A Drunkard’s Path by Clare O’Donohue is the second book in the “Someday Quilts” mystery series. Publisher: Plume (Penguin), September 2009
NELL’S NEW LIFE—AND HER BUDDING ROMANCE—IS THREATENED WHEN TWO MURDERS OCCUR DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO HOME
Nell Fitzgerald had put her broken engagement behind her and is starting to love her charming adopted home, Archers Rest. She is finishing her first quilt and preparing for her first date with Police Chief Jesse Dewalt. When Jesse stands her up, however, it turns out he has a good reason—the body of a young woman has been discovered nearby.
Jesse begs Nell to keep out of the investigations, and she tries to stay occupied by taking a drawing class from the famous artist Oliver White. But once a second body—this time a fellow student—is found outside her grandmother’s home, Nell’s taste for sleuthing gets the best of her. She enlists the aid of her quilting circle to help patch together clues and follow a path of evidence that seems to lead to her professor. For quilters and fans of a good mystery alike. A Drunkard’s Path is a winning follow-up to The Lover’s Knot.
When Nell is stood up on her date with Jesse, she seeks him out only to discover that he was investigating the drowning of a young woman. Meanwhile Nell takes an art class with a famous resident artist, Oliver White, which keeps her busy from butting into Jesse’s case. When another young woman is found in the river, Nell is concerned that Oliver is more involved than he is telling. With the women from the quilting club assisting her, Nell seeks the clues to solve this crime that is too close to home. This was an enjoyable and charming mystery that I couldn’t put down. I like the author’s tone of the story and I felt like I was there with Nell, rooting her on in finding the killer. I also enjoyed all the quilting tips. Again, this book was a good read and I look forward to the next book in this series. My rating: 5 stars