"Stitch, Bake, Die!" By Lois Winston: Review/Giveaway

Review by Kathleen Costa

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

 Crafty Cozy Creates Conundrums! 

Anastasia Pollack’s life has some lovely perks in the form of two marvelous teenage boys, a loving fiancé Zack Barnes whom she soon will marry, and a job as crafts editor at American Woman magazine. However, with the good she must contend with the bad and the ugly. The bad are the questions she has about her fiancé’s inferred connections to one of the “alphabet agencies,” her “married six times” mother, an inherited Shakespeare-quoting African Grey, her mother-in-law’s French Bulldog, and an annoying half-brother-in-law and his family. But, it’s the ugly that has caused the most headaches. She is still dealing with the aftermath of the crushing debt left to her from her late husband’s gambling, and after his death, custody of her octogenarian “communist” mother-in-law Lucille who is filled with constant criticisms and snarky attacks. Added to the good, the bad, and the ugly is her unfortunate luck for finding numerous dead bodies, and butting into the investigations, often to help friends and family, she finds herself on the wrong side of Detective Spader. Whew, she couldn’t have crafted a more intricately complex life.


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Stitch, Bake, Die!
Earns 5/5 Hardanger Stitches…Twisty Delight!

“Are…you familiar with the Stitch and Bake Society? Originally founded by a retiree who discovered her workaholic lifestyle kept her from pursuing the old-fashioned, she thought, pastimes of needlework and baking, she reached out to other retired women and created the Stitch and Bake Society with chapters all over the country. Naomi Dreyfus, editor of American Woman, agreed to be a sponsor of the New Jersey Chapter’s first conference, and snagged Anastasia and her BFF and food editor Cloris McWerther to provide daily demonstrations and hands-on projects for a predicted one hundred attendees. They will also act as judge for the competitions. The three-day event will be held at the exclusive Beckwith Chateau Country Club, owned by the Beckwith family. The event coordinator and wife of a Beckwith is also the New Jersey Chapter’s president, Marlene Beckwith. Connecting with Marlene to clarify what type of presentations she’s expecting, they find her entitled, pushy, and demanding, but despite their concerns with the out-of-the-ordinary short notice, Anastasia and Cloris are ready. But, are they ready for the severe drop in attendance, a major storm pending, a suspicious envelope, and murder?

Stitch One, Bake Brilliant! Lois Winston has crafted another clever tale in the tenth book of her Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series with a backdrop of cross stitching, buttercream, bribery, sabotage, rumors, and murder. Our two friends can’t explain the niggling feelings they keep getting as the convention continues to have management issues, and the comments they overhear give them the idea this particular chapter is more a society of Snitch and Berate, than Stitch and Bake. The investigation runs into several nail-biting obstacles with additional victims, a myriad of suspects to explore, rampant rumors, and lots of danger. Lois’s writing style uses a first-person narrative from Anastasia’s perspective with vivid descriptions, witty banter, and clever details leading to an exciting and shocking conclusion. All making for a page-turner experience to delight cozy fans!

“Anastasia’s Cross Stitch Tips” With your own personal guide, use these detailed instructions, tips, and finishing techniques to create your own masterpiece. For additional ideas check out Anastasia’s Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog, the blog of Anastasia Pollack, crafts editor, and reluctant amateur sleuth.

KRL Reviews

Drop Dead Ornaments (Issue 11/2018)

Handmade Ho Ho Homicide (Issue 11/2019)

A Sew Deadly Cruise (Issue 10/2020)

Be a Big Lois Winston Fan!

USA Today bestselling author Lois Winston is quite the accomplished writer. Along with her cozy crafted Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, she pens Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mini-Mysteries and Empty Nest Mystery series. She also writes romantic suspense, romance, and Chick Lit books under the name Emma Carlyle along with novellas and short story collections, a children’s chapter book, non-fiction books, and has joined in multi-author Romance Super Bundle boxed sets. But writing is not all. She is also an award winning designer of needlework and craft projects for various publications and craft kit manufacturers. She channeled Anastasia Pollack for several years as a crafts editor and uses her art and design background as source material in her fiction. Her writing style and creative “crafty” eye makes her Anastasia Pollack Mystery series a Top Ten favorite of mine!

Sign up for her newsletter!

Lois Winston’s website

Pinterest – Lois Winton

Twitter @Anasleuth

You can listen to the first chapter of another of the books in this series, Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, which was featured on Mysteryrat's Maze Podcast by clicking here or listening on the player below.

To enter to win either an ebook or print copy of  Stitch, Bake, Die!, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "stitch,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen October 30, 2021.. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. BE AWARE THAT DUE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS THERE MAY BE A DELAY IN SHIPPING THE WINNING BOOK. BE SURE TO STATE IF YOU WANT PRINT OR EBOOK. 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 Halloween episode went up this week and another will go up next week.

You can use this link to purchase the book or click here. 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.
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. Two of my favorite activities are in this book - sstitching
    and cooking (don't cook a lot anymore). Sounds like
    a good read. thanks. txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  2. This would be my first Anastasia Pollack novel. Thanks for the chance to win it. crs(at)codedivasites(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds so good. If you can't be crafty, then read about it. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I enjoy this author, count me in! tWarner419(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Stitch, Bake, Die! sounds like a fun and entertaining crafting mystery!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  6. New author to me. Looking forward to reading the book. I prefer a print copy.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love these books! And I'd love to win a copy!

    kmrockwood@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  8. What an interesting cast of characters and love the craft tips!
    kozo8989@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wonderful review, Lois Winston has a huge wonderful series
    With Anastasia. Right him my interest zone. She is fun, funny,
    crafty, charitable.. I just am in awe of what Lois Winston comes up with. I don't have a book of my own.I would
    Absolutely adore that.
    Thank you for such fabulous reviews & guest's.
    Your marvelous🎉

    Gkathgoldin@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Anastasia Pollock mysteries are always hysterical, which your actress caught beautifully. I only wish I could do needlework!

    ReplyDelete

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