Thread the Halls

Lea Wait

Oct 2017 · A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery Book 6 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

“A snow-sprinkled, holly-merry, twinkling page-turner of a mystery” from the USA Today bestselling author of Tightening the Threads (Kingdom Books).
 
Christmas in Haven Harbor, Maine, means family, trouble, and murder . . .
 
This Yuletide season, there’s no time for Angie Curtis and Patrick West to linger under the mistletoe. Patrick’s being needled by his mother—movie star Skye West—to set the stage for a perfect white Christmas as she brings her costar, screenwriters, and director home for the holidays. With his mother’s long list of wishes, Patrick’s becoming unraveled. To help, the Mainely Needlepointers offer to decorate Skye’s Victorian mansion and create needlepoint pillows as gifts for the guests.
 
But not long after the celebrity celebrants invade Haven Harbor, an unscripted tragedy occurs. Then some questionable Christmas cookies make Patrick sick. Before Santa arrives at the town pier on a lobster boat, Angie and the Needlepointers need to trim down the naughty list, catch a cold-hearted killer, and wrap up the case . . .
 
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 
 
“For a trip to Maine for the cost of a book, this is the author to read.”—Kings River Life Magazine

Ratings and reviews

For me, this read it in one sitting title brought everything that I have come to appreciate from this series to the forefront. Angie, just over half a year back in Haven Harbor after a multi-year absence has started to truly put down roots. Living in the family home with a rescued kitten, a relationship with Patrick, a growing business with the Mainely Needlepointers and their cooperative, and discovering and making her own new holiday traditions. But, the period of adjustment as Angie tempers her excitement for Christmas with her own need to define her holiday anew, as an adult and living alone are coming fast and furious. Better still, Patrick’s movie-star mother Skye is coming to stay at her house for the holiday, with a collection of people from the movie she is filming. Needing the house decorated, food cooked and a smashing party on Christmas Eve, Patrick goes to Angie for help. From the first moments of the holiday preparations to the last, with a houseguest found shot, a very excited and always-there new client for Mainely Needlepoint, the first Nor’Easter of the season and Patrick’s near death experience with Arsenic-laced cookies, the story moves from moment to moment in this book that covers about 6 or 7 days (and nights) of action. Moments with characters we’ve met in earlier books, the seeming callous and staged reactions to a guests death, a climax that brings two different suspects forward and plenty of Coastal Maine atmosphere – the story is quick to read, cleverly plotted and wholly engaging. I’ve got copies of all the titles in this series – just waiting for a blank space in the schedule to open up so I can read them all, in order – hard to believe that 7 months have brought 6 books, multiple murders solved and lots of life changes for Angie, as well as living the seasons in Downeast Maine – and while you can read each of these titles alone – this is a good starter story to hook you in! I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

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