"A Patchwork of Clues" By Sally Goldenbaum: Review/Giveaway

by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of this book, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

A Hive of Queen "Bees"
It's a delightful Saturday morning, but the sirens in the distance may herald trouble for the members of the Crestwood Quilters. This eclectic mix of women, in age and experience, might not have forged such a close friendship but for their passion with quilting, and now they are fiercely attached.


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Portia "Po" Paltrow, a sixty-something widow with salt and pepper hair, is a writer and leader of the group. Kate Simpson, twenty-something, recently lost her mother and Po's best friend, found joining in with the other quilters seemed to keep her mother's memory fresh. Although she has a life in California on hold, staying close to old friends is what she needs right now. Phoebe Mellon, young mother of twin eleven-month-olds, had married into a high-class family. Her middle-class background was one her in-laws make every effort to expunge. Maggie Helmers is the local veterinarian and considers quilting her therapy. Leah Sarandon, a tenured professor at Canterbury College, transplanted herself in Crestwood when she fell in love with the area after seeing it as the setting in a movie. Eleanor Canterbury is the feisty eighty-five-year-old great-granddaughter of the founder of Canterbury College; she may walk with a can, but she has a quick wit. Selma Parker is the owner of the fabric and quilt shop, and her young assistant manager Susan Miller offers a fresh and creative perspective to the group's projects. Together they are the Crestwood Quilters and a force with which to be reckoned.
mystery
Image Source Lyrical Press

A Patchwork of Clues earns 5/5 Colorful Quilts...Engaging Fun!
Selma Parker's fabric and quilt shop, the creative center for the members of the Crestwood Quilters, has become a crime scene. Owen Hill, member of the Elderberry Shop Owners Corporation and the art department chair at the college, is, now, a Crestwood murder victim. Unusual for this small Kansas town, motive and suspects seem hard to determine. However, his desire to spruce up the business district had led to arguments, hard feelings, and mums thrown at his car, but murder? The police are focusing on the crime as a robbery gone wrong, but their suspect is released for lack of evidence. But, when another incident occurs, it shows the Quilters the police are going in the wrong direction.

Quite the complex mosaic of an engaging murder mystery and rich, even quirky, characters with a fun camaraderie that kept me totally engaged. With the large group of characters, Sally rightfully chose to use a third-person narrative, and although not my favorite literary perspective, it was well down focusing on the group as a whole. Being a first book in a series authors often spend chapters introducing the setting, characters, and the connections, but the murder victim is discovered right off and introductions to the main characters is creatively done as sirens are heard in the distance. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the town, the shops, and the people along with dialogue that illustrated well the various personalities. I was fascinated by the references to quilting since in my younger days I, too, created three elaborate quilts as wedding gifts and family mementos. Sally mentions details about the Crystal Star pattern the Quilters are using for the special Quilt they are creating as a gift, but I'd love to have more specific directions as a treat or a special recipe for something from one of the Elderberry Road shops. Just saying...

Be a Big Fan!
Sally Goldenbaum's Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery series has received some re-editing and is being reintroduced this summer: A Patchwork of Clues (June 2019), A Thread of Darkness (July, 2019), A Bias for Murder (August 2019). But, don't forget to join fans in enjoying Sally's thirteen-book Seaside Knitters Club Mystery series first introduced in 2008 with Death by Cashmere. The series follows Izzy Chambers who left a lucrative law career to open a yarn shop in Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, and with a diverse group of women, they "knit" up solutions to some very creative felonies. On Sally Goldenbaum's website she has knitting patterns and recipes to enjoy.

Facebook - Author Sally Goldenbaum
Website - Sally Goldenbaum

To enter to win an ebook copy of A Patchwork of Clues, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "patchwork,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen June 15, 2019. If entering via comment please include your email address. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors!

You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have adblocker on you may not be able to see the Amazon link:



Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.
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Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Comments

  1. There's a bunch of quilting themed mysteries the last several years. Count me in.

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  2. I love the idea of this series. Thanks for the contest. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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  3. I'd love to read this. Thanks for the chance! JL_Minter(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  4. Can't wait to read this re-edited version. Loved the original. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. Looking forward to reading. Thanks for the chance.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. This series sounds so good
    jwhaley4@aol.com

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  7. Can't wait to read this! Thanks for a chance to win! ljbonkoski@yahoo.com

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  8. I love reading about women of different ages who come together with a hobby. It gives me hope that I could learn something new, preferably without a murder.
    LaurasReadingBlog AT gmail (dot) com

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  9. I love quilting and reading books about quilting especially mysteries! Thanks so much for the chance to win!
    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

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  10. Seeing so many new series to add to my to be read pile.
    rgp1950@yahoo.com

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  11. I’d love to read this—ty for the chance. Legallyblonde1961 at yahoo dot com

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