Deadly Notions (A Southern Sewing Circle, #4) by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Deadly Notions by Elizabeth Lynn Casey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Deadly Notions is the fourth book in the Southern Sewing Circle Series, which is a cozy mystery series. One of my favorite feel-good type of books to read when I am down is a cozy mystery, and when it is set in a small town in the south, even better; add in a little sewing and I am in a wonderful place.
This summer I set down one rainy afternoon, while the kids were playing games together on the computer and read this little number.

I have loved this series from the start, and am always anxious when I get ahold of the next book in the series, and it just happened to come in the mail from a swap so I was able to spend the time involved in the book, while it rained.

Tori is the head librarian at the Sweet Briar library, and transplant from Chicago. The Sewing Circle took her in the minute she arrived and have been helping her learn the souther ways to her new home town, like never, ever bring lemonade to a meeting, even if you did squeeze if by hand, all southern ladies drink sweet tea. But this time, the sewing circle has it's hands all tied up helping Melissa with a birthday party for her daughter Sally, but this can't just be a normal birthday party, no it has to meet the high standards and expectations of one mom in the group, Ashley Lawson, who just happens to be a wonderful dress designer, and would do anything in the world to make her daughter, Penelope, the net big thing. She has a way of talking down to all the other moms, and their party attempts, and heaven forbid you don't invite her child, well lets just say she has power in that tongue of hers. The bigger problem is that all this worship of her small daughter has lead to a massive chip on Penelope's shoulder, and none of the kids really like her, but they are forced to deal with her, or worse her mother.

With the Sewing Circle's and Tori's help, including the use of the library as a location it turned out to be quite the party after all, and everyone went home happy. Hummm, I wonder if our local library would be willing to let people use the reading room for dress up and book reading for a party? It actually sounded like a really cute and fun party idea for a seven year old. Until the next morning, when there are police at the library and Ashley Lawson is dead. The problem, there wasn't a soul at the party that didn't say something negative about the Mom, but none of them would have wanted to hurt her would they? Now it becomes Tori's job, along with those wonderfully helpful and noisy ladies of the sewing circle to find out who really killed Ashley and protect Melissa, one of their own and host of the party.

I am telling you, this is a delightful book. Lots of touches of southern charm, mystery, intrigue, twists and turns, followed with more southern charm. As the series continues, the relationships of the women of the sewing circle are deepened, even Rose and Tori and getting along better, and understanding each other better. And then there is the relationship between Tori and milo, even that is growing, in spite of some miscues and sabotage in this book. It was so much fun to follow the twists and turns and the rocks and bumps and finally to the end, where everything worked out for the best.

I just love this series, and I hope I didn't say too much about it to spoil the reading, but yet enough to encourage you to take a chance a try the book. I love to share good books I have found, and I hope you find it enjoyable too. Now, off to find the next book in the series!

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Pinned for Murder by Elizabeth Lynn Casey (Southern Sewing Circle, #3)

Pinned for Murder by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Pinned for Murder is the third book in the Southern Sewing Circle mystery series. As with this series, it is well-written, stepped in Southern tradition and lore, and enjoyable to the end.

The story begins with the town having been hit by a tropical storm, something that is not all that common, but then again not uncommon in the southern states. The library has minimal damage, mostly the bottom shelf of books, but it fairs better than alot of the older homes in town.

In this story, we visit our favorites from the Sewing Circle, with Rose being our focus, as her house has been damaged. She is depending on the help of a young man that she befriend long ago when she was a teacher, a gentle spirit that is a little on the slow side, some might say. We find him helping Rose, but at the same time being accused of stealing money from Rose's neighbor, Martha Jane when he tries to help her out, at the request of Rose, only for Tori to walk in and find that they money was never stolen, just that Martha Jane had switched her socks and money to the left hand drawer from the right hand draw and didn't remember! Of course, everything would be over if Martha Jane would have apologized or if she had been so spitting mad at everyone in general. But that is not Martha Jane, and she turns up dead the next day.

Poor Kenny Murdock, he is almost tried and convicted without anyone even taking a second look, but the problem is that the money is actually stolen this time, and well Kenny never did learn money in school. He could never understand the difference between a one dollar bill and a ten dollar bill! So why would he steal the money. That is all that was needed, that and the fact that poor Rose i so heartbroken over the whole thing, Tori is investigating again!

This one twists and turns, brings other people into town, and we learn more and more about each of our other characters, and right up to the very end, when we think we know who did it, we find out we didn't! Amazing!

I have really enjoyed this series and the characters, the southern charm and the warmth that just comes from the books when you think of the Sewing Circle sitting around making things right one piece at a time. It just takes me back to a simpler time in the world that I want to hold onto. It's refreshing!



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