Lively characters pull off a last-stitch effort
Carl Brookins
Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Friday, July 28, 2000
'A Stitch in Time' is billed as a needlecraft mystery, and it is. But readers need not be stitchers, nor needlecraft workers of any sort, to appreciate and enjoy this third outing in a fine series by Minnesotan Mary Monica Pulver (writing as Monica Ferris).
In the first book, Betsy Devonshire arrived in Excelsior, Minn., just in time to solve her sister's murder and inherit a needlecraft shop.
Now, she has almost settled into owning a business, and she has developed some interesting relationships with a couple of cops in town, her staff, some normal people and a few slightly dotty residents.
It is nearing Christmas in Minnesota, with all the joys and sorrows, and even the menace, that winter can bring to these parts. Renovation of a local church is going forward when a worker finds a bundle containing a long-lost tapestry.
Local craftspeople volunteer to repair the work, and Betsy offers to supply the materials as her contribution.
This simple act of kindness tangles her in yet another maze of wrongdoing, theft and death.
This is good crime fiction. The writing is smooth, even elegant at times; the characters (including Old Man Winter), act in logical ways; the dialog is crisp, and the story builds with suspense and tension. Readers will also learn a bit about the patience, discipline and subtlety of stitchery.
One of the difficulties for any writer of a series featuring amateur detectives is the believability of a single individual being so frequently involved in criminal activity.
Ferris has cleverly placed her main character on a stage that gives her logical opportunity to interact with many people in a variety of circumstances. She has the town itself, her store and its staff and customers, her church and the wider community of the Twin Cities region.
'A Stitch in Time,' like the previous books in this series, is a comfortable fit for mystery readers who want to spend an enjoyable time with interesting characters, without polemics or political attitudes. A very cozy cozy.