Better Off Thread
An Embroidery Mystery #10
Author: Amanda Lee
ISBN13: 9780451473851
Author website: http://www.gayletrent.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis: 
Santa finds himself in a stitch of trouble in the tenth in the series from the national bestselling author of The Stitching Hour…
Marcy is busy helping her customers make hand-crafted ornaments at her embroidery shop, the Seven-Year Stitch. But despite the yuletide bustle, when her friend Captain Moe asks for her help, she can’t refuse—especially when the favor is to play the elf to his Santa for sick children at a local hospital. Despite the ridiculous outfit, Marcy finds herself enjoying spreading cheer—until the hospital’s administrator is found murdered.
Although the deceased had plenty of people willing to fill her stocking with coal, evidence pins the crime on Moe. Now it’s up to Marcy, with the help of her police officer boyfriend Ted and her Irish Wolfhound Angus, to stitch together the clues to clear Moe’s name—before someone else winds up crossed off Santa’s list for good…
Review:
Better Off Thread is the tenth book in this series and it is as good if not better than any of the others. This is one of my absolute favorite series and I don’t think there has ever been one thing I could complain about. Okay maybe that I want to read even more about Angus the Irish Wolfhound, but even that is not a real complaint as he does play a part in all of the books. The characters are so likable and the setting so enjoyable, I want to step through the pages and come out right there. Author Amanda Lee has a way of writing that truly draws the reader in, pulls the story out thread by thread to create a work of art stitched together with a deft hand and perfect style.
Marcy is a lovable, enjoyable and intelligent protagonist. Her dog Angus is the best. Her friends are fun and entertaining. I so want to live there. In this installment it is Christmas time and her friend Captain Moe needs a favor. Yes, Marcy is extremely busy at her embroidery shop Seven-Year Stitch, but if Moe needs help, she is going to step up and do it for him. Captain Moe is playing Santa for the sick children at the hospital and he needs an elf. Marcy is the perfect fit, so she agrees. Unfortunately not everyone is in the holiday spirit. Marcy finds chaos when she goes to spread cheer. The hospital administrator has been murdered and unfortunately all signs point to Moe.
Marcy cannot let Captain Moe be railroaded and wrongly accused because she knows without a doubt he is innocent. And there are plenty of suspects out there that had it in for this woman. Political issues at the hospital put a target on her back and her way of dealing with things did not do anything to help remove it. Looks like she finally got worse than she was giving. Marcy puts herself in danger as usual to prove the innocence of the wrongly accused, but even so she never seems to be one of the many to stupid amateur detectives. She always thinks things out and really tries her best to get it done without getting herself killed. Her friends are always willing to help as well and they do their best to get the right person to be held accountable for the murder.
Amanda Lee is such a wonderful writer and this series always flows with intrigue and at the same time fun. Even though this is the 10th in the series, anyone could read this one and any of the others as standalone books. (But why would you). The characters are fabulous, even the sinister ones. In Better Off Thread the author also brings up a touchy subject of organ donation and handles it with the same exceptional touch as she does everything in her books. While Marcy is a whiz with floss, Amanda Lee is a whiz with words, story lines and characters. A truly fantastic read for any season, but especially the perfect gift for the holidays.
