Book Review - Crewel Yule

Another book review.

Crewel Yule
by: Monica Ferris
A Needlecraft Mystery (Book 8)

This is another in the series by Monica Ferris in the life and crimes of Betsy Devonshire, part-time amature sleuth and owner of a needlework shop that she got from her sister (story in the first book, Crewel World).

The neat thing, for those that like to actually do some needlework, is that each of the books contains a pattern in the back. The pattern in this book is actaullay a Crewel pattern, which is not something that I have tried, but I love the pattern. The next book in the series will have a Cross Stitch pattern.

Betsy Devonshire is wonderful main charachter. She is delightful and feels like a good friend. She never means to get involved in the crimes, but always gets pulled in by someone or another close to her or close to the victim. The relationship between Betsy and the local detective, has developed over the books, and although we don't get to see him in this book, as it is set entirely away from Excelsior, MN. The realtionship started out as pure dislike, almost hate on the detective's part, espically after Betsy provd to be a better detective than he was, but as the books have gone on, there has become more of a relationship of respect from the detective in her abilities.

Goodwin, the store manager and Betsy's friend is a riot! I love reading about him and his over-the-top behavior and fun life seneablilties. Police officer, Jill Cross Larson, is in this book as well, and the relationship and the respect that she has for Betsy is shown in her working with Betsy on this mystery.

It's a fun, sit down with a warm cup of tea, a nicd fuzzy blanket wrapped around you and read in an evening. Just makes you feel good, surround yourself by friends that take care of each other in the needlework shop and enjoy the ride.

This book being set outside the normal life and working of the usually people, makes it a little different, but it was a nice change of pace, but I have to say that I truely enjoy the other books, set in Excelsior and in Crewel World and thereabouts better. The just have a much more at home feel to them and the are relaxing to me.

This series you could probably read out of order and still get enjoy the books, but each book builds on the relationships started, formed and grown in the book previous, so reading them in order is defintely the way to go!