Thread and Buried by Janet Bolin found me in one of those limnial moments between books, between projects, between fixed headspaces, just when I needed it most. The edition I read was acquired at a library book sale, of all places, in a neighbourhood next to my neighbourhood, which helped prop up the fantasy of cosy small town vibes.

This book is a very cosy mystery told through the eyes of embroidery shop owner Willow Vanderling. Opening on the discovery of a long-ago murder victim and stolen jewels, the story takes you on a rambly ride through the quirky history of Threadville, Pennsylvania, USA, complete with sweet romances barely on the cusp of budding.

Thread and Buried

by Janet Bolin

In Threadville, Pennsylvania, known for its textile art courses and shops, everyone’s stories are connected by a common thread—even the ones ending in murder...

Every town has a legend. For Threadville, it’s the story of Snoozy Gallagher, the hotel owner who disappeared thirty years ago with a bag full of stolen jewelry, never to be heard from again. That is, until now—when Snoozy’s loot is discovered buried behind Willow Vanderling’s embroidery shop In Stitches.

When villagers mysteriously become ill, and a body shrouded in materials from Threadville shops appears in the exact spot where the treasure was—along with two abandoned kittens—Willow needs answers. The random events are too coincidental to be unrelated, but Willow will have to act quickly to unravel the deadly mystery, or she might get tangled up as the killer’s next victim...

The best bit (for me)

Although this was a clever and complicated whodunnit with lots of moving parts, it was the worldbuilding that ended up winning me over. Threadville (the local nickname for the town of Elderberry Bay) was a delightful place to spend time in. I could just picture myself walking barefoot along the beach and stopping for ice-cream in the middle of summer.

And let's not forget the puns! Needlework puns everywhere, some very blatant, others impishly subtle, all adding to the quaintness of this novel and world.

Thread and Buried by Janet Bolin can be found at various book retailers.