It’s my stop today on the blog tour for The Wonderland Murders by Millie Ravensworth. Many thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for the invite.
The Wonderland Murders is the first book in Millie Ravensworth’s Cozy Craft Mystery series.
After losing her job at an exclusive London hotel, Penny Slipper is happy when her grandma, Nanna Lem, asks her to take charge at the Cozy Craft sewing shop in charming rural Suffolk.
Penny’s cousin Izzy works as a dressmaker at the shop and had assumed she would be made in charge. There’s no bad blood between Penny and Izzy though. They get along well, in spite of the initial disappointment.
Penny attends the send-off party of the library head. The next day, she and Izzy learn that one of the guests at the party was found dead on his doorstep. Penny fears she might be accidentally responsible for the death. She and Izzy are forced to turn detectives to uncover the truth while finishing a costume commission for their first customer. Matters turn grave when a second body is discovered.
What a fantastic, quirky and totally enjoyable cozy series debut! I have come across a couple of sewing-theme related cozy mysteries, but this is the first one I have read. If you are a sewing enthusiast, or a wannabe sewing enthusiast like me, you might want to give this series debut a try.
To be honest, some of the tools that Izzy uses are simply awesome. I had never heard of *tries to remember what it’s called* a tool that makes frills seem like a walk in the park.
First thing I noticed about this book was the quirky take on a murder mystery. Quirky characters are plenty but Nanna Lem’s the best. She was supposed to take four white pills and one grey pill for her leg injury. She got all that the wrong way around, took four grey pills and felt happier than ever – only to realize she was now addicted to it and had to be rehabilitated.
As she spends time recuperating, she wants someone to manage her sewing store. So, she chooses Penny to handle the store. Izzy might be an expert dressmaker, but she’s overly enthusiastic and gets carried away at (most) times.
World Book Day is closing by, and the head librarian wants Izzy and Penny to make her a unique dress. The rest of the locals too want a costume for the celebrations but within a budget. So, Izzy and Penny come up with a couple of plans – including a workshop. The workshop scene was one of the most entertaining parts of the story.
Then we have dressing up the pig… oops, I mean Arabella. She’s owned by a local council member and hates to be called ‘pig.’ She’s mini macro or macro mini pig – the debate is still going on. Her owner wants Izzy to design a costume. The piggy, oops I mean Arabella, likes poetry and apples.
Coming to the murder mystery, Penny is initially worried that she might be responsible for it. But, as she starts to dig deeper and make a suspects list, she learns a lot about the locals – especially those who might have had a motive for murder. Then comes another twist – a second body. Was this an accident or murder?
Excellent storytelling. Likeable characters – quirky, wacko, and everything nice. A murder mystery (or two) to keep one guessing till the end. An adorable pig… oops, I mean Arabella. Exciting sewing ‘adventures’ and whole lotta fun.
I enjoyed reading every bit of this book. I am looking forward to knowing what’s next for the sleuthing cousins. Fingers crossed Penny will find love – after all, Izzy keeps telling her that ‘he’s single.’ Who’s this ‘he’, you ask? Read the book to find out. 😉
Additional Reading:
Series in Order: Cozy Craft Mysteries by Millie Ravensworth
There’s a giveaway for this tour. Giveaway Prize includes a copy of The Wonderland Murders, a cross stitch book, a floral notepad, a note writing set, and a grass bunny. To participate, click here.
The Book Decoder 