Quilt Trip: A Southern Quilting Mystery

I’m not finished the book yet but it’s easy to read and I’m excited to find out “who done it”.

For readers of the Southern Quilting Mystery series, this third installment puts all the characters we already know (members of the Village Quilters) together with a few others, all but one of whom are also quilters. An unexpected ice storm strikes and traps them in an old house, in which the crime takes place while the guests try to figure out how to stay warm and have enough food to survive. The old house has a few secrets of its own, and that part was engaging enough to raise the level of suspense. The characters are also well-drawn, although readers shouldn't look for any real depth in their reactions. Beatrice Coleman, former curator of a museum, is an intelligent leader for the group.I enjoyed this book, although if you read it in the middle of winter and live in a part of the country where ice storms are real, it's not very reassuring to find that no search party appears to be looking for these pour souls who have no heat or electricity. It's all a bit static, but that's the point, after all. I would like to find a little more detail about quilting in Ms. Craig's series, but there are passing mentions of it, and the women do share their common interest. I suppose I'm left with wanting a little more.

I am fond of this series, but didn't really enjoy this installment. There is a fine line between Gothic atmosphere and just plain depressing. I found the rhythm and mood of this episode to be a bit off and I just can't buy into an icy and steep driveway being such an insurmountable obstacle as to keep all of those people stranded in that house for that many days. There is always the side of the drive to hike down or even a hike through the woods along the drive. And those of us who live out in the country always have plenty of candles, firewood, pantry food stuffs, etc. to live quite well without power for at least a week. Not to mention some sort of backup generator if power outages and storms are a frequent occurrence. That old woman had lived in the house for a long time and certainly would have had plenty of firewood on hand (at least) for just such a storm. The whole situation gave the impression that all these people were just plain helpless. The mystery was fairly good but the depressing atmosphere and lack of character development in this one made it hard for me to finish. I hope the next episode finds Beatrice (and the author) on a sunnier day.

Elizabeth Spann Craig's special gifts begin with her talent for naming her books. QUILT TRIP illustrates this perfectly. Without having yet read the first sentence, the reader already suspects he or she will be reading a book written by a clever, witty writer. This turns out to be true. A group of women quilters, trapped in a decaying Victorian mansion because of an ice storm, must come to grips with--what else?--murder. But as the mystery deepens, and bodies keep turning up, Craig captures her characters with razor-sharp descriptions. Here are two representative samples: "Posy, fluffy as usual in a pastel cardigan and beagle brooch, beamed at everyone...." After this wonderful handful of words, is there anyone who doesn't see and already know a good deal about Posy? Here's another: "She [the character's name is Meadow] could barely stand to wait for Colton to finish so she could enthusiastically give her thoughts on the scholarships." Again, the author makes her character real for readers with great economy of means. This is the kind of mystery writing that readers who respect language will especially admire.

I was impressed that I couldn't guess "whodunit" til the end. I could almost feel like I was there at times. Then at times I was impatient for them to get the heck out of the old house. Main character, Beatrice, seems a bit cold and distant. She needs a man to mellow her out.

Beatrice is. Smart but really needs the help of other quilters. I just wish there were pictures of patterns for the quilts

The quilting ladies go to an old mansion and murder comes next. An old woman tries to make amends for mistakes, and it doesnt go well. The ladies get stranded w no food or electricity and a murderer. And of course the murderer is smart, but dont forget Miss acisey is around.

This series is cute and fun but, while I will read them, it is really because I don't have anything else that I would really prefer. This author (I believe) writes the Myrtle Clover series also - those books I REALLY LOVE AND ENJOY!

I read Elizabeth Craig's other quilting novels, which were fun to read and had ver engaging characters, so I was looking forward to this new one. Unfortunately, the change of location, the new characters and the lack of the lack of a quilting focus don't work for me. I know nothing about quilting but I gather it is a communal activity. This came through a little in the book but not as much as in the other ones.The story is set in a large mansion. It is meant to be creepy with a bad tempered owner. Anyway, the women turn up to learn about a crafting foundation. The weather turns. Everyone gets snowed in. Nobody looks for them. There is no electricity. There is little food. One dies. One investigates. Who done it?I found the writing forced and lacking the easy flow of the earlier novels. I didn't get either humour or sense of mystery from this novel. I think the setting was just too extreme and does not work.I hope Ms Craig revisits the template for her earlier novels and produces a cracker next time.

The story is completely located in an house with the usual characters snow-bound with ensing murder of the obvious character almost immediately. The intensity quickly builds and I easily found myself feeling the coldness and the starkness of the hostile house and company of characters as I ploughed through the chapters. At times I found the story-line somewhat repetitive and predictable and nearly gave up, but I perservered and it was worth it; it is a good story cleverly crafted, but I hope later books return to the more varied range of characters and settings.

OK keeps it light hearted

lots of tips within the story

Excellent -easy reading