One Sharp Stitch (A Nimble Needle Mystery) by Allie Pleiter
About One Sharp Stitch
One Sharp Stitch (A Nimble Needle Mystery)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - North Carolina
Publisher : Kensington Cozies (March 25, 2025)
Hardcover : 256 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496752007
ISBN-13 : 978-1496752000
Digital ASIN : B0DB3CD9GB
Audio CD ASIN : B0DSYHJN3R
When thirty-something Shelby Phillips returns to her quiet hometown just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, she reluctantly takes over her mother’s Nimble Needle needlepoint shop—and gets entangled in a murder investigation . . .
It’s only temporary. That’s what Shelby Phillips tells herself when she returns to excruciatingly harmless Gwen Lake after her graphic arts career—and the office romance blooming with it—get tossed like rejected design mockups. Her plan is as simple and fool-proof as a tent stitch: manage the family needlepoint shop during her parents’ RV vacation. It’s just a month. It’s not as if they’re retiring . . . right?
When Shelby becomes responsible for hosting a trunk show with local vendors, she’s determined to pull it off. Even if that means dealing with former classmate Kat Katsaros, a rising entrepreneur specializing in needlework scissors. Kat has changed since high school—and she’s angling to take over the Nimble Needle herself. The tension unspools when Shelby makes a terrible discovery on the morning of the event: Kat’s dead body.
Shelby can’t believe the death was an accident. That’s why she’s set on exposing who committed the murder with Kat’s own equipment. She finds help in a new friend, a potential crush, and the surprising support of her sister and the Nimble Needle stitchers. Still, Shelby must move quickly to stop the crafty culprit before her maybe not-so-temporary new life in Gwen Lake comes apart at the seams . . .
My Review
Shelby Phillips heads to her hometown of Gwen Lake in North Carolina. Her parents are going on a month-long vacation, and her mother asks if Shelby could manage her Nimble Needle shop. It comes at a great time since she was just let go from her job in Georgia.
She didn’t realize things would get so complicated, but she immediately finds out she’s responsible for hosting a trunk show featuring one of her former classmates, Kat Katsaros. Kat has her own business, which includes creating needlework scissors. Kat, also, had hoped she’d be the one watching over Nimble Needle, not Shelby.
Shelby gets nervous when Kat doesn’t show up for the trunk show. She searches for her and is shocked when she discovers Kat’s dead body. The police rule it as an accident, but Shelby is convinced there is more to this story than meets the eye.
This is the beginning of a brand new cozy mystery series and I was hooked right from the start. Shelby is a strong main character. She is surrounded by a wonderful supporting cast. The author did an excellent job of bringing each character to life.
The setting is perfect for a cozy mystery series. It’s a small, quaint town where everybody knows everybody else. Not to mention that gossip is one of their main hobbies.
The storyline moves at a fast-pace. It’s intriguing, captivating and keeps you guessing until the end. There were many potential suspects, and I was totally taken by surprise at how it ended.
It’s an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to catching up with Shelby in the next entry into this series. It’s always fun to get in on the ground floor of a new series.
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2025 (North Carolina)
NetGalley/Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2025
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2025
Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2025
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
About Allie Pleiter
An avid crafter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four books at a time. The bestselling author of over sixty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-plus year career with over 1.8 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. She lives in the Charlotte area with her husband and the world’s most adorable dog.
Author Links
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour? Click Here
I appreciate your hosting me! It's so helpful to meet new readers who love cozy mystery novels.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words in your review, too! I'm so glad you enjoyed the book.
ReplyDeleteSounds great.
ReplyDeleteThat looks good.
ReplyDeleteNever ask what could go wrong, although this mystery sounds like it has all the right stuff.
ReplyDelete