Rett McPherson, Died in the Wool

Died in the Wool

Rett McPherson

St. Martin's, Mar 2007, $23.95

ISBN: 0312362218

Genealogist Tori O'Shea loves her hometown of New Kassel, Missouri as she feels part of the community. She serves as president of the local historical society, enjoys working on the events committee and owns the historically registered Gaheimer House.

Tori becomes euphoric when she learns that the Kendall House is on the market as she plans to buy the place and turn it into a textile museum with an emphasis on quilting. Glory, one of the daughters of the original Kendall occupants, was a highly gifted quilter, but there is also a mystery that engulfs the entire family as in a nine month period she and her two brothers allegedly committed suicide. One of the siblings, who fought in the trenches of WWI and suffered from battle fatigue, drew a mural of his combat horrors on the wall in his room. Tori can believe he perhaps killed himself, but not Glory although she did break up with the man she apparently loved for no known reason just before she died; yet began another quilt months after her brother's death so Tori wonders why she failed to finish it before she committed suicide. Tori begins to dig deep into the Kendall past as she thinks the quilter and perhaps one of her brothers were murdered.

The latest Tori O'Shea thriller is a fascinating depiction of a genealogist decoding the clues to a cold case mystery. The upbeat heroine is a wonderful role model who believes a person needs to get involved as it takes people to make a village or remain on the sidelines as apart of the problem. The investigation is fun as she knows even if she proves her premise nothing but satisfaction for her (and perhaps the descendents) will occur. Died In The Wool is a terrific cozy.

Harriet Klausner