Seams Like Murder

by Dorothy Howell

Overview

Abbey Chandler needs a new start and a place to escape, so Hideaway Grove, where she spent her childhood summers, seems like a perfect choice. Once there, she takes up a rewarding new hobby—but also gets tangled up in a hit-and-run homicide . . .

Abbey has barely arrived in the quaint, quiet town of Hideaway Grove before things turn from blissful to bloody—as the new librarian is mowed down by a car. The only witness on the scene isn’t much help, aside from handing Abbey the bag of books dropped by the victim. Even worse, the sheriff’s office seizes Abbey’s car because of a suspicious dent in the right front fender.
 
While she waits for the problem to be sorted out, Abbey is drawn into a charity sewing project—even though she can’t tell a bobbin from a seam ripper. Before she knows it, she’s graduating from pillowcase dresses to aprons, setting up a studio in a back room of her aunt’s bakery, and making plans to participate in the upcoming craft fair. But through it all, she keeps looking for patterns and possible conflicts in the late librarian’s personal, professional, and romantic life. Then a shocking discovery sends her in a new direction, and as the truth begins to unspool, she’s got a notion about who’s guilty . . .
 
“A charmer of a mystery, a thoroughly engaging tale of murder, romance, and yummy desserts. (Not to mention a nifty sewing project!) I was hooked from page one.”
—Laura Levine, author of Death by Smoothie

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781496740410
Publisher:	Kensington
Publication date:	09/27/2022
Series:	A Sewing Studio Mystery , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	28,886
File size:	871 KB

About the Author

DOROTHY HOWELL was inspired to write her first Haley Randolph mystery, Handbags and Homicide, by her crazed obsession with designer purses. She lives in Southern California, where there is, thankfully, no rehab program for handbag addiction, and is hard at work on her next Haley Randolph mystery. Visit her website at DorothyHowellNovels.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Dorothy Howell’s Cozy Mysteries
 
"Seams Like Murder is a charmer of a mystery, a thoroughly engaging tale of murder, romance, and yummy desserts. (Not to mention a nifty sewing project!) I was hooked from page one." —Laura Levine, author of Death By Smoothie on Seams Like Murder
 
“Danger, intrigue, and charm combine in this whodunit set in Hideaway Cove.” – Woman’s World on Seams Like Murder
 
“Flippant fun.” —Kirkus Reviews on Beach Bags and Burglaries
 
“Howell continues to deliver light, fun beach reading. Fans of Laura Levine may also enjoy this one.” —Booklist on Beach Bags and Burglaries

"A fun, lighthearted whodunit.” —The Mystery Gazette on Beach Bags and Burglaries
 
“Enjoyable . . . an unlikely but engaging sleuth.” —Publishers Weekly on Evening Bags and Executions
 
“The well-crafted plot, humor, and designer details will appeal to fans of Laura Levine and MaryJanice Davidson.” —Booklist on Tote Bags and Tote Tags
 
“Howell’s winning debut...Reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon's character in the Legally Blonde films, Haley evolves from a total airhead into a semi-airhead without breaking a nail. A cool cliffhanger will leave readers eager for Haley's next adventure.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for Handbags and Homicide

From the Publisher

2022-07-08
A 20-something looking for respite in a new town finds herself in trouble when she becomes the obvious suspect in a surprising murder.

Call it keeping a low profile or hiding out: Abbey Chandler’s left Los Angeles for the low-key comfort of Hideaway Grove, California. Though she’d been in LA for less than a year, Abbey hadn’t been prepared for the way work drama took over her life, and memories of summers with her Aunt Sarah in Hideaway Grove make her think that this could be the perfect opportunity to restore and rebuild. Sarah converts a room in her shop, Sarah’s Sweets, so that Abbey can take over some sewing projects and craft a niche for herself. Abbey’s no sewing whiz, but she can learn, right? Sarah’s connected to a charity project that turns old pillowcases into dresses for African girls, and though the idea might seem to come from a bygone generation, the author’s notes and appended sewing directions link it to ongoing real-world charities. Abbey’s limited sewing skills are eclipsed when she sees the town’s latest librarian, Iris Duncan, mowed down by a car. And not just any car, but a car that looks just like Abbey’s—at least, according to the local sheriff’s department. Hideaway Grove isn’t the sort of place to have a murder, or is it? Abbey starts to wonder. To retrieve her car and clear her name, Abbey must get to know the community and find out if there’s something hiding under the surface of Hideaway Grove.

A new series launch with Howell’s signature spunk still sinks under a premise that’s not up to the challenge.

Kirkus Reviews