Stitch, Bake, Die! by Lois Winston is the 10th book in her Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series. Whether you’ve read books by this author before or not if you are a fan of cozy mystery novels you are not going to want to miss this book.
Anastasia is just trying to go about her day at work when she’s told the boss wants to see her. Seeing as the company has gone through a recent acquisition by a competitor, it’s understandable to be nervous. Is she about to get the big chop? Well, good news for her and her co-worker/bestie Cloris, it’s simply a new assignment. The assignment? Cover inaugural conference of the New Jersey Chapter of the Stitch and Bake Society. Sounds easy enough, right? Guess again! While the conference has been thrown together at the last minute, the event organizer, Marlene, is looking to make a big show of it all. This woman is a real piece of work. It’s not long before Anastasia and Cloris get to have the “real Marlene experience.” These ladies Anastasia and Cloris are about to encounter are faaaar from being “the sweet little old ladies” type. So watch out, because someone at this conference has an ax to grind.
Stitch, Bake, Die! is the first book that I have read by Lois Winston, but I have to say that I devoured this book like a delicious treat. The twists and turns the author weaves throughout her story create a well-stitched image that comes together a thread pull at a time. I don’t know why I thought that maybe one of these ladies would fit the “sweet little old lady” image, but not one of them does. I like that I get some of Anastasia’s family as well. The parrot quoting Shakespeare is probably the cherry on top for this entire story. It brings a dash of humor that made me literally laugh out loud.
I love a good mystery that keeps me page-turning to try and guess who the criminal is. This book drops so many red herrings! But the twist is that even the red herrings have a purpose and the reveal at the end had my jaw on the floor. I will admit that I found it a bit odd that Rhetta never calls the police. I figured she’d defy instructions and call, but she never does. I will say that I like getting bits and pieces of certain characters backgrounds. It definitely explains their cutthroat mentalities when it comes to their competitions. Those women held nothing back whatsoever. If you were working with one of them and messed up, they dressed you down in a hurry. The lengths that one intended to go to just to win though...mind-blowing. And I say that as a Food Network junkie. LOL!
While Stitch, Bake, Die! is the 10th book in this author’s series, I didn’t feel that I needed to have read the previous books to fully enjoy this installment. I think that by reading the previous books it will create a more immersive experience, but isn’t truly necessary. The author does a fantastic job staying focused on the here and now with Anastasia’s current mystery and predicament. There are some references to previous situations, but only in passing in a way that gives hints to things she’s experienced before. My only complaint about this book would be the ending. For me, the ending felt abrupt and unfinished. I just wasn’t expecting it to end the way that it does and where it does.
All in all, this book is truly enjoyable from start to finish. I love the twists, the many surprises, and how it all comes together with multiple scams and schemes coming to light. If you have read the previous books by this author I encourage you to pick up this latest installment. If you just enjoy a good cozy mystery then I encourage you to check this book out. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. This book has earned 5 out of 5 stars.
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