Third installment in the series. Cute theme, but this story wasn't my favorite. Even amateur sleuths need to listen sometimes.

This is the 3 rd book that i have read in the series, and so far i and I love it, I am a crafter so i gravitate towards craft related cozy mysteries. i love the style of writing and the way that the story line is flowing, i definitely recommend this author and series to anyone looking to find a fun read.

A Crafter Quilts A Crime by Holly Quinn
Samantha “Sammy” Kane owns and runs a craft store called Community Crafts in Heartsford, Wisconsin. She is getting ready for the town event Fire and Ice. All stores on main street are being creative to draw customers to their stores. Her perfect idea was to have a live-mannequin contest inside the storefront display window that faced Main Street. Her vendors would have an opportunity to display their own creations in real time. And passersby will be able to judge the best live-mannequin. Wanda Wadsworth was one of her live-mannequin and everyone thought she did an awesome job. She didn’t move a muscle as soon as she sat down in the display window. When her 20 minutes was up, the reason for her stillness became apparent, she was dead. Wanda’s husband Marty comes up missing, and a ransom note is discovered, Sammy gathers her S.H.E detective club together and they start hashing out clues.

****SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS****



Now in the beginning I liked Sammy Kane the main protagonist. But when she became jealous of Liam Nash the detective going into the coffee shop with an unknown female, that ruffled a few of my feathers and I didn’t like the fact she jumped to conclusions about it. Then I notice, she always jumps to conclusions. I also quickly notice Sammy doesn’t listen or follow instructions when it comes to the law. And her nosiness puts her in tough situations. I didn’t like how she handled Marty kidnapping her. I was at the point of hoping he put a bullet in her head to shut her up and stop her attitude. If the author was trying to make her look tough, it didn’t work. It just made Sammy look stupid.

The quilt barn trial project was boring. The superweed that doesn’t die was boring. There was not enough crafting involved. The only crafting I got a chance to read was when they had a quilt meeting, but that was only brief. Cause she had to run out to the coffee shop and make a spectacle of herself in front of Liam and the unknown female.
I was rooting for Liam and Sammy. But now, I wish he will turn around and run the other way. Sammy is nothing but drama for him. She has lied to him. She makes promises and crosses her heart to him and doesn’t keep that promise. For example: Liam invites her on a stake out. She is all so happy! He tells her to NOT get out the car under any circumstances. She promises ok and crosses her heart. Well when they arrive at the stakeout, he hands her the binoculars and leans back in his seat and closes his eyes to get some rest. She is all smiling. Shortly, she tells him she sees something, he gets up and looks around and she says she was just kidding. All the while smiling. (Now I picture this smile as evil)The author says sheepishly. No I think it was evil. Then she proceeds to bombard him with questions. Doesn’t give a crap if the man is tired. When an unknown truck pulls up to the farmhouse they are staking out, he tells her to remain in the car. She BEGS and WHINES to go with him. He says NO. He leaves the car and follows the unknown man into the farmhouse. NO sooner, was Liam out of sight, Sammy opens the car door and goes inside the farmhouse after him. I wanted to just close the book and stop reading. Sammy is a liar and doesn’t keep her promises, I don’t care she is nosy, but she made a promise to the man she supposedly loves and breaks it not an hour later.
Then later on in the book, Liam invites her to meet him at some trail. Sammy immediately thinks she impressed him at the stakeout and he obviously needs her help to solve another case. This is so stupid! Really?!
But, who would of thought she obviously did impress him, cause he told her he wanted to be with her. And professes his feelings for her, she responds but ruining the moment (and she knows this, but says she can’t help it, she has to know- again her nosiness) and she proceeds to bring up the unknown female he was having coffee with. (rolls eyes).
I know the author was wanting the ending to be so sweet and romantic, but to me it was lacking. I guess cause I don’t truly believe Sammy loves Liam. He has asked her THREE times not to interfere. He was even disappointed in her for interfering when he asked her not to and she did feel guilty for a little bit, But of course, it still didn’t stop her from not listening to him again. I understand Sammy wants to investigation with the SHE’s, but going about it was wrong, lawless and careless. Even Heidi boyfriend dumped her cause of the all the deceitful things they do. I feel sorry for Liam to have to put up with a lying, entitled, breaker of promises, I- gotta-know-everything-and-I-gotta-know-it-NOW! drama filled Sammy.

