Book Review: Death Threads by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

 

Death Threads (Southern Sewing Circle #2). Elizabeth Lynn Casey. Berkely Prime Crime (2010). 280 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line:  "Tori Sinclair had always prided herself on being a relatively calm person - the kind of woman who kept a cool head and a professional demeanor at all times."

Summary:  Local author and husband of one of the members of the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle, Colby Calhoun, has come upon some information that is going to make people angry.  Colby could decide to keep the information to himself, but as a writer he feels it is his duty to get the truth out.  When his article is published in the local paper, not only is Colby ostracized, but so are his wife and children.  

Then Colby disappears and all that is left behind is a note written in crayon and a trail of blood.  The sheriff begins his investigation, but keeps coming up empty handed.  There are plenty of people who had a motive, but he can't seem to find anyone who had opportunity.  As the days pass with no new leads, Tori feels compelled to do something to help her friend.  

My thoughts:  Death Threads picks up just six months after Sew Deadly and is a great follow up.  Tori Sinclair is feeling more a part of Sweet Briar.  Having moved from Chicago, it has taken a while for some of the members of the town to accept her.  

Tori loves her job at the local library and continues to find ways to improve their services for the residents of the area.  This time she has come up with a project the sewing circle can work on that will help members of a local nursing home.  I enjoy the characters who make up the sewing circle.  They each add something to the story and many of them make me chuckle.  Some of them are quick to gossip, others keep them in line.  In the end they all have big hearts that are willing to help others.

The mystery was unique - murder was presumed, but no body was found.  This added an extra element to the investigation that was interesting.  I had an inkling what was going on, but there were some twists that added surprise and kept me guessing.  

I liked the way the mystery wrapped up.  The author set the stage for the next installment, which I look forward to reading soon.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries, southern fiction or sewing, you might like this series.  Some sewing patterns and tips are included at the end of the book.

Quotes:

"'It was despicable,' Rose interrupted firmly, 'because you let your replaced hormones run amuck in favor of your friendship with Victoria.'"

"'Anyone who's spent more than two seconds with your kids knows they're rare - respectful, creative, and loved.'"

Other books in this series:

1. Sew Deadly

Book Review: Deceptive Hearts by Marlene Chase

 

Deceptive Hearts (Amish Inn Mysteries #9). Marlene Chase. Annie's (2017). 201 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line of the Prologue: "He paused at the entrance of the dimly lit cafe and watched the girl seated near the back."

Summary:  Liz Eckardt and The Material Girls sewing group are planning a Valentine's Day party to take place at Olde Mansion Inn.  In the midst of the planning Liz has several guests staying at the Inn.  One frosty morning as Liz heads out for a walk, she discovers the body of one of her guests.  She and the other guests hadn't seen him since he checked in and assumed he was enjoying the privacy of his room.  Very little is known about him as he was traveling alone.  The police discover an old photograph of one of  Pleasant Creek's citizens in the victim's pocket.  Who was this man and why was he in Pleasant Creek.  The authorities have their work cut out for them, but can always count on a little help from Liz and The Material Girls.

My thoughts:  I picked this book up thinking it was the third in the series.  It wasn't until I finished it that I discovered it was actually the ninth.  I have read the first two books in the series so I was familiar with the characters, but I had no problem jumping in here.  I will go back and read the books I missed, however.

This is a series that includes several authors.  I had not read Marlene Chase before, but I really like her writing style.  The book starts with a prologue from the point of view of a man with a woman who seems to be Amish.  We know from his thoughts that he is using her to find someone in a photo.  It was a little creepy, but set a good tone for the book.

Liz has an interesting mix of guests at the inn this time.  There are two sisters and their cousin.  The cousin is an avid birdwatcher who they have not seen for years.  They decided to meet up at the inn and get reacquainted.  The cousin's character was entertaining.  He is always spouting off bird facts and I learned some interesting things.  

One thing I always enjoy about this series is the interaction of the Amish and the English.  Liz's mother was Amish, but left the order before Liz was born.  After her mother's death, Liz returned to Indiana to find out more about her mother's family.  There are always Amish characters in the stories and it is interesting to have their lifestyle included without it being the focus of the story.  

The pacing was just right.  The secondary story lines didn't slow down the flow, but added to the story.  The mystery was complicated especially as the victim was a mystery himself.  Liz is the perfect cozy sleuth - she only gets involved when she can truly help the police.  And if she happens to discover something on her own, she is quick to let the police know.  There were a couple of times when something happened that should have been a red flag, but Liz just explained it away.  Maybe it was a red flag to me because I read so many mysteries.  I did appreciate that the author always gave a good reason for the characters not to be alarmed by something I was pretty sure was a clue.  

I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to going back and reading books two through eight.  If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I think you might like this one.  

Quotes:

"The sky seemed like a designer quilt in a hundred shades of white - lavender-white, blue-white, gray-white.  Like busy crafters, snowflakes sewed a border on a hemlock-covered hill, embroidered a valley and stitched a ruffle on a porch rail."

"Sweet Sarah, for whom faith was a living, everyday reality."

"She was a woman who had learned the secret of aging gracefully.  She enjoyed life and looked for the best in everyone."

Other books in the series:

1. Secrets of the Amish Diary by Rachael Phillips

2.  Plain Deception by Tara Randel

Crusin' Thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2023

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews is hosting the 13th annual Crusin' thru the Cozies Reading Challenge.  The link to the sign up is here.  I will be participating at Level 2 (Investigator) - reading 20 cozy mysteries of my choice (option A). I will be keeping track of them here.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.