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The Devil's Puzzle (2011)

by Clare O'Donohue(Favorite Author)

3.82 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0452297370 (ISBN13: 9780452297371)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Plume

series

Someday Quilts Mysteries

review 1: The Devil's Puzzle is the 4th book of the Someday Quilts mystery series by Clare O'Donohue, set in a present-day fictitious small town in upstate New York. Protagonist Nell Fitzgerald lives with her aunt Eleanor in Archer's Rest, where Eleanor owns the quilt shop Someday Quilts. Eleanor and her quilter friends warmly welcomed Nell into their group, and she has many close and supportive friendships with town residents. Nell has earned the reputation of town snoop by unofficially investigating several crimes in Archer's Rest. Nell (with assistance from her quilt group) usually uncovers information that is useful to police chief Jesse. Nell and Jesse are romantically involved. Most of the town, including Eleanor, expects Jesse will propose soon.The mayor and prominent citizen... mores of Archer's Rest want to showcase the town's history in a July anniversary celebration, attract tourists and earn revenue. Eleanor volunteers Nell to organize a quilt show. Nell clashes with Glad, the bossy woman in charge of the celebration who considers herself one of the town's elite, and considers Nell too young and inexperienced to be in charge of a quilt show.Eleanor's artist boyfriend Oliver plotted with Nell to romantically surprise Eleanor: he will reinstate her former rose garden and propose. Unfortunately the landscapers uncover a skeleton from decades past.Glad knows immediately who was discovered, when she hears Nell's description. Jesse is more cautious, and waits for evidence to identify the corpse. A young woman shows up in town eager to help with the celebration plan, but Nell suspects she's up to something. Acts of vandalism break out all over town, each hinting a different town resident may be the killer. Nell is busy with quilt show arrangements as well as learning the backgrounds of many residents, including her aunt's early days in Archer's Rest. Eleanor explains why she named her shop Someday Quilts, and reveals a dark secret.Nell plans an outdoor quilt display, modeled after the famous annual outdoor quilt show in Sisters, Oregon. Archer's Rest quilters generously provide their antique heirloom quilts to the display. Nell reflects on the enduring history of quilting through the generations, and how quilters' personalities are revealed by their quilts.Nell meets the town hermit and receives sage advice. She solves the cold case by process of elimination, and with Jesse orchestrates a showdown with the killer.The Devil's Puzzle is a satisfying read celebrating the relationships between close-knit friends and family. Recommended for quilters who enjoy cozy mysteries
review 2: Back in my farming days I loved to quilt! Actually still love to quilt, it is just my quilting/computer room has become the storage zone for our unpacking after our recent move out of state. I will be back to quilting eventually, but for now I find great joy in reading about quilters! Couple that with a mystery and I am goldenNell had melded into life in Archers Nest , working for her grandmother Eleanor at Someday Quilts and now volunteered (by said grandmother) to organize a quilt show for the 350th anniversary of the town.When a skeleton is discovered in Eleanor’s garden, and strange happenings start up, the town wonders if old John Archer is causing unrest from the grave. He did practice witchcraft after all. Now fingers are pointing to Eleanor as the killer.. how can that be?Now I am not big into reading about witches, vampires or the like. I was drawn to this book because of it’s quilting theme, and Devil’s Puzzle is a quilt block. It doesn’t have all those things I mentioned either, just a set up to consider in the beginning. So as Nell is looking for who dun it, the author throws in romance and intrique to the mix! For Eleanor and Nell. The mystery kept me guessing till the end. I loved the twists and turns as Clare O’Donohue organized the mystery, but also kept the characters growing in their relationships with each other. I loved the closeness with Eleanor and Nell and despite their differences they were able to come back to each other. less

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