Chef Jacques Picasso has captivated the Crestwood Quilters with his charming personality and his tasty creations featured in his new French restaurant. In fact, the quilting group is currently designing a special quilt specifically for his restaurant. Unfortunately, A THREAD OF DARKNESS is about to touch Jacques and the town of Crestwood when a murder occurs. Worse yet, the murder victim is Jacques’ wife and she recently called in a police report alleging domestic violence. Can Po Paltrow, Kate Simpson, and the rest of the quilters solve the murder and redeem their friend’s reputation?

The camaraderie of the quilters is the heart of the <i>Queen Bees Quilt Shop</i> series. I love their loyalty to their friends, even when things look bleak. I have to admit that I questioned their support of Jacques as the case against him didn’t look good. A THREAD OF DARKNESS also digs a bit into the history of Crestwood, as well as the past of one member of the quilting group. I like that Sally Goldenbaum is providing more depth both to the characters and to the world building of the <i>Queen Bees Quilt Shop</i> series.

A THREAD OF DARKNESS is the second book in the <i>Queen Bees Quilt Shop</i> series and Sally Goldenbaum really hits her stride with this book. A list of the Crestwood quilters is included at the beginning of the book and is quite helpful considering the amount of characters. Sally Goldenbaum’s approach to the genre is a bit unique, as she showcases several characters rather than just one main character. The separate personalities of the quilting group are starting to shine now, as Sally Goldenbaum is continuing to develop the various characters. If you love cozy mysteries with warm and engaging characters, then A THREAD OF DARKNESS and the <i>Queen Bees Quilt Shop</i> series is for you!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

This is the second book in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop mysteries. I recently read book one and it was fun to be able to return to small town Kansas so soon. Po, Kate and PJ are my favorites.
Jacques and Lauren are newer in town and Jacques restaurant serves great food. Lauren is standoffish and is murdered. As the quilting group looks into the murder, it becomes clear Lauren has a history in the town. It’s kind of sad what she let life turn her into.
I suspected the murderer from the beginning. The whole situation just sends up being sad.
There was a bit more investigating this time, but this still feels a lot like women’s fiction.

This is the 2nd installment in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery series. The sleuths are a quilting group with an eclectic group of ladies in the town of Crestwood Kansas. The quilting group meets at Selma's shop and they are presently working on a quilt for a new member in town. Jacques St. Pierre and his much younger and beautiful wife Laurel and the owners of The French Quarter restaurant that is popular with all especially the quilting ladies. They have become good friends with Jacques but still have yet to get to know his wife Laurel. Po and Kate begin to think something is amiss with the couple when she appears to be stressed and cool to the quilters who are working on a quilt that will be displayed in the restaurant. Kate is down by the river when she meets a student and they talk about picture taking and she sees Laurel across the river with a man in a passionate embrace. Then P.J. a policeman and love interest for Kate warns Po and Kate that Jacques may not be all he seems as Laurel has filed a domestic violence claim against him. Laurel is found dead and Kate and Po track down her lover and share the info with P.J. and next he is found dead as well. Is Jacques a murderer or was there more to Laurel than meets the eye. A quilt hanging in their house might be the clue to Laurel's past. Also there are certain members of town she has a dislike for with no apparent reason. Why would she ask Jacques to move from New York to Crestwood? Does Laurel has a link to Crestwood and is that why she was murdered? Good solid mystery and the stars are the relationship of these ladies who put their heart into the quilts they do and put all on the line for each other and their friends. I like that the mystery naturally evolves and they are not doing any outrageous antics to find the killer. They plan to give info to the police and only reluctantly get involved to help those they care about. Really enjoy this series and look forward to future installments. Hallmark should pick this up!

Poe and her quilting crew are at it again. Someone has killed the wife of one of their good friends and the ladies just can't help but get involved.
A fun, interesting, and well-written cozy mystery. I'm really enjoying this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or remuneration.

