Allie Pleiter has long been one of my favorite authors. She started her career as an inspirational romance writer. I discovered her book Queen Esther and the Second Graders of Doom, written for Harlequin's Chick-lit inspired Christian Steeple Hill Cafe line. Two books written in a similarly humorous style, My So Called Love Life and The Perfect Blend (still available as ebooks) are still my favorites. I've re-read them several times. When the Steeple Hill Cafe line closed, Pleiter moved to Harlequin's mainstream Christian fiction lines, I really missed her humor. I'm glad to see the author has been able to branch out into cozy mystery now and show a different side of her writing. Previously she wrote a three part series about a yarn shop called the Riverbank Knitting Mysteries. One Sharp Stitch is the first book in the Nimble Needle Series. Pleiter enjoys knitting and needlework and so books about people who also do fiber arts and crafts is a natural extension. One Sharp Stitch begins with Shelby Phillips returning to her home town to run her mother's shop, Nina's Nimble Needle, while her parents take a month of long overdue vacation. Shelby is supposed to be hosting a trunk show at the shop, featuring artist and high school friend Kat. Shelby has conflicting feelings about Kat. She feels guilty for not liking Kat as much as Kat liked her. She wasn't a good friend to Kat. The next day Shelby discovers Kat gruesomely murdered and her self-torment ratchets higher. To Shelby, Kat's death was most likely murder, so when local authorities want to rule it an accident, Kat feels the need to speak up and to ask questions. She becomes determined to get justice for Kat, to make up for their past. This is all pretty dramatic, but cozy readers do not need to hesitate to read One Sharp Needle. All the suspense and danger are buffered by Shelby's family and friends, get togethers for crafting and tales of her parents embarrassing vacation antics. I could go on, but all you really need to know is that this is a well written cozy with great characters and a complex mystery brought to life by a talented author.

As an avid cross-stitcher myself, as soon as I saw the title I knew this was a book I had to read. I really appreciate modernizing fiber arts. Cross-stitch and Embroidery is not "just for the grannies" or just for females for that matter, as the Nimble Needle is keen to share. Shelby is a fun character to get to know, as are the customers of the Nimble Needle, especially the NYAG's. I love Kat's character, I'm just sorry we couldn't get to know her alive. I really enjoyed the mashup between a cozy contemporary and a mystery, I've heard of cozy mysteries, but have never read one and I think this nails the genre on the head. I can't wait to see what other work this author has, rumor has it another craft centered series exists.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley and Kensington Cozies in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well developed and likeable, the plot was a perfect mixture of lighthearted and mysterious and the narrator made Shelby with all her insecurities come to life. I especially enjoyed the growing relationship between Shelby and her sister. The small town setting was cute. I'm hoping for a series of needlepoint mysteries!

Thanks to Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the download of this audiobook!

Such a cute cozy mystery! I listened to this and enjoyed the narrator's voice and pace.
All of the characters came alive in my mind and I look forward to meeting them again as this is sure to become a series.

Can't wait to see what else unfolds at The Nimble Needle!

One Sharp Stitch is the perfect, heartwarming mystery

This murder mystery is set in a needlepoint shop, which has recently been entrusted to our narrator Shelbie. She’s freshly back in her hometown and trying to find her footing when she discovers a dead body. As the murder case develops, Shelbie becomes more comfortable running the shop, deals with her complicated relationship with her sister, and considers what she wants to do for a living long-term. It’s a quirky, relatable story; entertaining and lighthearted.

Narration on the audiobook was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an ARC, which was provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

A solid four-star cozy mystery—though for me personally, it’s more of a three-star read (only because cozies aren’t my usual thing). That said, cozy mystery aficionados will definitely enjoy this one.

It leans a little heavy on the needlework aspect, but the mystery itself is well-crafted, with a few well-placed red herrings and a plucky heroine at the center. If you love a small-town setting, a touch of crafting, and a sleuth who won’t quit, this one’s worth a listen.

