Molly MacRae

First Line: It wasn't how I'd planned to spend my thirty-ninth birthday, driving like a crazed woman from Richmond, Virginia, to a cemetery in the mountains of east Tennessee.

Kath Rutledge, textile preservationist for the state of Illinois, is driving like a crazed woman because she's trying not to miss the funeral of her beloved grandmother, Ivy McClellan. She almost doesn't make it, thanks to Cole Dunbar, who unfortunately is the type of police officer anyone would dearly love to punch in show more the nose.

After the funeral, Kath goes to her grandmother's popular fiber and fabric shop, the Weaver's Cat, where many of Ivy's friends have gathered to honor her memory. Most of those attending belong to a group of fiber and needlework artists known as TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Fiber). Afterwards Kath goes to her grandmother's cottage, fully expecting to stay there while she wraps up Ivy's affairs. However, the locks have been changed. It seems that Ivy didn't own her home, and the new owner has it locked up tighter than a drum until he gets the rent he's owed. Or so he says.

An acquaintance gives Kath an alternate place to stay, and it's not until the next day that she learns that the previous tenant, Emmett Cobb, was murdered-- and Kath's grandmother is the prime suspect. Even though this cake doesn't need any icing, Kath gets it anyway: the cabin where she's staying has another occupant-- a gloomy ghost who is just as motivated as Kath when it comes to finding Emmett Cobb's killer.

Life in a small town in east Tennessee is lovingly described in Last Wool and Testament, as are its residents. MacRae has the perfect setting and a wonderful cast for her new series, and if you aren't exactly a fan of paranormal mysteries, feel free to give this one a try anyway. The paranormal angle is done with a very light touch, and the ghost is more of a monumental pain in the neck than she is otherworldly.

I enjoyed myself becoming acquainted with the cast of characters (well... with the exception of Cole Dunbar; I really did want to punch that guy in the nose), and my candidate for whodunit changed from time to time until close to the end when one character's behavior set off my inner alarm system.

I savored all the information about textiles throughout the book, and although I normally ignore patterns or recipes in the backs of cozy mysteries, I have to admit that-- although the knitting pattern for a baby/toddler's hat didn't do much for me, the recipe for Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade made my taste buds sit up and beg.

Good setting, good characters, good food... and fiber and fabric, too. Last Wool and Testament is a wonderful beginning to a new series. show less

Charming cozy mystery set on the coastal edge of the Scottish Highlands. Four women of two generations throw in their U.S. towel, pool their funds and purchase an established Scottish bookshop. Three of this team are American and the 4th is returning to her native home to keep an eye on and assist her aging folks. Divorcée and former librarian, Janet, wrangled ownership of a sweet Scottish cottage from her ex-husband during the settlement. She would welcome the opportunity to settle into show more that cottage. However, the home has been made "off-limits" upon the discovery of a murdered woman in the shed out back. The investigation team appears to be dragging their feet, forcing Janet and her lawyer daughter to inhabit two of the cozy bedrooms above the bookshop. Well, enough's enough and valiant four decide to do a bit of sleuthing on their own. All this on top of learning the ins and outs of running their new combination bookshop-tea room-b&b establishment.

In spite of the books charm, there is little realism - virtually no real police work, unlikely amount of free snooping time and the excusing of that overreach. But overall, it was an enjoyable read and it laid out the premise for the sweet and charming, "The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series". show less

[b:Plaid and Plagiarism|28943774|Plaid and Plagiarism (Highland Bookshop Mystery #1)|Molly MacRae|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1455904040s/28943774.jpg|49165480] is the first in a new series, and a get acquainted sort of read that introduces the reader to the characters and the environs that will make up the milieux of the Highland Bookshop Mysteries .

This book harks back to one of my favorite TV detectives, Columbo, in that the sex, violence, and evil side of human nature that show more comprise any entertaining fictional murder all manifest themselves firmly off-screen . Our stalwart protagonists [ostensibly in sensible shoes] engage in only the most salubrious behavior.