A pretty good mystery. It took me a little bit to get the characters straight, but I really like them. They work well together. Both at solving the mystery and quilting. When the wife of a beloved bistro owner is killed and he is the supect, the quilters are determined to prove that he is innocent. The more they find out about the wife, the more confusing the crime becomes. Will they be able to unmask the killer before one of them gets hurt?

As owners of the popular bistro The French Quarter, former New York City restauranteurs Picasso and Laurel St. Pierre are the toast of the town of Crestwood, Kansas. Chef Picasso’s culinary creations delight the women of the quilting club, who have embraced him as a friend. But Laurel’s anti-social behavior confuses Kate Simpson—until she spots Mrs. St. Pierre with another man in what appears to be a lover’s spat.

Gossip travels fast in a small town like Crestwood, and rumor has it this isn’t Laurel’s first indiscretion. She also filed a police report accusing Picasso of domestic abuse. And when Laurel’s murdered body is found Picasso is the prime suspect. To prove their friend’s innocence, Kate and the Crestwood Quilters must uncover the secrets of Laurel’s past—a patchwork history wrapped up in Kate’s own teenage years . . .

This was a nice, easy read. Nothing too complicated and easily followed if you haven't read the first book in the series.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I love these characters! Who wouldn’t want to belong to a group like the Crestwood Quilting Group? I can picture what their quilts look like from the descriptions in the story. I have help make quilts, but none like theirs. This story line is great and I just wanted to keep reading. There are some circumstances in this story that is sad for anyone to have to go through. However, that does make the characters who they are. As in real life, there are often unpleasant things we have to deal with. I love hanging out with the good folks of Crestwood and can’t wait to see them again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

A Thread of Darkness
(Queen Bees Quilt Shop #2)
by Sally Goldenbaum

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: July 2nd 2019 by Lyrical Underground





Goodreads synopsis:
The national bestselling author of the Seaside Knitters mysteries returns to find the Crestwood Quilters on pins and needles when a killer strikes. . . 
 
As owners of the popular bistro The French Quarter, former New York City restauranteurs Picasso and Laurel St. Pierre are the toast of the town of Crestwood, Kansas. Chef Picasso’s culinary creations delight the women of the quilting club, who have embraced him as a friend. But Laurel’s anti-social behavior confuses Kate Simpson—until she spots Mrs. St. Pierre with another man in what appears to be a lover’s spat. 
 
Gossip travels fast in a small town like Crestwood, and rumor has it this isn’t Laurel’s first indiscretion. She also filed a police report accusing Picasso of domestic abuse. And when Laurel’s murdered body is found Picasso is the prime suspect. To prove their friend’s innocence, Kate and the Crestwood Quilters must uncover the secrets of Laurel’s past—a patchwork history wrapped up in Kate’s own teenage years . . .


***

2 Stars

This is the second book in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop mysteries series.

I read book one a month or so ago and it didn’t appeal to me which made me sad. I was looking forward to getting to know the quilting circle goodness and the cozy mystery all tied into one. I didn’t find what I was looking for in that book and this one missed the mark as well. I felt like I was missing the entire cozy mystery experience.

The main character doesn’t stand out here. I didn’t have anyone to grasp ahold of and follow through the story. I spent a good portion of the book thinking Jacques was going to be killed and it ended up being Laurel instead.

This book was just not for me. And that is not usual for my tastes. I am not clear what it is about this that turns me off so much. I think it is the lack of a main character to follow through the book and there are so many threads of different relationships that it almost overpowers the real story of whodunit. Seemed like 10% whodunit and 90% back and forth between characters that didn’t seem to contribute to the true focus of the story.

