The ninth Chloe Ellefson mystery has two timelines that come together in one lacy mystery. In the present, Chloe is on a consulting job for Heritage Hill Historical Park, which is restoring a Belgian American farmhouse. Chloe is drawn into the story of the early Belgian immigrants to Wisconsin and their ties to the crafts of their home country, especially some tantalizing mentions of lace making.
What should have been a relaxing week, turns I to a harrowing investigation of murders and kidnappings.
Chloe must understand the past to her able to save her future.
The second timeline is that of the Belgian immigrants. Many clues to the present are there, if Chloe can find them in time.
I really enjoyed The Lacemakers Secret. The book was very well researched, the characters were dynamic, and the mystery was a good puzzle. This book reads fine as a stand alone novel, but you will probably be like me and want to read all the rest of the series after getting this taste of it.

I've absolutely loved every book that I've read in the Chloe Ellefson mystery series and this one is no exception. While visiting Door County to consult on the restoration of a Belgium-American farmhouse, Chloe pulls over to the side of the road to take pictures of an old bake oven. The author is so good at what she does that I actually jumped when Chloe found a corpse in the oven and I cried more than once as the historical portion of the book unfolded. The books in this series beg to be read from cover to cover with as few breaks as possible.



The present day portion of the book is set in the early 80s. It's a fun reminder of how life used to be (without hitting the reader over the head with how different things were) and the fact that Chloe can't just hop online to find all of the available information about the people she's researching adds a lot to the mystery.



I swear, the only thing I don't like about this series is that all of the places Chloe visits are too far away for me to visit!

Great cozy mystery with historical background. It was so interesting reading about the Belgian settlers in Wisconsin and the history of the Belgian lacemakers. There are two stories here one in present time period and one in the 1800s - tied together by lacemaking. I liked them both.

In the current time period Chloe is hired to restore furnishings in a early farmhouse and while driving to her destination, stops at an old summer kitchen she spots and finds a dead body in the bake oven! This is the beginning of a mystery and a series of events that brings in the story of the past.

Seraphine learned to make beautiful bobbin lace in a convent in Belgium and she had the gift of being able to design her own patterns before marrying and travelling to America with her husband. Upon arrival they found the land they purchased was wilderness and they had to clear the land, build a home, and make a life there. I found the descriptions of lacemaking very interesting - I had no idea what was involved. The history of the Belgians in Wisconsin was interesting as well.

This was a fun read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or murder mysteries.

Thanks to Kathleen Ernst and Midnight Ink through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Thanks to Net Galley and Midnight Ink for the ARC.

I'm a big fan of the author. I met her years ago at a book signing for her children's books, which my oldest was reading at the time. So when she started writing her Chloe Ellefson books for adults, I gladly picked them up and have enjoyed all of them.

I live in Green Bay, so I wondered if Chloe would ever make her way to Heritage Hill and this is the book that brought her there. Some time was also spent in the Belgian Settlement of northern Brown/southern Door counties, which I also found interesting as some of my ancestors lived there when they first came to the United States.

I read a lot of history, but I didn't know much about Belgian lace until I read this book. That's the thing about Ernst's books. You learn about some aspect of European pioneers, usually set in Wisconsin, that you might not have known before.

If you haven't read any other Chloe books, you'd notice that the characters aren't really fleshed out in this book. And most of the way through the book, you might wonder why Roelke is even in the book. But as usual, he comes to save the day.

The one thing I don't like about this series is Chloe's supposed psychic abilities. Seems out-of-place.

I reviewed this on goodreads. Interesting book. Intriguing and I learned more history from the facts mingled with the fiction. I do not want to repeat my previous review so read good reads.
No edits needed from previous review o. Good reads.

"The Lacemaker's Secret" is #9 in Kathleen Ernst's Chloe Ellefson Mystery series. The main character in all of the books is Chloe Ellefson, a thirty-something single woman who works as a collections curator at the Old World Wisconsin living museum. She has now moved in with her boyfriend, local police officer Roelke McKenna on his family farm. Their relationship progresses with each story.

In "The Lacemaker's Secret" Chloe travels to Green Bay's Heritage Hill Historical Park in northeast Wisconsin to offer her assistance in furnishing an early 20th century Belgian house. Chloe's introduction to the Heritage Hill area, is the discovery of a body at an abandoned farm. As she investigates that mystery, she also investigates the ancestry of the Bed and Breakfast owner where she is staying.

With so much going on in both time periods, it would be easy for the reader to get confused if it weren't for Ernst's story-telling skills. Running parallel to the present-day happenings, is the story of Belgian immigrants who arrive in the United States in the mid-1800's. One of these characters makes bobbin lace that Belgium is famous for.

Kathleen Ernst's books attract me because I learn a lot while being entertained by a good cozy mystery. I'd never heard of "bobbin lace" until this book. What great way to learn about history.

I recommend all of the books in the Chloe Ellefson series. Reading them in order would be best. I am always eagerly awaiting Chloe's next adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I need more stars!

