When murder strikes the small town of Tallulah Falls, embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer isn’t afraid of getting into the knitty-gritty to clear her own name…
For most small-business owners in Tallulah Falls, the upcoming Renaissance Faire is a wonderful way to promote their specialty shops. For Marcy’s nemesis, Nellie, and her sister Clara, it’s an opportunity to finally put Marcy and her shop, the Seven-Year Stitch, out of business. Apparently the sisters like to keep their grudges all in the family and have set up a competing booth right next to Marcy’s at the Faire.
When Clara is discovered dead in her own booth—strangled by the scarf she had almost finished knitting—Marcy becomes the prime suspect. Now she has to do whatever it takes to keep her reputation from unraveling and get to the bottom of a most deadly yarn…
I live in Southwest Virginia with my husband and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. I’m a full-time writer/editor/mom/wife and chief cook and bottle washer, and I love every minute of it. Okay, not the bottle washing so much, but the rest of it is great.
I’m happy to introduce you to my latest characters, cake decorator Daphne Martin and embroidery shop owner Marcy Singer.
Read more about Daphne and Marcy at my blog.
Who’s Amanda Lee?
Amanda Lee is a pseudonym Gayle is using for the new cozy mystery series featuring a heroine who owns an embroidery shop. The series is set on the Oregon Coast and features Marcy Singer, a spunky, thirty-something, entrepreneur who is handy with a needle.
Marcy Singer owns a nice craft store, the Seven-Year Stitch, in lovely Tallulah Falls, Oregon. It's mid-September and Renaissance Faire time. The town merchants are taking advantage of the festivities, and the extra tourism it brings and setting up booths filled with their store fares. Poor Marcy finds herself stuck in the booth between her arch enemies, Nellie Davis and her sister, Clara, which takes some of the fun out of the excitement of the colorful Faire. Detective Ted Nash, Marcy's boyfriend, is working on a cold case between spending time with Marcy and Angus, her Ioyal Irish wolfhound. When trouble begins at the Ren Faire, both Marcy and Ted find themselves caught in the center of a new murder case and an old one. Author, Amanda Lee, writes a strong, fast-paced, engrossing story. I love the pets! You'll be thoroughly entertained, and kept guessing until the end.
The author provided me a complimentary copy of this book. This review is my personal opinion and not influenced by anyone else.
WICKED STITCH was a wickedly fun and entertaining mystery. You’ll be embroidered . . . uh, embroiled from the very first chapter.
I love the Renaissance Faire setting for protagonist Marcy Singer and the other characters from Tallulah Falls. I’ve been to a Ren Faire, and author Amanda Lee’s descriptions really captured the feel. What a great place for a murder!
I was happy to see that the victim wasn’t killed and found in the first couple of chapters. I like getting to spend time with the characters before they become wrapped up in investigating. That being said, once the body was found, the book just kept getting better and better. Ms. Lee has a wonderful writing style that keeps the story flowing at a great pace.
Readers will love this tightly stitched tale of murder most medieval.
4 stelle e mezza La storia mi è piaciuta e ho capito chi fosse il colpevole solo un minuto prima della rivelazione finale. Soprattutto mi è piaciuta l'idea della fiera rinascimentale: come mi piacerebbe andare in una simile per davvero!
This series is really great! I love the characters and I love that Marcy has a dog. I enjoyed this entry in the series although I think renaissance fairs are usually more enjoyed than this one was but I liked the setting switch up. This book took it down to the wire and I thought we’d never have a culprit.
Wicked Stitch is the eighth book in the An Embroidery Mystery series. A very
A very enjoyable series and the reader doesn't need to do embroidery to enjoy this series.
A Renaissance Faire is coming to Tallulah Falls and all the little shop owners are excited with hopes of it generating a lot of sales. Marcy Singer has been busy at the Seven-Year Stitch putting blackwork on white polo shirts and getting other items ready for the opening of the Faire. Marcy is trying to keep busy so that she doesn't get any more upset by the news that Nellie Davis', a thorn in Marcy's side, sister, Clara, will be opening a shop similar to hers, right next door to Marcy's. The evening before the Faire is to open, Marcy heads out to the site to set some of her sale items and stops to take a look at Clara's booth. What she see is Clara laying on the floor next to her rocking chair. Somebody has apparently strangled her. The first words of Nellie's mouth is that Marcy is responsible for her death. In the mean time, Marcy's boyfriend, Detective Ted Nash, is taken off the case when Nellie claims he had had an argument with Clara. But still, Nash is able to help, behind the scenes, Marcy while tries to learn who the killer is. There is no shortage of suspects who would wanted to Clara dead.
