Thread and Dead

Written by Elizabeth Penney

Narrated by Kim Niemi

Tragedy strikes in Thread and Dead, the second book in Elizabeth Penney's cozy mystery series—and now everyone in Blueberry Cove, Maine, is on pins and needles . . .



Iris Buckley is busier than ever this July, with the town's annual Lobster Festival fast approaching. In just a matter of days her apron shop Ruffles & Bows, will be jam-packed with tourists eager to lay eyes on its world-class collection of aprons and linens—and Iris's inventory is running low. Then, just when all hope seems lost, Iris gets a call from Eleanor Brady, a wealthy, reclusive spinster who just happens to have trunks full of vintage fabrics. Would Iris like to come down to Eleanor's cottage estate Shorehaven and have a look?



Before long Iris is on the scene—and on the case. Turns out that Eleanor has rented Shorehaven to the handsome, charismatic environmentalist Dr. Lukas de Wilde and his flock of students. What begins as an apron-scouting endeavor soon morphs into a full-blown murder investigation when Dr. de Wilde's beautiful young teaching assistant turns up dead. Now it's up to Iris—along with her partner-in-love-and-crime Ian Stewart—to unravel the mystery before the Blueberry Cove killer strikes again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Nov 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9781541431355

Elizabeth Penney

ELIZABETH PENNEY is the author of more than two dozen cozy mysteries, including the Apron Shop, Cambridge Bookshop, and Ravensea Castle series. The first in the Cambridge Bookshop series, Chapter and Curse, was a 2022 Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee. Elizabeth spent her early years in England and France and now lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she pens novels and tries to grow things.

Reviews for Thread and Dead

[ladyofthelodge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you are looking for a unique twist on the cozy mystery genre, "Thread and Dead" might be for you. Iris and her Grammie own and operate a shop in which they sell antique and vintage linens, aprons, and other similar items. When Iris gets the chance to acquire beautiful linens for their shop, she jumps at the chance. Iris heads out to Shorehaven to meet with its quirky owner to view the linens. She also makes some new friends and becomes involved in researching vintage clothing. However, the clothing also yields a surprise and engages Iris and friends in a mystery. The death of a local student under suspicious circumstances also catches her attention.

This book includes several mysteries to solve, as well as a unique background, likeable characters, and a twisty plot line. I gathered new information about the vintage linens trade, and also found new characters to like. Readers who seek a clean read with an interesting plot will enjoy this novel.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thread and Dead by Elizabeth Penney is the 2nd book in The Apron Shop Series. It can be read as a standalone for those who have not indulged in Hems and Homicide. I thought this cozy mystery was well-written with developed characters. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions of Blueberry Cove, Maine. She brought the city alive with her vivid word imagery of the shops, people, the boats, the cliffs, and the ocean. I like the cast of strong female characters in this series. Iris Buckley is a friendly and intelligent woman who loves vintage items. Iris co-owns Ruffles and Bows with her grandmother, Anne Buckley. They also share a farmhouse nearby. I like the close relationship Iris and her Grammie share. Iris has close female friends in Sophie, Madison, and Bella. It is great how they are there for each other and have women’s nights that include Grammie. Eleanor Brady was a delightful addition. She is a lively woman for her age with a mischievous sparkle in her eye. Her nephew, Craig is a bully who thinks only of himself. I am glad that Eleanor has good friends to watch out for her. The death of Hailey Piper has multiple suspects. It could be a local or someone with the Farming the Sea project. There are good clues to aid the reader in solving this multifarious mystery. The second mystery involves Eleanor’s mother, Claudia de Witte. Eleanor’s mother worked as a nursemaid, but she had designer clothing. Both mysteries were entertaining. I did feel that the first half of the book was a little slow. There seemed to be more eating and chatting than sleuthing. That soon changed as the action ramped up. The Apron Shop Series is character driven. The great characters are what draw the reader in. I just love the descriptions of the vintage bed linens, aprons, and clothes. I collect vintage aprons, so I was drooling over the trunk of aprons Iris scored for Ruffles and Bows. I cannot wait to read Bodies and Bows in the spring. Thread and Dead is a charming cozy mystery with antique aprons, comfort cuisine, a mysterious mother, sprouting seaweed, classic couture clothes, and Lobster Festival fun.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maine, family-dynamics, friendship, small-business, small-town, murder, greed, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement*****

New people in town are staying in the family friend's inn but one is not unfamiliar, one gets murdered, and one is a real piece of work. Existing romances fit in to make the plot twists and misdirections less obvious during this festive time of lobster appreciation. It's a good cozy with a wide variety of characters and fun things to learn about. Another nice thing is that the reader is not left floundering if the first book has been missed. A really nice cozy! LOVED it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!