This is an utterly charming read. It's one to curl up with on the sofa and a cuppa to hand. When much loved quilter Wanda is poisoned in the Christmas window of Sammy Kane's Community Craft Store, Sam Heidi and Ellie - the SHE detective team - are compelled to discover what happened. This is a wonderfully descriptive novel of the pretty yet perilously cold winter in Wisconsin. The title made me giggle at first but it's actually really clever what the author has done with this. It's a light and engaging read but the SHEs discover a crime extremely relevant to the word we live in today and especially how it can devastate a farming community. Loved it , I devoured it in two sittings and look forward to more by this author.

Sammy, Heidi, and Ellie (S.H.E.) are at it again when someone dies in Sammy's store window. The Fire and Ice festival is here and Sammy has the brilliant idea to have a live window display of some of the crafters. However, the first person to be on display, dies in the window. Now the girls are ready to sleuth.

This was fun. Lots of suspects. My only complaint is that the girls do really stupid things, like break the law. They all think they are smarter than anyone else. They don't share what they learn with the authorities and then get themselves into bad situations. The characters are fun and the mystery kept me turning the pages.

this is a page turning story, someone has killed the yoga teacher and she died in the window of the craft shop. can they figure out who did it and will the detective let her help find the person. if you like suspense , cozy stories you will want to read the book I was given the book by netgalley but this is an honest review

“A Crafter Quilts a Crime” presents the reader with some likeable and interesting characters, as well as a potentially plausible plot line. As part of a winter celebration, different events are featured throughout the town. When a participant in the “living models” contest at Community Crafts dies unexpectedly, three women band together to follow up on the mysterious death of their friend. Chases through snowy landscapes, along with a lovable dog, add interest to the story.

I really liked the three female lead characters and enjoyed their interactions with each other throughout the story. The formation of the S.H.E. club (Sammy, Heidi, Ellie) to solve crimes was a fun touch, although the characters all had other lines of work. However, it was difficult to figure out how they could take so much time off their jobs to work on solving crimes. I like cozy mysteries, especially those featuring quirky characters and crafters or artisans. This one included many of the common elements found in the many cozy mysteries I read, such as amateur sleuths, small towns, and interesting careers. I like to be able to figure out the mystery by following the clues, and this book gave me the opportunity to do that.

With that being said, the book bogged down for me in the tedious details of every bit of the main character’s life, down to the name brands of her clothing. The other issue for me was the writing style and word usage with some bad grammar. Finally, the continued meddling in potentially dangerous situations, against all the advice and warnings by law enforcement, presented an unbelievable aspect to the plot, which at times became confusing.

I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

A Crafter Quilts a Crime is book 3 in author Holly Quinn’s A Handcrafted Mystery series.
In this installment Sammy Kane sets up a live mannequin display in her craft shop for the annual Fire & Ice event in her town. The event is a big deal and all the shop owners participate and the townspeople come out to see. Sammy sets up a live window display but one of the contestants, a quilter named Wanda Wadsworth, winds up dead in the display after being poisoned. Soon enough police discover Wanda’s husband is missing and this makes him a prime suspect in her murder. Sammy decides to do some investigating along with her sister Ellie and her cousin Heidi.

I have to say, I liked the cozy setting here and the author did a great job at giving the story a wintry feel. I crochet often so I enjoy reading stories about crafting. I liked following along as the clues began to unfold and different characters and possibilities are introduced into the story. Wanda herself left behind a quilt that may hold clues to help solve her murder and Sammy, Ellie and Heidi begin trying to piece the puzzle together.

However, I found the story moved along a slow pace. The book picks up the pace towards the latter half as the mystery is close to being solved but by then I was irritated with some of the silly decisions Sammy was making. Also in the mix is Sam’s love interest Detective Nash who is working the case and wants Sam to stop trying to solve the murder herself. The ending wraps it all up and I didn’t guess who did it until the author shared that. Overall, this was a good read but I wish it moved a little bit faster. Don’t let my review deter you from trying this one, it has some good reviews on Goodreads.

