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    Tightening the Threads
    Tightening the Threads
    Tightening the Threads
    Audiobook8 hours

    Tightening the Threads

    Written by Lea Wait

    Narrated by Christina Delaine

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Antique dealer Sarah Byrne has never unspooled the truth about her past to anyone-not even friend and fellow Mainely Needlepointer Angie Curtis. But the enigmatic Aussie finally has the one thing she's searched for all her life-family. And now she and long-lost half-brother, Ted Lawrence, a wealthy old artist and gallery owner in town, are ready to reveal their secret connection . . .

    Ted's adult children are suspicious of their newfound aunt Sarah-especially after Ted, in declining health, announces plans to leave her his museum-worthy heirloom paintings. So when Ted is poisoned to death during a lobster bake, everyone assumes she's guilty. If Sarah and Angie can't track down the real murderer in time, Sarah's bound to learn how delicate-and deadly-family dynamics can truly be . . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 14, 2018
    ISBN9781977385185
    Author

    Lea Wait

    Lea Wait made her mystery debut with Shadows at the Fair, which was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Shadows on the Ivy, the third novel in her acclaimed series featuring Maggie Summer, is forthcoming in hardcover from Scribner. Lea comes from a long line of antiques dealers, and has owned an antique print business for more than twenty-five years. The single adoptive mother of four Asian girls who are now grown, she lives in Edgecomb, Maine. In addition to the Antique Print mysteries, Lea Wait writes historical fiction for young readers. Her first children's book, Stopping to Home, was named a Notable Book for Children in 2001 by Smithsonian magazine. Visit her website at LeaWait.com.

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    Reviews for Tightening the Threads

    4/5

    34 ratings8 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I just enjoy this series. The romance sucks (Angie and Patrick's will they, won't they is absurd) but I love Angie and Charlotte and the rest of the Mainely Needlepointers. This mystery was as per usual extremely enjoyable and gave a greater insight into Sarah and her family.
    • 4/5
      Angie's friend, Sarah, moved to Maine from Australia. Now we find that it wasn't simply chance that brought her to this small Maine town. Sarah was looking for family and traced her connections to Maine. An uncle welcomes her to the family, but his children are not happy to know their new cousin. When their father announces he is changing his will to include Sarah...and that he is dying, no one is happy. When he dies during a clambake, is it murder or a tragic accident? Angie investigates and more surprises are unearthed. The needlepoint friends gather to help Sarah and show that family may be more than blood relatives.
    • 5/5
      This is the fifth installment of the Mainely Needlepoint series. This was Sarah's story and there was not much needlepointing in it. I was fine with that as it was nice to find out more about one of the main characters in this series that i very much enjoy. Sarah is a member of the Mainely Needlepointers and a good friend of Angie's. She moved to Haven Harbor from Australia, but never really shared her reasons for this. In the last book in the series Sarah became close to wealthy gallery owner Ted Lawrence, and in this book she shares with Angie that Ted is her uncle. She tells her about her history and that her father was acclaimed artist Robert Lawrence, Ted's father. Ted wants to have a 75th birthday party with his three children who he bareley talks to or sees, Sarah, Jeremy (his assistant), Patrick and Angie. He plans to reveal who Sarah is and his plans to change his will. Well, things do not go as planned and some of Ted's announcements are a huge surprise. When Ted ends up dead from eating a clam that was poisoned from Red Tide, Angie suspects that he was murdered. For Sarah's sake, and at the request of one of Ted's sons, she begins to investigate.

      Lea Wait never disappoints and there is usually something historical to learn. This time we learn about the period of history where foster children in Britain were numerous and costly. They were sent to Australia to a new life. Sometimes that life was good, but more than likely, they were treated as free labour. Sarah's father was one of these children. Sarah was able to locate her paternal grandmother, who had been told her son had died. From there she headed to Maine to search for her paternal grandfather and other family members. What she finds is Ted and through him, her cousins. Ted's children are a very interesting group of people. They are partly spoiled, think they are entitled and in some ways, waiting for him to die so they will inherit. They are not very accepting of Sarah and not very nice to her either. They add a lot of intrigue to the story, especially when another dead body shows up.

