I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel, since the author is new to me and I haven't read any others in this series- but I actually really enjoyed it. It surprised me in several ways. First, it was its own contained novel. The characters seemed to be recurring, but that didn't prevent me from grasping each personality and how they interacted with one another. I didn't care for Cheryl or Pat at all. Thankfully the former bowed out about one third into the book and didn't reappear- she was too sweet, too kind, too doting, too saccherinely sweet for me to even handle. The latter was so self-absorbed and thought so highly of himself that I just wanted to give him a high five in the face with a chair. Rachel was non-committal and wishy-washy. The characters I really enjoyed were Adam, Kara, and the girl that was possessing Rachel. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see more of her life, her experiences, her passions. Clearly she was an amazing person- she made the quilt- which incidentally, became its own character of sorts. I wish this was more of a split-screen novel- half about Rachel and half about the quilt-maker. Seeing it from one side made it feel sometimes as if I were looking through foggy glass with only two eyeholes wiped out. The author gave us a glimpse at the vintage fabric world- but I really would have liked more. Perhaps there is more in her other novels. Some cozy novels give us hints, tips, and recipes throughout the book. I'm not suggesting something so cookie-cutter cheese, but perhaps just a little more information about how to clean, treat, and restore certain fabrics would be nice. Throw me a bone, here, Barbara. It was a fast read, and for some reason, I couldn't put it down. I just had to know what was going to happen next with the quilt. I'd recommend this to anyone who would like to get their feet wet in the paranormal mystery world, or anyone who is interested in the realm of vintage fabrics. Not too shabby.
I bought this book expecting for it to go to the middle of my reading list to read during the summer “sometime”. However, the description kept coming back to me until I could no longer resist reading it. The whole premise of a quilt being handed down from generation to generation plus how it takes so many hours that a women feel they have sewn their soul into the quilt fascinated me. My younger sister is making a quilt for her bed and each square required a lot of embroidering as well as sewing and quilting. I wonder if she feels like a big part of herself is left in the threads that make up the quilt?I have to say, this book did not disappoint me in the least as I remained fascinated through the entire 300 page! Michaels descriptions, her knowledge of quilts and vintage clothing, the time period of when the quilt was originally made, etc., left me unable to put it down. The main character started out rather self-centered and bitchy but we see the epiphany that changes her into the woman at the end.I absolutely loved Adam – where are men like him? I know, only in fictional books. What a great character!! He made me laugh and contributed to my dislike of Rachel in the beginning. She was so rude and condescending to him at first that I wanted to smack her. LOL.This book is well worth the time and the read. I have to say the only small thing that disappointed me was the lack of involvement of the quilt itself. Once the spell is cast, the quilt becomes virtually unimportant – it makes appearances here and there but I would have liked it to have more than one spell to cast. However, this is a minor disappointment that wasn’t even noticed by me until towards the end because everything else kept me so interested. I have read several of Michael’s books and this is usually the case – one minor thing might disappointment but overall the rest of the book makes up for it.I give the book a raving A+ and can not wait to read more.
What do You think about Stitches In Time (1998)?
This is a very Barbara Michaels book. I didn't realize, picking it up, that it was part of a series, of which I'd read the first but not the second. I will have to pick up the one in the middle now, though I don't think it matters to the story much.A very straightforward ghost/possession story involving a cursed quilt with a nice answer to the mystery of exactly who made the thing and why. And of course throughout the characters bicker over feminism in a way that seems very retro, to the point where I would get surprised when people would mention something like a laptop (though no cell phones, so it's still not completely modern). There's also a bunch of Wiccans who are always referred to as "Wiccas"--I didn't know that was a thing. In the end the plight of the present-day heroine doesn't really hold up to the problems of the quilt-maker, but they're not really being compared that much.
—Sistermagpie
I read this book because I recently listened to another Barbara Michaels book on audio. I knew nothing about the author, but the audio book was read by one of my very favorite narrators, so I must have picked it up for that reason. I didn't care much for that book (The Black Rainbow--for one thing, the title has nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of the book!), but when I looked at reviews, several reviewers complained that that book is much worse than her usual fare. So I figured I'd try one more. This one was MUCH worse than The Black Rainbow. I think it was supposed to be fantasy, but it passes itself off as realism, and, as such, it's completely implausible. Ghosts and witches are not my thing. I'm done with Barbara Michaels.
—Carolyn
This was a little different than the 3 previous Barbara Michaels' books that I have read. Where the supernatural is sometimes hinted at, this was the first one I read that featured it as a main plot element to the story. It still takes a secondary role to that of the mystery itself and the interpersonal relationships of the characters, but it's still rather important to the story. It's actually what drives those relationships. What I enjoyed about it though was the way it was treated. It wasn't scary in the horror movie, in your face way that seems to be all the rage right now. Instead it was more of the underlying tone of the book, very Gothic in feel and it was a treat to read. What I'm enjoying about Barbara Michaels' books is the exact opposite of why I like so many other mystery writers, including Agatha Christie. Where most mysteries keep me interested by telling a finely crafted tale of murder or other crime, peppered with great characters (normally a fantastic detective), and a driving plot that keeps the story moving, her books are different. Michaels tells a story using a hint of the unknown, highlighting the characters and the way they relate to each other. The mystery itself is more of the vehicle used to tell their story. It was never an approach I apprecited before stubling upon her books. I'll be looking forward to my next one.
—Ryan G
