The
Lover's Knot
A
Nell Fitzgerald Mystery
Clare
O'Donohue
Plume
(Trade Paperback)
ISBN-10: 0-452-28979-3 (0452289793)
ISBN-13: 978-0-452-28979-6 (9780452289796)
Publication Date: October 2008
List Price: $13.00
Synopsis (from
the publisher): Twenty-six-year-old Nell Fitzgerald is thrilled when
she receives a gorgeous handmade quilt in a lover’s knot
pattern as an engagement gift from her grandmother Eleanor Cassidy.
However, her joy is short-lived as her fiancé announces that
the wedding is off. Heartbroken, Nell flees New York City for her
grandmother’s home in Archers Rest. In this small town
Eleanor’s life revolves around her quilt shop, Someday
Quilts, and the members of her shops’ quilting circle.
When a local handyman known for his flirting is found murdered in the
shop, Nell finds herself drawn into the case -- and drawn to the shy
police chief. As a pattern of clues begins to emerge, one of the prime
suspects is Nell’s ex-fiancé, whose arrival in
Archers Rest seems suspicious, especially to Nell.
With Eleanor and the quilting circle helping out, Nell sets out to
solve two mysteries. One is the murder of the local handyman and the
other is deciding what future, and what man, is right for her.
Review:
Clare O'Donohue introduces Nell Fitzgerald, a New York professional
woman who flees the city after her fiancé calls off their
wedding, retreating to a small town in upstate New York, the site of
her grandmother's quilt shop in The
Lover's Knot.
But it's not the peaceful place she was expecting when a handyman is
murdered and her ex-fiancé turns up as the prime suspect.
Nell thought her life was perfect. She had a terrific job, found New
York City an exhilirating city in which to live, and best of all, she
was about to be married to the man of her dreams. But all that came to
a crashing halt when her fiancé, Ryan, tells her he's not
ready for marriage. Nell abruptly takes a leave of absence from her job
and departs the city for the comfort of her grandmother's home in
Archer's Rest. Eleanor owns Someday Quilts, a quilt shop with an active
group of dedicated quilters. Nell is just getting settled in when she
meets Marc Reed, the handsome, flirtatious handyman repairing her
grandmother's roof. When he's found dead, stabbed with a pair of
quilting scissors, the list of suspects seems endless. But most
surprising is that Ryan, who had arrived in Archer's Rest to try to
talk Nell into returning to the city, is at the top of the list. The
local sheriff thinks the murder is open and shut, a case of a jealous
man killing a potential rival. Nell doesn't believe it, deciding to
pursue her own investigation. But she's also troubled with a bigger
question once she proves Ryan innocent: will she go back to the city
with him?
The author cleverly uses quilting as a metaphor for life in The Lover's Knot.
Just as the skilled quilter charts a quilt from beginning to end,
selecting a design, deciding on colors, picking fabric, and so on, so
does a person chart their life by choosing a occupation, their
schooling and training, their life’s mate, and the like.
Sometimes, however, after working on a quilt for a long period of time,
it just doesn’t achieve the desired effect the quilter had
wanted. So an important question must be answered: Is what has been
done worth saving? That is, should they try to stick with what has
already been achieved and settle for something less than desired, or
should they put it aside and start anew. Sometimes people have to ask
that same question. Often it's a very difficult but necessary step to
take for one’s future happiness. The Lover's Knot
presents this very personal dilemma in the form of a well-written
mystery, answering the question for Nell but leaving the reader
pondering what they might do in a similar situation. This a strong
introduction to a series that promises to be one worth watching.
Special thanks to guest reviewer Betty of The Betz Review for contributing her review of The Lover's Knot and to Penguin Group for providing a copy of the book for this review.
Review Copyright © 2009 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read The Lover's Knot? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series ...
The Lover's Knot
Plume (Trade Paperback), October 2008
ISBN-10: 0-452-28979-3 (0452289793)
ISBN-13: 978-0-452-28979-6 (9780452289796)
A Drunkard's Path
Plume (Trade Paperback), September 2009
ISBN-10: 0-452-29555-0 (0452295550)
ISBN-13: 978-0-452-29558-2 (9780452295582)
Omnimystery
keywords for The Lover's Knot
...
Location(s) referenced: New York City, Upstate New York.
