The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue

Age Level: Adult
Format: Book

The Lover's Knot is the first book in the Someday Quilts mystery series.

When twenty-something Nell Fitzgerald's fiance Ryan calls off their wedding, Nell flees New York City to her grandmother's house in Archers Rest, New York. Nell's solace does not last for long, though. The body of the local handyman, known for his flirtations and scandalous affairs, is found in the quilt shop owned by Nell's grandmother, with a pair of quilting scissors as the murder weapon. The prime suspect is Ryan, whose unexpected visit to Archers Rest and desire to get married to Nell forces Nell to reassess whether or not she still wants to marry him. Nell becomes involved in the police investigation, trying to clear Ryan's name and unraveling the secrets surrounding the victim, many of which involve her grandmother's friends in the Friday Night Quilt Club, a group that meets in the quilt shop every Friday night. As Nell gets closer to the truth, she has to decide which of these secrets could push someone to commit murder.

The Lover's Knot is the typical cozy mystery: a murder that lacks the gruesome details, a hint of romance, a series of books based on a theme (in this case, quilting), an amateur sleuth (or like Hamish Macbeth in the M.C. Beaton series, a police officer/constable who doesn't always get the respect he/she deserves), and a quirky set of characters living in the community. If you like cozy mysteries, you will probably like this book. O'Donohue takes the time to explain quilting terminology, making Nell her quilting novice in the story. This is perfect for those readers who are interested in reading the book but may not know everything there is to know about the topic, in this case, quilting. For me, these explanations make the book more enjoyable.

I did enjoy this book. While I can honestly say I did not care for a couple of the characters in the beginning, I did gain a better appreciation of them by the end of the book. And, it is a fast read. I look forward to reading the second book in the series, as soon as it is published!

Reviewed by Jessica