Instead of being up close and personal with the bad guys, we listen to the banter of a lively quartet of protagonistas as they suss out who whodunnit. We lurk above their interior monologues as they confront the realities and the humor too of being women "on their own". We accompany them on village walks in the highlands, observe the goings on in their bookstore/tearoom/b&b, and even at literary festival meetings in their local library. Throughout these four and other assorted male and female family members and villagers traipse on and off the stage in a staggering array of combinations. For such a little village, this book has quite a large cast, you might need a post-it or two and some stick figure drawings to keep track of who's who.

Everything "bad" in this book happens off the page, except for the discovery of a bloodied dead body in a shed, one character who gets manhandled by another for a brief moment in a library, and another who falls down a hill, unless you count when the protagonists take their parents to the bar, or when they quietly sip whiskey after the bookshop is closed for the day. It's been a while[never?] since I wished for more sex, violence, or double-crossing in a murder mystery but I might need a little [a:Johnny Shaw|3939524|Johnny Shaw|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1398465971p2/3939524.jpg] as an antidote. You might too if the cozies are not your thing, but if they are you will be quite comfortable at Yon Bonnie Books show less

Kath Rutledge is looking forward to visiting the Blue Plum Vault, a former bank that is now home to small shops on Main Street. When she receives a visit from the Spivey twins, Mercy and Shirley, they tell her she needs to visit one of the shops because the owner has a magnificent embroidered table runner. Kath, owner of the Weaver's Cat, can't resist. When she finally sees it, she is enamored, but when the owner, Belinda Moyer, allows her to view and even more precious treasure - a show more tablecloth - Kath is in awe. While Belinda hurriedly tucks it away, she lets Kath know it will be for sale. However, Nervie Bales declares it's a fake, even though Kath knows better. But when the shops all open, she hears a scream from Belinda and arrives to find the tablecloth cut to shreds. Soon after, even the shreds disappear and no one knows where.

Then Belinda's body is found - by Geneva the ghost, no less - and Kath is wondering if Nervie hated her enough to kill her. When she isn't getting any information from Deputy Cole Dunbar, she figures it's up to her and her TGIF group of knitters to flush out a killer. But they soon learn that the recent murder of Gar Brown and Belinda might be connected. Who would want to kill two people - one of them new to town and one of them a respected resident - and why? What did they know that someone else didn't want them to tell? How does the destroyed tablecloth fit in? With a slew of suspects and ghostly Geneva offering up her own ideas, Kath tries to corner a killer who's killed twice before - and might try for a third...

I'm very fond of this series with its gloomy ghost Geneva, who resides at Kath's shop and even though she only remembers bits and pieces about her past, she has a very real presence. Kath has even come along in the fact that she sort of likes having Geneva around. The only other person who can see her is Ardis, retired schoolteacher and part-time worker at the Cat, who's a descendant of Geneva's family.

While Kath at first gets interested because of the destroyed tablecloth, she soon figures out that there's more to what's going on, but it seems that not only are the people who have shops at the co-op suspects, but maybe even a few people around town. We watch as they conference and sift through clues, trying to decide motives and eliminating people along the way. It's a fun process to be part of, and I enjoyed reading about their deductions.

While there isn't a lot about any of the characters in this book, insofar as to their lives aside from investigating, it doesn't seem important somehow. The only thing that bothered me, just a little, was the fact of Kath and Joe's non-relationship. I get that she's concerned with her shop and that he loves fishing; and they sleuth a little (long with the others, but they don't really do anything together. There was one nice moment when you knew Joe had feelings for her, (and that involved Geneva) but that was it. I think as the series proceeds (and I am so glad that it's been revived) I would at least like to see them progress. (Not that I want this to turn into a romance series).

Aside from that, and as I stated, it was minor, I felt that while the book started slow, it picked up considerably and the mystery was done well. There were a couple of interesting subplots going on, and the Spivey sisters are as annoying as always, but all in all, it was a delightful read.

When the killer was discovered and the reason why, I thought it all came together nicely in the end. I had a good time trying to figure it out along with Kath, and it was worth the wait. In the end, a nice cozy to read on a chilly evening. There's even a nice recipe for Pear and Ginger Scones in the back, if you like to cook (I do). I look forward to the next in the series. Recommended. show less