Honestly, this is the best book I have read recently! It took my breathe away.

I admit it was a slow start, but once I started reading about Seraphine and her life, it was almost impossible to put this book down. Every emotion was expressed as I read about her life in the convent, her finding a calling in life, her love of lace, then her elopement and immigration to America in the 1850's. And the promised "good life" in the New World was fraught with labors and sorrows. It seemed that when things were getting better, another blow would strike her, but she always kept going.

Seraphine is an inspiration. Although as a single person, she probably did not exist, when I think of all the women who were truly a part of this story, who lived portions of Seraphine's life, I am in awe. We are so coddled and pampered. I wonder if today's woman could survive in Seraphine's world. The pioneer women who lived through this period were amazingly strong.

Through this novel I learned of history I had never encountered before. I had no idea that there was a Great Fire in 1871 and how devastating it was. I am now almost angry when I think of how everyone knows about the little fire caused by a cow the same day in Chicago, but totally ignorant of the great loss of life and livelyhood the the Peshtigo Fire. I googled to read more about this disaster.

I was enthralled by the idea of bobbin lace. When I read about the lacemakers in the book, I could hear the bobbins clicking. So I looked it up on a video thinking I do needle work and might give this a try. I watched as fingers flew moving the bobbins from one place to another, turning and twisting. One view of a video of lacemakers in Belgium and I knew it was beyond my abilities.

I had no idea that the people of Wisconsin had done so much to help the Belgians during the First World War. Actually, I had no idea that Belgians had settled so much in Wisconsin! And so as I was reading about the lace project, I looked up Belgian War Lace and found some of the most beautiful pieces of lace I have ever seen. The thrilling part of that is that so many pieces are in the Smithsonian that I hope to see some in person when I make a trip to Washington, DC. Seeing these pieces make me wish I could see the lace that Seraphine made. I can't even begin to imagine the intricate nature of her work done in the mid 1850's.

In this book I had a fascinating story with characters who came alive for me (and some who were real people!), a story that was engaged my mind and emotions, a book that taught me things I had no knowledge of before and wouldn't have even thought to ask about. There is no way that I can think of that I could have learned about this if I hadn't read this book.

I don't think I can recommend this book highly enough!

The latest installment of the Chloe mysteries is a comfortable read. I like the subject matter of Belgian lace. The flashback story is the best part of the book. Although it's sad and Seraphim never made lace again after leaving Europe, the story encompasses the 1871 fires, the Civil War, and WWI. The Chloe part drags a little in the middle of the story, right about where her friend disappears. Ernst makes one blatant blunder where she refers to Upstairs/Downstairs when first meeting Mrs. Delacroix. That show is from 2010, far beyond the early 80s time frame of the book.

Delightful historical cozy mystery. I live this series because it is different than any other series and mixes history and mystery perfectly. I highly recommend

Kathleen Ernst continues to push the limit in getting me interested in things I could not imagine caring about until I read her books. Each story consists of the current day (1980s) mystery plus a murder, and running parallel to that is a story of immigrants to the Wisconsin setting from earlier days. Eventually the stories connect over time, when an artifact or a building reveals the historical secrets to the current day characters. I love reading about immigrants and history, but I did not know I would also like learning about Nordic heritage and running a museum and, in this episode, lacemaking. Of course, the soap opera of Chloe and Roelke is also a draw, and this time the relationship is threatened both by Roelke's guilt over crossing an ethical line in his job as a cop, and by his returning to the church to salve his conscience. He can't tell Chloe what he did and she does not share his renewed interest in the church. Frankly, the churchiness of this one knocked it down a star compared to previous books in the series. But I'll still be waiting eagerly for the next installment!

(Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

Curator Chloe heads to Green Bay to consult on the restoration of an old Belgian-American farmhouse. When she arrives, she can’t help but check out a historic summer kitchen – and discovers a dead body in the bake oven! Alongside the the bake oven mystery is the tale of Seraphine, a Belgian immigrant skilled in art of making lace. The hardships she faced forging a new life in Wisconsin in the mid 1800s provided a background for the events in the modern day mystery.

I can think of 2 authors off the top of my head who wreck me with their books and #1 is Kathleen Ernst. I just know this review won’t do the book justice, it’s so hard for me to detail why this book was so remarkable without giving away what makes it so remarkable! The author’s ability to weave an emotionally haunting old-world story with a gripping modern day mystery is hypnotic! Just like Memory of Muskets, it will stay with me for a long, long time. Seraphine’s strength in the face of such adversity and heartbreak was inspiring and the very detailed descriptions brings it all to life. It’s one thing to read about life in earlier times, but the events are narrated so vividly, it’s like being there.

There was a lot packed into this book without feeling burdensome or overwhelming, from Roelke’s struggles to Seraphine’s heartbreak to Chloe’s tenacious investigating, and the lessons are all the same; strength, faith, and family will help you through any hardship. There’s no better message for anyone to take away from this and I think it’s what sets this series apart from so many others; that it effortlessly entertains, thrills and inspires.