      Even though, this was not really a needlepointing story, I really enjoyed it. I liked the character development, the way the relationship with Angie and Patrick continued to develop and the mystery. There were several suspects as well as the possibility that it could have been accidental. If you enjoy a cozy with great characters and a storyline that goes beyond the mystery, pick this book up. You will certainly enjoy it. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
    • 4/5
      Angie's friend Sarah finally reveals some of her history and how she came to Maine so when Angie is asked to help her at the birthday party of her new found uncle, Angie can't refuse. No surprises to the reactions of her new cousins when they are told of her existence but things head toward a wreck at the lobsterbake.I loved finding out more about the regular characters but I was disappointed at the lack of "Needlepoint" that was included in the story. But that no means implies that I will not continue reading these great stories!
    • 5/5
      When Angie Curtis is invited to her friend Sarah Byrne's home for dinner, she doesn't expect bombshell news: that Sarah is the niece of Ted Lawrence, an artist and gallery owner whose father was the famous artist Robert Lawrence. It seems Robert had once had an affair during World War II that resulted in Sarah's father, and since he died when Sarah was a child, she has been searching for years for her family, which is the real reason she wound up in Haven Harbor all the way from Australia. But it seems finding her uncle and cementing their relationship with DNA tests is bittersweet: When his children - Abbie, her husband Silas, sons Michael and Luke - are summoned from their homes for a birthday party with their father, Ted tells them he is dying of cancer, and that this will be the last visit they will all have together. But even more shocking - and more important to his children - is the fact that Ted tells them he is going to change his will and leave all of his father's paintings to Sarah.But before he can do so, Ted dies, poisoned from a bad clam. While at first it looks like it might be an accident, the police think it might have been murder, and when another family member dies, Angie is hired to find out who the murderer of the two of them might be. With nearly everyone having a motive - the three children weren't close to their father and more than one had reason to hate him - Angie has her work cut out for her. She knows it's only a matter of time before the offspring hire attorneys and clam up themselves...This is the fifth book in the Mainely Needlepoint series, and in my opinion, the best one. While I enjoyed the previous books in the series, in this new one we learn more about Sarah and her background, and how deep the desire to find one's roots can be in another human being. I will say though that I didn't truly understand why the subplot of the discovery in Angie's yard was added; it didn't have any bearing on the story at all, unless it was to bring in one of the other Mainely Needlepointers, who were missing throughout most of this tale.Aside from that, I found this book highly readable and the plot well written. It shows the keenness that is felt when one wishes for something that is always slightly out of reach; and that what seems to be the overt reason for a murder might not be the true meaning after all. When we reach the end and the killer is revealed, it comes to a satisfactory conclusion; and I await the next in the series. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      TIGHTENING THE THREADS by Lea Wait is the latest installment in her ‘A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery’ series.Ms. Wait is the Maine author of several cozy mystery series and excellent historical fiction titles for young adults.In this particular series, the characters are well-developed and sync well with the plot points.Angie Curtis returned home to Haven Harbor, Maine (after a stint in Arizona) and was immediately embroiled in solving the mystery of her mother’s death many years previously. Angie also took over the management of a local needlepoint business from her grandmother. Angie’s grandmother is a continuing character, as is friend and antiques dealer Sarah Byrne.TIGHTENING THE THREADS reveals the reason Sarah chose to move to Haven Harbor from Australia. Many secrets are also revealed about the wealthy and artistic Lawrence family.There is a strong ‘sense of place’ with many remarks about Maine and local customs. The plot is fairly lightweight, but moves steadily and involves all the characters. There is just the right amount of tension.I quite enjoy the cover with its bright colors, the clever titles (TWISTED THREADS, THREADS OF EVIDENCE, THREAD AND GONE, DANGLING BY A THREAD, TIGHTENING THE THREADS), the recipes and the chapter headings which refer to works of 1800’s embroidery and needlework. The chapter headings are my favorite part of the book, although Sarah Byrne’s Maple Cheesecake recipe is ‘to die for’!
