Review – A Stitch in Crime

Thea James has accepted an assignment as co-chairperson for Larkindale’s first quilt show extravaganza. Juggling the new assignment with running her antique business, she’s already feeling frayed when things start to unravel.

Mary-Alice Wentworth, a much-loved town matriarch, respected quilt judge, and Thea’s dear friend, is covertly conked on the head during the kick-off Quilt Show Soiree, throwing suspicion on her guests.

It also appears that a valuable diamond brooch has been stolen during the attack. The family is furious. But is it because of their mugged mother or the missing diamonds?

When a renowned textile expert goes MIA and the famous Wentworth heritage quilt disappears, Larkindale’s reputation as a tourist haven is at risk. Thea attempts to piece the mystery together and save the town’s investment in the quilt show before Mary-Alice is attacked again . . . with far worse results.
A STITCH IN CRIME kind of has a feel of a Clue game when it begins. My kids love to play that… the crime has been committed and you have to figure out who-dun-it. With a houseful of guests and no witnesses—anyone could’ve.

I didn’t understand why the police felt the need to warn Thea off in the beginning of the book. She found the victim. Why warn her off? Did she have a reputation from one of Ms. Elliott’s previous books? I also never really cared about these characters. The book didn’t grab my attention and hold on the way I like.

Ms. Elliott is a very talented language with a great imagination. If you love mystery/suspense (especially of the investigative type) you might love A STITCH IN CRIME.  It isn’t the scary sort, and the heroine isn’t running for her life, but there is a crime to solve and someone who did it. I guessed early on who did it—but then kept second-guessing myself.