Cricket McRae Reviews (3)
(2009) Spin a Wicked Web Ariel might not have been well loved by her crafting colleagues but Sophie Mae is determined to find the killer of this young, attractive girl who used her wiles to catch the attention of married men. The closer she gets to the truth, the more complicated the mystery becomes! Author McRae has written a fast paced novel that will appeal to mystery lovers and crafters alike. By Ceil. First published in the Cozy Library April 17, 2009.
Many types of groups are popular subjects for mysteries these days – knitting clubs, book clubs, tea shops, doll collectors and now spinners! Spinning is the passion of Sophie Mae, that is, in addition to the love of her life, Detective Ambrose. And she is so very proud of the first skein of yarn that she spins, until it is used to strangle Ariel, a fellow co-op member.
(2008) Heaven Preserve Us
Thirty-something soap maker Sophie MacReynolds immerses herself in work and volunteering after helping solve the murder of her handyman in Lye in Wait. It looks as if murder is stalking her when Philip Heaven, her boss at Heaven House, a referral hotline, winds up dead of botulism poisoning. Then her beau Detective Barr Ambrose is felled by the toxin, too.
Authorities in
Meanwhile, Sophie is being stalked by “Allen,” a suicidal caller to the Heaven House referral line. He knows Sophie’s home phone number and where she lives. And this time, Barr is in no shape to help or protect her.
Sophie Mae is a top-notch cozy heroine – a young widow who’s both smart and wise. And Cricket McRae is great at juggling both an investigation and a romance – and doling out the extras -- Sophie Mae’s soap-making business, canning info, etc. -- while keeping the story moving forward. I like the friendship between Sophie Mae and housemate Meghan Bly – it’s occasionally contentious just as friendships are in real life.
By Diana. First published in the Cozy Library
(2007) Lye in Wait
After discovering Walter Hanover’s body in her home-based soap-making factory, it’s only natural that Sophie Mae Reynolds feels just awful. Police believe Walter’s death was suicide – and that brings back uncomfortable memories of her brother Bobby Lee, who also killed himself.
Sophie Mae makes a condolence call on Walter’s elderly mother, who’s living in a nearby nursing home. Petunia “Tootie”
While Meghan contends with a visit by her ex-husband and his incredibly obnoxious mother -- who all of a sudden wants to start spending time with Meghan’s daughter Erin -- Sophie Mae sets out to learn more about Walter, a long-time neighbor and handyman. Neither Sophie Mae nor Meghan knows much about Walter, although
Lye in Wait is a wonderful start to a mystery series by a first-time author whose writing demonstrates a fluidity and polish more often seen in veteran authors. The pacing is perfect, so the story never gets bogged down. The characters are well developed; the plot stays focused on the investigation; the story threads are resolved nicely at the end. There’s lots to like in Lye in Wait. The second book in the series, Heaven Preserve Us, is previewed in the book.
By Diana. First published in the Cozy Library