This is a cute cozy mystery series. I enjoyed learning more about the characters, and can't wait to see what happens with the romance between the main character and the police chief.

4.5 Stars

This is the third book in the Handcrafted Mystery series by Holly Quinn.

This hit all my sweet spots: crafting and cozy mystery. The winter season is the perfect time to read this since the setting is all cold and snowy. A local quilter is found dead during a Fire and Ice even at Community Craft and when Sammy and her friends investigate they discover quite a underlying path of lies and deceit.

I was hooked from the beginning. Loved the setting and the whole crafting, quilting aspect and pairing that with a mystery is just my cup of sleuthing tea. Just when you think you know who is behind it all, that person either ends up dead or vindicated. The end of this had quite a surprising twist that floored me. That person wasn’t even on my suspect list at all. I really need to dust off my sleuthing abilities since apparently I am beyond rusty or maybe the author is just “that good” at crafting her book. I assume the latter is true.

Just loved this book and look forward to any other books this author writes. I still need to read book one in the series but book two was just as great as this one was. Definitely a series you need to put into your Winter TBR pile, for sure!

If you love a good cozy mystery check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

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.

Holly Quinn's A Crafter Quilts a Crime is a must read.

A contest, a murder, and a puzzling mystery has detective Nash perplexed on who killed Wanda. Follow the clues and see if you can figure out who committed the murder before the detective and the SHE's have a chance to solve the mystery.

This is a great cozy mystery, thank you for the ARC, can't wait until the next installment.

What a great book, so full of mystery and humor and who done it! The perfect book to end the year with! I’m sure I’m going to read many more of Holly’s books, they are just so entertaining! Thanks so very much Holly!

In snow-covered Heartsford, Wisconsin, folks are snuggled in quilts trying to stay warm. But with the annual Fire and Ice event the next day, even the brutal weather won't keep everyone in town from participating.

Samantha Kane is hoping to boost business at her store, Community Crafts. 
Wanting to stand out, Sammy has a brainstorm for her front window display. Living mannequins with their crafts! So far Wanda is looking the part. Sitting in the front window with her quilt square in her lap, she hasn't moved a muscle.

That could have something to do with the fact that she is dead. Yes, dead, right in the front window of Sammy's store. Much to the chagrin of Detective Lam, Sammy and her sister and cousin have reformed the S.H.E. club. No case too cold or too dangerous for them to stick their little noses in.

With clues all around them, and bad things bubbling under the surface, this may be the one time they can't craft a happy ending!

NetGalley/ February 11th, 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

Enjoyable cozy. I found this to have great characters and a well-written story line. Looking forward to finding more books by this author.

Winter and Snow in a rural Wisconsin setting is the best part of this story. Since this is a craft-themed cozy, I expected to see more of crafty details. The quilting group do make their presence felt. The victim, Wanda, was holding a quilt in her lap when she passed away - and yet, I didn't find the story inclined towards crafts.

The mystery is good. The suspense is well-maintained throughout the story. The story is well-written too. The kidnapping part of the story was, in my opinion, not necessary. Although it did make the moment tense, I somehow didn't like it much - things ended abruptly here.

I have mixed opinions about Sammy. S.H.E. the detective group she was part of, is okayish. I somehow did not like the fact that Sammy was being careless a lot of times. I liked Marty's role though - confused yet mysterious fella.

I had an idea as to who the killer might be but that didn't stop me from liking the ending. Sammy plays a major role here. This story has a different kind of ending and I liked it.

What a lovely little cozy mystery! Grab your blanket and cuddle up in front of the fire with this one. The characters feel like long lost family members.

A Crafter Quilts a Crime is book number three in Holly Quinn's Handcrafted Mystery series. I must admit this is the first book in the series that I have had the chance to read. While you certainly DO get the impression that this isn't the first introduction to these characters (there is talk about how Sammy is *always* butting in, etc), it wasn't to the point that I felt that I missed out on what was happening in THIS story. I did enjoy this one enough that I am curious to read the others, but if you haven't yet, you can still enjoy this one (or take the time to get caught up). Either way you are going to want to add this cozy mystery to your reading list for 2020!