    • 4/5
      Tightening the Threads by Lea Wait is the fifth book in A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery series. Angie Curtis is surprised when her friend and antiques dealer, Sarah Byrne tells her why she has been spending so much time with gallery owner, Ted Lawrence. It turns out that Ted is her uncle. Sarah has finally found family and this weekend Ted is going to tell his children about Sarah. They are all coming to town for Ted’s seventy-fifth birthday. Sarah asks Angie to come along for the weekend at Ted’s home The Point. Jeremy, Ted’s longtime gallery employee and Patrick West will also be in attendance. After Ted’s children arrive, they enjoy a special dinner and then birthday cake along with champagne. Ted then announces that the kids (they are all adults) have a new cousin and introduces Sarah. But, Ted is not finished with his pronouncements. He tells them that he has stage four lung cancer, and he will be altering his will to include Sarah. He wishes for her to receive the Robert Lawrence (Sarah’s grandfather) paintings. The children are outraged and Jeremy is less than pleased. The next day they prepare for a lobster and clam bake on the beach. Everyone is enjoying the delicious seafood dinner when Ted suddenly stands up. He cannot speak and points at his throat. Ted is quickly rushed to the hospital where, unfortunately, he passes away an hour later. Someone in the family objected to Ted changing his will, and they were making sure he would not be able to accomplish his goal. Luke Lawrence hires Angie to investigate Ted’s death. He wants the case wrapped up as quickly as possible (so everyone can return home). The next day Angie receives word that there has been another death. Is foul play involved? Angie needs to work quickly before Haven Harbor gets a bad reputation (or someone does away with the rest of Ted’s ungrateful children).Tightening the Threads is easy to read, has good characters, and a beautiful setting. The author provides some lovely descriptions of the town and surrounding area. I thought the book had a good pace. I did not find any slow spots. The mystery did not start until I was forty percent of the way through the book. The first part of the book sets up the story and the last part is in solving it. I give Tightening the Threads 4 out of 5 stars. The mystery was intriguing. I like how the author crafted it and the unique method of murder. I thought that part of it was easy to solve, but the other element was a little more challenging (I am trying not to give anything away). I do wish that there had been a good outcome for Sarah. I am a little disappointed with Angie and her jealousy concerning Patrick West. Patrick and Angie’s relationship is in the early stages and her jealousy seems unwarranted. Patrick does not seem the type of person to kiss and cheat. The author included a secondary mystery regarding bones in a wall dividing Angie’s property from her neighbors. It really seemed like a senseless inclusion (it was a letdown). Then there was the issue of Ted’s wife, Lily. The way it was written in the book, I thought Lily’s death would turn out to be a long unsolved murder (I expected it to go somewhere). Her death was mentioned a couple of times, and I kept thinking the author would tie it in somehow (a lover did her in, a jealous friend, someone spiked her drink). Overall, though, I enjoyed Tightening the Threads. It captured and held my interest. I will be reading Thread the Halls when it comes out in October.
    • 4/5
      It's now fall, and Angie Curtis has seen a lot of death in Haven Harbor in the four months she's been in town. As much as I like this series, I think she should take a trip back to Phoenix for a while where a dead body or two won't have as much impact. In Tightening the Threads, Angie comes across a mystery of her own while clearing a huge tree that fell during a storm, but her best friend's dilemma takes priority. For those of you who, like me, enjoy Lea Wait's ensemble cast in this series, you won't find much of them here, except for Dave whose poison garden comes in handy for answers to some of Angie's questions. The action has Sarah front and center over a long weekend. Although the truth behind her relationship to Ted Lawrence is really interesting, as the family dynamics unfold Ted is seen as a rather despicable man. His children have all gone their separate ways, haven't kept in touch with each other, and don't really seem to care about each other-- which points to something in the solution to the murder that rang false with me, although I can't talk about it without giving things away.Tightening the Threads isn't the strongest book in this series, but it's still a good read. I love Wait's blend of setting, art, history, and Maine traditions; they all create the perfect backdrop for a cast of characters I've grown to care about a great deal.