As the first book in a new mystery series, One Sharp Stitch is well, sharp. It is well written with great characters and a quirky setting.
Shelby Phillips comes home to Gwen Lake North Carolina to help out her mother with her shop, Nina’s Nimble Needle. The Nimble Needle is a needlework shop - needlepoint, cross stitch and that type of handicraft.
The writing made me want to pick up a project.
Shelby’s friend from high school, Kat, has made a name for herself by crafting embroidery scissors and design along with knife sharpening. Kat dies. Most everyone besides Shelby thinks it was a terrible accident. Shelby thinks it may have been murder.
The sense of community is built quickly in the book. There is the group of grandmas, called NYAGs, who visit the shop often. There are the new and former friends that Shelby gathers together to help her search for answers.
The quirkiness of the town involves the lake and yachts, but you’ll have to read to know why that is quirky. It’s just too good to spoil the surprise in a review.
There were real problems to solve in addition to the death. The culprit behind the death was a bit of a surprise, although it was a conclusion I could see coming from clues given.
I enjoyed reading the book. The narrator of the audiobook enhanced the story. I recommend picking up One Sharp Stitch especially if you enjoy handicrafts and artistic endeavors.
Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington Cozies and Tantor Media for the opportunity to experience this book.

Loved this cosy mystery about needle point stitching, which I, of course, knew nothing about. I loved the small town feeling of the setting and the charming cast of characters. The mystery had a few twists and turns and while not completely unexpected, they did keep the action going.

I especially enjoyed the sibling dynamic and the personal and emotional growth that took place when each revealed their vulnerability.

Will be reading more from this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing me with an advance listening copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I did enjoy this book, I swear, but there are a couple aspects of it I'm going to criticize. Just know that I still think this would be a fine book to recommend to anyone interested in a cozy mystery.
I wasn't really crazy about the POV character, Shelby. She seemed judgmental and I found, at times, her lens exhausting. It seemed like she had a pretty intricately fleshed-out reason for not liking literal murder victim Kat, but tbh after many words being spent, I'm still not sure what it was. Kat... tried too hard? Kat... changed over the course of 15 years? It felt like the author was trying to accurately convey the characteristics of some person they know in real life in an effort to reason through those feelings. I'm all for complex realness, but Kat really fell flat and, as a character, didn't deliver what she needed to justify the reactions of the people around her. I love a hateable victim, but Kat wasn't that for me, and it made all the weird animus toward her (from otherwise endearing characters) seem like bullying.
I also thought the whole nephew side plot a little goofy in its delivery. Not the meat of it; that's plenty realistic, but the provided imagery of a father physically dragging his son towards some baseballs after catching said son glancing at a pencil.... like I said, goofy.
As for the bright spots: I did like the Shelby-Jessica plot, and most of the other characters were great fun, especially the parents. The author nailed the quaint setting, and the whole dubloon thing was cool. I'm not great at guessing the whodunit part of a mystery, so I can't say whether this one was predictable or not, but I did enjoy the story, setting and characters, and found myself engaged enough to follow the plot closely throughout.
The narration was decent, but not my cup of tea. The lines were delivered clearly and with some care toward differentiating between the characters, but the voice used for Shelby kind of compounded my impression of that character as a bit of a snob, I hate to say.

I LOVED THE BOOK AND THE NARRATER!
I read a lot of cozy mysteries and I love it when I can't' tell whodunnit until the very end. Often, authors take the easy way out and pick the most unlikable character and telegraph,""this guy is so nasty that, of course, he's going to be the killer."". Not so, here. You are never going to guess who
the killer is until the last chapter! The book is wonderfully paced, with good stitch tech, and a great cast of characters. The narrater is perfect for the lead and all the rest of the cast. The author knows how to mix in comic relief.
Ms Pleiter is a new find for me, so I quickly ordered her knitting cosy mystery series in audiobook. That's how much I loved this book and craved More!
Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. What a complete treat!

I needed a cozy mystery! The first book in the Nimble Needle series, One Sharp Stitch, ticked all the boxes. Shelby Phillips is returning home after her job reluctantly ends abruptly. But no fear! Her parents want to travel so she can watch the shop for the next month. Every is going well, Shelby can definitely handle a trunk show on her second day, what could go wrong??

Being a huge fan of cozy mysteries, I have read a few and One Sharp Stitch has all the elements that I find endearing. The cast of characters have their quirks and being all brought together shows the small town vibes and helpful nature.

I appreciated the embroidery and cross stitch information that was sprinkled throughout the book. Like the canvases that can be bought to the scissors that are used, including the specialized needles with names! It didn’t feel overwhelming or that you need to know it all before going into the book.

The narrator did a wonderful job with all the different characters (including kids, which can be hard), and her voice was so soothing it was easy to listen to this book over a few days.

All the red herrings and final delivery was very well done and I can’t wait to read more in this series!

A really excellent cozy mystery. This book has the perfect levels of cozy and suspense. I love the friendship and sisterhood, as well as the discovery of hidden strength. I recommend this book very highly. The narrator does an excellent job.

