Review: The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery by Clare O'Donohue

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Plume; Original edition (September 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0452296420
ISBN-13: 978-0452296428


From Goodreads:

"Nell Fitzgerald and the Someday Quilts ladies are asked to lead a quilting workshop at a new bed and breakfast in upstate New York. However, the retreat quickly takes an unexpected dark turn. When a body is found in the woods, and one of their own is the chief suspect, the ladies must rely on their craftiest thinking as they embark on their most personal case yet. "

My thoughts  :

The B & B owners, Rita and George, were somewhat unlikeable and a bit of an enigma. Nell heard a lot of good things about them and their relationship but from what the reader is shown is totally different. They seem to barely tolerate each other and there is no tangible reason given until the very end as to why they even bought a B & B or decided to run quilting classes when neither one has any knowledge or interest in the craft. Some of Nell's snooping around was not too plausible at all but on the motive front, that was well developed;  several of the characters could well have been the murderer.

A few of the peripheral characters were well done, quite diverse and I did enjoy reading their parts in the mystery. The old spinster twins were a hoot and I couldn't figure out what their angle was; one of the better parts of the story.

Although this is the third book in the Somedays Quilts Mystery series, it is a stand alone story. The reader does not need to have any knowledge of quilting as there is not really any technical jargon included. Some of Suzanne's suggestions for a journal quilt, I found interesting.

This is a new-to-me author and I might read another even though I didn't like the amateur sleuth, Nell, all that much but the other characters and a stump-me mysery redeemed the story for me for the most part. 3***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Penguin/Plume publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.