Knot on Her Life

Mary Marks

Jul 2019 · A Quilting Mystery Book 7 · Kensington Cozies

About this ebook

While quilter Martha Rose awaits the birth of her granddaughter, a neighborhood girl appears at her door with a mystery that can’t be pinned down . .

Martha’s eager to finish the baby quilt she’s making for her new granddaughter, but she scraps those plans when a young girl rings her doorbell begging for help. Poppy Halaby, the foster child of Martha’s neighbor, is an orphan whose parents were murdered by a killer who was never caught. When Poppy’s doting foster mom falls suspiciously ill, Martha is determined to keep the child safe. But she’ll have to unravel more about Poppy’s parents to stitch a broken family back together again—and prevent another crime cut from the same cloth . . .

Praise for Mary Marks and her Quilting Mysteries

“A pleasurable and satisfying addition to any quilting mystery fan’s reading list.”
—Library Journal on Knot in My Backyard

“A mystery combined with wry humor.”
—Kirkus Reviews on Knot My Sister’s Keeper

Ratings and reviews

Knot on Her Life by Mary Marks is the seventh A Quilting Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you have not had the opportunity to read the rest of the novels in the series. Martha Rose is a smart, perceptive woman with a big heart who loves to quilt. Martha is divorced, engaged to ATF agent Yossi “Crusher” Levy, and suffers from fibromyalgia. The author accurately portrays what it is like to suffer from this painful and debilitating disease. Martha’s daughter, Quincy is expecting her first child which Martha is eager to spoil. There are a variety of quirky characters like Jazz, Sonia, and Giselle. Martha’s half-sister, Giselle has no filter and her comments provides levity. Marigold Poppy Sarah Halaby aka Poppy is a sweet, precocious child who has gone through something no individual, much less an eight year old, should go through in their life. The characters are realistic, developed and round out the story. Knot on Her Life is an engrossing story with a perplexing whodunit. It is a mystery that is atypical for cozy mysteries which I liked. There are a variety of suspects, a red herring and twists that will surprise readers (I love a good twist). I found it hard to put down this book because I wanted to discover who was the reprobate that killed Poppy’s parents. I particularly enjoyed the take-down scene. It was interesting to learn more about Jewish and Muslim customs which are explained in an easy to understand manner. There was one little matter at the end that I found disappointing because I was rooting for a different resolution. I like the author’s engaging writing style with steady pacing and smooth transitions. I hope Birdie Watson, a member of Martha’s Tuesday quilting group, returns soon because I miss her. Knot on Her Life has a wholesomeness to it that is welcoming. Knot on Her Life has a plucky young lady, a menacing killer, a complex crime, a brawny protector, and one determined lady sleuth.

Absolutely excellent! The only flaw is they are not written quick enough. But then, maybe that's what makes them so good!

I love this series by Mary Marks. I can't wait to read the next book.

About the author

Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011. She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com. Readers can visit her at www.marymarksmysteries.com and www.facebook.com/mmarks2013.