Monday, August 24, 2020

Thread and Dead - Cozy Mystery Review

 Goodreads: Thread and Dead (The Apron Shop Mysteries #2) by Elizabeth Penney

Rating: Liked It
Source:  Publisher

Description: Iris Buckley is busier than ever this July, with the town’s annual Lobster Festival fast approaching. In just a matter of days her apron shop Ruffles & Bows, will be jam-packed with tourists eager to lay eyes on its world-class collection of aprons and linens—and Iris’s inventory is running low. Then, just when all hope seems lost, Iris gets a call from Eleanor Brady, a wealthy, reclusive spinster who just happens to have trunks full of vintage fabrics. Would Iris like to come down to Eleanor’s cottage estate Shorehaven and have a look?

Before long Iris is on the scene—and on the case. Turns out that Eleanor has rented Shorehaven to the handsome, charismatic environmentalist Dr. Lukas de Wilde and his flock of students. What begins as an apron-scouting endeavor soon morphs into a full-blown murder investigation when Dr. de Wilde’s beautiful young teaching assistant turns up dead. Now it’s up to Iris—along with her partner-in-love-and-crime Ian Stewart—to unravel the mystery before the Blueberry Cove killer strikes again.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy
 
Why I Picked This Book: I love cozy mysteries and I love the vintage clothing aspect as well as the mysteries from the past.

My Impression:  This was a fun mystery with a fairly unique premise.  I didn't realize I wanted a vintage apron collection but it appears that I do!  I would love to visit Iris' shop and explore all the vintage aprons and linens as well as meet Grammy and the rest of the game.  

I did enjoy the murder mystery and liked digging through the suspects and motives.  However, what really kept me turning pages was the mystery of Eleanor's mother.  I really wanted to know more about her story and what had brought her to Shorehaven.  I do love vintage clothes and secrets and this had a bit of both!

One of my favorite things about a cozy mystery is when they get together a team.  This definitely had an ensemble cast between Irish, her grandmother, her boyfriend and all of her friends.  I did struggle a bit to keep track of which friend was who and what they each brought to the table.  I liked the different women but they just seemed to blend a bit.

This is the second book in the Apron Shop series and I enjoyed my time in Blueberry Cove.  Iris is likable and doesn't fall into Too Stupid to Live territory even when she is being noisy.  While it didn't suck me in quite as much as some other books I've read recently it was a fun mystery and introduced me to a town that I'm looking forward to revisiting again soon.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would and am planning on reading the first book in the series soon.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozy mysteries - especially those featuring vintage clothing - I think you would enjoy this one.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

7 comments:

  1. Sounds charming, thanks for sharing your thoughts

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  2. I like that this book is different, I don't think I've ever seen a vintage apron theme in a book. I love the cover!

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  3. The cover is cute. I will tell my friend about this one, she has recently discovered cozy mysteries and loves them!

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  4. Sounds like it could be a fun one.

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  5. I want a vintage apron too! I love the team aspect of solving a cozy mystery as well.

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  6. Sounds like something I'd read. I wish my library had more of the cozies I liked but I think I may have to break down and buy some.

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