And another thing, it was Sammy fault for getting kidnapped. If she would of listen to the kidnapper and walked away, she could of saved herself (and us) alot of headache. She could of gotten back into her call and called Liam and let him handle it.

Reading this book, I have come to the conclusion that everyone is confused with fingers.
Sammy and Ellie are the confused sisters.
And the word “finger” is written 110 times throughout the book. I get the author’s writing style wanted the readers to know what the characters were doing with their hands, but seriously, you can only do so much with fingers.

I did not figure out who the killer was, in fact I really didn't care. The mystery was lackluster. The ending itself was lackluster.
I will not be continuing with this series.

2 stars.

Thank you to Netgally and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced digital copy. The opinions here are my own.

This is a solid series. The mysteries are woven well and keep me interested. This latest installment read quickly and kept me guessing. I liked the ending where some other elements of the series finally got a little more resolved. I like the characters although Sammy does get on my nerves from time time. This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to Sammy's next adventure.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

“A Crafter Quilts a Crime” by Holly Quinn the 3rd instalment in the A Handcrafted Mystery series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Being a crafter I love a mystery that has a crafty theme, and this is what originally drew me to first read this series by Holly Quinn. I haven’t tried quilting but that did not stop me from enjoying this story. I loved the cover too.

I like the Protagonist Samantha “Sammy” Kane and her besties Heidi and Ellie who complete the S.H.E. (Sammy-Heidi-Ellie) “detective agency” from their childhood. The characters are well developed and very likeable, and who doesn't love a golden retriever named “Bara". I love the craft group (had my own group of crafty ladies once) and how their relationships/friendships were. True to cozy form there were quirky characters and i loved the small town setting of Heartsford, Wisconsin.

There are plenty of red herrings, twists, turns to keep me wanting to find out what will happen next.

I cant wait for the 4th instalment in this series, I highly recommend this to cozy lovers.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

This is the first book I have read by the author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought was a fun cozy filled with like able characters and loved the relationships/friendships. I liked that there were a lot of suspects when trying to solve the murder mystery, it helped keep you on your toes.

There are times when I just want a fun little vacation from life. This book provided that. I liked the story as well as the characters. It was both fun and entertaining and I will certainly look for any purchase more from this author.

The Handcrafted Mystery series is a new to me series. This is book three in the series which is set in Wisconsin.



I really enjoyed the winter themed mystery, especially since winter in PA has been mostly nonexistent this year.



The group of sleuths includes 2 sisters and a cousin, together the are known as the S.H.E.'s. Sammy, Heidi and Ellie. Too cute.



What I love about cozy mysteries is the same as what I love about romance, its a form of escape because lets face it, if things happened like they do in books, well that wouldn't say much for our law enforcement and it definitely means our crime rates are lousy in all these small towns.



I had a bit of an issue with Sammy's over-reaching the law here. No cop wouldn't have hauled them in for what they did early on.



I love how they stuck together to find out what really happened to Wanda. There were so many different avenues this could have gone down. Ms. Quinn really kept you guessing until the very end.



Oh and some of the food that Ellie makes will have your mouth watering. Thank goodness there are recipes at the end of the book.



All mysteries aside, I love that there is a touch of romance going on here for 2 of the S.H.E.s as well. I don't want to spoil anything but the ending is just wonderful!



I can't wait to read more of this series.

Community Craft proprietor Sammy Kane must piece together a patchwork of clues when a "live" mannequin ends up stone-cold dead.
This charming cozy book is the best companion for lazy nights at the couch.
The writing of Holly Quinn is clever and well researched, I'd love to read more by her and the cover is just perfect.
A very big thank you to Crooked Lane, the publisher and to NetGalley.

Better than average cheesy cozy murder mystery. The plot was good but the dialogue in the romance and in some of the tenser situations needed work to make it more believable and less awkward.

