On returning home from a play in Minneapolis, Betsy discovers the door to the shop unlocked. The shop has been ransacked and her sister murdered with the proverbial blunt instrument. The police chief seems to think the murder is a by-product of an interrupted burglary in which the burglar panicked. Betsy is not so sure.

In her brief time in Excelsior, Betsy has become aware of several situations where Margot was at cross purposes with fellow citizens. For such individuals, Margot's death was a benefit. Betsy feels she must investigate the alibis of the potential suspects herself since the police chief is looking for an "outsider."

Cozy mysteries are known to be full of coincidences, but Crewel World is plagued with them. The murder just happens to occur after Betsy has been in town long enough to be acquainted with the potential suspects. Margot's friends and co-workers just happen to be willing to speak to her sister and give her pertinent information. Margot just happens to incorporate her business right before she is killed so the lease on her shop can't be revoked. Betsy herself just happens to have good business sense, with little prior business experience.

The advance copy I read could have benefited from some additional editing. There are numerous instances where a paragraph, which is not dialogue, consists of one sentence. In other places there are several sentences strung together in the form of a paragraph which don't seem to be related at all. As a consequence, it is sometimes difficult to figure out what is happening.

Occasionally the author likes to make use of obscure words. I was unable to find "sussurant" in either Webster's unabridged Dictionary or the Oxford Dictionary, but I assume from the context of the sentence, (…the sussurant crash of the Pacific) it means loud , great or big. This does nothing to advance the story.

The author is, however, quite knowledgeable about needlecraft. Lots of tidbits of information are given on the merits of using various types of yarn, floss or thread to create different effects. Homage is paid to artists who paint needlepoint canvases. An additional selling point for the book to needlework enthusiasts is a free pattern included in the book.

As for the mystery itself, the clues to the perpetrator , the weapon, and to a lesser degree, the motive are all presented early enough to allow the reader a chance to solve the crime. In this respect, the book is a respectable first effort, but the author has plenty of room for improvement if Betsy becomes involved in more evil doings.

--Andy Plonka