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Also by Melissa Bourbon:

Bobbin for Answers, October 2023
e-Book
Murder and an Irish Curse, September 2022
e-Book
Murder at Sea Captain's Inn, July 2021
Paperback / e-Book
Murder in Devil's Cove, September 2020
e-Book
What Lola Wants, August 2019
Paperback / e-Book
Living the Vida Lola, January 2019
Paperback / e-Book
A Seamless Murder, January 2015
Paperback / e-Book
A Killing Notion, April 2014
Paperback / e-Book
A Custom-Fit Crime, July 2013
Paperback / e-Book
Deadly Patterns, October 2012
Paperback / e-Book
A Fitting End, February 2012
Mass Market Paperback / e-Book
Pleating for Mercy, August 2011
Paperback / e-Book

A Fitting End
Melissa Bourbon

Nothing is seamless when it comes to murder...

A Magical Dressmaking #2
NAL
February 2012
On Sale: February 7, 2012
Featuring: Will Flores; Harlow Jane Cassidy
320 pages
ISBN: 0451236149
EAN: 9780451236142
Kindle: B006CU9X2I
Mass Market Paperback / e-Book
Add to Wish List

Mystery Amateur Sleuth

Former Manhattan fashion designer Harlow Jane Cassidy has a gift for creating beautiful dresses. But when Harlow becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation, she'll need more than her sewing skills to unravel the mystery.

Business is booming at Harlow's custom dressmaking boutique, Buttons & Bows, even with the presence of her great-grandmother's ghost hanging around the shop. But thanks to the fast approaching Margaret Moffette Lea Pageant and Ball, Harlow has her work cut out for her when Mrs. Zinnia James hires her to make her granddaughter's pageant gown. With the debutant ball getting the whole town of Bliss, Texas into a tizzy, Harlow knows her dress has to be perfect. But when a local golf pro is found stabbed to death with dressmaking shears, the new deputy thinks Harlow and Mrs. James conspired to commit the crime. Now Harlow has to finish the dress on time and clear her name before the next outfit she designs is a prison jumpsuit...

Read An Excerpt

Magical Dressmaking

Comments

28 comments posted.

Re: A Fitting End

My hook would be something with books or dogs and cats. Thanks for the giveaway!
(Natasha Donohoo 2:19pm February 10, 2012)

HMMMMMMMMM, A NEKKID MAN IN A TOWEL? LOL
(Linda Bass 2:47pm February 10, 2012)

A local diner.
(MaryEllen Hanneman 2:48pm February 10, 2012)

I'd write a cozy mystery series more suitable for YA readers. Maybe
something involving a high school. There are mysteries for kids, and cozies
for adults, but almost everything in the YA genre is either vampires
(paranormal) or contemporary romance. I think Nancy Drew was the last
mystery series I can remember for teens that stands out in my mind, and even
those are a bit young for older teens.
(Debbie Burdeen 3:03pm February 10, 2012)

My hook would have to have our 4 little Chawinnies
Chihuahua/Dachsunds included. Each one of our little dogs is
like a Mystery book and each one would have their own cute
story to tell others. I love animals and would have to include
our pets for sure. Thanks for the great contest. Cecilia
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 3:25pm February 10, 2012)

My hook would be to have the setting be on an old horse estate.
(Carol Mallory 3:51pm February 10, 2012)

Maybe a doctor/hospital..I worked in one for years and could probably create many stories from the experiences..
:)
(Dawn Staniszeski 3:54pm February 10, 2012)

If I were to write a cozy mystery series, I'd probably choose something that would include ghosts into the story. I enjoy the fact that they can move things and make their presence felt to the living, and that's intriguing to me; how their spirit lingers in the same place...old attics, barns, libraries, basements, old mansions and homes, etc.
I love your colorful and very detailed book covers, Melissa.
I just saw your book "Pleating for Mercy" yesterday displayed at our library. I remember it because the cover really caught my eye. Now that I've read your excerpt about your books, they interest me. I always loved sewing, and spent many long hours at it, when I learned how in 8th grade home economics class. Thanks for the contest and much success with this book series!
(Linda Luinstra 4:15pm February 10, 2012)

My hook would definitely be in a library. Thanks for the chance to win your book.
(Becky Darmogray 5:02pm February 10, 2012)

