Happy Fiber Arts Fiction Friday! This week we’re returning to Foggy Point, Washington, with Make Quilts Not War. This is the sixth book in Arlene Sachitano’s Harriet Truman/Loose Threads mystery series.
Synopsis (Story Details Below, But No Major Spoilers)
Winter is in full swing in Foggy Point and everyone is getting ready for a 1960’s themed festival! The Loose Threads quilting group members are eager to participate with quilts from the era and new quilts inspired by it.
The quilters are fully committed to the event and have broken out afro wigs, bell-bottom jeans, and lots of polyester blouses for the occasion. A popular rock star is hired for the event and he takes a shine to the Loose Threads, giving them special backstage passes to his show. He also takes a special interest in Harriet and is competing with her other suitors (Tom and Adrian) for her attention.
Loose Thread Jenny Logan is the only member with a quilt that is actually from the 1960s, but seems hesitant about having it on display. She doesn’t share the reason behind her reticence with the group, and eventually just goes along with the plan to hang it onstage. She, along with two other community members, will take turns with the quilt throughout the festival to share more about the quilts of the era. They come up with matching outfits and take to the stage!
Tragedy strikes almost immediately when one of these three women is shot and killed by a sniper! Jenny immediately begins to panic, but again refuses to talk about what is happening with the Loose Threads. The detectives of Foggy Point investigate the crime and add extra security, but Jenny remains nervous. Her anxiety is doubled when her estranged brother shows up out of the blue and the two of them are seen fighting in the parking lot.
Harriet volunteers to take over with Jenny’s quilt on stage, but during the very first minutes of her shift a crazed woman comes out of the crowd and throws acid on both Harriet and the quilt! Harriet is taken to the emergency room (who by now have come to be very familiar with her!) and the quilt is finally taken down from display.
Can Harriet and the Loose Threads unravel the mystery and learn who is behind these attacks? Is the quilt hiding a secret from Jenny’s past? Finally Jenny is forced to share the full story behind the quilt and her life before Foggy Bottom, but not before the killer comes for Harriet again!
My Review
I was intrigued by this book and the title’s play on the 1960s slogan “Make peace not war.” One of my favorite parts was the serious level of effort that the Loose Threads put into recreating their 1960s outfits from head to toe! Not even the fluffiest of wigs could keep them away from trouble, which always seems to find Harriet no matter what she is wearing!
There were also some interesting character developments in this book. Harriet’s Aunt Beth begins to spend quite a bit of time with Jorge, owner of the local Mexican restaurant. While it’s all under the guise of the festival, it seems like a deeper relationship is building between the two of them. I also enjoyed the growth of the relationship between Harriet and Lauren, another member of the Loose Threads. While Lauren does continue to be abrasive and even downright rude, she’s also committed to her friendship with Harriet and is building a more positive relationship with the other quilters as well.
Final Thoughts
Make Quilts Not War is another great read in the Harriet Truman/Loose Threads mystery series! The further I get into this series the more the author reveals about each of the members of the Loose Threads. The characters are continuing to grow and evolve, and they are always willing to support each other no matter what danger they face! I’m looking forward to continuing the series with book seven, A Quilt In Time.
Ready to travel back to the 1960s with Make Quilts Not War? Grab your copy on Amazon here!
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
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