning of the story you already know the suspects' motives (before Betsy or Jill) and still you are left guessing till the end. It's also a closed room murder as well so if you like those, this one is for you!
November 24, 2025
⭐⭐⭐
Crewel Yule by Monica Ferris brings Christmas cheer to the Needlecraft Mystery serie. Betsy Devonshire and her needlework shop crew attend this year's needlework convention, ready for some festive networking and crafty inspiration. But when a shop owner falls nine stories to her death, the holiday season takes a dark turn. Betsy, along with Godwin and the rest of the knitting crew, must figure out who's responsible before the killer strikes again.
The Christmas theme is nicely woven throughout, and Ferris does a good job creating that holiday atmosphere at the convention. The needlework community setting continues to be one of the series' strengths, and I enjoy the camaraderie between Betsy and her friends. The convention backdrop provides plenty of suspects and motives to sift through.
My main issue is with the mystery itself. The nine-story fall is dramatic, but the investigation felt a bit scattered. There are multiple suspects, but I never felt particularly invested in figuring out who did it. The pacing also dragged in the middle, and some of the red herrings were a bit too obvious. The resolution ties things up, but it didn't have that satisfying "aha!" moment I look for in a cozy mystery.
It's a decent holiday read if you're already following the series and want something Christmas-themed with your needlework mysteries.
#CrewelYule #MonicaFerris #NeedlecraftMystery #CozyMystery #ChristmasReads #HolidayReads #MysteryBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #WinterReads #BookLovers #MysteryReader #BookCommunity #InstaBooks #AmReading #BookNerd #CozyReads #BookBlogger #ReadersOfInstagram #Booktok #BookstagramCommunity #MysteryAddict #BookObsessed #BooksOfInstagram #SeasonalReads #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity #BookAddict #Whodunit #Bibliophile
Crewel Yule by Monica Ferris brings Christmas cheer to the Needlecraft Mystery serie. Betsy Devonshire and her needlework shop crew attend this year's needlework convention, ready for some festive networking and crafty inspiration. But when a shop owner falls nine stories to her death, the holiday season takes a dark turn. Betsy, along with Godwin and the rest of the knitting crew, must figure out who's responsible before the killer strikes again.
The Christmas theme is nicely woven throughout, and Ferris does a good job creating that holiday atmosphere at the convention. The needlework community setting continues to be one of the series' strengths, and I enjoy the camaraderie between Betsy and her friends. The convention backdrop provides plenty of suspects and motives to sift through.
My main issue is with the mystery itself. The nine-story fall is dramatic, but the investigation felt a bit scattered. There are multiple suspects, but I never felt particularly invested in figuring out who did it. The pacing also dragged in the middle, and some of the red herrings were a bit too obvious. The resolution ties things up, but it didn't have that satisfying "aha!" moment I look for in a cozy mystery.
It's a decent holiday read if you're already following the series and want something Christmas-themed with your needlework mysteries.
#CrewelYule #MonicaFerris #NeedlecraftMystery #CozyMystery #ChristmasReads #HolidayReads #MysteryBooks #Bookstagram #BookReview #WinterReads #BookLovers #MysteryReader #BookCommunity #InstaBooks #AmReading #BookNerd #CozyReads #BookBlogger #ReadersOfInstagram #Booktok #BookstagramCommunity #MysteryAddict #BookObsessed #BooksOfInstagram #SeasonalReads #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity #BookAddict #Whodunit #Bibliophile
December 4, 2024
★★★
I picked this one up from my library's holiday book display. It's actually book #8 in the series and I haven't read any of the previous books but I figured with a cozy mystery like this one, I could jump right in. I noticed that the entire series is also available on Audible free with membership so I could revisit earlier books in the series if I'm ever in the mood.
This story was okay. I disliked the date and time chapter headings as they were sometimes only a few minutes apart and jumped back and forth from current to prior times in the day. I kept having to flip back to figure out where a chapter sat in the overall timeline.