The cover is just perfect (feel-good and cosy) and the blurb was enticing. Unfortunately, I didn’t click with the plot nor the characters. It’s a bit disappointing, but it does happen sometimes. It’s even bound to happen, and it’s not an indication of the quality of the writing nor the storyline. It’s just a personal, subjective feeling. I saw some pretty good reviews online, so give it a go if you wish. It just didn’t cut it for me. Next time!

I love a great cozy mystery, and this one didn't disappoint. Sammy runs a community crafting store and must involve her cousin Heidi and sister Ellie (who together make up the S.H.E.s) when a woman dies when posing as a live mannequin in Sammy's window display during the Fire and Ice festival in Hartford, WI.

This book kept me guessing. I'm usually pretty good at guessing the killer by about halfway through, but this one took a little longer. There are some good suspenseful scenes that turn the plot on its head and were great ways to speed along the story through the middle. (No saggy middle here!)

The ending left me with a few questions, but overall it was satisfying. This is the third book in the series, and while it wasn't hard to read as a standalone, I think some of the characterization would have been easier to understand if you have read the first two books.

A delightful author. I'd love to read more by her.

It's Winter in Wisconsin and the citizens of the town of Heartsford are getting the shopping district all decked out to celebrate the Fire and Ice event. Sammy has planned to feature living models in her window display but things go terribly wrong when a member of the quilting group dies while in the display. Things then go from bad to worse when the dead woman's husband is nowhere to be found.
Sammy along with her sister Ellie and cousin, Heidi set out to track down the killer. They work well as an investigating team.
This may be the third in the series but it works fine as a stand alone. The puzzle is well constructed and led me down some dead ends with a few red herrings. The plot kept me well entertained and I have no doubt that I will enjoy the fourth entry just as much - it already has a spot set aside for it on my TBR.
My thanks to the publisher, Crooked Lane and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The annual Fire & Ice event in Heartsford, Wisconsin, is a highly anticipated event. In fact, it’s the only time the snow and frigid temperatures outside encourage customers to venture out into the community after Christmas. Sammy Kane is excited about her novel idea for the event, as she intends to have live mannequins in the windowfront of her Community Craft store. Unfortunately, one of Sammy’s live mannequins turns up dead – right there in her store window! Can Sammy and the other two members of S.H.E. uncover the real culprit before someone close to them is arrested?

A CRAFTER QUILTS A CRIME is the third book in the <i>Handcrafted Mystery</i> series. While the story can be read as a standalone, I suspect readers will better appreciate it if they are at least somewhat familiar with the characters already. In particular, there are some relationship struggles as well as a few questionable decisions by Sammy that are better understood if a reader knows a bit more about the characters.

I love visiting the Community Craft store! In fact, I love the whole concept of it, as a local store dedicated to crafting events and supplies of all kinds sounds like a dream come true. The live mannequin idea is quirky, but brilliant, and I only wish we could see what other participants had in store for their time in Sammy’s window.
A CRAFTER QUILTS A CRIME is another fun and engaging cozy mystery from Holly Quinn. Readers who enjoy crafting cozies will appreciate A CRAFTER QUILTS A CRIME for the Community Craft store concept alone, but Holly Quinn’s entertaining mixture of characters will hook readers regardless of their favorite theme in cozy mysteries. I look forward to what trouble S.H.E. will get into next!

*review is in the editing queue at Fresh Fiction*

Wanda is murdered while participating in a contest of live mannequins at the Community Craft store. Her husband, Marty, goes missing the same day and his brother I law receives a ransom note. The S.H.E. are drawn into this problem and solve it to save Ellie’s husband from charges. Liam and Sammy strained relationship endures as the investigation continues. Marty takes Sammy and she is drawn further into the investigation. Marty was the intended victim due to his underhanded selling of poison seeds to farmers in the community. Thanks to Sammy and Wanda’s quilt the mystery is solved. Great characters and story line.

This is such a charming series with a small town atmosphere and crafting at the heart of the community. This is "Handcraft Mystery" number three by author Holly Quinn. I have read the prior books in the series and enjoyed every book. The author has the perfect setting and charcters for a charming enjoyable mystery series. This is a setting of small town Wisconsin and I love the kindness and charcters the author has here as fundamental to the series.

