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A Needlecraft Mystery #11
Knitting Bones
Book by Ferris, Monica
359 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2007
42 people are currently reading
850 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 163 reviews
March 28, 2009
This was a disappointing book. The main character breaks a leg and is confined through most of it in her apartment. She has her assistant do most of the sleuthing, so there's a lot of repetition. Plus, there are many point of view shifts, which I found annoying.
November 10, 2014
This book took me longer to read than some of the others, but not because it wasn't interesting. It was because I was busy and distracted. It was just as good - maybe better - than some of the others in the series.
Unlike some of the other books, the real mystery wasn't who the killer was. It was: What happened? What happened to Bob Germaine? What happened to the check that he'd picked up? How does a conman named Tony Milan fit into all of this?
I loved the crow and Sophie just being such a typical cat throughout the scenes with her. Little Emma Beth was such a typical little girl, too. One of my favorite things about this author is that she does an amazing job creating realistic characters. I'm also looking forward to trying out the mitered square pattern in the back of the book.
Unlike some of the other books, the real mystery wasn't who the killer was. It was: What happened? What happened to Bob Germaine? What happened to the check that he'd picked up? How does a conman named Tony Milan fit into all of this?
I loved the crow and Sophie just being such a typical cat throughout the scenes with her. Little Emma Beth was such a typical little girl, too. One of my favorite things about this author is that she does an amazing job creating realistic characters. I'm also looking forward to trying out the mitered square pattern in the back of the book.
January 4, 2009
The 11th book in the Needlecraft Mystery series.
Betsy and her good friend Jill go out horseback riding and Betsy has an accident landing her in the hospital with a broken leg. When she is released she has to stay off her leg for a few weeks while it heals and Goddy - her good friend and the manager of her store Crewel World - takes over her duties. This means he will have to set up and run the store booth at the Embroiderers Guild Convention in MPLS.
When he gets back from the convention he hears that the money raised for the National Heart Coalition went missing - along with the person who received the check for the charity - Bob Germaine. Bob's wife - Allie - is a loyal customer to Betsy's shop and contacts Betsy and Goddy about getting the police to help search for her husband and to clear his name. Betsy is layed up and can't leave her apartment - so Goddy steps up to the plate and plays sluthe on this one.
I have to say that I knew who the guilty party was in this almost immediatly. I kept hoping that it would be more complex and that maybe it would not be this simple Point A to Point B as it was. Sadly I was mistaken. I feel like this was an attempt to establish another character and to give Goddy a chance to spread his wings a little bit. I still enjoyed the book - But I would not recommend starting the series here. It was very predicatable. Very.
The pattern in the back was for mitered squares. I am ALMOST tempted to keep this one for the pattern. Almost.
OH - and on a personal funny - The bar mentioned in here a few times - The Eagle? The leather clad gay bar in MPLS? I used to drink at this bar with the guys when I did security in MPLS many years ago. I can't remember what it was called before it turned into a gay leather bar - but I have a lot of fond memories of the place. :)
Betsy and her good friend Jill go out horseback riding and Betsy has an accident landing her in the hospital with a broken leg. When she is released she has to stay off her leg for a few weeks while it heals and Goddy - her good friend and the manager of her store Crewel World - takes over her duties. This means he will have to set up and run the store booth at the Embroiderers Guild Convention in MPLS.
When he gets back from the convention he hears that the money raised for the National Heart Coalition went missing - along with the person who received the check for the charity - Bob Germaine. Bob's wife - Allie - is a loyal customer to Betsy's shop and contacts Betsy and Goddy about getting the police to help search for her husband and to clear his name. Betsy is layed up and can't leave her apartment - so Goddy steps up to the plate and plays sluthe on this one.
I have to say that I knew who the guilty party was in this almost immediatly. I kept hoping that it would be more complex and that maybe it would not be this simple Point A to Point B as it was. Sadly I was mistaken. I feel like this was an attempt to establish another character and to give Goddy a chance to spread his wings a little bit. I still enjoyed the book - But I would not recommend starting the series here. It was very predicatable. Very.
