Title: Forget Me Knot by Mary Marks
A Quilting Mystery Series Book One
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Contemporary, Cozy Mystery
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Welcome to San Fernando Valley, California, where Martha Rose and her coterie of quilters are enjoying life on the good side of retirement—until murder pulls a stitch out of their plans…
Martha and her besties Lucy and Birdie are set to expand their Quilty Tuesdays by inviting newcomer Claire Terry into their group. Though at forty Claire’s a tad younger than their average age, her crafty reputation could perk up their patchwork proceedings, especially as they prepare for the fancy quilt show coming to town. But when they arrive at Claire’s home and find her dead inside the front door, and her exquisite, prize-winning quilts soon missing, Martha is not one to leave a mystery unraveled. Especially if she wants to stop a killer from establishing a deadly pattern…
The Review:
If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries, then you won’t want to miss debut author Mary Marks’ new Quilting Mystery series. Forget Me Knot, the first novel in the series, is a clever whodunit that has an engaging cast of likable characters.
Quilters and best friends Martha Rose, Lucy Mondello and Birdie Watson are considering adding Claire Terry to their weekly quilting sessions. Claire is an extraordinary prize-winning quilter and she is also member of their local quilting guild. But when the quilting trio arrive at Claire’s for their weekly meeting, they are shocked to discover her lifeless body. Her death is quickly ruled a homicide and the next day, Claire, Lucy and Martha’s award winning quilts are stolen from a local quilt show. Is Claire’s death somehow related to the thefts? But most importantly, why would anyone want to murder the wealthy philanthropist?
Martha Rose is the main protagonist of the series and she is a well-developed, unique character. The divorced mother of one is in her mid-fifties and disabled due to fibromyalgia. Martha is smart, savvy and nothing gets her back up faster than someone telling her she can’t do something. She is a loyal friend and she is a woman who keeps her word. Quilting is more than her hobby. It is her passion and it is also her therapy. (As someone who also quilts, I totally understand the therapeutic benefits of losing yourself in a project.)
Sidekicks Lucy and Birdie are equally well-developed. They each bring different strengths to the investigation and I enjoyed getting to know them. Lucy has been married to her high school sweetheart Ray for fifty years and they have five grown sons. When Martha lands herself in a bit of a tight spot, Lucy, Ray and the boys are quick to help her out. Birdie’s marriage is nowhere near as happy as Lucy’s and I am curious to see if this will change in any of the upcoming books in the series.
Martha first begins investigating Claire’s death at the request of Claire’s bereaved mother. Despite numerous pleas from homicide/robbery detective Arlo Beavers to stay out of the investigation, Martha continues poking around in Claire’s life. Martha uncovers important clues and her quilting expertise proves invaluable in eventually cracking the case wide open.
Forget Me Knot is a fast-paced novel that is sure to delight mystery lovers. The case is intriguing and just like Martha, I overlooked a vital clue that pointed to the killer’s identity. The quilting aspect makes the series unique and these details enrich the overall story. There is just the tiniest bit of a romance between Martha and Arlo, but it is very understated.
Forget Me Knot is an enjoyable first installment in Mary Marks’ Quilting Mystery series and I am very eager to read Martha, Birdie and Lucy’s next adventure.
