Monday, January 6, 2014

Pleating for Mercy

Title: Pleating for Mercy
Author: Melissa Bourbon
Publisher: Signet (Aug 2, 2011)
Format: Paperback; Pgs 303
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Magical Dressmaking #1

Recently, the cozy genre has been bogged down with less than appealing offerings. When I was told about the Magical Dressmaking series by Melissa Bourbon, I put it off for as long as I could. There was no way that I wanted to suffer through yet another rehash of books that I have already read.

That actually turned into a mistake for me. The series debut was very entertaining. The characters are just quirky enough without being annoying. The “who-done-it” was not obvious from the first chapter and the inevitable love interest, though predictable, was not too in your face.

Harlow Cassidy, a New York fashion designer returns home to Bliss, Texas to an old home that her great grandmother had left to her. It was time for a change, time to return to family, but she was unsure if she wanted to return to a small town where gossip rules the day.

According to lore, Harlow Cassidy is a descendant of Butch Cassidy and with this pedigree comes special charms. Apparently, it was wished that the female decedents each be granted a special gift. Great Grandma, Meemaw and even her mother have their abilities, but Harlow is still looking for hers.

Trying to get her small dressmaking business off the ground, the first family of Bliss chooses Harlow’s shop for the bridal dresses. When one of the bridesmaid’s is found murdered in the flower garden of her boutique, Harlow, with the help of her deceased Great Grandmother, start answering a few nagging questions.

The plot line is a bit on the silly side, but that is what cozies are all about. A nice escape from heavier, more intense books.

An entertaining debut that will have me searching out future books in hope that Bliss, Texas is a place that I will like returning to time and again.

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