The pattern in the back was for mitered squares. I am ALMOST tempted to keep this one for the pattern. Almost.
OH - and on a personal funny - The bar mentioned in here a few times - The Eagle? The leather clad gay bar in MPLS? I used to drink at this bar with the guys when I did security in MPLS many years ago. I can't remember what it was called before it turned into a gay leather bar - but I have a lot of fond memories of the place. :)
October 30, 2018
Il libro mi è piaciuto, ma mi ha entusiasmato un po' meno rispetto agli altri di questa serie che ho letto.
Devo dire che trovo che l'autrice sia veramente brava quando deve descrivere un ambiente naturale: tutte le volte mi pare di essere lì e vorrei poterlo fare per davvero!
Devo dire che trovo che l'autrice sia veramente brava quando deve descrivere un ambiente naturale: tutte le volte mi pare di essere lì e vorrei poterlo fare per davvero!
April 27, 2020
I listened to the audio version of this book. It was typical from this author. Knitting Bones is a light weight but entertaining cozy mystery. Fun to listen to while I'm isolated in my house and doing housework, yard work, etc.
January 13, 2022
A cozy mystery, a little too heavy on the cozy. This is the first book I've read by this author, and while it wasn't bad, I don't think I'll read more. There are enough really great mysteries out that there that are better than this one.
Interesting plot line of figuring out the mystery early on. I didn't enjoy the two very stereotypical gay characters.
Interesting plot line of figuring out the mystery early on. I didn't enjoy the two very stereotypical gay characters.
November 24, 2023
3.5 stars
March 13, 2017
You can plan all you want, but it’s what you can’t plan for that really messes up your life. In this story, Betsy falls off a horse and breaks her leg. Laid up in her apartment, she must rely on Goddy to run her shop, fill in at a convention, and do some amateur sleuthing when funds go missing. But things aren’t all rosy for the thief, either, when he is in a car accident, and loses his memory. While this cozy is not a nail-biting whodunit, it is still quite enjoyable. The eleventh novel in the Needlecraft Mystery series, these characters are like old friends, if you have been reading through the series. It was nice to have a tale that lets Goddy shine, and the discussion in which Betsy and Jill try to enlighten Goddy on sleuthing skills was priceless.
January 20, 2017
Started listening while doing makeup this morning. I'm half an hour in, and I think I know how this ends but I don't want to say in case it's actually correct.
So far, I have appreciated the Lantern Moon product placement (blatant and awkwardly thrown in as it was) and kind of rolled my eyes out of my head while listening to graphic descriptions of cattle driving. Cattle driving. Uhhh. I'm not a horsey person. I have nothing against horses but I've also never been on one. Are horsey-cattle people also big into knitting? Is that a thing? If I get get through epic battle scenes in LOTR, I guess I can suffer through a roundup.
ETA: No. I got about an hour in when I realized I was so bored that I'd rather do my oceanography homework.
So far, I have appreciated the Lantern Moon product placement (blatant and awkwardly thrown in as it was) and kind of rolled my eyes out of my head while listening to graphic descriptions of cattle driving. Cattle driving. Uhhh. I'm not a horsey person. I have nothing against horses but I've also never been on one. Are horsey-cattle people also big into knitting? Is that a thing? If I get get through epic battle scenes in LOTR, I guess I can suffer through a roundup.
ETA: No. I got about an hour in when I realized I was so bored that I'd rather do my oceanography homework.
November 28, 2008
Ferris just keeps getting better and better. Though I figured out "whodunnit" early on, I still enjoyed the antics of Betsy Devonshire and friends. All the series regulars are back and true to form. Goddy must take over sleuthing and store management duties as Betsy is laid up with a broken leg (and an unusual house guest). He gets off to a slow start investigating a theft from the Embroidery Guild of America but soon gains his sea legs. There's plenty of small-town happenings to keep the reader interested... but where did I miss the disappearance of Betsy's beau? I thought I had read all the previous books, but I must have lost track...
