Synopsis
When Betsy Devonshire finally settles her late sister’s estate and receives her inheritance, she finally accepts her shop assistant’s plea to go on a much-needed vacation. As the employees and customers of Crewel World debate where Betsy should go, Betsy’s bestfriend friend Jill tells her about a “stitch in” which will take place in Naniboujou, Minnesota. Convinced that needlecraft retreat is exactly what she needs to get away from her business and her increasingly violent nightmares, Betsy agrees to accompany Jill to the Canadian border in the middle of winter.
Once Betsy and Jill arrive at Naniboujou Lodge, they learn that the leader of the stitch in cannot attend because of an illness and will be replaced by another expert in the industry, Sharon Kaye Owen of Escapade Design. Unfortunately, Sharon is nowhere to be found.
As the stitch in guests wait for their teacher to show up, Betsy accidently takes the wrong set of stairs and finds Sharon dead in her ex-husband’s room. But when the lodge’s owner checks the room, the body is gone. Earlier that day, Betsy had briefly met Sharon and therefore knew what she looked like. However, since Betsy also suffered from vivid and violent dreams, she had difficulty convincing Jill of what she saw.
Thoughts
Unraveled Sleeve was the most suspenseful book in the Needlecraft series and for that reason was one of my favorite installments. Without a body, Betsy cannot convince law enforcement that Sharon was murdered.
Although other reviewers on Goodreads disliked the book because of its slow pacing, I didn’t mind because I was drawn into the mystery surrounding Sharon’s body. I also read the Needlecraft series primarily for the characters and the setting. I hope to visit Minnesota in the next year.
The book’s only weakness was the ending. The perpetrator confessed too easily and the case wrapped up too quickly. Still, I was pleasantly surprised by the reveal. In my view, this was a solid installment in the series.
Other Reviews
Crewel World
Cozy Mystery Reads 