Thread and Dead by Elizabeth Penney is the second book in the “Apron Shop” cozy mystery series, coming August 25, 2020.

Tragedy strikes in Thread and Dead, the second book in Elizabeth Penney’s cozy mystery series—and now everyone in Blueberry Cove, Maine, is on pins and needles. . .

Iris Buckley is busier than ever this July, with the town’s annual Lobster Festival fast approaching. In just a matter of days her apron shop Ruffles & Bows, will be jam-packed with tourists eager to lay eyes on its world-class collection of aprons and linens—and Iris’s inventory is running low. Then, just when all hope seems lost, Iris gets a call from Eleanor Brady, a wealthy, reclusive spinster who just happens to have trunks full of vintage fabrics. Would Iris like to come down to Eleanor’s cottage estate Shorehaven and have a look?

Before long Iris is on the scene—and on the case. Turns out that Eleanor has rented Shorehaven to the handsome, charismatic environmentalist Dr. Lukas de Wilde and his flock of students. What begins as an apron-scouting endeavor soon morphs into a full-blown murder investigation when Dr. de Wilde’s beautiful young teaching assistant turns up dead. Now it’s up to Iris—along with her partner-in-love-and-crime Ian Stewart—to unravel the mystery before the Blueberry Cove killer strikes again.

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Dru’s Musing:
There is no sophomore slump in this engagingly enticingly adventure with Iris and her friends. A murder darkens the festive occasion in Blueberry Cove and with her inquisitive nature, Iris picks up clues here and there and finds misdeeds are afoot from some of the people that she encountered.

This is a well-written, action-packed, and fast-paced whodunit that once I started reading, I could not put down because I needed to know the who, the what, the where and the why. The author did a great job in telling this story with bits and pieces scattered that kept me interested and immersed in all that was happening. Besides the murder, another plot was just as mysterious and then another plot snuck in – all seemingly separate, but yet played hand-in-hand in the telling of this tale. The visually descriptive narrative gave off a small-town atmosphere with fetching dialogue and friendliness among the residents, while the search for a killer remained top of mind. As the story moved forward, it became clear, the who, the what, the where and the why and that created a wonderful and delightfully charming story that put a smile on my face. I do love these characters who are like next door neighbors and I can’t wait to see what adventures are in store for them and vicariously, me.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.