Dangling by a Thread

Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait is the fourth book in A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series. Angie Curtis has been back in Haven Harbor, Maine for three months. She is the manager of her grandmother’s business, Mainely Needlepoint. Angie is out early one morning, and she notices a stranger docking a skiff. Angie has not seen this man before and follows him as he goes about his duties (does anyone else find this odd). After some inquiries, Angie finds out that he is called The Solitary. He lives on King’s Island and only comes to Haven Harbor every couple of months for supplies. His real name is Jesse Lockhart, an Iraq veteran who was injured in Afghanistan. Jesse is friends with Mainely Needlepointer, Dave Percy (met in rehab). Jesse needs the quiet of the island, and he feels he is protecting the Great Cormorants that nest on King’s Island. The Great Cormorants are a threatened species (just before extinct). They need a certain type of environment to thrive, and King’s Island is perfect for them. A big yacht has docked in Haven Harbor. It belongs to Gerry and June Bentley. They have decided that King’s Island is perfect for a vacation home. Jesse does not wish to sell the island. Unfortunately, he jointly owns the island with his cousin, Simon. Gerry Bentley flies in Simon to woo him into selling. They want to have Jesse declared incompetent so Simon can sell the island to Gerry. When the hear what Gerry and Simon are up to, they head out to King’s Island to warn Jesse. Jesse is on high alert and shoots an arrow at Dave (into his leg). The police go out the next day with Angie and find Jesse dead. Jesse did not deserve to die in this manner. He was a quiet man who was just trying to protect some birds. Angie is determined to find Jesse’s killer. Dave, Angie and friends are also working to protect the island from being developed. Will they succeed in their endeavors? Dangling by a Thread can be read alone. Lea Wait updates the readers on what happened in the previous novels. I must admit that this was not my favorite book in the series. I thought too many pages were devoted to Angie’s thinking and contemplating about life, living alone, the antics of her new kitten, and Patrick West (the man she would like to date). I thought the concept for Dangling by a Thread was a bit weak. Angie had just met Jesse, but she dives in to save his island and solve his murder. A majority of the book is devoted to friendship, family, and Angie’s interest in Patrick West. I give Dangling by a Thread 3 out of 5 stars (I am being a little generous). The murderer was obvious. One little statement gives away the identity of the killer. Some information is repeated a few times (and it was not necessary). I really got tired of hearing about Dave’s poison garden (and it was not used in the murder). The chapters are very short and choppy (it was annoying). I hope the next book in A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series is better.

To begin this review let me say, Haven Harbor, typical small town USA, has all the nosiness and caring of any quaint small town. Everybody knows everyone and their business. Invariably. secrets are not secrets very long in a small town. Secondly, I loved the needlepoint verses and history of the verses which appear before each chapter. Also, the cookie recipe found in the back of the book will be my next recipe to bake. Author Lea Wait crafted several characters worthy of the term villain in Dangling By A Thread. Development of these characters emphasized the length humans will go to achieve their ends. Ms. Wait had many thread to bring together to create a solid story which she did skillfully. The pace of story never slowed as Ms. Wait penned a nonstop mystery. I found author Lea Wait kept the suspense and intrigue at high peak throughout the story-line and did not reveal the culprit until the end of the book. Surprised by the identify of the killer, my mouth hung open. In concluding this review, I found Dangling By A Thread, a solid well-written cozy mystery which will entertain for hours. Furthermore, the writing was clean, clear, and easy to read and the story-line intriguing. I enjoy books which have continuing characters from book to book. As you read the books, you find yourself knowing the characters and their personalities. Ms. Wait crafts characters which seem real and small towns which could be any small town in America. I found Dangling By A Thread an enjoyable well-written book. Ms. Wait’s writing was clean, clear, and easy to read. I would not hesitate to buy this book for myself or a friend. Finally, I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest book review. Books reviews of any novel are dependent on the book review author’s opinion. Consequently, book reviews on line under my name are my opinion.

Another solid addition to a wonderful series. Author Wait is exceptional at capturing the people and landscape of seashore Maine. This book is more relationship driven than earlier mysteries in this series but the author's deft handling of the characters makes it an enjoyable read nevertheless.