July 23, 2010
There's "cozy mystery" and then there's "so much a cozy this is absolutely unbelievable and not really a mystery at all." This book was the latter. I've liked the other books in this series cause they are laid-back, gentle reads that don't require too much thought or investment but are still entertaining. This required no thought and wasn't even that entertaining. I'll try again with other books in the series.
August 28, 2016
Oh another interesting and unusual twist for this genre! I adored the change up, even though Betsy doesn't get too much of an appearance in this one. There's a cute new animal too, but I won't give that away!
This book will probably be my last for a week or two; I thought I owned all of these but there's a few missing from my collection that I'll get in my next book order. Can't recommend this series enough, I'll miss Betsy and Goddy!
This book will probably be my last for a week or two; I thought I owned all of these but there's a few missing from my collection that I'll get in my next book order. Can't recommend this series enough, I'll miss Betsy and Goddy!
August 27, 2020
What am I supposed to find cozy about extraordinary homophobia, bigotry, and misogyny? Fine, from the bad guy, that's one thing, but the main characters? could the portrayal of gay people be more insulting? this was written in 2007 not 1957
December 9, 2024
Hey, how ‘bout the pecker on that crow! Wow! Of course, I’m talking about the beak on that thing—it draws a lot of blood before the book ends. But I grossly digress. It’s just that I always wanted to start a review with the line I used here, knowing that if I ever did, the rest of the review would be all downhill, as surely this one will likely be.
Betsy Devonshire broke her leg while horsing around with her friend, Former Cop and New Mom Jill Cross Larson. Jill convinced Betsy to go horse riding with her, and she broke several bones that laid her up in her apartment for weeks. Alas, this lacks the joie de vivre of an Alfred Hitchcock movie in which a disabled Jimmy Stuart nurses a broken leg and suspects a neighbor of murder (Rear Window, 1954). But it’s not bad.
Tony Milan is a disabled mess, too. His disability stemmed from a car crash. He and Betsy were in the same hospital, but their paths never crossed. Tony got wind that Bob Germaine, who represented the organization Tony worked for, was to pick up a check that comprised donations from a group of embroiderers in the amount of 24 thousand dollars. Ex-con Tony planned to snag the check and hit the road with it all the way to Madagascar.
Tony bumps off poor Bob Germaine in a parking garage then he, too, gets a bad break—or lots of them—in that car crash minutes later.
Lacking the brilliance and excellence of Mr. Stuart, Betsy can’t solve this simply by watching the goings on among her neighbors. She’s looped out on painkillers, and it’s up to her flamboyantly gay store manager, Godwin, to help her solve the case.
Hey, and about that crow: Betsy has time on her hands, so she agrees to take in a foundling crow with a broken wing. Betsy runs a sort of underground aviary railroad. Apparently, injured wildlife in Minnesota don’t get a chance at recovery; the state kills them. But in nearby Iowa, injured wildlife can qualify for rehabilitation and release if someone has the time and talent to do it. The crow in the cage in her office is slated for a trip to Iowa. But before he gets there, he pecks heck out of some people. You can read this for the details. Hence my unfortunate first sentence.
There isn’t much of a mystery here. This would have been a two-star review. Because it’s super short at seven hours, and because I could buzz the narrator at 2.87X, it gets three stars.
Betsy Devonshire broke her leg while horsing around with her friend, Former Cop and New Mom Jill Cross Larson. Jill convinced Betsy to go horse riding with her, and she broke several bones that laid her up in her apartment for weeks. Alas, this lacks the joie de vivre of an Alfred Hitchcock movie in which a disabled Jimmy Stuart nurses a broken leg and suspects a neighbor of murder (Rear Window, 1954). But it’s not bad.
Tony Milan is a disabled mess, too. His disability stemmed from a car crash. He and Betsy were in the same hospital, but their paths never crossed. Tony got wind that Bob Germaine, who represented the organization Tony worked for, was to pick up a check that comprised donations from a group of embroiderers in the amount of 24 thousand dollars. Ex-con Tony planned to snag the check and hit the road with it all the way to Madagascar.