My hook would be in an over 100 years old house. An old
house situated far from any neighbors, quite retreated, in
the wood. A grandmother would be the owner of that said
house. She would have some family members living with her.
And many cats.
A ghost would be the trigger of the mystery in question.
He/She would somehow entice, encourage a resident,(who is
already not very nice to start with) of the house to commit
one or more crimes. But no haunting would be apparent at
first, It would come gradually associated with that said
resident of the house.
Thank you for reading me. I read about 98% of the time in
English, but I am actually a french-canadian so my writings
my contains some mistakes. I apologize for that.
Thanks again.
Judith Venne
(Judith Venne 5:18pm February 10, 2012)

My "hook" would probably be something related to the nursing field. Thank you for the chance to win.
(Wendy Hulbert 5:50pm February 10, 2012)

I would have to write my mystery series around a craft shop: knitting, cross stitch and mayham :).
(Robin McKay 6:10pm February 10, 2012)

This question was a bit of a toughie for me, and I hope that my answer makes sense. Since I live in the country, my hook would have to revolve around the animals in the woods. They would appear in my story in some capacity, either through a special power, or to help me solve a crime, or perhaps one of them is guilty, and another one steps forward to help me solve it. I know it sounds a little offbeat, but I do love animals, and thought I'd be a little different. I love the cover of your book. It reminds me of the sewing machine my Grandmother owned. Your book sounded good as well after reading the excerpt, too!!
(Peggy Roberson 8:32pm February 10, 2012)

I would like to have a series about my neighborhood ladies.
We walk, talk, eat, drink, and gossip about everything we see. Living on an L shaped street gives us access to watch the walking park that abuts our properties. We never lack for enjoyment and there are many stories to envoke from our adventures. Oh, I hope there's enough pen and paper to write all the tales we could spin.
(Rosemary Simm 9:45pm February 10, 2012)

My hook would be a dysfunctional family that is after the family fortune. I'm very familiar with the dysfunctional family not so much the fortune. :)
Good luck and happy writing!
(Tracie Travis 10:25pm February 10, 2012)

A customer service center.
(Kathleen Bianchi 10:54pm February 10, 2012)

I have no idea: maybe food or garden related - landscaping.
(Mary Preston 4:34am February 11, 2012)

Would reading books about seamstresses mean more to me if I sewed? I did enjoy an Elm Creek Quilt book even though I've never quilted.
(MaryAnne Banks 11:06am February 11, 2012)

My hook would be a ghost or a secret passage or drawer that has kin hunting for it. I think a reading of a will would also start things off with a fight.
(Alyson Widen 5:07pm February 11, 2012)

A gallery owner and the artists that come in with
something in the past the must be solved.
(Carla Carlson 9:02am February 12, 2012)

A sexy accountant---I'll stick to what I know.
(Sue Farrell 12:24pm February 12, 2012)

I raise foster kittens for the local shelter, so cats and books are the perfect "hook" for me!!
(Penny Tuttle 12:47pm February 12, 2012)

I have a few hooks that I would throw in - LOL - I LOVE sewing, myself - and the crafty things like latch-hook and embroidery - also I have really gotten into programs like Chopped, Top Chef, Rocco's Dinner Party, etc - so I would add very creative cooking in, along with my music! :-)
(Felicia Ciaudelli 3:00pm February 12, 2012)

I would have to do a cooking cozy mystery.It would have to include my crazy family and all my animals, also.
(Debbie Penny 4:32pm February 12, 2012)

I would have to include quilting and the eating of gooey
chocolate baked trears.
(Heather Pearson 6:52pm February 12, 2012)

At one point, my hook would have been sewing too. My cooking skills are non-existent. However, I had to give up sewing because of constant nagging pain in my hands, especially the right, that makes sewing irritably, violently frustrating. I can type on a laptop because I don't have to unduly stretch any of my fingers, but any other way of putting words to paper, etc. can be sloppy and excruciating. My only real skills are fixing grammar or vocabulary skills in manuscripts (or published books.) So any mystery I'd write would be set in the world of writing.
(Sigrun Schulz 11:31pm February 12, 2012)

My hook would be the life of a B&W (primarily) FILM photographer working in an increasingly digitized world.

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 2:52pm February 13, 2012)

My hook would have to have our 4 little Chawinnies
Chihuahua/Dachsunds included. Each one of our little dogs is
like a Mystery book and each one would have their own cute
story to tell others. I love animals and would have to
include
our pets for sure. Thanks for the great contest. Cecilia
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 3:25pm Friday)
Thanks for letting me know that I Won and I will let you
know how much I enjoy reading your Book too. Thanks, Cecilia
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 3:41pm February 14, 2012)