Book 27, 2023

Rags to Witches by Mara Webb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished Rags to Witches last night, which is (witches?) the fourth book in Mara Webb's "Hallow Haven" series. The main character is peacekeeping witch, Sadie Alden.

Sadie would like to take time to explore her fledgling relationship with her boyfriend/guardian, Miller, but as the peacekeeper, she has been tabbed to supervise a major golf tournament taking place on one of the islands. Sadie knows nothing about the sport, but there's no ducking out of it. Her other guardian, Ryder, promises he'll brew up perfect weather for the weekend, but something goes awry. In the meantime, Sadie's friend Effie is having a meltdown because their café, the Sand Witch, is about to be audited by the IRS. Things really take a turn for the worse, however, when a woman is found floating in the hotel pool. Now Sadie has to fake it through a golf tournament, get Effie some calming tea, and, oh yeah, solve another murder.

This book was a slight improvement over others in the series, although I'm growing weary of Sadie's waffling between Miller and Ryder. Shit or get off the pot! The solution to the murder was lackadaisical and didn't involve much sleuthing at all. The biggest drama was the jealousy and enmity between Miller and Ryder, while Sadie's lady bits tingled around both of them. I definitely didn't enjoy the cliffie this ended on.

Favorite lines:
♣ "There is an alley down the side of the building that looks like the type of place you might get stabbed and it's really badly lit. Anyway, that's where you're headed." // "Oh, good!" I grimaced. "Well, if I'm not back in an hour, avenge me!"
♣ "Aren't you a doctor?" I asked. // "I am a dentist. That is a doctor, yes, but unless she died from advanced gum disease or something, then I'm not the guy you need."

I think I shall be very kind today and rate this one a four.

Book 28, 2023

Twisted Threads by Lea Wait

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished reading my work book at lunch today. It was Twisted Threads by Lea Wait, and it's the first in the author's "Mainely Needlepoint" mystery series.

Angie Curtis left Harbor Haven, ME, years ago looking for a fresh start. Her mother had disappeared when Angie was a child, and she bore the brunt of local gossip. Now, however, her mother has been found, but a missing person case is now a murder investigation. Angie returns to the house where she grew up and to her grandmother, Charlotte, who raised her. Angie learns her grandmother is getting remarried soon, and that she and some of the other locals have formed their own small business, creating beautiful embroidery. However, the man who was acting as their manager has gone incommunicado, and he owes the group thousands of dollars. Feeling at loose ends, Angie decides to put her experience working for a PI to good use and tracks Lattimore down. When he drops dead at an impromptu meeting of the Mainely Needlepointers, Angie finds herself caught up in two murder investigations. Part of her can't help but wonder, however, if there is a connection between the two cases.

This was a somewhat somber story. I've grown used to cozies being more, well, cozy. I liked Angie. She was tough and no-nonsense. I'm not an aficionado of any fabric arts, so I was not in a position to truly appreciate that aspect of the story. Characters were fully realized, and the plot made sense. There were some twists and shocking surprises thrown in to keep things interesting.

Favorite lines:
♣ "I wish I had time to take better care of myself. There's just no time between keeping house and taking care of my husband and working. You're not married, so you have no idea." // Maybe I did have an idea. Maybe that's why I wasn't married.
♣ I wondered when Beatles posters had become antiques, and how many people collected flowered teacups.

This was a good story, but I'm not sure if I'd seek out more in the series. Nevertheless, I'm giving it four stars.

( Trope Test )