Unraveling family secrets can be murder in Suede to Rest.. . THE FIRST BOOK IN THE ALL-NEW “MATERIAL WITNESS” MYSTERY SERIES With her career as a dress designer in shreds, Polyester Monroe is looking forward to a fresh start. But as it all unfolds, the pattern to a new beginning looks a lot like murder. When Poly Monroe was little, she loved playing in her family’s textile store. But after a fatal family tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. Now, as inheritor of the long-shuttered shop, she’s ready to restore the family business. However her two new kittens, Pins and Needles, aren’t the ones causing a snag in her plans… Not everyone wants Poly back in San Ladrón, especially a powerful local developer pressuring her to sell—and leave town fast. But even when the threats turn deadly, she’s not ready to bolt. Because Poly is beginning to suspect that the murder behind the shop is tied to a mystery in her family’s unsettled past that she’s determined to solve…before her own life is left hanging by a thread. INCLUDES A CRAFT PROJECT
“Diane Vallere has stitched up an engaging new series.”—Sofie Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Cats Mysteries Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe is back in business—this time getting wrapped up in a diabolical but crafty case of murder. With opening day of Material Girl approaching, Poly is stocking up on lush fabrics, colorful notions, and best of all, a proprietary weave of velvet. But upon delivery, it’s not quite the blend she expected, being ninety-percent silk and ten-percent corpse. Crushed under a dozen bolts of fabric is Phil Girard. His wife, Genevieve, local tea shop owner and close friend of Poly, is the prime suspect. Granted, Phil may not have been the perfect husband, but surely Genevieve had no reason to kill him! There’s just the small matter of Genevieve’s own incriminating confession: I’m afraid I killed my husband . Now, as Material Girl’s grand opening looms, Poly is torn between a friendship pulling apart at the seams—and finding a smooth killer with a velvet touch… INCLUDES A CRAFT PROJECT
Fabric shop owner Polyester Monroe can get tangled up in textiles, but it’s murder that really throws her for a loop in the latest mystery from the national bestselling author of Crushed Velvet . The time has come for San Ladrón, California’s annual Miss Tangorli beauty pageant, and Poly has agreed to use Material Girl’s inventory of shimmery silks to create embellished gowns fit for a crown. But when millionaire Harvey Halliwell—the man who revived the city’s citrus trade with his imported tangorli tree—is found dead days before the pageant contestants are announced, something sour takes over the town. To make matters worse, her friend, mechanic Charlie Brooks, is soon caught up in the crime, having been seen in the company of the case’s prime suspect. Now Poly’s on a mission to squeeze out the truth. But as she searches for a pattern, the killer seems intent on cutting up the evidence...
Polyester Monroe, quirky amateur sleuth and proud owner of Material Girl, the most colorful fabric store in San Ladrón, California, unravels the threads of a new mystery in TULLE DEATH DO US PART… When the historic Waverly House is transformed into a wedding venue, the town buzzes with excitement. An out-of-town couple with the loosest of local ties has adopted them as their own. But amidst the celebration, tragedy strikes when a guest is found dead in the chapel before the wedding march plays. Suspicion quickly falls on the bride. Poly's ex-boyfriend, the groom-to-be, needles Poly for help in solving the murder, but things take a complicated turn as the bride points the finger--at him. Poly dives headfirst into a web of secrets and hidden agendas. From the eccentric wedding planner to the envious bridesmaids, she must untangle the knot of clues while navigating chaos of wedding season at her fabric shop. As the investigation unfolds, Poly has a choice: her familiar past or a potential future with the town’s most eligible bachelor. With puns as sharp as tailor's shears and her knack for finding trouble, Poly is determined to expose the real culprit before the bride’s “I do” becomes the bride doing life. Tulle Death Do Us Part is a humorous roller coaster ride filled with quirky characters, unexpected twists, and a patchwork of romantic notions. Cozy up under your favorite heirloom, quilt and enjoy this captivating fabric-filled adventure!
In this Thanksgiving twist on Rear Window, a seemingly ordinary holiday gathering takes a dark turn when a squabble across the street turns into something deadly… When a freak accident sidelines klutzy fabric store owner Polyester Monroe, she’s destined to enjoy her Thanksgiving party from a wheelchair by her window. But when shady actions in the apartment across the street catches her attention, she’s less concerned with mobility than credibility; her friends are quick to write off her fears as folly. Convinced she witnessed a crime, Poly enlists the help of the local sheriff to investigate, but even he finds nothing suspicious. Her only ally is an unexpected guest. Tensions rise and tempers flare as guests dismiss Poly’s suspicions, but when the scene becomes impossible to explain without reasonable doubt, what started as a parlor game of spying on the neighbors turns into a race to keep a killer in town before the train leaves the station—with the killer on board. Get ready for a Hitchcockian holiday treat that blends laughter, intrigue, and homage to the master of suspense himself.