A Phantom Death by Annette Mahon

First Line: It was a glorious night, crisp and clear, with millions of tiny shards of light sparkling in the deep black of the desert sky.

Maggie Browne knew Jonathan Hunter when he was a child living close to their ranch outside Scottsdale, Arizona. Now he's an actor on tour with "Phantom of the Opera." When Jonathan is found bludgeoned to death in the desert not far from the ranch Maggie's son now owns, Maggie is in shock and shares her feelings with her beloved St. Rose Quilting Bee group.

The police are struggling to find clues, so when Jonathan's mother shows up and asks for her help, Maggie decides to do some sleuthing of her own, aided by her friends in the quilting group. Volunteering as theater ushers, Maggie and fellow quilter Victoria get to know the cast members and soon realize why the police are having problems: the suspect list is a long one filled with people who are grudging at best when it comes to coughing up the truth.

You know me-- when I hear of a mystery series set in Arizona, I have to get my hands on it. Annette Mahon's setting was a familiar one. I could picture myself traveling the streets of Scottsdale with Maggie, as well as on out into the desert where the ever present land sharks are buying up as much land as possible to turn into cookie cutter housing for the rich and not-so rich. Also easy to envision was Maggie's quilting group, which is filled with a variety of characters sure to play featured roles in future books. I liked the way quilting really played a part in events and felt as though I learned a good deal about how a quilting group works. But my enlightenment did not stop there. I also became acquainted with the theater through reading Mahon's book.

An excellent setting, the imparting of knowledge-- and a darned good cast of characters. Between Maggie's sons and their families and the "Phantom of the Opera" cast, Mahon has plenty of scope to flex her characterization muscles, and she does without getting me tangled up in names once. Maggie is a strong, intelligent, caring woman who's the heart of her family and also has a busy role in her community. She's perfect as the main character.

For some reason, I knew the identity of the murderer almost immediately. I'm not sure why because I don't think the author made it that obvious. (Perhaps I wasn't wearing my tinfoil hat as I read the book?) I enjoyed reading about this group of older (mostly retired) women solving crime on my own turf, and I look forward to reading more of their adventures.

A Phantom Death by Annette Mahon

ISBN: 9780373265916

Worldwide Library © 2007

Mass Market Paperback, 252 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 St. Rose Quilting Bee mystery

Rating: B

Source: Paperback Swap

The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue

Title: The Lover's Knot
Author: Clare O'Donohue
ISBN: 9780452289796
Publisher: Plume, 2008
Paperback, 304 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth/ Cozy, #1 Someday Quilts mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: "I'm fine," I said between sobs.

When Nell Fitzgerald's grandmother Eleanor asks what colors she wants for her wedding quilt, Nell is ecstatic. She's over the moon when the finished quilt arrives, but she comes crashing down when her fiance calls off the wedding. Heartbroken, Nell packs a bag and hurries to Archer's Rest, the small town on the banks of the Hudson River where her grandmother lives. There Nell can recuperate and make some sort of plans for the future.

Nell's grandmother's life has always revolved around her quilt shop, Someday Quilts, and the members of the shop's quilting circle. Eleanor is having repairs done to the building, and when the local handyman she hired is found stabbed to death in the shop, Nell finds herself drawn into the case-- primarily because her ex-fiance followed her to Archer's Rest and he's now a suspect in the murder. The women of the quilting circle may be piecing together their quilts, but Nell is piecing together the clues that will lead her to the killer.

This may sound strange, but I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I always expect to enjoy any book that I pick up to read, but some books have little extras that make them that much more pleasurable.

One of those little extras was the strength of O'Donohue's characterizations and the cast she introduced. Nell may be heartbroken, but she's also intelligent, determined, and has plenty of common sense. Her grandmother Eleanor is a strong woman who dearly loves her granddaughter, but she's also willing to let Nell live her own life and make her own mistakes. Of course this doesn't mean that Eleanor's not going to give her some sound advice from time to time. While Nell's getting interested in the local police chief, I'm looking forward to learning more about him in future books. Last but not least, the quilting circle is filled with interesting women. On the strength of the cast of characters alone, this is a very promising series.

I was also pleased to see how large a part quilting played in the book-- and not just piecing and sewing them together. O'Donohue includes quilt design as well as information on the set-up and running of a quilt shop. I could see all the colors, hear the scissors cutting through the fabric, and smell the cloth as I turned the pages.

A wealth of characters and artistry, a small town setting, and an interesting mystery to solve... all these pieces came together to create a fun reading experience. I'm definitely continuing with this series!

The Lover's Knot at Amazon.

The Lover's Knot at The Book Depository.

The Lover's Knot at Your Favorite Indie Bookseller.  

Quiltscapes II by Rebecca Barker

Title: Quiltscapes II
Author: Rebecca Barker
ISBN: 1574328786
Publisher: American Quilter's Society, 2005
Trade Paperback, 80 pages
Genre: Art, Crafts
Rating: A
Source: Purchased from Amazon.

First Line: The first Quiltscapes book received so many requests for more pictures and patterns that a second one was inevitable.

I, for one, am very glad it was inevitable. Back in October, I posted about one of my favorite books-- the very first Quiltscapes. When I discovered that there was indeed a second book, I couldn't resist buying it.

As an artist, Rebecca Barker has a unique vision, one that combines landscapes and quilts. Taking a traditional quilt pattern and blending it into a landscape painting sounds unusual, but with her keen sense of color and eye for detail, her work is beautiful.

Just take a look at "Delectable Mountains" to the right. The quilt draws your eye back into the painting, slowly becoming meadow grass being eaten by elk, a clear running stream, trees, and the mountains beyond.

Barker's work can often bring a lump to my throat. Probably because I view quilts not just as works of art, but as pieces of history. The numbers of women who pieced quilts as they traveled across this country by covered wagon will never be known for certain. But each scrap of cloth and each stitch carried hopes, dreams, trail dust, sorrows, chores, and joy.

My mother had my great-grandmother's crazy quilt all through my childhood. My Grandma Brookshier could point at each scrap of cloth and tell you whose shirt, dress, petticoat or trousers it came from, and the beautiful stitching binding the pieces together was traced by my childish fingers over and over again. My mother finally threw away this crazy quilt because it was, literally, falling to pieces. It had been completed in the 1890s and kept four generations of our family feeling warm, safe and loved. To this day I wish my mother had kept at least one small corner of it.

What is so marvelous about Barker's Quiltscapes books is that, not only do they contain wonderful pieces of art, they also contain patterns for the quilt blocks used in each painting-- making it very possible for quilters around the globe to make history and memories for their own families.

I think this book and its predecessor would make wonderful gifts for quilters and art lovers alike. The range of Barker's paintings means that there should be something for everyone: all four seasons, pastoral farm scenes, mountains, prairies, the desert, village life, wildlife and-- some of my particular favorites-- lighthouses and the sea.

If you click on the author link at the top of this review, you'll also see Barker's line of prints and notecards as well.

Sample Rebecca Barker's Quiltscapes. I think you'll be hooked.

Buy from Amazon.

Buy from Alibris.