Monday, April 30, 2012

Review and Giveaway: Reap What You Sew

Reap What You Sew (Southern Sewing Circle - Book 6) by Elizabeth Lynn Casey

Publication Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Penguin USA
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: Paperback, 288pp.
ISBN-13: 9780425247068
ISBN: 0425247066

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)




Elizabeth Lynn Casey on the WEBBlog, Twitter, Facebook

Books In The Series: Sew Deadly(2009), Death Threads(2010), Pinned For Murder(2010), Deadly Notions(2011), Dangerous Alterations(2011), Reap What You Sew(2012), Let It Sew(coming 2012)

Coverart: Click on the image for a clearer,larger picture of the books in this series.


Excerpt from Reap What You Sew courtesy Amazon's Inside Look Feature

Synopsis:

Is movie madness enough to drive on of the members of South Carolina's Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle to a cold-blooded murder?

Tori Sinclair has found a sense of home with the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle. During theirr get-together s, she can relax with her sewing and listen in on Sweet Briar's latest gossip.

But when the town is chosen to be the setting of Warren Shoemaker's movie, the sewing circle gets caught up in bigger drama. With dreams of stardom, everyone is hoping to be cast as an extra--which lucky Tori is. But fame has its price as they learn when Anita Belise, the film's leading actress, is found murdered.

When suspicion falls on a member of the sewing circle, Tori must work to uncover the truth--not only to catch a killer, but to keep their tight-knit group from being torn to shreds...

Thoughts:

Elizabeth Lynn Casey is at it again with her latest book in the Southern Sewing Circle series, Reap What You Sew. This is the sixth book in a well crafted series that features town librarian and quilter Tori Sinclair. With a great Southern atmosphere and small town charm, this is a book that will entice cozy readers to figure out whodunit. A great addition to a well established series!

Southern cozies are usually some of my favorites. They are usually set in the South and have all the charm and elegance of Southern society. Elizabeth Lynn Casey's books always have that down home feel that makes a reader nostalgic and comfortable. The characters seem like friends and the Sweet Briar seems a lot like home. But this small town seems to have a more murders than most and the Sweet Briar Ladies Society Sewing Circle always seems to be right in the middle of the action. I love the setting and thought the author did a fantastic job making this small town a place readers will want to visit again and again. Lots of interesting South Carolina facts and cultural elements as well as local flavor. 

Tori Sinclair is a character that has grown a lot in last three years of this series. When she came to Sweet Briar to become the librarian, she seemed very closed off and lonely, but as the series has continued Tori has really come into her own. She has made friends, especially the ladies from the sewing circle and she in the midst of planning her wedding to Milo, a local school teacher. But everything has not been rosey. Whether it's a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or just having a penchant for crime solving, Tori is a murder magnet... She is always in the middle of something! I love that about her character, it seems like she can't seem to stay out of trouble no matter what she does. 
 
The Sewing Circle it's self is full of interesting and quirky members of the Sweet Briar community. In Reap What You Sew, the twins, Leona and Margaret Louise find themselves in a bit of a spot. I think one of the endearing qualities of this series is the friendships that have developed between these women. They help each with their sewing but most importantly with their lives. They share not only mysteries but daily life and their conversations and actions make them so likeable that fans will return to series just to catch up with old friends. 

The mystery aspect of this one was really fun to read. Anyone who has ever lived in a small town that's been chosen as a movie set, can atest... the whole town goes nuts!  I loved the premise and thought the whodunit was clever. The leading actress ends up dead and two members of the Sewing Circle end up as suspects. But she was a diva actress that nobody liked and the killer is hiding in plain sight. It was well thought out and executed. I didn't figure it out until close to the end and even then I wasn't completely sold on who I had picked. But I was right and this one really good mystery!


I recommend it for cozy fans who like their mysteries with a lot of fun and atmosphere. This is probably the best of the series so far and I can't wait to see what happens to Tori next. A great read from a great writer!

Reap What You Sew  is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!


Since the age of ten, Elizabeth Lynn Casey hasn't wanted to do anything other than write--news articles, feature stories, business copy, whatever would pay the bills. But they were always diversions from the one thing she wanted to write most...mysteries. Today, she's the best selling author of the new Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. Elizabeth lives in the New York area with her family.


GIVEAWAY DETAILS

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway of one copy of Reap What You Sew by Elizabeth Lynn Casey.

~You must be a GFC follow or an E-mail subscriber to participate.
~U.S. addresses only.
~Deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 14th.

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15 comments:

Wendy Newcomb said...

Great review, sounds like I need this book!

wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

LOVE the Sewing Circle Ladies!!!

mamabunny13 said...

Sounds like a fun read!

Theresa N. said...

I've added it to my reading list.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Karen B said...

Movies set in large cites can also cause lots of nutty happenings! This should be a fun read.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

Sue Farrell said...

This is such a fun series. Thanks for the great reading.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

My Recent Favorite Books said...

This sounds like a great series!
thanks so much for the giveaway!

this book is going on my "to be read" list.

lag123 said...

I want to find out which member of the sewing circle the suspicion is pinned on.

lag110 at mchsi dot com

Martha Lawson said...

A new to me author, which I love to find! Books sound really good.

bn100 said...

Very nice review.

Carol N Wong said...

Southern settings are great for cozies, I agree. Would love to read this book and enjoy the characters.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win/read this book. It sounds terrific.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

catslady said...

After reading your review this sounds like something I would like to give a try. I know nothing of small towns but they intrigue me.

catslady5(at)aol.com

Chèli said...

read the first in the series, glad there is more


Chèli
Cheli's Shelves

Stacie said...

This looks like a really fun addition to a great series. Definitely have to get this one. Thanks for the giveaway! :)