Death Among the Doilies is a craft mystery book written by Mollie Cox Bryan, award-winning author of a scrapbooking-themed mystery series. This book kicks off a new series that continues the theme of mystery fiction but turns away from an emphasis on scrapbooking and embraces other crafts including crochet and upcycling. I have been on a big non-fiction kick lately, but I’m always interested in readable crochet books so I was happy to receive an advanced copy for review and I found myself immersed in it enough to finish the book within just a few days of beginning it.
The basic story in this craft fiction book is that two women, Cora and Jane, have moved to a town called Indigo Gap in North Carolina where they are about to host their very first craft retreat. The move is a new beginning for each of them. Cora was previously working as a domestic violence counselor and Jane had been one of her clients. Cora became burned out on that work, developed panic attacks and she de-stressed with crafting, leading her to create a successful blog and become inspired to start this new life. Jane, a potter, and her young daughter make the move with Cora, into a historic home shared with an older women named Ruth who is interested in the herbal arts. They are just embarking on their first retreat to bring their varied craft interests to others who need a chance to relax and make things with their hands.
And, of course, the mystery must begin. There is a murder in the tow. Jane is accused of the crime. Cora sets out to find out who really did it. There are several interesting developments. And the discovery of the mysteries happens throughout the book, woven in against the backdrop of this first craft retreat. As mystery fiction, it’s a solidly written book, with enough characters to keep you guessing. There are great turns of phrase that showcase Mollie Cox Bryan’s writing skill. (I love, for example, how early on she describes Jane as “a woman who only laughed when she meant it”.)
More than this writing skill is the specific skill of craft fiction; the book keeps going back again and again to the details that only a crafter can appreciate. They are not just the core of the scenes at the craft retreat; they are incorporated in the details that set the mood of the entire book. For example, the author doesn’t just tell us someone got up from bed but that “she slid out of her quilt-covered bed”. Likewise, she doesn’t just make a call but “pulled her phone from her crocheted handbag”. From the curtains to the snacks given to the child, each detail hints at a love of craft and making. This is what makes craft fiction interesting to me even when I’m not necessarily in a fiction mood.
There is also some more in-depth craft history sprinkled in to the story. This book really honors a huge range of different crafts. There is frequent mention of knitting and paper crafting and pottery but many, many other crafts are mentioned in passing (we’ll get to crochet in a moment). One of the important characters in the book is teaching a workshop on broom making and through this we as readers get to learn a bit about the history of this craft, including the making of Shaker brooms. Another character is a collector of many things including engraved silver opium kits, so we get a glimpse into what about these is an art/ craft.
Although there is an appreciation of this craft history, the book is very contemporary and reflects what crafters are truly like in modern times. I love that the retreat continues to go in spite of this murder mystery … because that’s real life, trying to get your new business off the ground at all costs even though there are other things going on. There are mentions of making blog posts or canceling orders by phone as a great eco-conscious and efficient option. Those of us who craft today and do so at least in part as a business can appreciate that part of the book, too. There is also attention to the fact that crafting by hand is beneficial for the heart. There are several references to how it can help people in different populations.
Okay, so what about the crochet? In a way, crochet is a primary craft in the book. After all, doilies are right there in the title. They play a part in the unfolding of the mystery. There isn’t a lot of mention about working crochet specifically. But Cora is a huge, huge fan of upcycling (we get a chance to learn about many different examples of this throughout the pages) and there is a fun scene in which the retreat crafters help her figure out how to upcycle vintage doilies into a beautiful contemporary skirt. (By the way, the several mentions to Cora’s cute outfits throughout the book appealed to the fashion fan in me.)
What is really fun about this series is that it’s based around the idea of periodic craft retreats. Almost any kind of craft could be taught at these retreats and would make perfect sense in the context of the story as it has been set up so far. So perhaps future issues will have even more reference to crochet details. I know I’d certainly like to see a crochet option in the “projects” section at the end of the book; there isn’t one in this book although there are some other fun DIY ideas including an upcycled Tea Cup Bird Feeder. But regardless, there is enough reference to crochet and insight from other crafts that the book kept me entertained from beginning to end.