One Sharp Stitch by Allie Pleiter, narrated by Carrie Coello, is an absolute delight! Pleiter's charming storytelling, combined with Coello's warm and engaging narration, creates a perfect blend that pulls you right into the heart of the story. The characters are relatable and endearing, and the plot, filled with heartfelt moments and lighthearted humor, keeps you hooked from start to finish. Coello's narration brings the characters to life, making it an immersive experience. (I received an advance listener copy and all opinions are my own.) If you're looking for a cozy, uplifting read, One Sharp Stitch is an absolute must-listen!

I got this one as an audiobook ARC from Netgalley and I loved it.

As a big cross stitch aficionado who has made and sold my own patterns, the title jumped out at me right away as something I wanted to read and I was so happy I got selected for it. This was one I couldn't stop listening to and finished in only 2 days.

The story follows Shelby as she moves home after her job as a graphic designer (as well as her love life) implode when her company gets purchased. Her parents are going on a retiree road trip and leave her to manage the family needlepoint shop. All is going well until a close associate of the store loses her life in a tragic accident.... or was there foul play involved?

Shelby is sure there is more to this death than meets the eye and she's going to try figure that out all while keeping the family store running, and making new friends along the way.

I thought this story did a great job of introducing fun characters that you really enjoyed getting to know. The mystery gives a few possibilities on what happened so the reader is able to make several guesses without anything being too obvious.

I also loved how arts (especially the textile kind) are set up to be something cool not just for grannies but also for a younger crowd. My cross stitch patterns also cater more to a younger audience with pop culture related designs. I would absolutely love to visit this store.

Excellent start to a new cozy series! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was wonderful, she became the characters with her inflections and different voices. I loved the characters and setting, I can’t wait to see where the books go from here. This is a new to me author and I enjoyed her writing style so much that I searched out more- I am starting on her other cozy series now. Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

One Sharp Stitch is the first book in a new cozy mystery series by Allie Pleiter. We follow Shelby, a thirty-something who has just lost her job and has to move back home to help out in her mother's needlepoint shop, Nimble Needle. On her first day at work, she finds one of the shop's suppliers, and a former school acquaintance, dead in his van. Shelby keeps her cool and decides to solve the mystery, convinced that the death was not an accident. Together with her colleagues and regular customers at the shop, as well as her overly perfect sister, they try to solve the mystery.

One Sharp Stitch is a subdued, cozy mystery without overly disturbing or frightening scenes. The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, and any bumps in the road are quickly resolved. There are few surprising elements in the book. The main characters come across as somewhat bland, and the only character who shows much personality is murdered right at the beginning. I missed a bit more character development in Shelby and would have liked to hear more from her good colleagues. However, since this is the first book in a planned series, I am confident that this will improve over time.

I enjoyed the small-town setting, the craft shop, and the witty comments along the way. It wasn't the most entertaining cozy mystery I've read, but it certainly meets all the genre's rules. Pick it up if you're looking for a cozy, easy-to-read story.

The narrator of the audiobook did a fantastic job of portraying the characters and keeping me engaged in the story.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advices reader audio copy.

The first book of Allie Pleiter that I have read and it was a delightful cozy mystery.

Shelby Phillips loses her graphic design job and returns home to help manage her mother’s needlepoint shop, Nina’s Nimble Needles, while her parents are on holiday. Shelby is reluctant to return but has not found new employment and decides she will make the best of the situation.

While back in town Shelby runs into a former classmate and the interaction is awkward at best. Shelby learns, Cat, her classmate, wanted to manage Nina’s shop and eventually buy it when Nina was ready to retire and is disappointed Shelby has comeback to run the shop. Shelby’s sister, Jessica, lives in town and their relationship is strained. Shelby is counting the days mail her mom returns.

Days after Shelby’s parents leave she discovers a body is near the shop and everyone, including the police believe it to be a tragic accident. Shelby doesn’t believe it to be that simple.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early review audiobook.

'One Sharp Stitch' features a likable female lead (Shelby) running a small business, quirky side characters, small-town drama, hints of romance, and amateur detective sleuthing. It is exactly what you would expect in a cozy mystery! Allie Pleiter weaves these elements into a swift and enjoyable read. Moreover, Shelby and the NYAGs inspired me to visit my local needlepoint shop and start crafting more!

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend this audiobook! Carrie Coello narrates with clarity and engaging charm.

Special thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.