Wanted to love it and it fell flat for me. But if you love a cozy mystery, check this out and judge for yourself. Don’t take my word for it. Not my speed but it may be yours.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

A Thread of Darkness is the second book in Sally Goldenbaum’s Queen Bees Quilt Shop series. The characters likable and caring, and this steady pace mystery has enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

The Crestwood Quilters are working on a quilt to hang in the French restaurant Jacques St. Clair and his wife, Laurel, have opened in Crestwood, Kansas. The restaurant has been well received, Jacques seems to be liked, but Laurel is somewhat anti-social, and it’s rumored she’s been stepping out on her husband. When Laurel is murdered, Jacques becomes a suspect, mainly because of an unfounded police report that Laurel filed accusing him of domestic abuse. The Crestwood Quilters set out to prove that Jacques is innocent and uncover secrets about his wife’s past. Kate has a picture on her phone that shows Laurel being too familiar with a man who isn’t her husband. Even when someone sends them a strong message to stop looking into Laurel’s death, the Crestwood Quilters refuse to comply.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Did Jacques murder his wife Laurel? Certainly the town of Crestwood has been privy to their unhappy marriage but murder? Po, Kate and the other women who band together to quilt are out to find the answer in this second installment in a nice series (don't worry- you'll be fine with this as a start). They discover Laurel had secrets (of course) and that there are always surprises. The interaction between the quilters (there are a bunch of them) are well done, the mystery is appropriately but not too twisty, and this is a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's well done cozy.

A Thread of Darkness is the Second Book in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Cozy Series.

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery! The characters were fun and relatable. I loved the members of the quilting guild and I was guessing until the very end.

I had not read the first book in the series, and I found this book very easy to follow. In fact, I enjoyed this so much, I am going back to read the first book in series.

Really enjoyed this cozy mystery with quirky fun characters.

A Thread of Darkness by Sally Goldenbaum is the second book in Queen Bees Quilt Shop but can be read as a standalone.

This time ladies, pull their wits together to defend their favorite restaurant owner again murder charges.
Jacques runs the French restaurant together with his lovely wife Laurel, where ladies gather at least once a week for delicious food and round of chat.
When Laurel is observed being too familiar with some man other than her husband, it is obvious that things are not as perfect as they appear, especially when Laurel files police report for domestic abuse.
Not long after Laurel is found dead and suspicion falls on Jacques.
Being certain that he is innocent Po, Kate and the rest of the quilting group are hard at work to prove he is not the culprit.

I like the characters, how different yet compatible they are, and true friends in every sense gathered around their join hobby.
There are mentions of quilting but it doesn't overshadow the story nor is it referred to too much as to put off readers who aren't interested in quilting.
Well told mystery with a steady pace and enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

I liked this book very much. It is very engaging, and the quilters are an interesting group with a lot of heart.

Jacques St. Clair has opened a great new French restaurant in Crestwood. His beautiful wife, Laurel, has been helping him. However, Laurel seems to frown on several Crestwood residents, including Kate, and Max, the popular lawyer. The Crestwood Quilters are working on a quilt to hang in the bistro. Kate sees one of her students in the park by the river and shows her camera to the student who snaps a few pictures. They have seen a couple embracing on a hill and get a picture. Kate realizes that the woman is Laurel. Laurel has also been flirting with one of the waitors. Then Laurel files a police report that Jacques has committed domestic abuse. The police can't find any signs of it, but the complaint is registered.

When Laurel washes up on the shore of the river, Jacques becomes the prime suspect. The quilters are sure he is innocent. When Kate shows P. J. her picture, he recognizes the man and goes to find him. However, the man is already dead as well. The quilters continue to investigate, and at a open house at the quilt show, someone sprays bleach on the quilt they are making for Jacques with the letters MYOB (mind your own business). This doesn't stop them. They have found out that Laurel grew up in Crestwood under the name Ann Woods. She left suddenly when she was 15, and her parents were both killed in a car accident not too long after. Laurel owned a beautiful quilt made by her mother which she treasured. More information about Laurel gradually is found. After her death, Jacques donates the quilt to an auction for a shelter. As the auction is going on, Po suddenly realizes the quilt is very important, and she needs to buy it.

The ending of the book is very exciting.

Nobody knows what prompted Jacques and Laurel St. Pierre to move from New York City to the small town of Crestwood, Kansas, to open a French bistro, but everyone is glad they did... until Laurel's body is found floating in the river. As the spouse, Jacques is at the top of the suspect list, but Po, Kate and the rest of his friends in the Quilting club are confident that he's not a killer, and set out to figure out who really did kill Laurel.