Tony bumps off poor Bob Germaine in a parking garage then he, too, gets a bad break—or lots of them—in that car crash minutes later.
Lacking the brilliance and excellence of Mr. Stuart, Betsy can’t solve this simply by watching the goings on among her neighbors. She’s looped out on painkillers, and it’s up to her flamboyantly gay store manager, Godwin, to help her solve the case.
Hey, and about that crow: Betsy has time on her hands, so she agrees to take in a foundling crow with a broken wing. Betsy runs a sort of underground aviary railroad. Apparently, injured wildlife in Minnesota don’t get a chance at recovery; the state kills them. But in nearby Iowa, injured wildlife can qualify for rehabilitation and release if someone has the time and talent to do it. The crow in the cage in her office is slated for a trip to Iowa. But before he gets there, he pecks heck out of some people. You can read this for the details. Hence my unfortunate first sentence.
There isn’t much of a mystery here. This would have been a two-star review. Because it’s super short at seven hours, and because I could buzz the narrator at 2.87X, it gets three stars.
November 5, 2019
Could this writer have portrayed a homosexual man in a more offensive light? Like I understand this book was published in 2007 and probably written before that year back when homosexual people didn't have the best rights but COME ON! Betsy's assistant Godwin SCREAMED 'homosexual stereotype' enough to the point I set the book down and didn't pick it up again (except to look at the knitting patterns and recipes, the real reason I'm here).
The spoiler alert is only to Godwin as a character, I stopped reading/listening at Chapter 3 right around the mark when 'his gay-dar beeped'
The first sign of trouble was probably when he asked Betsy if she was decent before entering her home and Betsy didn't take it mattered because he was homosexual. Okay, well maybe as a homosexual he didn't want to see a woman's body? Maybe he was just showing respect, she is his BOSS. If you'd cover-up for a heterosexual man why not for a homosexual man? Why the difference?
Second, he's exclamation of 'Girl!'... really? All I'm saying about that.
But the straw that broke the camel's back was when Godwin said he thought that the HETEROSEXUAL Bob gave him the 'eye' at the banquet and it made his gaydar 'beep'. First of all, homosexual men do not think every heterosexual man wants them and secondly gaydar? Really?
I'm done with this book and I don't know if I'll ever pick up another book from the author again!
The spoiler alert is only to Godwin as a character, I stopped reading/listening at Chapter 3 right around the mark when 'his gay-dar beeped'
The first sign of trouble was probably when he asked Betsy if she was decent before entering her home and Betsy didn't take it mattered because he was homosexual. Okay, well maybe as a homosexual he didn't want to see a woman's body? Maybe he was just showing respect, she is his BOSS. If you'd cover-up for a heterosexual man why not for a homosexual man? Why the difference?
Second, he's exclamation of 'Girl!'... really? All I'm saying about that.
But the straw that broke the camel's back was when Godwin said he thought that the HETEROSEXUAL Bob gave him the 'eye' at the banquet and it made his gaydar 'beep'. First of all, homosexual men do not think every heterosexual man wants them and secondly gaydar? Really?
I'm done with this book and I don't know if I'll ever pick up another book from the author again!
May 24, 2023
Book 11 in this series is my favorite read so far.
5 Stars
There is no romance in this book.
The language does take the Lord’s name in vain one time.
Narrator Connie Crawford is new a reader. I prefer the original reader simply because I’m used to the characters sounding different. Ms. Crawford was brave to step into the narrator’s position so far into the series.
This story takes us on a different adventure. Betsy is housebound with a broken leg. Godwin is tasked with investigating a stolen check and a lost husband for Betsy. But his idea of investigating is to build a theory and try to prove it right. Betsy ad Jill sit him down and explain how an interview should be conducted. It was wonderful listening to Godwin’s thought processes when he is in the field investigating this situation.
Then there is the man injured in a car wreck with a nasty head wound, broken arm and broken leg. The head wound caused him to lose his memories of what happened up to the time of his accident. Hearing his POV was fascinating l
Lastly, Betsy is tasked with caring for a wild crow with a broken wing. This side story was interesting and I loved the cheeky bird personality.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
5 Stars
There is no romance in this book.
