"Tapestry of Tears" By Michele Drier: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

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

Stained With...Murder!

Rosalind Duke is an internationally renowned stained glass artist. Taking her art seriously she ensures she is not only skilled in various modern and centuries-old techniques, but knowledgeable of the history, style, and artistry of the unique art form from the largest most photographed masterpiece to the smallest out-of-the-way gem. With a keen interest in glass recipes long since forgotten, she has written articles on Medieval and Gothic windows and accepts commissions from museums, churches, public buildings, and private homes. Her current proposal for a Wisconsin university art gallery/history museum will depict parts of the famous Bayeux Tapestry, an eleventh century embroidery chronicling the Norman conquest of England. It will be an arduous project with a dozen panels and intricate designs, and with so much to study, to know, to explore, in order to present her proposal to the university, she’ll need to visit the less-travelled southern English coast, site of the Norman invasion.


➡ switch to KingsRiverLife.com for more articles ⬅

Tapestry of Tears
earns 5/5 Bags of Stained Glass...Engaging and Entertaining!

Looking out onto the water, Roz imagines the thirty Norman ships arriving and vast numbers of men and their huge horses storming on shore readying for battle. It was hard not to feel the history and be inspired. Her expedition has led to Hythe, England, situated on the southern coast in the county of Kent. There she is exploring the various churches, castles, and sites offering her the opportunity to study a variety of stained-glass windows along with centuries of history both Anglo-Saxon and Norman. She was excited to visit the castle at Lympne and its church, but after passing gravestones that seem to hold their own history and walking into the musty church entry eager to study what she thought might be a Gothic window, she gasps...a smear of blood and a body lying on the floor, dead! Maybe there is something to this “dead-body curse” she’s afraid has recently plagued her.

Roz is not unfamiliar with dead bodies, detectives, and suspicious informal/formal interrogations, even if served with a delicious dark roast. She lost her husband, Winston Duke, when in L.A., and after moving to Oregon for a fresh start, she witnesses her neighbor being taken away in a body bag. Many tout some expertise being fans of television shows like Law & Order and CSI, but real-life experiences are more real, more intense. To avoid being labeled a “person of interest,” Roz agrees to talk again with the lead detective, DI Harold Fitzroy, to re-clarify the reasons of her stay. There she discovers she is his “person of interest,” but not for the murder, more for her expertise. A major theft at Westminster makes her knowledge of stained glass valuable to the investigation, especially since Scotland Yard is baffled. Then the note...“Stay out of this. Go back to the States.”

Shards of Fun! I’ve started here with the fascinating second book in Michele Drier’s Stained Glass Mystery series, and what a compelling read with an investigation into murder and grand larceny revealing something more sinister ripped from the headlines. Although this drama has a bit more of an edge than a traditional lighthearted cozy, do not miss out! Its realism maintains an engaging mystery with some nail-biting danger, clever revelations, rich characters, historical settings, and a bit of will they or won’t they debate. Liam, journalist turned novelist and close friend, is one in whom Roz confides and is comfortable. DI Fitzroy has his own family tragedy which allows him to empathize with Roz. This raises an interesting romantic triangle: Team Hal? or Team Liam? Although some might choose Team Tut, her rescue greyhound. This book can be a stand alone, but there are some references to characters and events in book one, no solutions, but definite details that, for one starting with book two, feel like spoilers. Just beware.

One “must” element in books I choose to read is the extraneous information that often binds together the story and characters: what theme, what hobby, or what historical details are explored. I greatly enjoy books inspiring me to go further, googling more background or searching for more books on the same topic: stained glass, the Bayeux Tapestry, Norman conquest of England, and a southern English coast that is now on my bucket list.

Alert! Be sure to check out the first book of the Stained Glass Mystery series, Stain on the Soul. Roz Duke experiences the worse tragedy: the death of a spouse. In her efforts to put her life back together she moves to a small coastal town in Oregon. However, tragedy follows her. Her neighbor ends up dead. Is this connected to her husband’s death or just a random, unrelated crime?

Be a Big Michele Drier Fan!

Michele Drier has an extensive list of books with varied themes, characters, and level of nail-biting drama: two-book Stained Glass Mystery series, a ten-book Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, and a three-book Amy Hobbs Newspaper Mysteries. Something for any literary appetite. Website: Michele Drier

To enter to win an ebook copy of Tapestry of Tears, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "tapestry,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen February 20, 2021. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter.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! A new episode went up this week.

You can use these links 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.

Comments

  1. Love stories with crafting as the backdrop.
    Tried stained glass but it was not my thing.
    this book sounds fascinating. thanks
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. This book has such an interesting premise. I'd love to read it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment