Suede to Rest by Diane Vallere is the first book in the new “Material Witness” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, November 2014

With her career as a dress designer in shreds, Polyester Monroe is looking forward to a fresh start. But as it all unfolds, the pattern to a new beginning looks a lot like murder.

When Poly Monroe was little, she loved playing in her family’s textile store. But after a fatal family tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. Now, as inheritor of the long-shuttered shop, she’s ready to restore the family business. However her two new kittens, Pins and Needles, aren’t the ones causing a snag in her plans.

Not everyone wants Poly back in San Ladrón, especially a powerful local developer pressuring her to sell—and leave town fast. But even when the threats turn deadly, she’s not ready to bolt. Because Poly is beginning to suspect that the murder behind the shop is tied to a mystery in her family’s unsettled past that she’s determined to solve…before her own life is left hanging by a thread.

I love it. This wonderfully crafted whodunit was a great read that I devoured from beginning to end. The author did a great job in setting up this action-filled drama where the pattern of deceit began to unravel the more the protagonist delved into a case too close to her heart. Who is behind all these incidents? Who’s the stranger lurking in the wind? With a who’s who of suspects, it was fun watching how it all played out with a surprising twist I didn’t see coming. Boasting a friendly cast, engaging dialogue and a place to call home, this was a delightfully pleasant read and I can’t wait to see where the story takes us in the next book.

previously posted on the Cozy Chicks blog