I like to read mysteries, in particular "nice, gentle murders"-- no torture, not a lot of gore. I also like to quilt. This page brings these two interests together. I've often linked the title to Amazon.com where you'll find a picture of the book cover, more reviews, and may order the book if you'd like. If you know of a quilt mystery not listed here, please e-mail me, so I can read it and then share it on this page. Thanks! And enjoy!

Brown, Lizbie
Broken Star

Recently widowed Elizabeth Brown decides to get a fresh start on life by leaving America to start a quilt shop in Bath, England. The shop's upstairs neighbor happens to be a private detective, Max Shepard. Max and Elizabeth often talk shop over a couple of tea, but Elizabeth really becomes involved with Max's work when she lends him her car, and he returns it with a body under the quilt she was to deliver to a customer.

Dallas, Sandra
The Persian Pickle Club

Set in Kansas in the 1930s, this novel presents the story of the Persian Pickle Club, a quilting circle that provides the highlight of the week for these hard-working farm wives. There's a newcomer to the group, Tom Ritter's city-born wife Rita, a fish out of water befriended by Queenie Bean, wife of Tom's best friend from childhood. Rita is interested in pursuing a career in journalism, and is determined to find a mystery in the death of another quilters husband. This is a beautiful story of women's friendship, of loyalty through good times and bad.

Fowler, Earlene
The Benni Harper Mysteries

Earlene Fowler is writing a series of mysteries, each named after a quilt pattern. As the series begins in Fool's Puzzle, Benni Harper is a recent widow, trying to establish a new life for herself as manager of a folk art museum and artist's collective. In Irish Chain, Benni's involved with the "prom" at the Senior center, at which the prom king and his one-time girlfriend are found strangled. Benni investigates problems that go back to World War II and the internment of Japanese Americans. Kansas Troubles finds Benni and Gabe going to Kansas, to introduce the new bride to the in-laws. And investigating the murder of a local women, an excellent quilter who has abandoned her Amish heritage. In her latest, Goose in the Pond, San Celina is hosting a storytellers' convention. On an early morning jog, Benni discovers the body of the storyteller at the local library, still dressed in her Mother Goose costume. And of course, Benni can't leave the detecting to the detectives, but involves herself in the investigation. This series is must-reading for quilting mystery enthusists.

Frommer, Sara Hoskinson
Buried in Quilts

Joan Spencer, manager of the Civic Symphony, gets involved with quilting when the orchestra prepares to play at the annual quilt show. Rebecca, Joan's estranged daughter, comes to town to display her own highly imaginative quilt. As if that isn't enough to keep Joan busy, the quilt show organizer is murdered and Joan is thrown into the investigation. A delightful mystery, that also imparts some knowledge about quilt and major quilt exhibitions.

Hager, Jean
Death on the Drunkard's Path

Tess Darcy, proprietress of the Iris House bed and breakfast establishment is hosting nationally known quilting instructors, in town for the annual Victoria Springs Quilt Show and Sale. As in all professions, there are rivalries among the quilters. Cassie Terhune in particular seems to be making enemies. Rex Brindle is accusing her of stealing his designs. Julian and Phyllis Hyde are upset that Cassie is now publishing her own works, in competetion with the Hyde's publishing house. Cassie has insulted Letitia Lattimore's sense of color and design. When Cassie is found on a drunkard's path quilt, her throat slashed by a rotary cutter, suspects abound.

Lawrence, Margaret
Hearts and Bones

As midwive in late-eighteenth century Maine, Hannah Trevor is also called upon to assist in murder investigations and to observe autopsies. In Hearts and Bones, she is investigating the murder of a young wife and mother, who was apparently tortured and raped before her death. Hannah puts the pieces together just as she would the pieces in one of her quilts, aided by a clue that the male investigators miss: the embroidered pocket found in the murdered woman's room can only be the work of one woman, and the two were said to have never met.

McCrumb, Sharyn
The Rosewood Casket

Sharyn McCrumb is one of my favorite authors, and I'm delighted she finally got around to putting in quilt in one of her books! In The Rosewood Casket, Randall Stargill has died on his farm in southern Appalachian, leaving behind some strange requests: he wants a handbuilt coffin made from some rodewood he has long hoarded, to be lined with a handmade quilt. As his four sons air their differences while working on the casket, their wives and girlfriends but together a quilt, from the remnants of clothing they find in the attic.

Michaels, Barbara
Stitches in Time

Barbara Michaels in one of my favorite authors, although she's slightly outside my normal genre. Barbara Michaels's books are gothic romances, and I love them. In this one, Rachel Grant is working in a vintage clothing store, while trying to research her theory that women have historically woven protective magic spells into the handicrafts. One day, the store receives a civil war era bridal quilt, that seems to have strange powers. An excellent book.

Page, Katherine Hall
The Body in the Basement

One of the Faith Fairchild mysteries, The Body in the Basement stars Faith's sidekick, Pix Miller. While summering in Maine, Pix discovers a body wrapped in a drunkard's path quilt, and about to be cemented over as foundation is poured for a house. The controversy over reproducing earlier fabrics, thus allowing new quilts to be passed off as antiques, is only one of the clues to the murder.

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