Most all of the believable character from the previous books are back to help Marcy with her sleuthing or for support in her endeavor.
Very much looking forward to reading the next adventures of Marcy and Ted.
I have really enjoyed this series.. But about the 6th page, the time frame of the series seemed to narrow and I learned that the shop has been open less than a year. So that means that Marcy has now been intimately involved with 7 murders in that time, which will now become 8, since this is the 8th in the series. I love cozies but even this is really pushing the fictional envelope. Very close to that section there was a legal error regarding "non-compete" clauses as being only between employees and employers and that one could not be used to prohibit a tenant marketing a similar business with the same landlord. In this story, Marcy's long-time "frenemy" (mostly enemy) Nellie has her sister rent the shop next store to Marcy and she'll be selling knitting, sewing and crotching supplies; her store is also arranged very much like Marcy's. Of course, she won't be selling much of anything after she is found murdered at the Renaissance Faire. One can negotiate that into your business lease; a hairdresser would never want another hairdresser to be able to rent space in the same strip mall, would they? I guess both of those things bothered me and I had a hard time trying to get through this book. Just a lot of parts of the book that seemed unrealistic. I already have the next one in the series so I won't completely give up.
I really enjoyed this book, as I do the whole series. The Renaissance Faire has come to town, unfortunately Marcy's stall will between Nellie who for some reason has it out for Marcy and Nellie's sister Clara who seems to be of the same feeling. When Clara is found dead it is hard to decide who could have done it when the woman seems to have fought with everyone. Ted (Marcy's love) is involved in a cold case file, and there are characters all over the Ren. Faire offering warnings. I can't begin to tell how much I love the characters in this book, many of the old ones are here and some new. They are real and you feel as if you are dropped there you would fit right in. The emotions are real, whether it be bursting into tears or snapping in anger but not overly done. The mystery had me guessing, I figured out the who before Marcy but not quite the why. I will definitely continue on with this series.
Well, that was actually pretty good. This far into the series and I love the series with every book. Of course what keeps me reading is the different mysteries Marcy find herself in, again. And again. The other characters are also interesting. Looking forward to the next one already.
Marcy Singer is the owner of a wonderful embroidery store, The Seven-Year Stitch in the town of Tallulah Falls. She and her wonderful dog Angus, an Irish wolfhound, greet customers and help where they can when mysteries pop up. This installment centers around a wonderful Renaissance Faire being held in town. It seems to be a wonderful way to promote the small businesses, specialty shops and crafts. Marcy is really looking forward to the Ren Faire, embroidering shirts and even having classes with the styles of that time. Things rapidly decline after a meeting for the Faire when Marcy learns her booth will be smack dab in the middle of her two enemies. Nellie and her sister Clara just do not like Marcy and are a constant thorn in her side. Well now she is going to be sandwiched between the sisters for the entire time.
As Marcy sets out to get her booth in order, she decided to give it one more go to bury the hatchet with the sisters. When she enters Clara’s booth, Marcy finds her dead. Now it looks like Marcy may fast becoming the prime suspect in her murder. With the help of her boyfriend detective Ted Nash and Marcy’s dear friends, she has to find the real killer. Ted is also dealing with a cold case that has just gotten hot again. As these two mysteries start to intersect things get really interesting. This is one mystery that kept me guessing and guessing right till the end. And what a good ending it was.
Wicked Stitch is a wonderfully written cozy, with well-developed characters, perfect setting and the right combination of all the things that make a perfect cozy! This is the 8th installment of An Embroidery Mystery series and the best yet. All of them have been amazing. Amanda Lee just keeps getting better and better when I thought there was no way she could. I love these characters and of course Angus. There is never a dull spot or lack of fun, adventure and intrigue in this book. It draws you in and pulls you through the eye of the needle and never let’s go.
