Thai Die by Monica Ferris (2008, Hardcover)

What's not to like about a book wherein some of the characters kick-start their brick-and-mortar business by selling on eBay?

Just back from Thailand, Doris Valentine is eager to show her Crewel World friends her souvenirs, which include dazzling silk panels and floss. She also has a small stone Buddha that she agreed to deliver to an antiques store in nearby Saint Paul. It's wrapped in a dirty rag, which Doris throws away. When she meets the dealer, he is surprised that she unwrapped it, although relieved that the delicate statue isn't damaged.

Then Doris' apartment is broken into; the antiques store owner is found murdered; and someone confronts Doris with a gun, demanding "the Thai silk".

Now it's up to Betsy Devonshire — full-time owner of Crewel World and part-time amateur sleuth — to figure out the secrets of Doris' foreign treasures and solve the mystery behind the mystery. With the help of the Monday Bunch (all dedicated needlecrafters and good friends), she sets out to do just that, but not without plenty of suspense and excitement along the way.

If you prefer your mysteries cozy and your characters real, then you will enjoy Monica Ferris' Needlecraft Mysteries. The writing is solid, the action steady but not gory, and the plot contains a few surprises. Each book also contains a needlework pattern — in the case of "Thai Die", a beautiful counted cross-stitch pattern depicting a phoenix as mentioned on the "Thai silk". Best of all, "Thai Die" is the 12th in the series, so if you like it, you've got 11 more treats in store.

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