The language does take the Lord’s name in vain one time.
Narrator Connie Crawford is new a reader. I prefer the original reader simply because I’m used to the characters sounding different. Ms. Crawford was brave to step into the narrator’s position so far into the series.
This story takes us on a different adventure. Betsy is housebound with a broken leg. Godwin is tasked with investigating a stolen check and a lost husband for Betsy. But his idea of investigating is to build a theory and try to prove it right. Betsy ad Jill sit him down and explain how an interview should be conducted. It was wonderful listening to Godwin’s thought processes when he is in the field investigating this situation.
Then there is the man injured in a car wreck with a nasty head wound, broken arm and broken leg. The head wound caused him to lose his memories of what happened up to the time of his accident. Hearing his POV was fascinating l
Lastly, Betsy is tasked with caring for a wild crow with a broken wing. This side story was interesting and I loved the cheeky bird personality.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
April 27, 2019
Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris is the 11th book of the Needlecraft Mystery series set in contemporary small town Excelsior, Minnesota. Betsy Devonshire, owner of needlework store Crewel World, accidentally breaks her leg on a horseback ride with her good friend Jill. Betsy's store manager and right-hand man Godwin "Goddy" DuLac capably steps in to represent the shop at the Embroiderers' Guild of America (EGA) convention. Goddy's in the audience when a representative of the Heart Coalition receives a huge donation from the EGA.
When the man and the check go missing, Goddy urges Betsy to investigate the case. Betsy can't leave her apartment to ask questions, but he's eager to do so, with her guidance. At first, Goddy makes an understandable beginner's mistake - fitting evidence to a preformed theory. Betsy coaches him to consider all the evidence, not only the evidence that fits a particular suspect.
In thriller style, parallel chapters detail the increasing troubles (self-inflicted) of Tony Milan, aka "Stoney". Waking up in the hospital after a car accident, he doesn't have any memory of it. Nor does he recognize clothing and jewelry items in his personal effects bag. Continuing his take-advantage-of-others lifestyle, he creates more trouble for himself, and a trail of clues that trace back to him.
In an oddball (yet key) subplot, Betsy assists in smuggling a wounded crow out of state.
When the man and the check go missing, Goddy urges Betsy to investigate the case. Betsy can't leave her apartment to ask questions, but he's eager to do so, with her guidance. At first, Goddy makes an understandable beginner's mistake - fitting evidence to a preformed theory. Betsy coaches him to consider all the evidence, not only the evidence that fits a particular suspect.
In thriller style, parallel chapters detail the increasing troubles (self-inflicted) of Tony Milan, aka "Stoney". Waking up in the hospital after a car accident, he doesn't have any memory of it. Nor does he recognize clothing and jewelry items in his personal effects bag. Continuing his take-advantage-of-others lifestyle, he creates more trouble for himself, and a trail of clues that trace back to him.
In an oddball (yet key) subplot, Betsy assists in smuggling a wounded crow out of state.
May 21, 2022
This installment had an interesting twist. Just before a major event for the Embroiderers Guild, Betsy and Jill go horseback riding and Betsy has a terrible fall, resulting in a broken leg. Godwin, her assistant at Crewel World, attends the event during which the head of a charity accepts a large check and then disappears. Since Betsy is incapacitated, Godwin does a lot of the legwork for her. It was nice to see Godwin grow as a character and make some of the discoveries that eventually help solve the mystery. My library has the next several episodes, but I’m going to try to catch up on some of the mysteries languishing on my Kindle app!
August 10, 2020
Easy to read cozy mystery but the 'crime' didn't really work for me. It all centered around a check going to a nonprofit organization. Betsy, the owner of Crewel World, is usually the one to solve the crime, but in this case she's holed up at home with broken bones and it's up to Godwin to do the legwork. Bob Germaine is scheduled to pick up a check at an embroidery convention but both he and the check disappears. There's another character, Tony Milano who is in the hospital at the same time as Betsy who may be involved.