I would recommend Wicked Stitch to anyone that enjoys cozy mysteries, super writing, great characters and big dogs. Although you can like little dogs too and still enjoy this fantastic book (lol). I do not embroider or sew and am horrible with any kind of thread, however you do not have to like those things to become enthralled in this installment. I have read all of this series, but think you could enjoy this one without having read any of the others. Amanda Lee does a wonderful job of getting a new reader caught up without boring the readers of the series. Her writing style is entertaining and easy. I cannot wait for my next visit to Tallulah Falls and the gang of friends there.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review as part of their ongoing blog tour*
There is always a curiosity in me about fiber arts, that's part of what enticed me to pick up Wicked Stitch that and i'm a fan of competitions and always a good murder. The Renaissance Faire has come to Tallulah Falls. Seven Year Stitch is Marcy Singers Embroidery Shop and she is busy working on black work on white shirts for the Faire. Seven Year Stitch is to have a booth there and news to Marcy the sister of Marcy's fellow business owner and rival, Nellie. Clara is opening a similar business right next door to Seven Year Stitch.
Marcy fears are soon realized because not only does she fear a little competition will put her out of business but she is also has a booth next door to Clara at the Renaissance Faire. Marcy is always in the thick of things when she discovers Clara dead in her own booth strangled by a scarf she is knitting. Being there Marcy becomes a suspect and so does Marcy's detective boyfriend,Ted and he is taken off the case but it is soon known that Nellie and Clara have secrets of their own and the suspects start to weave themselves together.
With a blooming love story between Marcy and Ted was heart warming and complete with some eccentric characters. This was a well woven mystery. I loved the theme of the story and the competition feel being a fan of competition reality shows and themed cozy mysteries. I was also a big fan of Angus, Marcy's Irish Wolfhound and his odd friendship with Clara's rabbit, Clover, such a sweet edition to the story. I am now a big fan of this series and can't wait to read the next in the series, The Stitching Hour out in November.
I love cozy mysteries and I wish that the picturesque towns actually exist. That would be so awesome. Life would be so much more cozy if that were true.
Tallulah Falls is now going to have two shops selling knitting supplies and Marcy's rival in business is her nemesis' sister.
I love it when relatively normal folks have a nemesis!
And she can't get away from them, even at the Ren Faire. (Have I mentioned how much I love ren faires?)
Then Clara ends up dead and Marcy find''s That makes Marcy the prime suspect in the eyes of her sister Nellie, who doesn't care for Marcy one bit.
The story starts out a little bit slow, but that's usually the case with established series. You spend a bit of time getting in touch with your old friends, and then the excitement starts.
This is book 8 inn the series, and it can be read as a stand alone, though it would have been nice to know a little be more about Nellie and why she hates Marcy so much, so for new readers it does leave questions, but not enough to spoil the enjoyment of a good story.
Clara's personality rubbed everyone the wrong way, and because of this, Ted isn't officially allowed to work the case.
It really doesn't get much better than this. You really can't figure out who the killer is with this one.
This was a totally fun cozy, and the animals make everything better too. I really love Clover and Angus together. I hope they remain friends in the future.
It's Ren Faire time in Tallulah Falls and Marcy Singer has a booth at the faire selling her Blackwork shirts, collars and other needlework items. She's looking forward to the faire and is enjoying getting ready for it till she learns that Nellie's sister Clara is opening a needlework shop right beside hers. Not only that but, her booth at the faire is right beside the two sister's booths. As she's trying to make things work, she finds Clara dead in her booth. Soon after, her own booth is trashed. Who is doing all of these terrible things? And are they linked to the cold case Marcy's boyfriend Ted is working on? And who is this creepy guy, the Crow, who keeps warning Marcy?
I really enjoy this series and this book was just as good as the rest have been. I can't wait to read the next one!
If you do not embroider or like embroidery, do not let that deter you from these great cozy mysteries by Amanda Lee! I love this series! I love the characters and how clean these sweet cozy mysteries are! Aside from the murders and the sisters, I would want to live in this town and know these people. I hope Amanda Lee continues these cozy myteries for years to come because every one has made it on my fave's list!
