Review and Giveaway: Looming Murder

Looming Murder (Weaving Mystery - Book 1) by Carol Ann Martin

Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 336
ISBN-10: 0451413601
ISBN-13: 978-0451413604

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Carol Ann Martin on the WEB: Goodreads

Synopsis:

LOOM WITH A VIEW 
Della Wright has come to peaceful and picturesque Briar Hollow, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to realize her lifelong dream of owning a weaving studio. To promote her new business, Dream Weavers, Della is offering weaving workshops for all levels of ability. In her first class, she meets half a dozen of the town's colorful characters, who seem as eager to gossip as to learn how to work a loom.

But when a shady local businessman is found murdered, Briar Hollow suddenly appears a lot less idyllic. And when one of her weaving students is suspected of the crime, Della can't help getting entangled in the investigation - with some help from her criminologist friend, Matthew. But can she weave together clues as well as she weaves together yarn - and stop a killer from striking again?

Thoughts:

First in a new series from author Carol Ann Martin, Looming Death focuses on amateur sleuthing and weaving. Cozy mysteries come in all shapes and sizes so to speak, and every occupation you can think of. Martin succeeds in providing an alternative profession for her heroine, by making her a weaver, instead of a baker or any other typical cozy business. It's debatable whether Della Wright is in the right place or the wrong place when murder occurs Briar Hollow. But she definitely up to the challenge for figuring out those clues.

Carol Ann Martin is apparently new to cozy sub-genre. I was unable to find out very much information about her, but I am impressed with the first book in this series. Most authors starting out a new series spend an inordinate amount of time, just setting up what's to come. They tend to focus too much on letting the reader in on who everyone is and how they are connected and sometimes the actual story takes a beating in the process. Martin was able to avoid that pitfall by providing a good balance between the back story of the series and the mystery of this particular book. Her clues, suspects, motives an other necessary ingredients were spot on. She gave enough time to each aspect of the mystery, but still gave it her own spin. I think Martin scores a real hit with this one.

As many of you know, I love crafting of just about every kind. I am an avid cook and cross-stitcher as well as a reader. I have tried a lot of different kinds of crafts and I have always thought I would like to learn to weave. I once worked for a friend of mine who owns a wool mill and I have always enjoyed the idea of looms and working with the wool after it's been carded and dyed. So this book was right up my alley. Especially with the weaving tips in the back of the book. The book was very well written and I loved all the information about weaving. It was a great book.

Della Wright is such a good heroine. I liked everything about her. Her sense of helping those around her and wanting to do the right thing. Matthew her friend is actually her police connection, so to speak, since he is a criminologist. I liked his attitude and the way he helped Della to figure out what she was finding. For an amateur she did a great job figuring it all out. I liked the way she observed and put her thoughts together. I think she will develop into a great heroine. Martin has a lot of potential to work with here. I look forward to seeing where she takes it.

A great first book!

Looming Murder will be available tomorrow from your favorite bookseller. 

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

About the Author:

Carol Ann Martin is an author and former television personality who divides her time between San Diego and the Canadian coast. She lives with her husband and an ever expanding collection of dogs. When she is not writing Carol Ann enjoys baking and beekeeping.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Looming Murder by Carol Ann Martin.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only (publisher request)
~The deadline for entering this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 17th.

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