String of Lies

Running a small business is never easy and when craft storeowner Jo McAllister hears that her landlord may sell her shop, she goes to confront developer Parker Holt. She arrives at his home only to find his body - it turns out he was murdered. The police have plenty of suspects but when they seem to focus on one particular suspect, Jo thinks they have the wrong person and she, along with the help of crafters in her beading workshop, sets out to find the real killer. But Jo needs to be careful or she may be the next victim.

"String of Lies" is a very enjoyable if somewhat flawed cozy mystery. This is the second book in Mary Ellen Hughes' Craft Corner Mystery Series and it's even better than the first one "Wreath of Deception". Jo show more continues to grow as a character as she is slowly recovering from the death of her husband and worried about losing her business. Her budding romance with Lieutenant Ross Morgan (it seems that all cozy mystery heroines must have a romance with a cop) is being handled nice and slow by Hughes which makes it enjoyable to read. The craft elements are nicely done and I love the beading workshops Jo has - I wish there were more in the book. The addition of a male crafter - retired butcher Vernon Dobson, is a welcome one and I hope he appears in future books in the series.

Unfortunately, while the craft elements in the book are well done and the characters are well written, the mystery aspects aren't nearly as well done. The way Parker Holt is killed is unbelievable; it leaves far too much up to chance. There is a second murder in the book that I saw coming early. I also figured out early on who the killer was, although I kept hoping I was wrong because I liked the character. Still, despite these flaws, I really liked the book - Hughes has a way of writing that pulls you into the story and she creates characters you really care about.

"String of Lies" isn't perfect, but it's still an enjoyable cozy mystery and I recommend it to cozy mystery fans. show less

Obtained for one of the winners of my 1000-books-registered RABCK.