I do not do any stitching or needlework so that part of the story was beyond me, but the quirky characters were interesting and the description of the hotel where the needlework conference takes place made me want to look it up to see if it is a real place. It does not appear to be although the Nashville Needlework Market is real.
The mystery is not very twisty or dark but if you're looking for a quick read with cozy vibes, you might like this one.
I picked this one up from my library's holiday book display. It's actually book #8 in the series and I haven't read any of the previous books but I figured with a cozy mystery like this one, I could jump right in. I noticed that the entire series is also available on Audible free with membership so I could revisit earlier books in the series if I'm ever in the mood.
This story was okay. I disliked the date and time chapter headings as they were sometimes only a few minutes apart and jumped back and forth from current to prior times in the day. I kept having to flip back to figure out where a chapter sat in the overall timeline.
I do not do any stitching or needlework so that part of the story was beyond me, but the quirky characters were interesting and the description of the hotel where the needlework conference takes place made me want to look it up to see if it is a real place. It does not appear to be although the Nashville Needlework Market is real.
The mystery is not very twisty or dark but if you're looking for a quick read with cozy vibes, you might like this one.
August 13, 2017
It's been quite awhile since I've read a book by Monica Ferris but since I'd loved all of the previous Needlecraft mysteries that I've read, I was looking forward to hanging out with Betsy and her crew again.
Once again, the timing is right for Betsy to stumble onto the opportunity to sleuth around and try to solve the mystery of what really happened to cause a fellow shopowner to fall from the 9th floor into the lobby area below. There were 3 main suspects, each with their own reason to want to cause harm to the victim, and just when Betsy and Jill thought they had things figured out and the mystery solved, a new clue came out to send them back to the drawing board. The book did wrap up neatly and no big surprises on who the culprit turned out to be.
Despite the book not being a nailbiter or me having to sit on the edge of my seat waiting for the final reveal, I really did enjoy the book.
Overall it was a fun decent read for me. It felt like I was going back in time about 11 years ago and visiting with some old friends. Recommend
Once again, the timing is right for Betsy to stumble onto the opportunity to sleuth around and try to solve the mystery of what really happened to cause a fellow shopowner to fall from the 9th floor into the lobby area below. There were 3 main suspects, each with their own reason to want to cause harm to the victim, and just when Betsy and Jill thought they had things figured out and the mystery solved, a new clue came out to send them back to the drawing board. The book did wrap up neatly and no big surprises on who the culprit turned out to be.
Despite the book not being a nailbiter or me having to sit on the edge of my seat waiting for the final reveal, I really did enjoy the book.
Overall it was a fun decent read for me. It felt like I was going back in time about 11 years ago and visiting with some old friends. Recommend
December 28, 2017
I picked this up because it's Christmasy, and I liked that it took place in a town that completely shuts down with snow, like my own town was doing while I was reading. But how could I forget my issues with Monica Ferris's ableism? I forgot that in the last book of hers that I read, there was a character with a chronic illness, and everyone felt sooo bad for her husband for having to deal with that. And then this one had a couple of characters in wheelchairs, and the wheelchairs were such issues! All these comments like "well there's obviously no way someone who uses a wheelchair could own a business on their own!" And comments from the disabled characters about people assuming they weren't mentally capable, but does the author do much better?
December 7, 2022
This was the perfect book to listen to for my commute, especially during this holiday month of December. I lean towards lighter reads between Thanksgiving and the first week of January so that I can stay mellow as possible during what can be hubbub.
I like that there is, ostensibly, a main character but there are other voices/characters telling the story. And working on the investigation. I like that the amateur sleuth and the main police presence get along and that the police presence admits that the amateur sleuth might be better and more experienced at investigating.
There were plenty of suspects and all had their reasons to be one. This was basically a locked room mystery since there was a blizzard keeping everyone from leaving the hotel where they were all staying for the needlecraft fair.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author
I like that there is, ostensibly, a main character but there are other voices/characters telling the story. And working on the investigation. I like that the amateur sleuth and the main police presence get along and that the police presence admits that the amateur sleuth might be better and more experienced at investigating.