In this next in series the holidays are over and the town is excited to prepare for their Fire and Ice Festival. The author did a outstanding job of making the setting atmospheric for the reader. The S.H.E. Group ( Sammy, Heidi and Ellie) are involved in the preparations. Sammy has planned a special display for her craft store window. The event takes a dark turn when a murder occurs of one of her quilt group and the victim's husband mysteriously goes missing. The S.H.E. gals are on the case much to the chagrin of the local police. Sammy does not hesitate to put herself at the forefront of the investigation and is a savvy smart investigator with her friends by her side. The mystery takes many twist and turns to conclusion and I did not figure out the ending.

This is a fun fast paced read with the perfect setting and a mysterious set of clues. I love the craft group and how devoted they are to each other . This is a pleasing series that I enjoy returning to.

I look forward to the next in series.

A Crafter Quilts a Crime by Holly Quinn is the third A Handcrafted Mystery. Sammy Kane has Community Craft ready for the town’s annual Fire and Ice event. Sammy dreamed up a live mannequin contest that will take place in her front display window. Sammy goes to check on Wanda’s progress and notices her lips are blue. Wanda is dead and her husband is MIA. When Ellie’s husband, Randy becomes a suspect, the S.H.E. team convenes. Sammy, Heidi and Ellie work to stitch together the clues that will reveal Wanda’s killer. A Crafter Quilts a Crime can be read as a standalone for those new to A Handcrafted Mystery series. I like the close, heartwarming relationship between Sammy, Ellie and Heidi. They get along well together and make a formidable team. I admit that I prefer Ellie and Heidi to Sammy. Sammy is nervy and lacks understanding of Liam’s position. She does not understand when the police cannot share information with civilians. Holly Quinn captured the feeling of winter with her word imagery. I could feel the cold tingling my ears and nose from her descriptions. I remember what that bitter cold feels like. I enjoyed the images of Community Craft with its beautiful handmade items inside. I wish my town had such a place where people can learn a craft and sell their handmade wares. The live mannequin contest was a unique event that had an unfortunate end. The investigation progressed slowly for Detective Liam Nash because he had limited clues. He is searching for Wanda’s husband as well as a reason why someone would want to harm Wanda. Sammy feels Liam is moving too slow. When her brother-in-law is brought in for questioning, Sammy quickly calls Ellie and Heidi. The three of them (S.H.E.) will do what it takes to prove Randy is innocent. Sammy’s sleuthing methods could use some fine tuning. She is a little reckless and is quick to break the law as well as obstruct justice. I like how quilts tied into the mystery. There were some interesting clues to help readers solve this whodunit. A Crafter Quilts a Crime is a cute cozy mystery that interweaves Sammy’s daily activities with the mystery of Wanda’s death. A Crafter Quilts a Crime has a big bonfire, wintry weather, quilt clues, a spouse gone astray, and the snoopy S.H.E. squad.

Crafter Quilts a Crime by Holly Quinn is the 3rd book in A Handcrafted Mystery series, and another fun read. Samantha, Sammy, Kane lives in Heartsford, Wisconsin running Community Craft. As the town gets ready for the one night event called Fire and Ice. The community craft is having a contest for the best live mannequin, in their front window. When one of the contestants doesn't move because she's dead, the mystery begins. Sammy gets together with her sleuthing team S.H.E, Sammy, Heidi Sammy's cousin, and sister Ellie to solve the case. I enjoyed the plot and the quirky characters, in this well written cozy mystery. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Deadly Winter In Wisconsin.....
A Handcrafted Mystery. When a ‘live’ mannequin turns up dead Sammy needs to piece together the clues to solve a mystery. Enjoyable cosy crime, a cast of colourful characters in a small town setting and the Winter Wisconsin weather well described. Entertaining, easy reading.

Sammy and crew are at it again after a murder occurs in town. Can they solve the mystery and stay safe?
A fun and fast-faced cozy mystery. I enjoyed it very much.

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