This really is a solid mystery with wonderful secondary characters. The main protagonist Tori had been whinny in the last one and this one. I understand Rose elderly but must we harp on it? I enjoy the other ladies and setting and even the mystery just not Tori any longer.

Patterned After Death by Elizabeth Lynn Casey is the twelfth (and final) book in The Southern Sewing Circle Mystery series. Librarian, Victoria “Tori” Sinclair lives in Sweet Briar, South Carolina with her elementary school teacher husband, Milo. Tori’s car is on the fritz and Margaret Louise tells Tori take it over to her son, Jake Davis. Milo and Tori are going out after dinner to check on Rose Winters and stop by Jake’s garage. Jake is working on a fancy silver car, but takes time out to show them around the newly expanded garage. Tori notices the trunk of the silver car ajar and goes to close it. A piece of fabric is in the way and as she tucks it inside the car, Tori touches a hand. Inside the trunk is Jake’s new business partner, Noah Madden. People in town were surprised when Noah and Jake went into business together. The town has been split since the two men were rival quarterbacks in high school (over eighteen years prior). Unfortunately, the evidence is stacked against Jake, and he is arrested for Noah’s murder. Margaret Louise is extremely distraught and she asks Tori to find the real killer. Tori starts asking questions and gathering clues so she can get Jake out of jail and back to his family. Tori’s attention is split, though, with Rose being under the weather. Tori is worried and cannot bear to lose the dear woman. The members of the sewing circle will need to band together to help their friends during their time of need and to capture a murderer.

Patterned After Death is well-written and has a good pace which made the book easy to read. It contains delightful, friendly characters and a welcoming, Southern town. It was wonderful to catch up with Tori, Milo, Rose, Margaret Louise, Leona, Georgina, Charles, and the other members of sewing circle (and town). I have read this series from the beginning and each book is better than the previous one (Wedding Duress is my favorite). Patterned After Death has a sweet ending that will delight admirers of the series. While Patterned After Death can be read alone, I recommend reading the series in order. You can watch the characters (and their relationships/friendships) grow and develop over the course of the series. I give Patterned After Death 5 out of 5 stars. I thought that the mystery was well-crafted. There is a good twist that will surprise many readers. The whodunit can be solved, but not easily (my favorite type). Elizabeth Lynn Davis took various elements and stitched them together into one engaging, heartwarming cozy mystery. I am sorry to see this charming cozy mystery series come to end.

3.5 Stars

Newlywed Tori Sinclair Wentworth is happy with her husband, Jake, as well as spending time with the friends in her sewing circle. In spite of her happiness, Tori has been troubled lately. Finances for the newly married couple have been tight, but most of all, she is worried about her friend Rose whose health seems to be failing rapidly. The last straw for Tori is when her car breaks down. At her friend Margaret Louise’s suggestion, Tori brings her car to her friend’s son’s shop. The whole town of Sweet Briar was surprised when Jake Davis brought in his old high school football rival, Noah Madden, as a partner in his auto repair business. When Tori drops off her car, Jake is acting strangely, but the awkward situation turns tragic when Tori discovers the dead body of Jake’s new partner. When Jake is arrested for the murder, lines are drawn in the town and Tori is dismayed when even members of her beloved sewing circle are taking sides in the matter, so she becomes even more determined to prove the innocence of Margaret Louise’s son.

This is the twelfth of the Southern Sewing Circle mysteries, which are written by Elizabeth Lynn Casey, a pen name for Laura Bradford, author of the Heavenly, Pennsylvania Amish series and other cozy mysteries. The Sewing Circle series has been a favorite of mine because I like the main character, Tori, and her friendship with a group of women of all ages who have a shared love of sewing. There are some delightful moments in Patterned After Death, but as a fan of this series, I was disappointed. Tori is as likeable and loyal to her friends as other, but the pacing seems off. The book feels like it’s drawn out in the beginning with not much happening in the investigation. Since there is discord in the sewing group over the murder, Tori and her friends don’t all work together to solve the case like they usually do. Tori adds to the problems by her actions and the misunderstanding causes an even greater division within the group. Although this is part of the premise of the story, the camaraderie between all of the friends is greatly missed in this book. Then, after a slow start to the investigation, it seems like the ending is rushed which is a letdown after the big build-up.

Even though they don’t all agree on past conflicts between Jake and Noah, they do come together when it comes to Rose. The ongoing concerns Tori and her friends have about Rose’s health are a nice touch to the book and Tori’s attempts to help and Rose’s defensive actions when she feels like her friends are hovering too closely are touching and relatable. However, the solution to this issue also seems to come out of nowhere without any background or discussion. Readers who have been following this series will like spending time with their favorite characters and seeing the developments in their lives, but new readers may want to start with an earlier installment to really get a feel for the characters and the series.

~ Christine

I can't believe that this is book 12 in the Southern Sewing Circle series and I've never read any of this series. Set in very small town South Carolina where high school football grudges are still smoldering after 20 years, Milo and Tori are caught in the middle of a murder mystery with lots of suspects and hard feelings. I'll be going back to get some back info on some of these unforgettable characters but I had no problems reading this as a stand alone. an enjoyable cozy set around a sewing club with Rose as the matriarch who is failing in health.