Thread and Gone

Lea Wait

Dec 2015 · A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery Book 3 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

“It’s a big jump from needlework to homicide, but Wait combines a plausible plot with the same rockbound coastal atmosphere.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
When a priceless antique is stolen, murder unravels the peaceful seaside town of Haven Harbor, Maine . . .
 
Angie Curtis and her fellow Mainely Needlepointers know how to enjoy their holidays. But nothing grabs their attention like tying up loose threads. So when Mary Clough drops in on the group’s Fourth of July supper with a question about antique needlepoint she’s discovered in her family Colonial-era home, Angie and her ravelers are happy to look into the matter.
 
Their best guess is that the mystery piece may have been stitched by Mary, Queen of Scots, famous not just for losing her head, but also for her needlepointing. If they’re right, the piece would be extremely valuable. For safekeeping, Angie turns the piece over to her family lawyer, who places it in her office safe. But when the lawyer is found dead with the safe open and ransacked, the real mystery begins . . .
 
Praise for the Mainely Needlepoint mysteries
 
“Offers a wonderful sense of place and characters right from the very beginning. Highly recommended.” —Suspense Magazine
 
“A cozy debut that hits all the sweet spots: small town, family ties, and a crew of intriguing personalities.” —Library Journal
 
“Deep atmosphere, secrets from the past and a mystery interview with sharp plotting and well-developed, sympathetic characters create another winner in the second of the Mainly Needlepoint Mysteries.” —RT Book Reviews

Ratings and reviews

Thread and Gone by Lea Wait is the third book the Mainely Needlepoint series. Mary Clough has found a beautiful old needlepoint piece in a leather case while cleaning out her family’s attic (to get the house ready to sell). Mary (eighteen) and her fiancé, Rob has brought it to Angie Curtis and the Mainely Needlepoint group to have it appraised. They all agree to let local attorney, Lenore Pendleton hold the piece in her safe while it is being researched. The piece looks quite old and is in the style of Mary, Queen of Scots. Unfortunately, Lenore is murdered and her safe is cleaned out (it contained jewelry as well as Mary Clough’s needlepoint piece). Who knew about the needlepoint and why did they steal it? Angie is trying to adjust to living alone. Her grandmother, Charlotte is on her honeymoon with Reverend Tom. Angie is very happy for her Gram, but she misses her companionship. Angie is keeping herself busy looking for Mary’s missing needlepoint. I found Thread and Gone to be very predictable. I kept hoping for a great twist at the end (I thought of a great alternate killer), but I was disappointed. I just wish the culprit had not been so obvious. Thread and Gone is easy to read and picks up where the last book ended. I missed the interactions with Angie's grandmother, Charlotte and the rest of the needlepointing group. I did like the history of Mary, Queen of Scots and Marie Antoinette (and their needlework). I give Thread and Gone 3 out of 5 stars. I just thought Thread and Gone was lacking. It was not as enjoyable as the first two books in the series. It also had a different feel. Alcohol seemed to be a big feature in Thread and Gone. They seemed to be consuming alcohol all the time especially Angie. Beer and wine were mentioned so frequently (it was just odd and unnecessary). There is also a lot of internal dialogue with Angie thinking about the case (and other things) instead of interacting with other people. I hope the next book in the Mainely Needlepoint series will be better (like the first two books in the series). Thread and Gone can be read without having enjoyed the first two books in the series. I received a complimentary copy of Thread and Gone from NetGalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts I was so impressed with this story. Could you imagine having a piece of needlework that could be from the 1500’s? What a treasure, until it goes missing. They had thought a lawyer’s safe would be secure but sadly it wasn’t and the attorney was killed when it was stolen. I think I would have gone over the edge. But Angie and the Mainely Needlepointers keep their heads about them and do the research and investigate not only the provenance of the stitched piece but do everything to catch a murderer too. This was one of those stories that once you start reading you just can’t stop. I really enjoyed all the history. The many Mary’s of Scotland and the connection to France and Maine. It was so interesting and tickled my memory. I probably learned all about it back in school and this story brought it all back and more. Lea Wait also shines a light on the local economy which reflects the economy nationwide as we all are working harder just to get by. It really helped me to identify with the characters in the story. Gram is away on her honeymoon for most of this story but Angie is getting much more comfortable running the business. Sarah Byrne, one of the Mainely Needlepointers, played a big part this time with her knowledge of history and antiques. They were also assisted by fellow needlepointers, Dave Percy and Ruth Hopkins. Dave teaches biology at the high school. Ruth is elderly and arthritis in her hands makes it hard to do much stitching but she a huge help investigating. Each chapter starts with verses that were stitched on samplers from the past. “When idle drones supinely dream of fame the industrious actually get the same.” – Verse stitched on sampler by Sally Alger at Miss Polly Balch’s School in Providence, Rhode Island, 1782 Another marvelous mystery from Lea Wait.

About the author

Lea Wait lives on the coast of Maine. A fourth generation antique dealer, and author of the Agatha-nominated Shadows Antique Print mystery series, she loves all things antiques and Maine, and she’s learning to do needlepoint. She also writes historical novels for young people set in (where else?) nineteenth-century Maine. Lea adopted her four daughters when she was single; she’s now the grandmother of eight, and married to artist Bob Thomas. Find her at Facebook, Goodreads, and at www.leawait.com