This is the second book in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop series, a series previously released as the Queen Bees Quilt series. I'm not a fan of reading consecutive books from the same series in such a short time, and this book seemed to confirm that 'system' for me. It has only been a month since I read the first book of this series, and while it felt like I was stepping into a shop that I had just visited a few days ago, parts of the book felt almost predictable at the same time.

I enjoyed meeting up with the friends I'd been introduced to in the first book, and watching some of the relationships grow as the story progressed, but even to me – a reader who rarely can finger the villain early in a book – it was obvious who the killer was. The motive became clear well before it was revealed in the book, so it was simply a matter of reading along until the characters in the book came to the same conclusion. That said, I do look forward to reading the next book of the series, just not when it's released next month. I'll give the series some time before I pick up the next book.

I enjoyed this second book in the series. I don't feel it is necessary to read them in order, but of course do think you'll get more enjoyment out of them if you do. I enjoy the setting, and the characters. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Thread of Darkness by Sally Goldenbaum was another success in my opinion. Ms. Goldenbaum's writing style makes each of the quilting ladies come to life in this small Kansas town.

The plot was well-crafted and smoothly paced with just enough twists to keep me guessing. Although I had a tiny suspicion of who might have been behind the murder, I kept doubting my self with each new twist. Po, Kate, Maggie, Selma, Susan, Phoebe and Eleanor are each distinctive characters who blend well together as they quilt and determine who has brought murder to their small town. I don't quilt but would love to sit with them during one of their quilting sessions just to spend time with all of them. I had to keep turning the pages till the end. I am already looking forward to Ms. Goldenbaum's next book in this series.

It took a while before it occurs to me that I was reading the 2nd book of the QUEEN BEES QUILT SHOP MYSTERIES. Members of the Quilt group meet weekly at Selma fabric shop locate in Crestwood, Kansas. As a group, they are creating special guilt to hang in Chef Picasso’s restaurant. PO is helping Kate Simpson settle her Mother's affairs. A body is found and the MURDERED turns out to be Laurel St. Pierre who is Picasso's wife. She had a claim of sexual abuse against him. Chief Picasso is the main suspect and Quilt works to clear of the crime. I highly recommend this book and series.

Disclosure: Thanks to Lyrical Underground for a copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.



READING PROGRESS

I haven’t read much in this series, but I do like what I have read so far.
I found the story itself to be well written and full of good, strong characters.
I think I may go back and read some previous books so I have a better understanding of the characters and how they all work together.

A Thread of Darkness is the second instalment to the Queen Bees Quilt Shop Mystery series by Sally Goldenbaum.

I really like the way the group works in these works. There's quite a big cast of quilters/ sleuths -- around eight, I think? -- but they're all very individual. Some are far more prevalent in the story than others -- Po and Kate are the leads, I would say -- but most of the time each one has a specific part to play and it keeps things interesting. Together they all make a formidable investigative team and Jacques is lucky to have them all on his side!

There were a couple of misdirects but no obvious red-herrings and to, to be honest, I had a pretty strong idea about the killer before the final reveal. As I've pointed out before though, solving the mystery usually isn't my biggest interest while reading cosies. I'm far more interested in the characters and the setting. A Thread of Darkness has lots of great character development. It builds on things we saw in the first book, adding more details to the small town community and weaving through a bit more history to the characters.

This was a really quick read for me and another strong instalment in the Queen Bees Quilt Shop series.

I am really starting to have this little town of Crestwood grow on me! The characters are as tightly knit as the Seaside Knitter's, & just as enjoyable to read about. Po, Kate & the crew are back, this time thrown into the murder of their friend Jacque's wife, Laurel. Twists & turns--who exactly was Laurel & why did she act as she did? The killer came out of the blue-had absolutely NO idea who it was until the reveal! Thank you to NetGalley & Kensington books for the preview in exchange for an honest review.