September 3, 2022
Betsy's decision to go horseback riding leaves her with broken bones and unable to leave her apartment. Since the apartment is over her shop Crewel World, she is unable to help a friend whose husband is missing and a large check from the Embroiderers Guild is also missing. Godwin wants to show Betsy that he can help find clues to what happened and report back to her. Someone else with a broken leg is also wondering where the check is. Interesting following along to see what is going to happen.
May 7, 2023
Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris is the 11th book in A Needlecraft Mystery series. Betsy Devonshire is confined to her apartment after breaking her leg, but is asked to look into the disappearance of a charity checque thatnhad been presented by the Embroiderer"s Guild. I loved that we got to see a lot more of Godwin in this book as he was providing most of the investigating. It did feel a bit disjointed though with the various different points of view chapterd. Not really much of a mystery as the culprit is known from the start but still enjoyable.
September 11, 2023
Betsy Devonshire finds herself broken and laid up and unable to do anything. She went a horseback riding and the horse started sliding down a hill with Betsy.
Godwin had to go to the EGA convention since Betsy couldn't. The EGA presented the women's heart prevention program a check for $24000 to Bob Germaine a head honcho only he disappears and so does the check. He wife ask's Betsy for help. Problem is Betsy can't get out to do any investigating. So Godwin says he'll do. And the fun begins.
My fun listen/read.
Godwin had to go to the EGA convention since Betsy couldn't. The EGA presented the women's heart prevention program a check for $24000 to Bob Germaine a head honcho only he disappears and so does the check. He wife ask's Betsy for help. Problem is Betsy can't get out to do any investigating. So Godwin says he'll do. And the fun begins.
My fun listen/read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
I flirt with this series on and off. I want to really enjoy them because I am a knitter. But honestly I find the main character annoying. The saving grace has always been the supporting characters for me. However, in this book one of those supporting characters that I love, Goddy, takes center stage and does the sleuthing on this one. I liked him better than the actual mystery in this book. Just meh.
February 12, 2023
The Embroiderers Guild raised a large amount of money for charity at their convention. Unfortunately, the charity’s representative has disappeared with the cheque. Betsy Devonshire, owner of Crewel World, is confined to her apartment with a broken leg. The charity’s representative is later found dead in the trunk of his car but the large cheque has disappeared.
A light cozy, easily figured out who the killer was. Enjoyed the audiobook though.
A light cozy, easily figured out who the killer was. Enjoyed the audiobook though.
July 16, 2019
Cute and cozy mystery with plenty of references to handcrafted arts. It's also mostly clean with some language, violence and sexual content. Although the story didn't blow me away, some of the more mundane clues came together at the end. I would read more stories in this series when I want an easy read.
October 14, 2019
Betsy broke her ankle, Goddy has to help her. When the Embroderes Guild raises $24,000 they are proud to present it only to have it taken from them. A guy in an auto accident find the check in his jacket pocket but doesn't know why it is there. Oh, the twists and turns in this story. Another good read!
June 6, 2022
The second in this series I have read. You knew pretty early on who the killer was, but the piecing of the story together made it an interesting read. The ending was a little far-fetched for me so that is why I gave it three stars instead of four. I like it when the needle bunch spend time together and that didn't happy much in this story.
It is still a pleasant summer read.
It is still a pleasant summer read.
July 8, 2022
An interesting plot line that I have seen in this series. It combines the death of a man in a parking garage and his murderer imitates him and steals a check that was meant to be given to charity. Betsy is laid up with a broken leg and gets Godwin to help her sleuthing. The best part is the crow.
November 27, 2018
Another excellent mystery in this series. In this case we know the culprit pretty early on, the mystery is whether he'll be discovered and caught. The ending is quite satisfying, and the plot and characters are enjoyable as always.
April 30, 2019
This is a new series to me as it was one of my recycled finds. I love cozy mysteries and it looks like this needle work themed series is a good find. The store owner and the store manager help out the local police department to discover that there are many levels in this crime. Fun characters!
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