From Booklist
Murder is in the air everywhere--even at a needlework show. Betsy Devonshire, owner of the shop Crewel World, finds herself snowed in at the convention hotel in Nashville along with her policewoman friend, Jill, and employee, Godwin. When another shop owner, Belle Hammermill, falls over the railing, plummeting down nine stories into the middle of the atrium, even the most avid sewers look up from their tatting. Everyone, of course, assumes the fall to be an accident. However, as Betsy, Jill, and Godwin start talking to the show's attendees, they begin to learn that a selfish and devious Belle had plenty of enemies--and they are all in the hotel. Ferris' characterizations are top-notch, and the action moves along at a crisp pace. The ending, unfortunately, is something of a letdown, with hardly a twist, much less a turn. Still, with so many crafters out there, this has a built-in audience of those who like to mix their needlepoint with question marks. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Part-time sleuth and full-time owner of the needlework shop Crewel World, Betsy Devonshire likes to have a hand in anything crafty-from knitting to solving crime. In this latest yarn in the bestselling series, Betsy prepares for a chilling holiday season filled with mistletoe-and murder.

This year's needlework convention is tragically interrupted when one shop owner tumbles nine stories to her untimely death. Now Betsy, Godwin, and other knitting hands must unravel the clues that will put the killer to rest...for a long winter's night.

About the Author
Monica Ferris is the USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series under various pseudonyms.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
The hardcover debut of Monica Ferris's popular Needlecraft mystery series is a fine piece of work -- a seasonal yarn that's sure to delight needlecrafters and mystery fans alike.

The time leading up to the holidays is always full of difficult choices, but this year that goes double for Betsy Devonshire, amateur sleuth and owner of the Crewel World needlework shop in Minnesota. She never expected to have to choose between coping with the joys and headaches of the holiday rush on her home turf and the thrill of attending the Nashville Needlework Market. Still, she can't afford to miss this chance to shop for her business at the huge cash-and-carry trade show where members of the International Needlework Retailers Guild pick up all the latest tips and tools of their trade. There's usually no conflict -- the holiday rush is only a memory by the time the Market's usual date rolls around. But, this year, the hotel overbooked their traditional February time slot and offered the stitchers a sweet deal for December instead.

Then tragedy strikes, and Betsy is witness to another shop owner's deadly fall from an upper floor to the atrium lobby far below. With a freak snowstorm interfering with access to the site and the Nashville police and the hotel staff eager to write this off as a deadly accident -- a case of wrong place, wrong time -- Betsy and her police officer friend, Jill Larsen, have lingering doubts about the pattern of events. Not only does the dead woman's fall seem inexplicable, but it soon becomes clear that there are many people at the market who had reason to want this particular shop owner out of business￯﾿ﾽpermanently. Sue Stone

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Snow is not the only thing falling this December...spirits are, too. That's because this year's needlework convention in Nashville is tragically interrupted when Milwaukee shop owner Belle Hammermill tumbles nine stories to her untimely death. At first, Betsy Devonshire thinks the fall was just an unfortunate accident. The trouble is, Belle's unsavory reputation as a seductress, thief, and jealous friend causes suspicions to flare. She had plenty of enemies with more than enough motive. In fact, three of her alleged victims were at the convention, all with anger in their hearts and vengeance on their minds." Is seeing believing, or is there murder in the air? Leave it to Betsy, Godwin, and other knitting hands to unravel the clues that will put the killer to rest...for a long winter's night.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Monica Ferris makes her hardcover debut with Crewel Yule, the eighth in her cozy series to feature Betsy Devonshire, owner of Crewel World, "a sweet little needlework store in Minnesota." At the annual needlework convention in Nashville, a Milwaukee, Wis., needlework shop owner plunges to her death into the hotel atrium-is it an accident or murder? Despite multiple flashbacks in the book's first third, the story moves along at a sprightly pace, and readers will enjoy the customary detail about needlework that makes this series increasingly popular. Agent, Nancy Yost at Lowenstein-Yost Associates. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal