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Chloe Ellefson Mystery #11
The Weaver's Revenge
A Killer Weaves a Deadly Blend of Betrayal and Revenge that Threatens Chloe’s Work … and Her Life
When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In addition to the consultant job, she’s on a personal quest to learn about the enduring tradition of rag rug weaving. Encountering a dead body upon arrival, however, immediately puts that goal in jeopardy. Although suspicion soon falls on her new colleagues, Chloe is determined to persevere … even if it means ignoring the advice of her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna. Can she identify the killer and complete her mission, or will all her dreams unravel?
When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In addition to the consultant job, she’s on a personal quest to learn about the enduring tradition of rag rug weaving. Encountering a dead body upon arrival, however, immediately puts that goal in jeopardy. Although suspicion soon falls on her new colleagues, Chloe is determined to persevere … even if it means ignoring the advice of her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna. Can she identify the killer and complete her mission, or will all her dreams unravel?
400 pages, Unknown Binding
Published May 1, 2021
10 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Ernst
57 books379 followersI grew up in Maryland, in a house full of books! Both of my parents were avid readers, thank goodness. Before we traveled to a new area, my librarian-mom used to bring home historical novels set in that place. It was a great way to get excited about history.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
I began writing stories when I was maybe 10 or 11. At 15 I wrote my first novel; I sold my first novel to a publisher 20 years later! Writing was my hobby, so during those two decades I just kept practicing, reading, writing some more. What a thrill to finally hold my first book in my hand! Still, I write because I enjoy the process (at least most of the time).
For years I wrote while working at other day jobs. I spent 12 years working at a huge historic site, which was a perfect spot for someone interested in historical fiction. I also developed and scripted instructional videos for public television. Finally, though, it got to be too much to juggle. I now write full-time, and consider myself enormously fortunate to do something I love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 4, 2021
This engaging historical fiction mystery left me with more meaning about my local Hanka Homestead Finnish Museum. Ernst's characters are fully human, which made her book difficult to put down. I am looking forward to her vising The Hanka Family Homestead on August 21, 2021, see https://www.hankahomesteadmuseum.org/ for information about this upcoming event.
July 17, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Chloe Ellefson has been given an exciting opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new historic site in Upper Michigan. This site is featuring Finish American History and Chole jumps at the chance to consult and make program recommendations to the people involved in developing this new historic site. She is also excited to meet some rag rug weavers as that was popular in Finnish history and continues to be in the area.
Chloe arrives at one weaver’s home just in time to discover a dead body. She had such high hopes to tap into the woman’s knowledge, her death has her questioning her whole journey. But she can’t back away from her commitment even when there may be a murderer in her midst. Her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna is not pleased with her decision especially when he is not there to protect her but he knows Chloe is a strong independent woman and that while she may listen to his advice he knows she isn’t coming back to their home in Wisconsin until all her commitments are fulfilled and now that includes murder.
History and mystery come together in the precise way I expect when I pick up a book by Kathleen Ernst.
Chloe’s part of the story takes place in the 1980s, a time where cell phones, GPS., and the internet are still a dream. She is consulting on rebuilding the Hanka Homestead as of 1920 in the Upper Penisula of Michigan. We go back in time to Finland in May of 1915/16 when Matti Peltoniemi immigrates to the United States. His young wife Liana follows when his letters stop coming. She is on a quest to find her husband who should be in the U.P. The characters we are introduced to in this story are so interesting and believable. I quickly became invested in their lives, especially Liana as she endures a lot and stays strong to find the man she loves. Her journey is full of tough and scary times. My heart broke for her so strongly at one point.
The characters in Chloe’s time are also incredibly written with secrets and strife of their own. Chloe meets many people and attends some community events to learn more about the weaving craft and the Hanka’s time period so that she can get the new historic site off to a good start. She imparts her knowledge about collections and uses elbow grease on some wonderful finds. She also uses her sleuthing skills to ferret out a killer.
The investigation into the death of the weaver is compounded by another death. The author has plotted out a tightly woven mystery full of twists and turns. Clues were difficult to pin down. I had just a little feeling as to where I thought the story was heading. I was only slightly right. The ending ended up totally taking me by surprise. Roelke had a mystery of how one to solve back in Eagle and I eagled out that solution fairly quickly even though he had to deal with an over-the-top victim.
Kathleen Ernst is a terrific storyteller and I credit a lot of that to her time spent at Old World Wisconsin. Finding and overseeing collections that tell historic stories, this series and her young reader mysteries feel like a natural offshoot for a person who loves history as much as this author does. I always learn something new when reading her stories. I took a great interest in the weaving theme this time because that has been a craft I have been interested in forever. I never had anything wonderful like the looms in this story but I did make a few creations with my tabletop loom.
This is the 11th book in this series and I have loved every one of them. I am so happy Ms. Ernst found a new home for this series! It was well worth the wait to find the right fit. I am looking forward to many more journeys with Chloe. I love her plan for the future.
Chloe Ellefson has been given an exciting opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new historic site in Upper Michigan. This site is featuring Finish American History and Chole jumps at the chance to consult and make program recommendations to the people involved in developing this new historic site. She is also excited to meet some rag rug weavers as that was popular in Finnish history and continues to be in the area.
Chloe arrives at one weaver’s home just in time to discover a dead body. She had such high hopes to tap into the woman’s knowledge, her death has her questioning her whole journey. But she can’t back away from her commitment even when there may be a murderer in her midst. Her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna is not pleased with her decision especially when he is not there to protect her but he knows Chloe is a strong independent woman and that while she may listen to his advice he knows she isn’t coming back to their home in Wisconsin until all her commitments are fulfilled and now that includes murder.
History and mystery come together in the precise way I expect when I pick up a book by Kathleen Ernst.
Chloe’s part of the story takes place in the 1980s, a time where cell phones, GPS., and the internet are still a dream. She is consulting on rebuilding the Hanka Homestead as of 1920 in the Upper Penisula of Michigan. We go back in time to Finland in May of 1915/16 when Matti Peltoniemi immigrates to the United States. His young wife Liana follows when his letters stop coming. She is on a quest to find her husband who should be in the U.P. The characters we are introduced to in this story are so interesting and believable. I quickly became invested in their lives, especially Liana as she endures a lot and stays strong to find the man she loves. Her journey is full of tough and scary times. My heart broke for her so strongly at one point.
The characters in Chloe’s time are also incredibly written with secrets and strife of their own. Chloe meets many people and attends some community events to learn more about the weaving craft and the Hanka’s time period so that she can get the new historic site off to a good start. She imparts her knowledge about collections and uses elbow grease on some wonderful finds. She also uses her sleuthing skills to ferret out a killer.
The investigation into the death of the weaver is compounded by another death. The author has plotted out a tightly woven mystery full of twists and turns. Clues were difficult to pin down. I had just a little feeling as to where I thought the story was heading. I was only slightly right. The ending ended up totally taking me by surprise. Roelke had a mystery of how one to solve back in Eagle and I eagled out that solution fairly quickly even though he had to deal with an over-the-top victim.
Kathleen Ernst is a terrific storyteller and I credit a lot of that to her time spent at Old World Wisconsin. Finding and overseeing collections that tell historic stories, this series and her young reader mysteries feel like a natural offshoot for a person who loves history as much as this author does. I always learn something new when reading her stories. I took a great interest in the weaving theme this time because that has been a craft I have been interested in forever. I never had anything wonderful like the looms in this story but I did make a few creations with my tabletop loom.
This is the 11th book in this series and I have loved every one of them. I am so happy Ms. Ernst found a new home for this series! It was well worth the wait to find the right fit. I am looking forward to many more journeys with Chloe. I love her plan for the future.
December 20, 2021
I read this book because of its connections with Michigan, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and the Finnish people of Michigan, my home state. My brother lives in the UP and he speaks of the Finnish roots of some of his friends. In that respect, this book succeeds on several levels. It speaks to the establishment of the Hanka Museum, which I thought was fictional but turns out to exist. My next visit to the UP now must include a visit to the museum. I did not know of Kathleen Ernst before I learned of this book, so I can’t compare it to her other Chloe mysteries. It’s a fairly quick read and I enjoyed it, especially since it forced me to remind myself that the story is set in the mid-1980s when cell phones didn’t exist and laptop computers were still awaiting technology improvements.
July 5, 2021
A great continuation of Chloe's story. Feels like it's a back to basics as it focuses less on Chloe's overall story and more on the historical story and the mystery to be solved.
December 21, 2024
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Many years ago I used to take the kids to any story time I could find, whether it was at a library branch or at the local Barnes and Noble. At the time, B&N also had many author events, too. Most of them didn’t interest me, but then I saw that the author of about 20 American Girl books was going to make an appearance. Since my oldest daughter really enjoyed those books, I took my three girls to the event and met Kathleen Ernst. It was then that I discovered she wrote a mystery series for adults set in 1980’s Wisconsin. I was immediately a fan. The Weaver’s Revenge is the latest in the Chloe Ellefson series. It was released in May by Henschel HAUS Publishing.
“A Killer Weaves a Deadly Blend of Betrayal and Revenge that Threatens Chloe’s Work … and Her Life
When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In addition to the consultant job, she’s on a personal quest to learn about the enduring tradition of rag rug weaving. Encountering a dead body upon arrival, however, immediately puts that goal in jeopardy. Although suspicion soon falls on her new colleagues, Chloe is determined to persevere … even if it means ignoring the advice of her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna. Can she identify the killer and complete her mission, or will all her dreams unravel?”
There are a lot of things going on in The Weaver’s Revenge that gave me all the feels. First, it takes place in the U.P., otherwise known as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where both my parents were born. Second, as with most Chloe Ellefson books, you get to learn more about a dying art, in this case, rag rugs. Third, Ernst’s books also shed light on the history of the northern European immigrants’ experience in their homeland, what brought them to Wisconsin, and their lives afterward. This time, the focus is on the Finnish immigrant experience.
My mother’s mother was Belgian but lived in the U.P. long enough that she had a loom much like the ones described in the book and made rag rugs. So learning more about this craft that my own grandma did but never had a chance to teach me was enlightening. I had no idea until reading the book that rag rugs were most popular with the Finnish people, of which there are a lot of descendants living in the U.P.
Ernst has become a master of weaving historical facts through the lives of people in the late 19th and early 20th century, along with a nostalgic look at historical sites in the 1980’s, pre-cell phones and other technology that’s not needed to tell the story. The author spent many years working at Old World Wisconsin, an historical state park, at about the same time and no doubt draws upon her experiences to tell Chloe’s story.
Besides all this history-as-fiction presented, there’s a murder to solve. Chloe always seems to stumble upon dead bodies wherever she goes, and this book is no exception. It turns out the murder victim was not well-liked by anyone in the area, but she was a master rag rug weaver. There’s no end as to who could have done it, but things get more complicated when there’s a second murder. Chloe has to rely on her smarts to solve the mystery since her cop husband, Roelke, is back and home and can’t help.
The Weaver’s Revenge is also a little different than other Chloe Ellefson books because it was released by a new publisher. One major change that I wholeheartedly agree with is the absence of Chloe’s “special gift” of being able to sense through some psychic abilities the feelings remaining in old buildings. I never felt like that supernatural addition added anything to the stories despite the fact that I’m a huge fan of Barbara Mertz’s work under the pen name, Barbara Michaels, who told stories with a slightly supernatural bend. In Chloe’s case, it was superfluous, and I’m happy to see that element gone. Without it, I thought the story was stronger than previous Chloe books.
You certainly don’t have to read the other books in the series to enjoy The Weaver’s Revenge, but I highly recommend them if you want to learn more about the history of European immigrants in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.
Many years ago I used to take the kids to any story time I could find, whether it was at a library branch or at the local Barnes and Noble. At the time, B&N also had many author events, too. Most of them didn’t interest me, but then I saw that the author of about 20 American Girl books was going to make an appearance. Since my oldest daughter really enjoyed those books, I took my three girls to the event and met Kathleen Ernst. It was then that I discovered she wrote a mystery series for adults set in 1980’s Wisconsin. I was immediately a fan. The Weaver’s Revenge is the latest in the Chloe Ellefson series. It was released in May by Henschel HAUS Publishing.
“A Killer Weaves a Deadly Blend of Betrayal and Revenge that Threatens Chloe’s Work … and Her Life
When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
In addition to the consultant job, she’s on a personal quest to learn about the enduring tradition of rag rug weaving. Encountering a dead body upon arrival, however, immediately puts that goal in jeopardy. Although suspicion soon falls on her new colleagues, Chloe is determined to persevere … even if it means ignoring the advice of her new husband, police officer Roelke McKenna. Can she identify the killer and complete her mission, or will all her dreams unravel?”
There are a lot of things going on in The Weaver’s Revenge that gave me all the feels. First, it takes place in the U.P., otherwise known as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where both my parents were born. Second, as with most Chloe Ellefson books, you get to learn more about a dying art, in this case, rag rugs. Third, Ernst’s books also shed light on the history of the northern European immigrants’ experience in their homeland, what brought them to Wisconsin, and their lives afterward. This time, the focus is on the Finnish immigrant experience.
My mother’s mother was Belgian but lived in the U.P. long enough that she had a loom much like the ones described in the book and made rag rugs. So learning more about this craft that my own grandma did but never had a chance to teach me was enlightening. I had no idea until reading the book that rag rugs were most popular with the Finnish people, of which there are a lot of descendants living in the U.P.
Ernst has become a master of weaving historical facts through the lives of people in the late 19th and early 20th century, along with a nostalgic look at historical sites in the 1980’s, pre-cell phones and other technology that’s not needed to tell the story. The author spent many years working at Old World Wisconsin, an historical state park, at about the same time and no doubt draws upon her experiences to tell Chloe’s story.
Besides all this history-as-fiction presented, there’s a murder to solve. Chloe always seems to stumble upon dead bodies wherever she goes, and this book is no exception. It turns out the murder victim was not well-liked by anyone in the area, but she was a master rag rug weaver. There’s no end as to who could have done it, but things get more complicated when there’s a second murder. Chloe has to rely on her smarts to solve the mystery since her cop husband, Roelke, is back and home and can’t help.
The Weaver’s Revenge is also a little different than other Chloe Ellefson books because it was released by a new publisher. One major change that I wholeheartedly agree with is the absence of Chloe’s “special gift” of being able to sense through some psychic abilities the feelings remaining in old buildings. I never felt like that supernatural addition added anything to the stories despite the fact that I’m a huge fan of Barbara Mertz’s work under the pen name, Barbara Michaels, who told stories with a slightly supernatural bend. In Chloe’s case, it was superfluous, and I’m happy to see that element gone. Without it, I thought the story was stronger than previous Chloe books.
You certainly don’t have to read the other books in the series to enjoy The Weaver’s Revenge, but I highly recommend them if you want to learn more about the history of European immigrants in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.
Read
June 17, 2023Chloe Ellefson, curator of stuff at the living history museum Old World Wisconsin, has been called to Michigan to consult on a historical village featuring the lives of Finnish-American immigrants. All the usual things are here that are familiar to readers of Chloe Ellefson mysteries: a fascination with the past, especially with the folkways and elements of daily life for ordinary people, especially for women, whose stories are not as often told in the historical narrative, a little tension between Chloe and her cop husband Roelke, who is home alone and sulking, and of course, murder.
I realized, as this book addressed the lives of Finnish immigrants, that I did not know much about Finns, or Finland. In discussions of Scandinavia, Sweden and Norway get all the press.
I learned two things from reading this book. The first is that Finns have a national cultural trait they call sisu. That’s a kind of persistence in the face of whatever life throws at you. That can mean toughness, and the Finns in the book take pride and inspiration in having sisu. But it can also mean a kind of resignation, which can lead to being trapped in bad circumstances, a dark side to sisu that the book also explores.