Oh dear, now I’m waxing poetic but really, this was an excellent 5 star read that kept me glued to the pages. Can’t wait for the next one!

Another good historical fiction. I enjoy these and especially Chloe and Roelke. This time around I preferred the historical storyline of a woman from Belgium who came to Wisconsin. She was taught to be a lacemaker in a convent after her parents died and then immigrated to the US. The hardship of trying to live on the land they were given was powerful. The story stands well alone. but builds on the relationship from the other books.

The research, history, and writing of this book makes it one of the best I've ever read. The narrative flows and never becomes academic or dull. Sign me up for every of title in this series.

I’m not a big fan of stories that switch between different time periods, but I am a major fan of historical fiction and mysteries, and this book had me changing my tune on the two time periods the story is told from.

Chloe Ellefson is a historical curator that has taken on an assignment in the Belgian American community to share their history in a living museum. As she researches the area and culture to help furnish a home to represent life of the settlers and their families in 1915, we also see the story unfolding from the 1800s when twin sisters in Belgium become orphans and one emigrates to the United States with her beloved.

I found the characters and story line solid and greatly enjoyed learning more about the Belgian immigrants and their history. While this is a heavier read than I usually care for, I will be checking out the first eight books in the series as well.

Kathleen Ernst goes from strength to strength. I so enjoyed last year's book, Mining for Justice, and was hoping that this new novel would be as absorbing. It is! The Lace Maker's Secret, set in Belgium and Wisconsin, has a dual narrative structure. The modern part of the novel takes place in the 1980s while the historical narrative begins in the 1800s and moves through WW I. While the murder mystery was there, the remarkable parts of the novel are the sections where the author describes life for Belgian immigrants. The characters of Seraphine and her family members truly come to life and the hardships that they experience are heartbreaking. I did not know about this time in Wisconsin's history and am amazed by what I learned. As always, it was good to spend time with protagonist, Chloe, and her boyfriend, Roelke. The relationship between the two continues to grow in this novel. I recommend all of the novels in this series with a special shout out for The Lace Makers Secret and Mining for Justice. Thanks for this book NetGalley!

Told in 2 different time periods this book follows Curator Chloe Ellefson as she comes to Heritage Hill Historical Park to design time appropriate furnishings for the Norwegian farm buildings on this site. On her way to the B and B where she will be staying, she discovers a body in an old summer kitchen oven. The dead man is the uncle of the B and B owner whose ancestors we follow beginning in the 1800s period of this book. Two sisters who had previously lost their mother, now lose their father too. They are taken to a convent in Bruges, Belgium where they are taught to make bobbin lace. Years later one sister decides to stay at the convent and take her vows and the other immigrates to a young America with her husband, his brother and sister-in-law. The telling of Seraphine’s life in Wisconsin, where the story is set, is so very interesting and tragic. Piece by piece we learn of her life here through the trials of establishing a homestead, the Civil War, the Great Fire and WW1. Meanwhile, in present time Chloe is coping with finding first one, then a second man, murdered, a friend who has become very distant suddenly and who subsequently disappears. Are the murders and Elises’s disappearance connected to the stories of a hidden treasure? Can Chloe, with the help of her police officer boyfriend, Roelke McKenna, discover who’s behind all of this before someone else is murdered? That is something you will have to read the book to find out. I loved this book and would give it more than 5 stars if I could.

Thank you NetGalley and Midnight Ink for my copy of this book! It's my first time reading a Chloe Ellefson Mystery and I wasn't disappointed. The story started out a bit slow in my opinion, but eventually it became really enjoyable. Everything about the Belgian-American story was new to me and I thought it set an amazing background to the mystery. The ending was satisfying and I'm looking forward to reading other books by Kathleen Ernst. Also, the cover of this book is just beautiful.

Thank you Netgalley and Midnight Ink for the ARC.

Holy toboggans! what an amazing story. I loved learning about the Belgium-American pioneers in Wisconsin, their barns and chapels and the Bruges lacemaking tradition. The descriptions of the people and their surroundings are just beautiful.
I enjoyed going back and forth in history watching the modern day heritage park come to life, in the meantime catching a killer and following the secret of the lacemaker.
Moving through the decades, the events just kept coming, with a strong woman behind every man.
Written in a pleasant tone and pace, I couldn't put it down. All wrapped up in a satisfying outcome.

With her boyfriend acting withdrawn and moody and her own family secrets threatening her sanity, Chloe Ellefson gladly accepts a consulting job at Green Bay’s Heritage Hill Historical Park. Helping restore an old farmhouse on the grounds should be relaxing and help take her mind off her own problems. Maybe not. A body in an old bake oven spells trouble, and another mystery for Chloe to solve, this one about a piece of lace made by a Belgian American woman who survived insurmountable odds to live the American dream. Ernst’s mysteries are always fun and include historical details that flesh out her characters and her plots.