Amanda Lee blew me away with this one! Suspense, intrigue and heart stopping confusion. No clue as to who the guilty party was until the end. I have always loved ren faires. Everyone is playing a part, so no one is who you think them to be, but how well are they playing a part and what are they hiding underneath. YOU HAVE to read this to find out more. I can't wait to read the next one!
Marcy decides to attend and sale her items at the Ren Faire that is taking place. She is trying to get along with Cara, Nellie's sister, who decided to buy the shop next door to hers and duplicates her display. Unfortunately Marcy is also between Nellie and Cara to sell her wares in a booth at the fair. This starts off with Cara being killed at the fair early in the morning. Marcy discovers her and Nellie decides that Marcy killer her sister. So we do not find out with all the twist till the end of what happen to Cara and why. Good job on keeping this one a guessing who did it till the end!
All of Amanda Lee’s Embroidery Mysteries are nice light reads, great for taking a break between more thought provoking reads or for a nice beach read. However, the Wicked Stitch seemed to be a bit weak on the mystery plot development compared to the rest. It seemed to take a long time to actually get to the murder. Then, after a few clues were given, the book seemed to meander around those same clues all the way through the book, never adding much of anything new until the last few pages. The actual confrontation with the murderer was extremely short and left me thinking, “That was it?” It lacked any sort of punch.
It's always nice to return to Tallulah Falls. Even better when the characters you enjoy find themselves growing and developing. Marcy once again tangles with Nellie, but this time Nellie has involved her sister in the action, until Clara ends up dead and yes, Marcy finds the body. The story takes place more at the Renaissance Faire than in the shop, so a bit of a change of scenery was nice. Just the right blend of old and new in this book. The story moves right along and takes you right along with it.
It was ok, but I wouldn't read another by this author. She has a million characters, and nothing distinguishes them one from another. The plot was confusing, and not in an interesting way. I got to the end, and the murderer's confession, and I still don't understand the motive or the relationships among the characters that led to murder. I'm sure it makes sense to the author, but she didn't describe it in a way that anyone else could have solved the murder -- or even understood it.
Oh the perfect read for a rainy day when one has nothing to do but curl up with a pot of tea. A cute cozy mystery with Embroidery. A Renaissance Fair, Blackwork Embroidery, a Falcon, and a murder. Oh yes, I'm there. Add to that family struggles, amateur sleuth, a bit of romance, with a good sense of humor; yep entertaining fun. If you like crafty cozies this one is for you.
This is one of my favorite cozy series, but I have to admit I was disappointed by the ending. It was just so abrupt. In walks the criminal, that person and Marcy exchange a few words, the criminal is arrested and that's it. No drama, no suspense, nothing. Just a page-and-a-half, if that, and done. Marcy is apparently back to business as usual. Wasn't expecting that, and it was a letdown. Otherwise it was a fun book to read, and I quite enjoyed the first 300-some pages.
If I could give this installment of Amanda Lee's cozy embroidery mystery series ten stars I would. It has it all. A great mystery, tangled relationships, romance, and, of course, needlework. The characters are well developed, and the descriptions of both the setting and the needlework wonderful! I am so sad there won't be anymore of this series forthcoming.
The story takes place around a Renaissance Faire that is being held in Tallulah Falls. Marcy Singer, the main character, finds a body of a woman in the booth next to hers. The victim's sister thinks Marcy might be involved but the police don't. Marcy begins asking questions and then she begins to have other people warn her she is in danger. The book was an easy read.
Light and kind of recipe-type cozy mystery. There was one part where the people and their relations were just downright confusing. I haven't read the others previously, and this one is mostly okay standing alone.
Continuing problems with fellow retailers has Marcy and Ted pushed out of the murder investigation. Marcy checking out her booth at the Renaissance Fair finds a body. Plots within plots makes this an exciting read.
A great read! It has Marcy going to the Ren Faire as a merchant. At the end, more than one murder gets solved. Good job again, Marcy, but stop trying to get killed! :) Enjoy!
Renaissance Faire, murder, Fortune telling witches, embroidery and a pet rabbit - what’s not to love. This charming series continues with some interesting people I would like to know.