The second thing is that Finnish women wove beautiful rag rugs. I was frankly amazed at the photographs included in the book. I have always thought of rag rugs as rather coarse and simple, but these were truly works of art. The weavers cut their fabric strips carefully, twisted them tightly, and carefully chose color patterns that were more reminiscent of a woven coverlet for a bed. The women in the book found that banging away at the loom was an outlet for their frustrations, and the artistic designs were an outlet for all kinds of emotions.
As usual, Chloe solves a mystery in the present day, while the story of someone in the past plays out in a separate narrative. The two narratives always connect somehow. This time the connection took longer to emerge, and I was surprised, and did not foresee how past and present were going to merge.
I always enjoy a Chloe Ellefson book, both the history and the mystery. This time I also realized that I enjoy that the books take place in the 1980s, which, even though it wasn’t all that long ago, were a simpler time.
I realized, as this book addressed the lives of Finnish immigrants, that I did not know much about Finns, or Finland. In discussions of Scandinavia, Sweden and Norway get all the press.
I learned two things from reading this book. The first is that Finns have a national cultural trait they call sisu. That’s a kind of persistence in the face of whatever life throws at you. That can mean toughness, and the Finns in the book take pride and inspiration in having sisu. But it can also mean a kind of resignation, which can lead to being trapped in bad circumstances, a dark side to sisu that the book also explores.
The second thing is that Finnish women wove beautiful rag rugs. I was frankly amazed at the photographs included in the book. I have always thought of rag rugs as rather coarse and simple, but these were truly works of art. The weavers cut their fabric strips carefully, twisted them tightly, and carefully chose color patterns that were more reminiscent of a woven coverlet for a bed. The women in the book found that banging away at the loom was an outlet for their frustrations, and the artistic designs were an outlet for all kinds of emotions.
As usual, Chloe solves a mystery in the present day, while the story of someone in the past plays out in a separate narrative. The two narratives always connect somehow. This time the connection took longer to emerge, and I was surprised, and did not foresee how past and present were going to merge.
I always enjoy a Chloe Ellefson book, both the history and the mystery. This time I also realized that I enjoy that the books take place in the 1980s, which, even though it wasn’t all that long ago, were a simpler time.
October 14, 2022
This is book #11 in this series, which I have enjoyed since the first book many years ago. In each book, the author takes the reader back in time to get a first-hand look at some sort of what would probably be called a craft in today’s world, but was a necessary skill in the past. The story presented in the books alternate between the contemporary timeline, featuring Chloe and her modern-day life, and the historical timeline, featuring someone engaged in the skill relevant to Chloe’s current project.
I like Chloe and her curiosity, always trying to find out more about the artifacts or traditions that she encounters during the course of her job. She has a good cast of supporting characters and has contacts in many fields that help her figure out more about what she’s investigating in each book. I have especially enjoyed watching her personal relationships grow and evolve as the series progresses.
In this book, Chloe travels to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to help set things up at a historic site dedicated to Finnish-American history and culture, so many of the usual cast of characters aren’t involved in this story. I wasn’t sure who to trust in the new group of people she met, as each of them seemed to be potential murder suspects over the course of the book. I did not figure out who the killer was until relatively late in the book, and the motive – and the way the historic timeline fit into the contemporary story – was a total surprise.
It appears that this is the last book in the series, as it’s been over a year and half since this book was published. If more books are written, though, I’ll certainly read them.
I like Chloe and her curiosity, always trying to find out more about the artifacts or traditions that she encounters during the course of her job. She has a good cast of supporting characters and has contacts in many fields that help her figure out more about what she’s investigating in each book. I have especially enjoyed watching her personal relationships grow and evolve as the series progresses.
In this book, Chloe travels to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to help set things up at a historic site dedicated to Finnish-American history and culture, so many of the usual cast of characters aren’t involved in this story. I wasn’t sure who to trust in the new group of people she met, as each of them seemed to be potential murder suspects over the course of the book. I did not figure out who the killer was until relatively late in the book, and the motive – and the way the historic timeline fit into the contemporary story – was a total surprise.
It appears that this is the last book in the series, as it’s been over a year and half since this book was published. If more books are written, though, I’ll certainly read them.
January 16, 2022
I was surprised and pleased to find this latest in the Chloe Ellefson Old World Wisconsin series -- I was afraid the marriage of Chloe and Roelke would mark the end of the series. But they are back and Chloe keeps stumbling on murders, past and present. For a museum curator, that seems pretty remarkable, but I'm always willing to go along for that ride. Despite what seemed an unpromising setting -- Finnish rugmaking in Michigan -- there was plenty of history, genealogy, and cultural background to keep me interested between murders. Not the best one to pick if you haven't read others in the series, but as a longtime fan, I loved it!
November 17, 2022
After buying a Finnish woven rug, Chloe has become fascinated by the art, and wants to know more about it, maybe even creating a special exhibit at Old World Wisconsin, where she works. A consulting job takes her to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, were an old Finnish homestead is just undergoing restoration to become an outdoor museum. She also arranges to meet a local weaver, but on arriving at her house, she learns that the woman has been murdered. And that is only the beginning. Meanwhile, her husband, Roelke, back home is missing her, but encounters problems of his own on the job. Parts of the story delve even further into the past, into the live of a young Finnish woman who come to Wisconsin in search of her missing husband. The theme that runs through this book is love. The love between husband and wife or between other family members; and just what people might do for love. Excellent. Recommended.
January 20, 2022
Chloe Ellefson gets a short gig as a consultant to a project in Upper Peninsula Michigan restoring an historic farmstead. She takes along a beautiful rug of Finnish design, hoping to learn more about its origins. Roelke is not happy about Chloe’s travel, but he has his own case of a man obsessed with his sports car. The murder mystery plot was not convincing. However, the reason for reading the book is the lavish detail about the history of Finnish immigration to Michigan and the rag rugs and the looms on which the women wove them. I was glad that, for a change, Chloe and Roelke emerged from the story uninjured.
July 11, 2024
Think Murder She Wrote but based in the museum field.
Main character Chloe is working as a consultant for a Finnish historical site, and quickly the bodies start dropping. The B storyline of the woman Finnish immigrant, I found more compelling than the main one, even though they do eventually combine (like all Chloe Ellefson books).
I'm not sure if the answer to the whodunit was extra easy this time, or I've just read enough of these books to guess early on.
I will say the image of a grown woman clutching a rag rug to her chest to "give herself strength" was the dorkiest shit I've heard in a long time lol
Main character Chloe is working as a consultant for a Finnish historical site, and quickly the bodies start dropping. The B storyline of the woman Finnish immigrant, I found more compelling than the main one, even though they do eventually combine (like all Chloe Ellefson books).
I'm not sure if the answer to the whodunit was extra easy this time, or I've just read enough of these books to guess early on.
I will say the image of a grown woman clutching a rag rug to her chest to "give herself strength" was the dorkiest shit I've heard in a long time lol
June 12, 2021
Chloe is working as a consultant in the U.P. and at her first stop the woman ( aweaver) she had planned to interview is dead. While she is busy checking things out at a potential historical site she is also trying to determine who might have committed the crime. Meanwhile Roe;lke has been left home and is dealing with an angry man whose expensive car has been keyed. AND we are also learning the story of a young woman who travels to the UP from Finland, following her husband with whom she has lost touch. Twists and turns throughout and interesting info on Finnish settlers.
August 21, 2023
I absolutely enjoyed the 11th book from this series. I continually end each book wishing I had the next one.
This book focused on the Finnish immigrants in the U.P. I really enjoy how I learn history of an area, time, and culture and what makes them unique. Kathleen’s storytelling of bringing different time periods together is weaved beautifully as ever, however, I really was surprised how this one connected. Well done!
The only reason it didn’t receive a 5 star is because that is reserved for books that I feel will be historically classic over time.
This book focused on the Finnish immigrants in the U.P. I really enjoy how I learn history of an area, time, and culture and what makes them unique. Kathleen’s storytelling of bringing different time periods together is weaved beautifully as ever, however, I really was surprised how this one connected. Well done!
The only reason it didn’t receive a 5 star is because that is reserved for books that I feel will be historically classic over time.
October 17, 2021
I can't call myself a weaver anymore. I haven't done any weaving in years. But there was a time when I was very involved in weaving. This book, dealing with traditional Finnish rag rug weaving, reminded me of those days and it was such a pleasure to hear about looms, warp and weft and the beautiful and practical rugs Finnish weavers have made for centuries. There is a mystery, of course, and I liked that, too, but for me, the talk about weaving was more interesting.
November 16, 2021
Kathleen Ernst does an expert task in weaving the mystery of main character, Chloe Eleffson in the 1980's as she and her fiancé', Rolkee, visit Norway. Chloe is on an ancestry search in lieu of her mother's recent passing. The story involves a murder, a piece of Norwegian woven cloth and many twists and turns until coming to a most happy personal conclusion for Chloe. Another wonderful mystery/adventure which is a joy to read.
November 5, 2023
Enjoyed this book and felt that the tie between past and present was done in a uniquely different manner than prior books in this series. After growing up in the UP and hearing all the Finnish jokes, it was nice to hear more about true Finnish heritage. Now that I’ve read all 11 Chloe Ellefson books, I wait in anticipation of a new one. In the meantime I think I will search out the second book in this author’s other historical series that was set in the Milwaukee area.
May 27, 2021
This is another exceptional entry to the Chloe Ellefson saga! As always, the mystery is tightly woven (pun intended!) and blends the past with the present seamlessly with an ending I never saw coming. And as always, I learned a lot about another culture close to my home (and heart). Thanks, Kathleen! Can't wait for next time!!
October 26, 2021
Another entrancing well developed historical mystery connecting local living history sites to the historical past. Will keep you invested to the end. Examples of the range of hardships women endured in difficult times. Cautions on the catastrophic potential outcomes of trying to "keep it in and buried deep."
December 19, 2021
I love the historical aspects in Ernst’s books. I am drawn to her insights on the art forms she writes about, in this case rug weaving. I always feel she kills off too many people and the perpetrator still being alive did not seem historically accurate to me. She is an engaging author, none the less.
September 5, 2021
I've read a lot of the books in this series, and although they get a bit predictable, narratively speaking, I just love learning about the folk art and traditions of this area (mostly Wisconsin, where I live). The author really knows her stuff and obviously loves it.
October 14, 2021
3.5 stars. Historical-ish mystery. 11th in the series. I always enjoy the historical aspects of these novels and love the pictures of the artifacts at the end of the book. They are becoming a bit formulaic, but still an enjoyable read.
November 11, 2021
I can't describe how much I love this series. Old school sleuthing, down to earth characters, history and a well crafted mystery. I think this well written series is frequently overlooked. I highly recommend all the titles in the series.
December 5, 2021
This book take Chloe to Michigan to help with the restoring of a Finnish farm. She finds a feud and later a murder. Her relationship with her husband is strained because of all her travel. It did seem odd since she was only gone a week.
February 24, 2022
In the most recent adventure Chloe is in the former copper country in Michigan’s upper peninsula. While the interworking within the mines is not detailed, the operations of a logging camp and early town life is.
July 13, 2022
i think this is the third book I've read in this series, obviously missed some as I didn't know Chloe had gotten married, but in or out of order, they're all entertaining. I even liked the story from the past, something I usually don't. And I didn't guess the murderer!
June 21, 2021
Love the series.
July 23, 2021
Interesting Finnish American mystery about Chloe Ellefson’s time curating stories, Finnish American history, and homemade rag rug weaving. An interesting read, but at 381 pages, just too long. This is book 10 in the Chloe Ellefson Mystery Stories.
August 16, 2021
A good Ernst book with a surprise ending. Although Im not feeling it was her best. Great historical information on Finnish culture however!
September 5, 2021
I loved this Chloe adventure portraying Finnish women and the importance of weaving. The history of the time period and setting in Michigan is fascinating.
October 18, 2021
Kathleen Ernst. always spins a good tale and continues to surprise me at the end. Well worth the read.
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