There's something about a cozy mystery that I love... especially in the winter time! They have everything I love about a good mystery, but tend to be a bit more lighthearted than your typical suspense novel... murder and all.

This one starts off with a bang when quilter Wanda winds up dead in the craft store window display. I really enjoyed this idea of a live window mannequin contest... imagine a beloved member of the town passing away right before your eyes and no one being any the wiser. Such a unique way to start the story if you ask me! From there, Sammy, Ellie and Heidi set out to find exactly what has happened to Wanda, and to figure out the clues she left behind. Throughout the story there are several twists and turns that kept me guessing! Though I'm not a quilter, I did enjoy the crafty aspect of this story and I'm certain that those who do enjoy quilting will appreciate that even more!

Overall, if you're looking for a good cozy mystery to help pass the winter days, this is one worth checking out. I look forward to reading more from this series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked everything in this book except the main character Sammy.
The writing is great as is the mystery but Sammy just rubbed me the wrong way with her willingness to obstruct justice.

Sammy the snoop is back, getting herself , her sister, and cousin into more trouble. A beloved quilter ends up dead in Sammy's store window during a festival. S.H.E slrngs into action and beings the wrath of law enforcement down on them. The main character really is intrusive and reckless. In the ned, the clues she provides helps snag the killer and restore peace to the Wisconsin town. I liked the setting and the parts about farming, which is a new twist in a cozy.

This is the second Handcrafted Mystery book I've read (I missed the first one) and they are pretty good, solid mysteries.

I really do like Sammy and the various relationships in the town. For me, with cozies, setting plays a massive part and I really liked the rural Wisconsin town the series is set in. I especially loved seeing it in the winter and I thought that Quinn did an absoultely marvelous job of getting the cold-but-cosy atmoshere of the small town to come through. The idea of the Fire and Ice live mannequin show was really interesting and unique.

There are two problems I had with this one though.

First, as with the last book, I'd have liked more craft (either filler scenes or something more related to the case) in a craft-shop, craft-themed cozy.

Second, and this is where this book didn't work as well for me as the last one, the investigation and the S.H.E. group irked me in a few ways. Sammy was constantly being told to back off and then ignoring it to throw herself into danger. She did some really legally questionable things, dragging the other women in with her, without any concern for the consequences. Now, I like a bit of rebellious sleuthing as much as the next reader, but Sammy just came off as too bull-headed for me. Major things, like kidnapping or the arrival of the FBI, were brushed off without too much discussion. I just didn't find Sammy or Detective Nash as efficient or charming this time around.

Still, it is a pretty solid cozy, if not my personal favourite. I wouldn't want to be too off-putting though, as the Goodreads rating is high and it was a fun, fast read. I think this is one for fans of the series, or at least of the genre, rather than one for new readers. On the otherhand, although this is book three, it could easily be read as a standalone or the first in the series, so if the premise intrigues you, pick it up.

The is the third in a series of cozy mysteries involving a craft store and those who run it. Based on a "quilting" theme, two sisters and their cousin set out to find a murderer. Helped along the way by a husband, a boyfriend and a police detective/romantic interest, the story kept me reading from page 1. Thoroughly enjoyable.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I love a crafting cozy so I was excited to read this. I did not like Sammy, the main character, at all. She was pushy, arrogant, and did not think of ramifications to her relatives' lives when she took it upon herself to immerse herself in the investigation. She knowingly withheld valuable information to the case. I don't mind the sleuths withholding little pieces of gossip that may not be relevant, but obstructing justice is a whole other thing. I liked the other characters a lot, but I dislike Sammy so much that I won't be reading any more of this series. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

A Crafter Quilts a Crime is a mystery with intrigue and plenty of crafty clues to figure out. The S.H.E.'s are at it again!! On top of that there's recipes and quilt instructions to boot. You'll love this book!