An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery: Book 14
Publication Date: February 4, 2025
When staffing shortages continue to hamper the Union County homicide squad, Detective Sam Spader once again turns to his secret weapon, reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack. How can she and husband Zack Barnes refuse when the victim is their new neighbor?
Revolutionary War reenactor Barry Sumner had the odd habit of spending hours mowing a small patch of packed dirt and weeds until his mower ran out of gas. He’d then guzzle beer on his front porch until he passed out. That’s where Anastasia’s son Nick discovers his body three days after the victim and his family moved into the newly built mini-McMansion across the street.
After a melee breaks out at the viewing, Spader zeroes in on the widow as his prime suspect. However, Anastasia has her doubts. There are other possible suspects, including a woman who’d had an affair with the victim, his ex-wife, the man overseeing the widow’s trust fund, a drug dealer, and the reenactors who were blackmailing the widow and victim.
When another reenactor is murdered, Spader suspects they’re dealing with a serial killer, but Anastasia wonders if the killer is attempting to misdirect the investigation. As she narrows down the suspects, will she jeopardize her own life to learn the truth?
Craft projects included.
With zany characters, crazy interactions, and a fast pace, Seems Like the Perfect Crime, the 14th book in Lois Winston’s An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, is a delightful read.
While this book could be read as a standalone, the story hinted at things that had happened in previous books that we are not privy to in this book. I highly recommend reading the entire series to fully appreciate this book.
I loved the lead character, Anastasia. Her life was “full” with her mother-in-law and the debt her first husband left her. She was likable, relatable, and funny. I also thought her new husband, Zack, was also relatable.
Anastasia tried very hard to stay out of the way in this book, but trouble just kept finding her as the story progressed. I found myself giggling at the antics a few times.
At the end of the book, there was a blurb from the author. Ms. Winston mentions that she writes about things she knows, such as people in her real life who have the same quirks as her characters. That is the mark of someone who really knows how to write. Authors should write about what they know in order to be authentic to their readers, and Ms. Winston is very authentic.
Cozy mystery lovers will devour Seems Like the Perfect Crime! It’s an entertaining and amusing mystery that shines through with authentic characters.
USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Lois Winston began her award-winning writing career with Talk Gertie to Me, a humorous fish-out-of-water novel about a small-town girl going off to the big city and the mother who had other ideas. That was followed by the romantic suspense Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception.
Then Lois’s writing segued unexpectedly into the world of humorous amateur sleuth mysteries, thanks to a conversation her agent had with an editor looking for craft-themed mysteries. In her day job, Lois was an award-winning craft and needlework designer, and although she’d never written a mystery—or had even thought about writing a mystery—her agent decided she was the perfect person to pen a series for this editor.
Thus, was born the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, which Kirkus Reviews dubbed “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” The series now includes fourteen novels and three novellas. Lois also writes the Empty Nest Mysteries and has written several standalone mystery novellas. Other publishing credits include romance, chick lit, and romantic suspense novels, a series of romance short stories, a children’s chapter book, and a nonfiction book on writing, inspired by her twelve years working as an associate at a literary agency.
February 4 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
February 4 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 5 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 6 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW, RECIPE
February 6 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
February 7 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CRAFT POST
February 7 – Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
February 8 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – RECIPE POST
February 8 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
February 9 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 9 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
February 10 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT
February 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 12 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
February 13 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 14 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR GUEST POST
February 15 – Frugal Freelancer – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
February 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
February 17 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
Lori, thank you so much for the glowing review of Seams Like the Perfect Crime. You started my day off with a huge happy dance!