There were plenty of suspects and all had their reasons to be one. This was basically a locked room mystery since there was a blizzard keeping everyone from leaving the hotel where they were all staying for the needlecraft fair.
I can definitely recommend this book, series and author
January 2, 2020
This is the first Needlecraft Mystery I've read. Kind of awkward to jump into the series with book #8, but I wanted to read the Christmas book at Christmastime. I didn't know the background stories of the main characters, such as the "amateur sleuth" of the series, Betsy, however I didn't really need to know to enjoy the story. This story was set in a hotel in Nashville during the annual needlework convention when a blizzard hits and they get stuck in the hotel. I do crochet, not needlework usually, but it was still interesting to hear about the needlecraft world. The mystery was interesting and engaging. I might read some of the other books in the series, but it sounds like most of them take place in Betsy's needlework shop in her small town.
December 9, 2020
Three and a half stars because it does not follow the usual boring formula for cozy mysteries (beautiful protagonist pursued by two handsome suitors, one a cop; mentored by a know-it-all older female; investigation of a murder), although it is full of details about stitchery which is something I have no idea about. Betsy is the sleuth, but her main concern is for her friends and staff who work with her at her shop. Jill is the cop, a female, so there is no romance involved in the story line. The murder victim is a deceitful, vengeful, back-stabber who had no friends or fans since she hurt them all. The killer is found, but it is neither a relief nor a resolution since nothing about the victim evoked any sympathy.
July 14, 2024
Betsy Devonshire, owner of the shop Crewel World, and several of her friends are attending a needlework fair just before Christmas. The fair had been suddenly moved forward to December from it’s usual February date. Things were OK - if you don’t count an unusual huge snowstorm hitting Nashville just as the faire was supposed to start. --- Still, the show must go on --until Betsy’s competitor falls from the 9th story of the hotel into the lobby. The police are sure she fell... but Betsy and her friend and fellow needlework pal – who also just happens to be a member of the hometown police force question the “accident” report. .... Of course there are problems in proving their case. – A rather contrived cosy mystery
March 14, 2022
Betsy, and Godwin are in Nashville for the annual Needlework Market. Jill, by chance, is in Nashville on police business. The three of them have dinner together, but an ice storm prevents Jill from returning to her own hotel. When a woman goes over a railing on the ninth floor atrium and falls to her death, Betsy and Jill start asking questions. The beginning of the book was a little disjointed, because there were several different points of view, and some began several days before the death, and some began a few hours before. There were also a few errors in the text that were a bit jarring. But the overall story was good, and I’ll be putting Book 9 on reserve at the library soon.
November 12, 2022
This one was bad. Like, annoyingly so. I guessed the murderer in about five minutes and just slogged through to the end to see if I was correct, which I was. Generally the writing in these has been good and, while formulaic, the cases have been interesting. I have been binging them because I’ve found that they’ve been inspiring me in my crafting and reawakened an interest in embroidery because of the fun tidbits about the characters working on their own projects and scenes in the shop. This had none of that. The only details about needlework were shoehorned in as parts about shopping for stock for the shop. Boring!
January 31, 2023
Another fun needlecraft book. Betsy Devonshire goes to a thread convention to stock up on new patterns and threads with her assistant manager Goddard. Wouldn't you know it... someone fell over the balcony of the hotel from the 9th floor to the center of the atrium. Was it an accident, suicide or was it murder. Betsy's friend Jill the cop was in Nashville too but for a law enforcement convention and at another hotel but due to a snow storm Jill got stranded at Betsy's hotel. The ladies got involved trying to sort out what happened. And all the while you hear about needlecraft patterns and threads.
A fun and easy read.
A fun and easy read.
April 8, 2025
twisted,....and that's just how the story is written.......takes you through the POVs of the different characters involved in the storyline and then get to the murderer and how it all went down, figure the pun....for the victim, if you see her as one, more on that by reading the book, but she "falls" to her death.
very well written in a way that you get to see the story unfold....... I choose to listen to it on audiobook and that was a treat!
