Helpful Score: 1
Knot of This World by Mary Marks has Martha Rose worried about her friend, Birdie Watson and her husband. They have returned from wintering in Arizona to announce to the quilting group that they are selling their properties and joining the Mystical Feather Society in Ojai. Martha worries that this group is a cult, and her friends will be left with nothing once they turn over all their money. She suggests that they visit the Mystical Feather Society to alleviate their concerns. Martha, Birdie, Denver, and the others arrive to find the society members conducting a séance inside a yurt. They decide to head to down for lunch and return later hoping the group will be finished. They arrive at the RV to find the door open and the society's leader, Royal St. Germain dead inside. When two of their expedition ends up under suspicion, Martha dives into the investigation. Knot of This World is the 8th A Quilting Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. Martha Rose is a middle-aged protagonist who has Fibromyalgia. The author accurately portrays how this disease affects a person even down to how the bottom of your feet hurt. There is an eclectic cast of characters in this series from Martha's forthright sister to Jazz with his pretty pooch. Quilting and food dominate the story. Martha's quilting group get together each week to work on their quilt projects, chat, and eat. I like hearing about the different quilt designs and how the quilts are created. Martha is creating a Sunbonnet Sue quilt for her granddaughter, Daisy. Martha and her fiancé, Crusher are Jewish so Jewish traditions are included like Friday night Shabbat dinner. The mystery had some interesting components. Martha was worried about her friends joining the Mystical Feather Society and she soon learns that she was right to be concerned. The more Martha digs, the more secrets she uncovers. Of course, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department nor the mysterious John Smith of the FBI appreciate her help. I wish this whodunit had been more challenging. The solution was obvious early in the book. I enjoyed following Martha and her friends on their quest for the truth. There was just the right amount of humor scattered throughout the tale. Knot of this World is an entertaining cozy mystery, and I look forward to Martha Rose's next adventure. Knot of this World is a character driven cozy with a charismatic commune controller, stitching Sunbonnet Sue's, cult controversy, missing members, furtive FBI fellow, disrobed devotees, and fretting friends.
