Knot Ready for Murder, the latest quilting mystery by cozy author Mary Marks
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Knot Ready for Murder by Mary Marks
The ninth installment in the hit Quilting Mystery series by Mary Marks finds sleuth Martha searching for her fiancé’s ex-wife.
One loose thread threatens to unravel Martha’s wedding plans: the groom-to-be married a pregnant teen to save her from scandal thirty years ago—and the marriage was never annulled.
Now Crusher’s wife Hadas is coming to LA, along with his sister Fanya. But soon after she arrives, their houseguest goes missing, with her room ransacked and a chloroform-soaked cloth left behind.
Could her apparent abduction be connected to her brother’s unsolved death from a hit-and-run six months ago?
Martha and her quilting cohorts must find the pattern to solve the twin mysteries and determine if Crusher is still married—or now a widower . . .
To purchase Knot Ready for Murder click any of the following links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound
Knot Ready for Murder (A Quilting Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
9th in Series
Publisher : Kensington (July 27, 2021)
Mass Market Paperback : 320 pages
ISBN-10 : 1496720520
ISBN-13 : 978-1496720528
Digital ASIN : B08MBFZPVC
Excerpt: Knot Ready For Murder
Crusher left Encino at three to meet the five o’clock arrival of Fanya’s flight from New York. In LA, one always hoped for the best traffic conditions, but the smart driver added extra time in case there was a major delay on the freeway. I calculated he wouldn’t return with our guests for another four hours.
While he was gone, I ignored another Sabbath prohibition. According to the strict rules of Orthodoxy, kindling a fire (such as cooking or operating a vehicle) was one of the thirty-nine types of work forbidden on the day of rest.
Food must be prepared before the Sabbath began at sundown on Friday. I chose to overlook many restrictions imposed by such a strict practice of Judaism. My personal observance fell somewhere between the traditional or moderate branch and the Reform or liberal branch. I had plenty of time to cook dinner and get dressed before Crusher returned with our two houseguests.
Around seven, the sound of the automatic garage door opening indicated Crusher had arrived. Perfect timing.
I’d finished dressing in an Eileen Fisher long-sleeved gray tunic and matching wide-legged trousers. I walked with measured steps toward the front door and waited until I heard their voices. I took a deep, calming yoga breath and plastered a pleasant smile on my face.
Fanya kissed the mezuzah on the door before entering. She towered over me by at least ten inches. Enormous golden hoop earrings about the size of a child’s bracelet dangled from her ears. Tortoiseshell combs kept her long chestnut curls from falling over her face. She wore a fisherman’s sweater, stonewashed blue jeans, and what appeared to be Doc Martens boots. She looked much younger than her forty-five years.
“Martha!” Fanya crushed me in a bear hug, smashing my face against her boobs. Then she grabbed me by the shoulders, took a step backward, and appraised me from head to toe. She flashed a smile wide enough to see a gap between her two front teeth, just like Crusher’s. “I’m so glad to finally meet you in person. We always seemed to miss each other those few times you came to New York.”
The grin vanished as she leaned toward me and whispered, “Be careful.”
Oh no. Was Hadas going to be a problem? I nodded once to acknowledge her warning. “Wonderful to see you, too.”
Fanya stepped aside, allowing me to greet the other woman. I sipped a quick breath when I saw Hadas. She reminded me of the exquisitely gorgeous Penélope Cruz; dark, luxurious hair and golden skin. Her blue, almostviolet eyes were made more intense by her purple sweater.
Hadas definitely took care of herself in the intervening years. She raised her chin to literally look down her nose with a smile as real as a cobra’s. “You must be Martha.”
I offered my hand to shake, which she ignored. The smile I returned was equally insincere as her own. “Not only must I be Martha, I insist on it.”
En garde.
Mary Marks
Born and raised in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, Mary Marks earned a B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA and an M.A. in Public Administration from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles.
In 2004 she enrolled in the UCLA Extension Writers Program.
Her first novel, Forget Me Knot, was a finalist in a national writing competition in 2011.
She is currently a reviewer of cozy mysteries for The New York Journal of Books at www.nyjournalofbooks.com.
To learn ore about Mary, click on her name, photo, or any of the following links: Kensington & Facebook
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TOUR PARTICIPANTS
August 24 – Novels Alive – GUEST POST
August 24 – I Read What You Write – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 24 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
August 25 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 25 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 25 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 26 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
August 26 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 26 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
August 27 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW, EXCERPT
August 28 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 28 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
August 28 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 29 – I’m All About Books – SPOTLIGHT
August 29 – Author Elena Taylor’s Blog – SPOTLIGHT, EXCERPT
August 30 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
August 30 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
Elena Taylor is the author of All We Buried, available now in print, e-book, and audio book format at all your favorite on-line retailers. And don’t forget many independent bookstores can order books for you and have them shipped to your home or for curbside pickup.
For more information on All We Buried, click on the link here to visit the home page.
Foreword INDIE and Silver Falchion Award Finalist, Best Mystery 2020
Thank you for being part of the book tour for “Knot Ready for Murder” by Mary Marks.
Enjoyed the excerpt which left me wanting to read more. Can’t wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for visiting.