I have not read Monica Ferris before but I liked this plot. I liked the humor and descriptions of their interactions.... I'd check out another one of her books to see if I'd continue to read more.
very well written in a way that you get to see the story unfold....... I choose to listen to it on audiobook and that was a treat!
I have not read Monica Ferris before but I liked this plot. I liked the humor and descriptions of their interactions.... I'd check out another one of her books to see if I'd continue to read more.
December 29, 2022
A comfortable murder mystery involving lots of familiar faces from the late 90s/early oughts stitching world. (Did Frank and Judy really save sugar gliders?)
I know Nashville Market still happens and someday would LOVE to go. So the location, event and people were very real.
Anyway I know I read the first few in this series many years ago- pre my good reads account. But I had not read this one. 3 very viable suspects with motive and opportunity, kept you thinking it could be any of them before the end.
I know Nashville Market still happens and someday would LOVE to go. So the location, event and people were very real.
Anyway I know I read the first few in this series many years ago- pre my good reads account. But I had not read this one. 3 very viable suspects with motive and opportunity, kept you thinking it could be any of them before the end.
August 11, 2024
Weak and deceptive. This is not a Christmas mystery. There's one chapter where the author slightly tips a perfunctory, obligatory hat to Christmas. You can read this in the heat of August without worrying whether your Christmas spirit meter will prematurely bounce into the happy zone. It won't.
I guessed the killer way early, and her motive was not much. There's a lot of nasty ableist language in here, too. One hapless character is "confined to a wheelchair." I'm hopeful this author never writes about blind characters. Likely devoid of any research, she would create some poor creature worthy of even less than pity.
I'll continue with the series, but not with much enthusiasm.
I guessed the killer way early, and her motive was not much. There's a lot of nasty ableist language in here, too. One hapless character is "confined to a wheelchair." I'm hopeful this author never writes about blind characters. Likely devoid of any research, she would create some poor creature worthy of even less than pity.
I'll continue with the series, but not with much enthusiasm.
October 23, 2016
Betsy and Goddy are attending a needlework show in Nashville and their friend, Jill, is there for a police convention. In the midst of a snowstorm which shuts down the town, one of the needlework shop owners falls to her death. Is it a suicide? Murder? And accident? Jill and Betsy are soon investigating and learning the woman had many enemies. Reading this series always makes me want to get out my counted cross stitch projects! The more I read of this series, the more I enjoy it!
January 24, 2022
I wish Goodreads allowed half starts. I actually gave this 4.5 stars. I loved it. I am currently reading through this series and love the needlework background in all these stories. This murd mystery actually takes place at the Nashville Market which is a real needlework event. The author had all the details of events described in such real detail. The narrator has changed and this one is great. Not as halting as in prior audio versions.
December 27, 2022
I could be wrong but this was the first I recall in the series using dates and times for each written entry and it jumped around a bit quickly and initially introducing suspect’s and their motivations, the main characters, and then the progress of the sleuths in solving the mystery. I really loved that, so much so it might be my favorite in the series. That said, it may have also contributed to my so quickly figuring out whodunnit and why🥴. I still rather enjoyed this book.
December 19, 2023
OMG - I’ve been listening to the audiobooks (which is great as now I have different voices to associate to the characters) but there wasn’t an audio version of this one, so I read the e-book instead.
Imagine my delight, upon finishing the book, to find that an embroidery pattern that was central to the storyline was actually published at the end, so that I could give it a go if I felt skilled enough 😊
Needless to say I’m now going to get the previous 7 books in e-book format so that I can peruse the patterns. fab!
Imagine my delight, upon finishing the book, to find that an embroidery pattern that was central to the storyline was actually published at the end, so that I could give it a go if I felt skilled enough 😊
Needless to say I’m now going to get the previous 7 books in e-book format so that I can peruse the patterns. fab!
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