Book Review: Old Maid’s Puzzle by Terri Thayer
Old Maid’s Puzzle (Quilting Mysteries #2)
Terri Thayer
Midnight Ink, 2008
ISBN 0738712183
Trade Paperback
I admit it – I’m a fabric junkie and a quilting addict. I don’t know how it happened, nor do I know if it was a subtle or quick transformation. All I know is that I have vague memories of being normal and then the realization that I want to own every piece of fabric and I want it all NOW ! So, it’s not too hard to understand that I also gravitate toward books and magazines with a quilting theme.
There are literally hundreds of variations of quilt blocks and they are all named. So when I laid eyes on Old Maid’s Puzzle at the office of my favorite book supplier, I recognized the title as a quilt block before I even realized it is a mystery novel (another of my addictions !). It was a must have, must read for me.
I found the very first chapter to be a strange introduction to a quilting mystery: although not yet named, Dewey Pellicano, the book’s protagonist, is with Buster Healy, police detective, and her love interest. The reader is informed of Buster’s refusal to have sex because he feels that he and Dewey need to get to know each other better. This issue continues to come up from time to time but is an issue that I feel adds nothing to the story.
On to the “good part” and what makes this a “quilting mystery”. Dewey has inherited from her mother a quilt shop, Quilter Paradiso, along with some of her mother’s employees. Unfortunately, Dewey did not inherit any sewing or quilting genes. As if trying to run a quilt shop while trying to learn how to quilt isn’t bad enough, there’s the problem employee, Kym, who also happens to be Dewey’s sister in law. And did I mention the dead body in the alley behind the shop ? Already in a shaky financial situation, a murder scares away customers and threatens to further erode the shop’s bottom line. Dewey can only hope that the 20th Anniversary Sale and Quilter Paradiso being on national TV will bring in the customers. Still, there’s a murder to be solved and Dewey is up to the challenge.
There is certainly a diverse group of characters who comprise Old Maid’s Puzzle and specifically  Quilter Paradiso, however, Kym is noteworthy due to her ongoing efforts to sabotage Dewey. Since Kym is family, Dewey feels an obligation toward her but I kept thinking I would never tolerate her behavior and I kept wondering why Dewey didn’t fire her (as I would have !). There are also sad parts, such as when we learn more about the dead man and how he had been stealing from one of the older quilters and selling her possessions on ebay.
This was a fun book for me to read. As a quilter herself, Terri Thayer knows the quilting lingo and the mention of fat quarters, redwork, batiks, Just Quilts (the fictional version of a real TV quilting show) and so many other quilting expressions, made me smile. But don’t be intimidated if you don’t sew or quilt, this book is a quick read and has broad appeal for any mystery lover.
Reviewed by Jean Tribull Harris, April 2010.
April 26, 2010
Tags: cozy, Midnight Ink, mystery, quilting Posted in: Full Reviews
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4 Responses
I’ve seen this series around. I think there might be 3 books in it now. This is the first review I’ve seen of a book contained in this series though. Thanks for highlighting it. I’ll put it on my wishlist.
Thanks for the review, Jean. I’m glad to have found your site. As a mystery reader, it’s a great one that I’ll come back to.
Kay, I’m glad we’ve been able to head you in the right direction
Thank you for the kind words, Terri. Jean is actually one of my reviewers but I’ll let her know you saw the review.
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